Last night the 2009 American Music Awards were handed out at the Nokia Theater here in Los Angeles, CA in a live ABC network telecast broadcast on the East Coast and in an edited form for folks watching on the West Coast. The show was edited due to a bit of controversy initiated by Adam Lambert and his “too racy” performance of his new single For Your Entertainment (the show was also edited due to Jennifer Lopez accidentally falling on her ass … but we’ll get to that in a bit). Glambert decided his first TV network performance as a solo performer would be a great place to engage in some same-sex kissing … which, of course, got everyone all riled up:
Openly-gay performer Adam Lambert is defending his man-on-man kiss at the American Music Awards, saying female performers have been pushing the limits for years. The American Idol runner-up kissed a band member while performing his new single, “For Your Entertainment.” The sexually-charged performance angered some parents who quickly began posting messages of disgust online. Pop & Hiss reader Richard Bowen wrote, “I know he wants to break out and show the world his dangerous side, but why alienate an entire population of kids to do it?” When asked how he would feel if the performance was edited for West Coast viewers, Lambert told Pop & Hiss he would not be happy. “If it’s gonna be edited, then in a way that’s discrimination. I don’t mean to get political, but Madonna, Britney and Christina weren’t edited,” Lambert said. “It’s a shame. Female entertainers have been risqué for years. Honestly, there’s a huge double standard.” Lambert said the kiss happened in the moment. Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera shared an attention-grabbing kiss during the 2003 MTV Music Awards. ABC had to quickly cut to an audience shot during the performance when Lambert had a male dancer simulate oral sex on him.
The kiss was so meh. As Lambert said himself, Madonna (and other female performers) gratuitously kiss other women for “shock value” and no one really bats an eye … it’s a contrived act meant to generate water-cooler buzz the next day (and it works, which is plainly obvs since we’re talking about it now). I’m happy to report that Glambert‘s kiss was NOT edited out of the West Coast feed … it was the alleged “simulated oral sex” act that was edited out. After the jump, check out a photo of this “heinous” act, watch video of Lambert‘s uncensored performance and see what all the controversy was really about …
Yeah, all he did was stick his crotch in a male dancer’s face … again, I say meh. It is insane to call this “simulated sex”. ABC had no problem with Lambert sticking his face into a female dancer’s face, which was not edited out of the performance … but the gesture pictured above was not shown in the West Coast feed of the show. I have to say, all this controversy is so ridiculous … especially when the real discussion should be about how Lambert‘s actual performance of his song (you know, the actual singing) was not very good at all. He seemed so preoccupied with shocking viewers and not at all interested in turning in a solid singing performance … I wasn’t really impressed with any of it (especially since, at one point, Adam accidentally fell on his ass during his performance). But … it is the talk of the day.
Here is video of Lambert‘s original unedited performance of For Your Entertainment on the AMAs last night:
Do you think any of this hoopla is worth talking about? Do you find any of this offensive … er, you know, absent the terrible singing?
[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]
Is Adam Lambert a freaking fool???????? What is talking about?!?!?! “It’s a shame. Female entertainers have been risqué for years. Honestly, there’s a huge double standard.” Uhmmmm exuseeeeee me? Im pretty sure that his little performance it going to blow over within a week. But how can he say that girls arent judged for their risque shows???? When Britney kissed Madonna it was headline news, front page on US weekly, some politicans wife said she wish she could shoot britney and even Bette Mittler called the performance “irresponsible” and mothers groups were outraged and lets not forgot britneys oops performance were she was wearing a nude colored costume and the UPROAR that caused. And what about madonnas humping on the stage to like a virgin? I mean this list can go on and on but i am soooooo sure female artist are more judged for their performance because they are not only being judged for being sexual but for being role models aswell. Plus society has a weird preference for girls to act like ladies and virginal or something, we can thank all the simple-minded folk in middle america for this…. Its like when Xtina made her song “Cant hold us down” for real. When Dirrty came out they edited some parts out of her video but they dont edit rappers with their big botty vixens simulating sex acts. I mean cmon!!!! THATS a double standard! if anything girls have it worse. Adam loves that he is geting some controversy because now he is able too use this opportunity to play victim. IT like get over it! it happens to ALL artits of all sex, and all orientations its not just you sweetie!! Get over yourself!!! Nobody cares about American Idol “celebs” anyway. They all suck. Regardless. Ugh sorry for this rant but he is blantly using this opportunity too feel sorry for himself. It rediculous. If anything girls get wayyyy more of a whiplash.
