It wasn't hard to guess that Irish-born Damian McGinty, one of the winners of Oxygen's The Glee Project, would make his Glee (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox) debut as an exchange student from the land of shamrocks and St. Patrick. But you've got to give the show's writers credit for cleverness: They've housed his character, Rory Flanagan, with Brittany (Heather Morris) -- who thinks he's a leprechaun. Of course she does! As Finn (Cory Monteith) remarks, she's "like Rain Man with boobs."
Like McGinty himself during his stint on The Glee Project, Rory is slight, likable and thick-accented. "I love everything about America, especially Nascar, your half-black President and Victoria's Secret catalogues," he tells Finn (whom he idolizes). But with his skinny frame and fifties haircut, he's naturally a target for bullies. Hence his first solo number, "It's Not Easy Being Green," which he belts out all by his lonesome as he walks the high-school halls.
Rory is also prone to oversharing. Within a moment of meeting Finn, he admits he's a virgin, and he's dying to "snog" his ditzy hostess.
"[Brittany] said if I grant her three wishes, I can get into her pot of gold," he says. "So I'm pretending to be a leprechaun." It's not a tactic that will help his cause with the bullies, but it makes for some witty gags throughout the episode. When Finn meets him, he's busily sorting cereal. "Her first wish is for an all-marshmallow box of Lucky Charms."
Rory's entry into the glee club comes with his solo version of Teddy Thompson's "Take Care of Yourself," which he performs after Finn introduces him to the group.
"He is magical," whispers Rachel (Lea Michele), though she's clearly most impressed by Finn's kindness.
McGinty is scheduled to be in six more episodes, which was his reward for being one of the final two in Oxygen's singing competition. As for The Glee Project's other winner, Samuel Larsen, he is scheduled to start his seven-show arc later this season. According to cocreator Ryan Murphy, uber-Christian Larsen will likely be cast as a member of Puck's (Mark Salling) family...who is Jewish. We'll have to wait and see how that pans out for the McKinley High!
