I have to admit, I couldn’t even watch all of Adam Lambert’s AMA performance. I didn’t even catch the show when it aired, but I watched about thirty seconds of the You Tube clip, and I pretty much had my fill. In case anyone wants to revisit the face-to-crotch grinding, the man-on-Glambert-kissing, the crotch grabbing, the cheesy fake S&M vibe (there was a leash!), bird-flipping or the generally horrible vocal work, revisit MSat’s post from yesterday. It was pretty bad.
Anyway, after everyone had taken stock of the cheese, the grossness, the lameness, and the stupidity of that performance, a lot of people thought Lambert should have to apologize. Lambert was all “thanks but no thanks” to an apology, telling Access Hollywood (via Us Weekly): “You know honestly, if I offended some people… it’s apples and oranges. I’m not an artist that does things for every single person. I believe in artistic freedom and expression, I believe in honoring the lyrics of a song, and those lyrics aren’t really for everybody either.” Fair enough. I interpret what Lambert is saying as “my gross, fake-raunchy stuff isn’t for everyone, live and let live.” But then he goes in a different direction in a minute.
The AMA producers thought Lambert’s performance was so “controversial” (I would have gone with “horrible”) that they edited the crap out of it for the West Coast. That choice angered Lambert, who told Access Hollywood: “There’s a big double standard, female pop artists have been doing things provocative like that for years, and the fact that I’m a male, and I’ll be edited and discriminated against could be a problem. People are scared and it’s really sad, I just wish people could open their minds up and enjoy things, it’s all for a laugh, it’s really not that big of a deal.” Um… here’s the thing: first, they edited Jennifer Lopez’s ass-crash too, and secondly, whatever happened to his song not being “for everybody”? Now we all have to “open our minds” and enjoy this crap?
The next stop, of course, on this spiral of fake-censorship is the latest news that Good Morning America cancelled Lambert’s upcoming performance after the AMA debacle. If people make this into a gay thing, I’m going to rip out my hair.
Adam Lambert is definitely a show-stopper!
Good Morning America canceled Lambert’s performance for the show’s concert series, his rep confirms to Usmagazine.com. (Lambert had no comment.)
A source tells Us it was due to the American Idol alum’s shocking showcase at Sunday night’s American Music Awards, where he simulated fellatio with a male dancer, kissed his male keyboardist, grabbed his crotch and flipped off the crowd.
“It was due to his performance and actions on stage,” the source says.
In a statement, an ABC spokeswoman said, “Given his controversial American Music Awards performance, we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.”
The GMA performance was scheduled for tomorrow. Now, the rep for Lambert, 27, confirms he will instead be on The Early Show on CBS.
Complaints poured in to ABC — the network that aired the AMAs and GMA — on Monday about the sexually charged performance of “For Your Entertainment,” his first single off his debut album.
According to the Associated Press, ABC said more than 1,500 people complained, what it termed a “moderate” response, and the Parents Television Council also said it had heard from many upset members.
“They’re outraged,” said Timothy Winters, president of the Parents Television Council. “They just can’t believe the nature of the content, the explicit nature, and how much graphic content there was.”
Still, Lambert has made no apologies for the performance.
“You know honestly, if I offended some people… it’s apples and oranges. I’m not an artist that does things for every single person,” he told Access Hollywood after the show Sunday night. “I believe in artistic freedom and expression, I believe in honoring the lyrics of a song, and those lyrics aren’t really for everybody either.”
[From Us Weekly]
Let’s take this issue out of it’s “gay” box. Let’s say someone like… Bono was performing with U2 on a big ABC-aired awards show, and Bono grabbed some girl’s head and shoved his crotch into her face. People would be up in arms. I would be up in arms. It’s a disgusting thing to do during a performance, and that alone is wrong enough. Add to that the other stuff… well, I totally get where Good Morning America (which airs on ABC) is coming from.
Why are people always “up in arms”? Seriously. If you didn’t like it, then move on with your life!
This guy is an idiot!! No one cares that he is gay. By pulling stunts like that on an award show is a sure way to kill a career before it starts!! No one wants to see any artist shove a dancer’s face into their crotch!! It’s just nasty!! Didn’t his parents teach him any manners??
