Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle in ‘Hairspray Live!’

It also delivered the broadcaster’s highest-rated in-season, in-demo Wednesday – excluding the Olympics – in four years.But that doesn’t mean the champagne is flowing freely into mimosas at NBC breakfasts across the country.

When viewers tune into the live performance of the musical “Hairspray” Wednesday night on NBC, they’re in for quite an experience.

Shortly after the 2013 Sound Of Music Live! aired on NBC, it was available on Hulu, so it’s only a matter of time (hours, really – maybe even by the time you finish reading this) until Hairspray Live! is on Hulu as well.

These live telecasts have a knack for uncovering fresh talent and that was again the case with Maddie Baillio, a college student plucked from more than 1,300 hopefuls to play the plus-sized protagonist.

“Don’t make me come over there!” he shouted.

But the show does an excellent job of remaining upbeat and fun while tapping into serious themes and pressing the need for inclusion. “But there are some real, powerful moments in there that are needed today in a world where it sometimes feels like there is so much hate”.

He joked that she told him it was a bad experience, but then explained, “I think it was self-explanatory when I would see her and her enjoyment of it. We have been so focused on what has divided us”.

NBC hopes some innovative approaches will keep viewers interested and point the way toward more creativity among advertisers at a time viewers are accustomed to fast-forwarding through commercials. And the production managed to delight, despite a few flubs, and one stumble. No one knows. It’s a surprise! Neon signs advertise businesses including Waters Plumbing, a bow to the story’s free-thinking originator, and Divine Pet Food. Baillio’s cast members have full confidence that she will do a great job. Hough has won two Emmys for choreographing “Dancing with the Stars”. The highlight of the show was when Hudson paved her way through the civil rights anthem, I Know Where I’ve Been.

Ariana Grande stole Hairspray Live! as Penny Pingleton and her performance was so endearing that we could hardly breathe. What I want to do is get out of this alive without falling in a hole, tripping over a wire or falling on my hair. “I’m happy to be that for everyone”.