Clueless and Hairspray both have an enormous heart and a joyous, colourful atmosphere, all within a high school setting. Rather than an arbitrary social hierarchy, Hairspray is based on the very real situation of segregation and racism in the 1960s. Proud curvy girl Tracy auditions to be on her local afternoon dance TV show, but she's sidelined for her size and her open support of racial integration. Instead, she finds friends and allies in the Black students she meets in detention. Tracy teams up with this new group — and one of the dance show's heartthrobs — to make historic changes.