I got NO problem with the dude and his sexuality. I don’t need to see dude on dude, chick on dude, or dude on chick bullshit, neither. Just perform without all the inflammatory bullshit, pleez.
I dont think i should need to link every britney spears video ever made to show that he is, in a way right. Even more so. Rhianna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga all prounce around half nude on stage and its acceptable, but if a male were to engage in less then acceptable behavior hes crucified and ” an idiot”
Personally I dont like the song, I didnt like the preformance he gave but the double standard DOES exist and hes right for calling it out.
America has no problem letting their children listen to Britney Spears “3” or “If u seek amy” but when a man, a gay man no less though his being gay neednt be an issue sings about things of that nature, they cover their eyes with the bible…
Just my 2 cents 😀
Whole thing was gross! And the bird-flipping is just immature and unnecessary.
I still think he sounds like Ethel Merman.
Bigtime overcompensation (for the recent interview bruha) and mechanically contrived and came off more desperate than Lady Gag-me for that “shock value” effect.
More fake than the play-dough makeup on his face (he claimed it to be “in the moment”).
He’s obviously too falsely packaged and presented to give a sh!t about anymore.
Well goddam it, women were treated like property, like objects, almost as valuable as your best hunting dog, for years, and if Adam Lambert wants to stake out his claim in that territory, then more power to him! I say let’s all treat him like a slut and objectify him. Maybe it will “catch” among the male gender, and in another 100 or 200 years, we can finally get down to the point of it all. Which is humanity. This is like 2 steps backward for 1 step foreward. Pass.
I am so sick of his b.s.
I don’t think the content was the big issue, but that it was ABC, not MTV or something. Whitney, Gaga, etc all toned down their acts for the broadcast (Whitney, BTW has a face to crotch moment in her usual performance. She left it out for the AMA broadcast). His people should have known better. I don’t think has much to do with a double standard or the state of American society, it has to do with him doing it on ABC during what is supposed to be a PG 13 rated broadcast. If it had been on MTV I don’t think it would be an issue at all. But it wasn’t. Shock value is all about opportunity, and this wasn’t it.
And about this “double standard”: People need to look around more. There are plenty of male acts that have raunchy, sexual stage presences (nickelback, Slipnot, Bowie, Queen back in the day…). NOTHING ABOUT ADAM IS ORIGINAL. Period. The guys are not as noticed because pop culture is is more about sexuallized women than men. And people rave about Britney and Madonna the way they are about him. He needs to look around.
And has zero, maybe less than zero to do with him being gay. He’s not pioneering anything. He needs to shut up. He’s hurting gays more than helping. He’s also a hypocrite; he said he didn’t want his sexuality to define him, but so far he is letting it rule his career.
Hey, the minute I saw Perez Hilton on-air live, I KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE TROUBLE. What was ABC thinking? Who supervised sound check and dress rehearsal? FIRE THEM ALL. It’s like Janet Jackson’s famous wardrobe malfunction due to Justin Timberlake. If the network producers putting on the Superbowl half-time show knew the lyrics involved (“…naked by the end of this song”) it wouldn’t have been a big “surprise” (nipple cover, right?). People who were shocked, offended or had kids near the TV have every right to pursue this. Broadcast television has its “standards and practices” people, who were CLUELESS about what they were putting on live and in color. IN PRIME TIME. Let me just say, as someone very familiar with what goes on in television, heads should roll.
haha i haven’t seen the performance but these pictures look like something out of a vegas late night freak show….tone it down for the masses, Adam….
@BiggieShortie I love you! I quote Wanda Sykes as “Biggie Shortie” all the time, and your avatar is GREAT!
Look at me! Look at me! That’s all this was and it was just pretty pathetic. I’m sick of him already and he hasn’t even gotten the album out yet.
I don’t find what he did any more offensive than Miley Cyrus grinding her coochie against a stripper pole. If that’s allowed than this IS a double standard.
I couldn’t agree more with Seven. First of all, ABC executives must have surely had to green light the performance before broadcasting. They knew everything that Adam was going to do and yet, they allowed it. I think that everyone was looking for a bit of controversy here, but the reaction of some members of the public (and ABC after 1,500 people complained, out of 14 million viewers, no less), is ridiculous.
