Adam Lambert backlash

By Kathy Hanrahan

Posted: November 24, 2009
Updated: November 25, 2009

I love Adam Lambert. He has an amazing voice, great make-up and a stage presence that was unlike anything "American Idol" has ever seen.

So what was he thinking during his American Music Awards performance?

(For anyone that missed it, he led around dancers on dog leashes, shoved their heads into his crotch multiple times, and made out with his male keyboardist.)

Now it is obvious that the AMAs expected his performance to be racy. They did save it for last. It aired just before 11 p.m. But did anyone actually watch his rehearsals? Or did he change things at the last minute?

I think the reason for the performance can be traced back to his musical influences. He loves Madonna – whose own racy performances used to give the censors fits. She also had at least one video banned from MTV due to its explicit nature.

So Adam pushed the envelope. (OK, he tore up the envelope.) But how will it affect his burgeoning career?

He needs to scale everything back and just focus on his voice for the next performance. Maybe pre-tape (for some networks, a live performance would be a hard-sell) a performance for a late-night talk show.

Adam needs to remind people why they liked him to begin with.

What do you think? Did he go too far and how can get rebound?

20 Comments

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In the entertainment industry it is about getting press. Adam is getting more publicity now than ever before. He has his own style - shocking or not and as an artist it is his right to express himself as he sees fit. If you don't like the show turn the darn channel. People that are homophobic will pitch a fit whether they saw the performance or not. It is a double std. that women can be provocative in a performance without the backlash a gay male receives for doing the same. I can't wait until our society/culture sees all relationships as equal. E1 knows NC will be the very last state to ever allow same sex marriage if at all and would prob rather start another "civil war" than allow people to be who they are. Kudos to Adam for being true to himself and his beliefs in his performance. There always has to be some controversy at music awards and shows - this last show it was Adam. I am sure Kanye is happy to have the spotlight off him for a while ;)

CraftyMo
December 3, 2009 12:01 p.m.

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"I'm an Adam fan and will continue to be so. He was wonderful on the Early Show this morning. Guess no one was incensed that Janet Jackson put her hand up through a male dancers legs and felt his crotch. That was shortly after 8pm, not 10:55. My teenagers were in bed at 10:55."

Exactly... I have never understood why it's (most often) perfectly fine for women to act in this way, but everyone is so homophobic that the moment a man performs this way, it's a travisty. I am an Adam fan and I continue to be so because I love his voice. He may have been more forward than some other people have been, but it is still the same principle... and, as a couple of others have stated, this was aired at 10:55...young children SHOULD NOT be up that late, and if you choose to let them watch what would be considered late night television, you have no one to blame for their seeing this than yourself, and that's about all there is to it, whether you choose to take the blame or not.

Miss Jexy
December 2, 2009 8:14 a.m.

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Why do so many musicians think it's part of their goal to push the boundaries of decency? I can't stand Adam Lamberts voice, much less his social agenda.

me2you
December 1, 2009 2:47 p.m.

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He is so sick !!!

pebbles262004
November 27, 2009 7:11 p.m.

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Like he said....if you don't like him don't watch. And if your kid was up at 11:00 that's your fault. He is not your babysitter. BTW....he had made his first million and is working on the second without you. It looks like your opinion really does not affect his pocketbook.

mrduffin
November 25, 2009 7:56 p.m.

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What was CBS EARLY SHOW thinking about. Adam is repulsive. Nice voice, but it ends there. I'm sorry Channel 5 showed the Lambert par. Goodbye Early Show, hello ABC early show. Delaine Bradsher bradsher98@gmail.com

bradsher98
November 25, 2009 1:48 p.m.

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Adam has a pretty good voice. He's a great screamer and pretty good singer and seems like a very nice person. But, what's sad is that overall he's super talented and doesn't need any of the useless antics he displayed on the awards show this past weekend. The reason Madonna had to do it was because her talent was very average. If Adam focused on his voice control and music, he's be much better off....just my opinion.

robster
November 25, 2009 1:48 p.m.

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This freak show is a no-talent weirdo who is attempting to push his gay agenda on whomever will sit and watch this garbage. He looks like a freak and is very limited in his scope of voice. It is typical and kudos to GMA for not allowing him to spew his filth and abominable behavior on television. It's just too early in the morning to see that morbid looking freak.

csplantlover
November 25, 2009 1:14 p.m.

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I'm an Adam fan and will continue to be so. He was wonderful on the Early Show this morning. Guess no one was incensed that Janet Jackson put her hand up through a male dancers legs and felt his crotch. That was shortly after 8pm, not 10:55. My teenagers were in bed at 10:55.

Wifeandkids
November 25, 2009 1:14 p.m.

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I'm pretty sure the keyboard player was a dude, but these days it's kind of hard to tell.