Max Adler, who plays Chris Colfer's
tormentor on the Fox musical-comedy Glee, has recorded a video
for the It
Gets Better Project, a collection of inspiring videos that urge
troubled gay teens considering suicide to get help.
On Glee, Adler plays Dave
Karofsky, who bullies gay McKinley High student Kurt Hummel, played
by Colfer, presumably because he's gay. On last week's episode,
Karofsky
kissed Hummel after he stood up for himself.
Glee ringmaster Ryan Murphy has
said the bullying storyline is expected to last through the second
season.
But while Adler plays a bully on TV, he
doesn't appear to condone the practice.
“You do not deserve to be bullied at
all,” Adler says in the video.
“And I'll tell you a little secret.
Most bullies are extremely insecure and want to knock you down a peg
to feel better about themselves.”
“So being who you are is what's
awesome,” Adler adds. “That's what makes you special,
interesting, fun to talk to, desirable.” (The video is embedded in
the right panel of this page.)
The It Gets Better Project raises funds
and awareness for The Trevor Project, the California-based non-profit
that runs the nation's only 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide
hotline for gay and questioning youth.
Celebrities and high-profile
politicians who have created videos for the project include President
Obama, Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton, New
York Governor David Paterson, Fort
Worth Councilman Joel Burns, rocker
Adam Lambert and actor Neil
Patrick Harris.