OK, Adam wasn’t at his best, he engaged in simulated sex acts and the song isn’t even catchy. So what? That doesn’t diminish his exceptional talent and doesn’t make him deserve such brutal criticism.
People are such prudish hypocrites and I, for one, I’m very happy that Adam has exposed the double standards that many have, tolerating gay people as long as they don’t show themselves on TV. By the way, I’d like to ask those who were saying “but children were watching that show!”, what were your children doing awake at 11 pm, and on a school day?
I was a huge fan, but I will never listen to nor watch him in the future. That was the most self-indulgent piece of pornographic crap I’ve ever seen. More than just a little full of himself and his indignity at people being offended shows a total lack of humility or respect. What an A$$.
Janet Jackson grabs men’s crotches, as well as her own, in her performances and videos (for easiest to find- see video “If”), Bobby Brown used to simulate sex by humping and grinding the stage and the air during his performances (even on the AMA’s), and I don’t need to go into the things that Madonna and Britney have done. The reason why people are whining and being “up in arms” as this article states, is because Adam is gay. Unfortunately, that’s the truth. If Britney Spears had sung this song surrounded by people in leather and had grabbed someone’s crotch and made out with someone, there might have been lots of scandal the next day… but no one would be saying “GROSS” and “That was DISGUSTING” and “I COUDLDN’T WATCH IT, IT WAS SICK.” That kind of language would definitely not be used. Those kind of statements come from people being uncomfortable with his sexual orientation. They are really rude comments and say more about the person making them, then about him.
@Pont Neuf i’m so with you guys. They kept announcing stay tuned for the Adam Lambert performance that everyone will be talking about.
They knew what he was going to do. and female entertainers get away with it all the time. Not saying I approve but they approved the performance and are now back tracking to cover their butts.
And if your child was up at 11pm on a school night then that’s your own problem not the networks. You can’t allow the tv to raise your children and then complain.
I will however say Adam should have toned it down a bit
Oh yeah…that performance and his attitude after–a DEFINITE career-killer. And he’ll whine and cry and say it’s because he’s gay and that he’s just ahead of the times or some shit. Boo hoo get over yourself…we have.
I agree with BiggieShortie.
YES there is double standard and YES I think that the straight female trash should be taken to task for their disgusting displays, as well.
Leave the raunchy acts in your bedrooms please boys and girls.
Intolerance is alive and well. My goodness – Madonna and Britney shared a kiss and everyone was talking about how “hot” it was! Certainly both Madonna and Britney have been just as raunchy – if not worse – but it’s o.k. because they are women??? Please!!! Christina Aguilera has also been this way on stage…show me an artist who hasn’t – but the outrage is because he’s gay. My god – Myley Cyrus is jail bait and pole dancing!!
Everyone needs to get over it – he’s gay and he kissed someone on stage – big freakin deal! Get over yourselves!
Honestly – Michael Jackson kissing Lisa Marie was still more offensive then Adam could ever be!!
Well, I’m no shrinking violet prude, but that performance was revolting and not because of the man on man action.
As for some of these comparisons, please. Madonna was well-established as a controversial performer and so was Britney when they did that kiss. And it lasted how long? A minute? And there was all kinds of flack for it the day after.
Michael Jackson made crotch-grabbing perfectly acceptable – now it’s more like finding someone who doesn’t do it that’s hard.
Lambert used the AMAs to launch this side of himself, the visuals, the over the top sexuality – c’mon, he and his handlers knew it would go over like the proverbial poop in a punchbowl. But he took a chance and it was an epic fail. Not all because of the controversial stuff, but mostly because he failed to do that which would have made his “act” more palatable – the kid cannot sing live while running around grinding heads in his crotch.
I didn’t find exceptional talent anywhere in his performance.
Oi, you’re so right. Adam isn’t the first guy to simulate oral sex on stage: http://brightcove.vo.llnwd.net/d7/unsecured/media/1120330742/1120330742_10045397001_Bio-Biography-David-Bowie-Shot-Heard-Round-World-SF.jpg
It’s just the times we live in that people are offended by it.
By the way, the first time Madonna appeared on an awards show, she rolled around on the floor in her underpants. It made her a star.