Regardless of that stupid comment he made though. i actua;;y did like the performace, regardless of his singing, it was a decent performance I thought. I just wish he didnt say stupid things ;)
Maybe he should actually distinguish himself as an artist before he tries to prove his points. Britney/Christina/Madonna were famous for years before that performance. Has Adam Lambert even released his first album? I’m all for shock value later on in your career but if you do everything you can to shock the audience coming out of the gates as an artist what are you going to do in 3, 5, or 10 years?
oh my god such a scandal, same sex kissing… get over it, people. seriously.
if the intention of same sex kissing is to shock people, doesn’t that re-enforce the “taboo” view people have? just wondering out loud. never found madonna-britney-christina’s shocking and certainly not this.
Oh Yeah because i’d much rather have my children watching Adam shove his crotch in someones face than let them look at a picture of Miley Cyrus in a swim suit. Ya’ll are totally mixed up. I’m not talking about the same sex kissing, i don’t give a crap about that… but honestly i wouldn’t want to watch anybody shove their crotch in another persons face during their performance. Especially if my kids were anywhere near the tv.
I agree that it’s a bigger deal because it was on network tv rather than MTV ala the Madonna/Britney/Christina thing, and like some have said, there was a big hoopla about it. I’ve never cared about Adam Lambert one way or another, but this has definitely turned me off of him. Not entertaining and too contrived. I think he definitely knew what he was doing and was probably hoping to be censored. It gets his name out there and establishes him as risque. Plus, he gets the added bonus of crying foul and look like the wronged party in a issue concerning same sex issues.
@Erinn – I TOTALLY agree! His performance was a huge FAIL because he did not feature the music. If you take awy the over-the-top showboating, the song, and the way he sung were mediocre at best. Even Lady Gaga did not turn up the theatrics until after she had established herself musically first (with Just Dance). And I’m sorry, but in such a time where gay and lesbian issues need to be heard and taken seriously, simulated boy on boy oral sex on an international stage is a step backward, IMHO.
The same sex kiss didn’t bother me. It was the “simulated oral sex” that I thought wasn’t appropriate for network television. Everyone says what about Madonna/Britney/Christina, but that was on MTV which is cable station. If Janet and Justin having the “nipple slip” was considered terrible for network television then I just don’t see how Adam’s performance was ok for network primetime tv.
I didn’t like his performance, but not because I was offended. I thought that his singing was really shrill and hard to listen to. I am all for people being outrageous (they are onstage in costumes dancing and singing, for goodness sakes), but I just prefer when it sounds better.
I thought his performance, in general, was gross and trashy. The whole tongue thing when he screams was more scary than anything else he did! Yikes.
Wow, first time I’ve heard the song. I’m a huge queer culture lover but that song is too campy and broadway for my taste. Was he channeling Xtina with all that unnecessary belting?
I just thought the singing sucked, which was why I didn’t like it. He did nearly win a singing competition so the vocals should be there. The simulated BJ just screamed desperation to me.
Re: The same-sex kissing, ABC airs Brothers and Sisters in the same time slot that kiss occured, and that show has a married same-sex couple who kiss regularly at that time slot, so really what is the big deal?
His mom must be so proud of him…..
I agree with several others concerning the difference of a cable station vs network primetime TV.
I think he lost many fans last night–I know I was one of them.
What the hell is he doing at 2:50??
@rosyanna – I beleive he would ocnsider that “pushing the envelope”, but most here just think it’s an offensive crotch grab!
Does anyone else think he totally sounds like Vince Neil when he makes those high-pitched, screaming notes?? Makes it seem like a really bad Motley Crue cover!
This whole thing is so pathetic. I completely agree with you Trent. He didn’t care about actually singing his song, all he wanted was to ‘shock’ people. How original. I’m getting so sick of all this. Whatever happened to just being a good singer/performer without going over the top and making yourself look stupid?
I don’t care if a guy kissed a guy… I’m just glad I don’t have to see or hear all these talentless people……………….. I’m much more into people who can actually sing and perform live.
It’s just a gross kiss in general. It looks like he licked the guys whole face and tried to pull his tonsils out.
And, seriously, does he think we are going to buy that it was “in the moment?” PUH-LEASE.
I think they should have put Kris Allen in gLAMEberts place. He is SO much more talented. I’ve never been impressed with Adam, and this just pushed me opinion of him even farther.
whats up with their floor, that 2 artists fell on their asses?
Bottom line: Song sucked and too much crotch action- of any variety.