Los Angeles Times

Netflix made them reality stars. Now the team from 'Cheer' wonders what's next

Morgan Simianer and Shannon Woolsey, members of the Navarro College cheerleading team, were on a trip recently when a woman approached them with a message: "If Jerry needs a kidney, I'll happily give him one."

The Jerry in question is teammate Jerry Harris, one of the standout athletes featured in the Netflix documentary series "Cheer." "Someone that doesn't even know me but knows my story has so much love for me," Harris said, sharing the story with disbelief. "It makes me feel really special."

While fans offering their vital organs remain rare, many viewers have responded to "Cheer" - and especially its subjects - with similar fervor since it premiered in January. The six-part series, directed by Greg Whiteley, follows the elite cheerleaders at Navarro, a junior college in the small town of Corsicana, Texas, in the intense months leading up to the national championships.

The team is led by Monica Aldama, a Sheryl Crow lookalike with a perfect blowout, an impressive boot collection and an MBA from the University of Texas. Demanding and nurturing in equal measure, she has the ability to inspire fierce loyalty and selfless

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times3 min read
Dylan Hernández: James Harden Delivers A Trademark Disappearing Act At The Worst Time For The Clippers
LOS ANGELES — James Harden produced one of his trademark playoff performances on Wednesday night. Actually, that's not true. This was worse. In the Clippers' 123-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of their first-round series, the longtime post
Los Angeles Times2 min readCrime & Violence
Editorial: The Attack On The UCLA Protest Encampment Was Unacceptable
It is never OK to use physical violence against people with whom you disagree. This should be obvious, but the events that unfolded on the UCLA campus early Wednesday show the consequences when that message is lost. Late Tuesday night, a large group
Los Angeles Times4 min readCrime & Violence
Commentary: The Trump Prosecution Has A Michael Cohen Problem — And A Plan To Solve It
Since the opening of the Donald Trump’s New York trial — when the former president’s counsel told the jury that the prosecution’s star witness “cannot be trusted” — the defense has telegraphed its principal strategy: Eviscerate Michael Cohen. As Trum

Related Books & Audiobooks