Controversy follows Adam Lambert like a stalker.
Oh Adam, Adam, Adam, what are we going to do with you?…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Controversy follows Adam Lambert like a stalker.
Oh Adam, Adam, Adam, what are we going to do with you?…
Article comments
26 - Sabrina
A time and place? Since when was the AMAs a family show? It has been increasingly renowned since its inception for performances and speaches that the organisers have positively encouraged in an attempt to outdo MTV. Suddenly, it all becomes an issue when something of the sort is done by an outrageously talented singer and performer who happens to be gay and who has the misfortune of having the twee little albatross that is American Idol around his neck.
27 - melly
Count me in the LOVE HIM column! How could I not love someone who got me to watch Idol for something other than the joy of mocking? The AMA performance didn't bother me at all, I cheered him on when he macked on his bandmate! And there was so much going on I didn't even see the crotch thing until the still photo was emblazoned across every media outlet the next day, LOL. He may be a media magnet with performances that show some serious love for spectacle, but he backs that up with that unreal VOICE of his. His CD is in heavy rotation in my car and there isn't a single track I skip. That's pretty impressive. Apparently I'm not the only one impressed, the numbers don't lie. He's the #3 seller in his debut week, ahead of Rihanna and Shakira along with other well known artists. He is one of the Top 20 in opening week sales for the WHOLE YEAR, and is one of only two artists that made that list with their debut albums, second only to the SuBo phenomenon. I'm super happy not just for him, but because this bodes well for him getting a chance to make a second record, this time having more than 3 months while simultaneously touring 52 cities. Go Adam!
28 - Jules
Love him dearly. Can't wait for his solo tour. He can be raunchy as he wants; I'm all for it. :) Adam learned a valuable lesson from the AMA experience, and I think he will use that to make better choices in the future. To be honest, I think he just panicked and overcompensated because the performance was not going well. He's human, after all. People should give him a break and show a little forgiveness. I don't think anyone understands how much pressure he has been under the last couple of months.
29 - Ella
Hmmm ..... let me think ..... the AMAs is usually ignored outside of America ..... Adam has been hailed as a potential worldwide star from early in Idol's run ..... he performs some "outrageous" moves ..... he and the show are reported on around the world ..... the AMAs, which people outside of America thought were the same thing as the MTV awards, get noticed a little ..... Adam, whose American version of his album was released internationally on the same day as in America, pending releases of "market specific" versions at the beginning of next year, gets noticed a lot ..... ABC make the token gesture of cancelling Adam's appearance on GMA to add a shred of credibility to their claims of ignorance in the whole situation ..... and game, set and match to Dick Clark and Simon Fuller. Well played, gentlemen!
30 - Frankie
Jules, I think you hit the nail on the head. Adam panicked. His vocals, for whatever reason - be it the sound issue that plagued others or just one of those off nights that hits even the greatest of singers - were not to his usual unearthly standard (though excellent by the standards of most of today's artists live) and to add to it all, he tripped and was lucky to be able to hide it with a ninja roll and being able to be up in time for the next line. I think he found himself in a situation where he had to do something to make the performance memorable, whether for the right reasons or not.
31 - Kathy
Adam is AMAZING!!!
His new album is a masterpiece!
I love him so much
32 - terie
ADAM is ranked #3 on billboard's Top 200 in the U.S. What has been omitted is that according to reports from other countries his albums have been flying off the shelves so that should boost the numbers substantially. He is loved WORLDWIDE and his fans are all begging him to come and perform for them LIVE! ADAM is a true TALENT and should not be held to ridicule for interpreting the LYRICS of a song. His VOICE should be in the NEWS! It's STELLAR!!
33 - Lilly
LOVE ADAM!! Why all the focus on the AMA performance, and not all the wonderful qualities that he has in abundance? He is insanely talented, kind, sweet, supportive of his fellow artists, open, honest and so brave. He has been as inspiration to young people both gay and straight. There have been countless testimonials by parents of gay children, who say that through his example their child gained the courage to come out, to live there best lives. He has touched the world in ways that he can't imagine.
That week before the AMA"s was really rough for him. He gives a wonderful candid interview to OUT magazine, and gets thrown under the bus. Haha,I knew exactly who that middle finger was meant for, and I second the motion!!
Thanks for a great article!
34 - Gaby
I Adore him!!!