Not saying I like it, but that’s how people get careers in showbiz.
I find it laughable how people throw out the “you’re just a prude” , “you’re homophobic” & “double standard”, without knowing anything about the audience who says this performance was bad. Like none of us have ever enjoyed a gay film or performance, gay artists, or for that matter have gay friends or family.
I, for one, find THAT offensive.
Have to agree with him on this one. Every freaking show contains some slut shoving her breasts in some mans face, rubbing her backside on another mans crotch, no one says anything. Brit and Madonna make out, the next day all anyone can talk about is how “hot” it was. I laughed my arse off when he did his little act, because I knew what would happen – suddenly everyone would say “oh, its too racy, he went too far!” Its not a “gay” thing, its a man on man thing. Women do it, its fine. Men do it, everyone throws up. Meh. I really don’t care, all this is going to do is give him more of a venue later on down the road so everyone who was disgusted by it should probably avoid tv/magazines for a while because I have a feeling he will soon be everywhere.
Dear Adam Lambert,
You are not the first person to ever be “edgy” (if you want to call that edgy) so get over yourself and your schtick. sorry you suck ass. ta-ta
Sincerely,
Someone Who Wouldnt Know You If You Walked by on the Street, but Probably Would Because You’d Be Putting On a “I Deserve Things” Attitude
The truth is that not very many people find an S&M theme very entertaining, and not very many people find man on man action very attractive. I know a lot more straight women who find a woman on woman kiss attractive than women who find a man on man kiss attractive-and these are women who are attracted to men! I don’t think there’s anything discriminating about that at all (how can you call sexual attraction discrimination??).
He can stand up and say “Screw the masses!” all he wants, but the masses will just stand by and watch him crash and burn, because that’s exactly who makes or breaks him.
Its not the nature of the song that offended people, it was his crude antics on stage.
I think everyone is forgetting that there are a lot of people with on going complaints about Brit, Madonna, MJ, Gaga and their antics. It seems to be part of the noise now. This seems to be par for the course. What he did is nothing new (none of it) and this reaction is nothing new either.
Orion70: great comment! right on the money.
I actually think this type of performance could have worked for him if they had done it better. But what they went with is so far gone that its disgusting, and makes Adam into a joke. Everyone is pretty much waiting for him to crash and burn now. Everything about him seems like a parody to me. His album cover, the OUT mag crap, this AMA thing now. I’m more convinced than ever he’s not interested in music at all. He just wants to be famous for one thing or another, and screw the consequences to his career/life, the gay community, everything.
MSAT: That photo you posted of Bowie is taken out of context. He has his face up against the guitar not up against the man’s croch.
I don’t think that Adam Lambert can sing or dance very well so who cares if he’s trying to get some attention…
For everyone screaming it’s network! OMG! Seriously who doesn’t have cable or the internet these days? Adam’s right and homophobes need to back up. Deal with it, we are living in a hyper-sexualized time, and guess what? Gay people shouldn’t have to tone it down or get back in the closet. If it’s ok for Carrie Underwood’s dancers to mime handjobs on their mics, for Rihanna and Lady Gaga to parade around half naked, or for Eminem to say that Slim Shady has raped 17 women (way more offensive in my opinion) then nothing Lambert did is a big deal. Get over yourselves, also anyone saying that they won’t be buying Adam’s album b/c of this is full of it. You were never going to buy the album in the first place. Also your loss, cause For Your Entertainment is the funnest pop/rock album of the year.
All the women in pop music act like sluts on stage and no one says anything. Nasty is nasty but he is just doing what everyone else has been doing for years.
Goodbye Adam. You won’t even get 15 minutes after that crap. Nobody wants to see you making out with a guy, except maybe perez hilton
you wish homophobe! Adam’s crazy talent will overcome this bs, he is the next big thing and you are going to have to deal with it.
So how many people now know the name of Adam Lambert? It certainly got him alot of attention
Beyond lame is he.
Thanks Environ. I needed that laugh.
Does he even matter enough to get worked up about his performance? Certainly not.
He isn’t the first performer and won’t be the last to use sex to try to cover up for having no talent. Unfortunately, it sometimes works. Anyhoo, did anyone take note of the size of his fingers. Very short. Wonder what that says about his man bits?
