Thanks Gothmog for your sharing. I had planned to watch it anyway, but your insights have made it invaluable.I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't happen again due to Ms. LaBelle's snits.
As for NBC and their clunkiness with it (like not know how to mike choirs, so that some of the songs really came out inbalanced), I wonder if this was originally supposed to go to a minor network like WB or something, but the writers' strike brought it to a network.
As for the Pips parts not being all that difficult: a friend of mine sang in a black gospel choir. He said it was the most boring gig he ever did. All they did was sing the same words over and over and over. Although he loves the music, he will not sing in one of those choirs again. I saw him try to sing black gospel, but the poor guy was so white bread that it just didn't work.
And a Tribey Christmas to us all.