Jules. Frankie, what I perceive after watching his performance a couple of times was that he starts well but whe he drags the dancer on the floor and spins her and then pull her toward him his voice tremble, I think this coreography was not for an artist who is actually going to sing, and yes you are right he panicked, with the pressure of fulfilling expectations on him (closing etc) going through GaGa, and as he just star singing feeling his breath getting complicated, yes he panicked and as you say tried to compensate.
I really wish Adam the best!
35 - JLM
Adam Rocks!! I thought the finger was minimal given what Out Mag and a lot of the gay community have slammed Adam (it was for them). His AMA performance was shocking to me except the vocals were not up to his standard. Adam's album is killer!! The more I listen the more I realize it is genius. The intricacies of his voice and genre fusion are just brilliant. I will go to see him anytime, any where!!
36 - raepat
Adam is a mesmerizing performer and individual. Put your seatbelts on cause we are going on a ride into the stratosphere!! AMA's are hypocrtical and lame given the performers that went before him. I thought he kicked A$$!
37 - Jenn
Adam's album is brilliant!! Adam has given a graceful bow to those offended. Many of them don't want to get over it because they are using Adam as a lightening rod for their conservative agenda. Adam is a lovely man and an enormously talented STAR - let the music go on!!
38 - Derrick
Your article made me laugh out loud. Very nicely written, showing the diverse reactions to Adam Lambert. I must agree with you, I will be watching whatever and where ever this guy goes. He is fascination personified, love him or hate him - I have yet to hear a single person say 'eh, could take or leave that Adam Lambert guy'. Comments are either entirely over-the-top OMG this guy rocks and his voice is out of this world, or entirely negative, this guy is gay and shrieky. Put me in the OTT admirer group - I think we will be watching him for a long time to come.
39 - Mtnwoman
Just a correction -- the Jimmy Kimmel mini concert is DECEMBER 17.
40 - Sharon
Great article & refreshing to read. I learned after a fan posted that the finger to the camera was not to the audience or us it was to the editor of OUT which makes good sense. I think the pressure of expectations of him just got the best of him. Thought he handled the fall with grace and still kept singing. Few performers can pull that off. Adam is in a talent category way above anyone in the music business today or even in last few decades. I think way to much was made of the AMA performance. I enjoyed his performance and didn't see wht all the fuss was about until I read all articles and watched some talk shows. Adam will be a superstar and the most talked about performer since Elvis.
41 - dee wallace
I Love him, really really love his music, and really, really, really enjoyed reading and agree with your article.
42 - Jenny
Adam Lambert was very naughty at the AMA's and his vocals were horrible. He knows he made a mistake, and I don't think his management did him any favors by not picking a different single for his debut. There are 14 hits on that CD, and I'm not kidding. The guy's talent is superhuman, his charisma and charm stellar, and he is smart, kind, sweet and very funny. Listen to his interview on Ellen! He was lovely, she ADORES him, and he was flawless on Whataya Want from me! A star is born, no doubt! An interesting and controversial young man, but a major talent. Haven't seen someone like him since Elvis. Don't Hurt me, but he is a much better singer than Elvis. Adam has had vocal and theater training since he was 10. It shows. The AMA's were an infortunate blip. I actually think he gained more fans from the AMA's than he lost. Adam bet Gaga, Rhianna, and Shakira for first week sales. How did he do that? He's Adam Lambert, that's how!
43 - B.
I absolutely ADORE Adam!! I was a bit surprised by his AMA performance too, mostly because his vocals were not as spot on as they usually are. I thought 'the kiss' was HOT!! What impresses me is that he has brought the 'h' word - hypocrisy - to the forefront. Many people are now forced to deal with their own double standards and views on social issues. He has unintentionally sparked a great debate on sexuality and its effect on society and television. Now (hopefully) he can concentrate on his magnificent talent!!
44 - Nancy
I love his music.He will be a superstar
45 - ver
LOVE HIM!!!!!!
46 - cacatua
I finally got Adam's CD yesterday. I didn't get around to playing it until today. Having heard those excerpts from it online it had sounded very electronic to me, so I wasn't in any hurry to hear it. My first impression, playing it today, is that the sound is altogether different - still electronic but much better. They do nobody any favors apparently by making those excerpts available online. Anyway, though there are still things about it that are not my cup of tea, I think it is, by and large, quite good, especially for a debut done in that whirlwind of sudden fame and attention. Anything he could have done at the AMA's from his album, other than what he ended up doing, would have been so much better. It was such a boring show that Adam, singing the way we know he can, would have totally blown them away.