I’ve seen more crude acts walking down Broadway than in his performance.
The only reason it’s shocking is because we live in the world of the Jonas Brothers and supposed ‘purity’. Give me a break. Simulated sex…Britney has simulated both sex and masturbation. As has Madonna, and many other’s. Rihanna performed topless with a tiny jacket on. Justin Timberlake ripped off Janet Jackson’s bra.
It’s just sex.
See to me words like raunchy, crude and disgusting bring to mind a more insidius form of sexuality. A fratboy-laden form of mocking ones personal predalictions. It is crude to shame someones sexuality. It is raunchy to attack ones sexualized body. Enforcing ones personal sexual tapestry on the world is disgusting.
People live for sex, lie for sex, sometimes people end up murdered or murdering because of sex. Sex is a powerful thing. It’s been taped into by artists for centuries and will contenue to be done so in this way.Because people like it. We enjoy that public display. Be it Michelangelo, Madonna or ancient carvings from Pompeii. The public consumption of flesh has and will always exist. Trying to pretend any different is really very juvinile.
God damnit, Adam Lambert, WE ALL GET THAT YOU’RE SUPER GAY. Would you quit making it, like, your ONLY quality?
Also, thanks for posting that picture of the face-grinding, I hadn’t seen that. Ugh, he’s all bending his knees and getting into it. Now, I loves me some gay porn (I really do, I own some DVDs), but at an awards show this kind of behavior (from anyone!) is totally tasteless.
I’m with Oi and orion. I can’t stand anybody doing cheap S&M shite on awards shows.
And another thing — everybody lives in a different context or frame of reference. If you have kids asleep upstairs in your house, and you turn on the tv and you see this crap, you are going to be uber offended.
If you are single and like to club hop, it ain’t going to phase you.
The public is composed of all sorts of people in all sorts of frames of reference and we all have to respect each other.
My abhorrence of the $hitty standards of performance that we so regularly see in shows like this has NOTHING to do with Lambert being gay and I take offence when people use this as an excuse for just doing away with class altogether, which is what Lambert did on the show.
GET SOME CLASS PEOPLE. You’re going to need it when you grow up!
Oh wow, Environ. You and the delectable Godiva truffle I’m eating have made my night happy.
Thanks for the giggle.
I love him, he’s talented. I hate that he had an off night vocally at the AMA’s but I’m not too worried cause his album is boss, and he is a decent guy. Haters will eat their words.
If you actually listened to the album you might like it:
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Adam+Lambert
Here it is for free, I particularly like Broken Open, Sleepwalker, Pick U Up, Soaked, and Fever. There is a reason that Queen gave him an open invite to tour with them. There is a reason that Rivers Cuomo, Pink, Lady Gaga, Muse, and the Darkness all wrote songs for him, it’s because he has a 5 octave rang and can hit every note on a guitar. He had an off night with the AMA’s the boy has talent to spare.
Don’t believe me check it out for yourself.
how boring, next.
Oh Environ, you slay me!
*dies*
Actually… Bono DID do just that on SNL a few years ago. It was at the end of the show over the credits. They were performing a song and Bono jumped on some woman’s lap and basically ground his crotch in her face. Granted, it was late night TV…
We were all cool for the aliens showing up and planet love for all until this freak-on-a-leash showed up and screwed everything.
I don’t think this issue is as black and white as people’s indignance would suggest. He is a new performer with no industry clout who was attempting to shock the public regarding one of he most sensitive political issues that America faces. Of course, people were going to be outraged. If you were to change any of these factors, public would likely be a tad less virulent. Ex. George Michael pulling a stunt like this. Well, minus the simuluated fellatio which was just too much no matter what sexual orientation. I think that parents too often use TV as the moral compass for their children and that there is indeed an operating double standard. The fact is, however, that too many people aren’t ready to see it and they may never be. But Pay your dues first, then throw a curve ball. He’s a bit of a wild card who should have used more foresight and better judgment.
And for those who maintain that he can’t sing, he’s actually one of the most talented pop vocalists in recent memory. This is coming from a classically trained singer…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Oq_7jYUvo
I’m not saying I’m any kind of fan of Lambert, but I agree with Seven et.al. There’s a double standard. Can’t imagine GMA canceling Madonna. I’ll be watching CBS, just to protest prudishness.
To me it wasn’t that he was making out with a guy or doing the S&M thing or grabbing his crotch, or shoving someone’s face in his crotch (which is just uneccessary….really) it was that he thought he had to do ALL of those things, in a 4 minute period of time.
He could have easily done one of those things, and it would have had a greater impact. Honestly, when he started macking on the keyboardist, I thought “oh please, As the World Turns has already showed the guy-on-guy action, let’s calm down now.”
With Britney/Madonna/Lady GaGa/Janet….etc, they always did one BIG thing, and that was the controversy, and next time they did another big thing. What is he going to do next? How can he top that?
I miss the good-ole award show days, when Biggie and Tupac’s mommas came on stage and had a nice little speech.
In the music business there is always a rehearsal. If something was inappropriate they should have nipped it in the bud. I really liked him until now. What he is doing is not art he is parading himself around trying to prove himself of …what..I’m not sure? He has definitly lost respect by many people.What an idiot.
He is sooooo yesterday.
come on, I have seen performances by beyonce, britney spears, lady gag et al, that have made me feel embarrassed… clearly a double standard here…
anyone remember madonna and spears making out? that was gross to me… but guess what, I lived to tell about it… go figure :/
unbelievable, as soon as I saw Perez Hilton I knew there would be controversey, those two just ruined their Careers ,you just can’t do this to people in prime time. Adam Lambert just did himself in and his career,two birds with one stone.
@gg:”My abhorrence of the $hitty standards of performance that we so regularly see in shows like this has NOTHING to do with Lambert being gay and I take offence when people use this as an excuse for just doing away with class altogether, which is what Lambert did on the show.”
TY. I’ll even say that just because someone can sing with perfect pitch etc (i’m not saying Lambert can), doesn’t mean they’re a great performer, or have anything innovative to offer, or for that matter have a great deal of talent with respect to music in the general sense/”rock n roll” for lack of better word (such as people with crap lyrics, boxed music etc). Plenty of people can sing great karaoke or in a church choir, but it doesn’t mean they belong in the music business.
And @Environ, I did, for the sake of argument, listen to some of the tracks from that album, or should I say, as much as I could tolerate. It was by no stretch of the imagination something I would spend money on, and I buy CD’s like they are going out of style. For that matter, there are independants and virtual unknowns out there with more talent in their little finger than this “artist”.
And for all the folks who keep referring to the so called Janet Jackson -Justin fiasco…..the only thing surprising thing there was the fact that –it was the first time that Howdy Doody lookin’ skank had ever seen a WOMANS titty !!!!!
How wonderful that our leaders in Hollywood are racing one another to the bottom, to see who can disassemble whatever remnants remain of our basic decency, civility and courtesy. In 1946, “It’s a Wonderful Life” endured criticism from censors because Mr. Potter didn’t get his comeuppance in the end.
Rose
http:www.uglywomansguide.com
@ sumodo: It’s like Janet Jackson’s famous wardrobe malfunction due to Justin Timberlake”
No, it wasn’t due to Justin Timberlake, ffs. It was due to Janet’s planned little dance move that she planned and put on her best nipple ornament for. Please …
i don’t think that he should have to apologize to a homophobic public. The women that perform on these award shows have done the same thing if not more provocative routines and most of the times are damn near naked while doing them. Britney and Madonna can kiss but he can’t smooch his dancer? It’s the same damn thing and all the women got was applause. I say kudos to him for kicking the double standard to the curb.
im sorry but britney and christina never grinded someones face into their crotch on television. its not about homo sexuality, it’s about tastefulness. britney and christina did sexual things yes, and im sure if adam had just kissed his bandmate that wouldn’t have been as huge, but the grabbing the head and simuluating oral sex was a bit much.
I need to address the show Flash Forward on ABC where about a month ago on TV 7:00 pm the network allowed the show to have two women kissing – how is this any different than adams performance and why is the show not cancelled. I am a die hard adam fan and I dont see the fairness in this if they want to cancel adams performances then they should also cancel the show!
And yes I like the show but ABC has double standards.