47 - Joanne
Adore all of Adam! Good and bad. He is an exciting bad boy, edgy, unpredictably delicious, hot, sexy, handsome, stylish, and talented. No male I can think of recently that's had my attention like this in awhile.
48 - jsh
Ahhhh, Adam. Je t'adore toujours!!!! Love his cd, love him, whether naughty or nice, which he does soooo well! hee! A voice like his doesn't come around very often (yeah, I know, the AMA's didn't accentuate this fact but his fans know it's true!)I guess he'll have to "tone it down" for the general tv audience but I hope he let's his freak flag fly higher if he goes on tour! I'll be in the front row.
49 - maryann
Love, love, love Adam Lambert!!! His cd is the best!
50 - irisita69
ADAM IS NOT A PROBLEM,
THE CRUSADE AGAINST HIM IS!!!!!
SOMEONE IS USING THIS AS A PRETEXT TO ACCOMPLISH OTHER GOALS.
DON'T STAND BY AND WATCH THIS HAPPENING.
51 - Kate
Good column. Adam Lambert's CD is fabulous. I wish the AMA's could have heard the song--but it does not stop me from wanting more from this talented guy. It's a blip-in the bigger world issues.
No doubt all the petty-mean things people have said about him for the last 11 months fueled the AMA performance as well as the flip-off. Pressure? He has had more than most entertainers, I'm sure.
Well, he got it off his chest and now he can just get back to what he does best--singing! I don't want to miss out on that because his voice is a thrill to listen to and he ain't bad looking either.
52 - Linda
How do you solve a problem like Adam?
You don't, you just love him with every beat of your heart.
53 - Tagrid
Of the AMAs 14.2 million viewers, of course there would be a few complaints " even if everything had gone perfectly! Adam did nothing to apologize for! Watch this Fox Network video from 5 years ago (at 1:30) then tell me there’s no double standard. And, Aaron Hicklin deserved to be flipped off!
I agree with you Ax - the shock value seems engineered. While Adam can always be trusted to be willing to be theatric, there seemed to be more to it with all the hype they gave his performance before and during the show, his placement at the end (after the last award), the producers, or someone seemed to give him all the rope they could, just hoping he’d use it " and he fell into their trap. But he remains strong and proud. He’s never once blamed others " not the producers, not the choreographer, not the sound team, and not the network " he took responsibility for it all on his own shoulders. He manned up and took the heat off everyone else " and no one has stepped in to help him.
But now, ABC has itself gone over the top! Adam tweeted last night that ABC has cancelled his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel AND will not permit him to perform on the Dick Clark New Year’s Eve broadcast with Ryan Seacrest. Now that’s just plain WRONG! How long are they gonna keep this up? What does ABC think they’re doing? These are both late night shows " their excuses are GONE! ABC SUCKS!
54 - joliee
Pink did the EXACT same move with her male dancer in 2004 on FOX, and live no less. You don't remember??? You don't remember because no one made a peep about it. You can see Pink grinding her male dancers head into her crotch right here (better clutch your bible)
55 - Lil
Take it or leave it - the US has not had an entertainer like him since.. well, hm, Michael Jackson? Don't know - after moving here from the EU years ago, I gave up on listening to music and for the first time in 10 years I actually PURCHASED an entire album. Heck - I am in love with the kid! His out-of-this-world talent must be nurtured but not neutered. Go Adam, and when you make it big, remember that you like Reptiles and not Rodents, haha :-)
56 - Camber
So much has already been said but just so you know, here in England, our collective jaw dropped and is still hanging at the laughable reaction of half of America to Adam Lambert's AMA performance.
You Americans that ran for your chastity belts as you saw his performance in case it impregnated you, do you know how stupid you look to the UK and the rest of Europe?? Thank goodness there are enough people in your country who have a few brain cells!
57 - nadine shantz
I am totally confused I guess I will never understand people. They sat through Janet Jackson's performance and many others which depicted violence and sexual acts. The kids were still up when Adam came on with his performance and they complain about Adam's performance, which was on in my area at 10.45. The mind boggles.
58 - Peggy
I love to wait and see what Adam wears when he entertains on different shows...I hope he stays classy cause Elvis, always was dressed classy...Adam is a brilliant entertainer and I wait just to hear what shows he is going to be on....murley you are so right there was a lot of stuff on the ama's that wasn't for children, not just Adams...Now maybe in the 50 and 60's people would of been shocked but the modern generation aren't...Love Adam....