Adam Lambert, left, gets ready to kiss one of the dancers as he performs during the closing act of the 37th Annual American Music Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles.
New York — Adam Lambert’s racy American Music Awards performance cost him a gig on “Good Morning America,” but he will perform live instead on ABC’s morning rivals at CBS.
Lambert was to sing today on “GMA,” but the network said Tuesday it was canceling the openly gay singer because “we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.”
While singing his new song, “For Your Entertainment,” at the awards program on Sunday, Lambert kissed a male keyboardist, fondled a dancer and had another dancer briefly stuff his face in Lambert’s crotch. The performance prompted many complaints to ABC, and the network cut out the brief oral sex simulation for its West Coast broadcasts.
“Obviously, I respect their decision — they gotta do what they gotta do,” Lambert said Tuesday in an interview with Ryan Seacrest. “It’s too bad — I think there were a lot of fans who were excited to come see me.
“They probably had a lot of pressure coming at them from certain people who weren’t happy about it,” he said.
ABC News’ top management made the decision to cancel Lambert, spokeswoman Cathie Levine said. She said there was no pressure from ABC’s parent The Walt Disney Co.
CBS had invited Lambert before the “GMA” cancellation, and when ABC balked, the singer’s management turned to “The Early Show” and they gratefully accepted. Lambert will be interviewed, perform live and answer questions from audience members today, said Zev Shalev, the show’s executive producer.
Shalev said he expected no problems with the performance. Lambert won’t sing “For Your Entertainment,” but will perform two other songs instead.
“We spoke to them about who our audience is and our expectations,” Shalev said. “He’s a very smart, sophisticated performer,” he said.
While women have often crossed the threshold regarding sexually provocative appearances on television — think Madonna kissing Britney Spears — Lambert’s performance was perhaps the first time it has been done by an openly gay man. The singer said before Sunday’s show that he was hoping to accomplish just that.
“There are a lot of double standards as far as that goes,” Lambert said backstage, a few days before the awards show. “We’ve seen female pop and rock performers do that for the last 10 years. They’ve been very provocative, owning their power and sexuality. You just don’t see men doing it very often. And I’m hoping to break down that double standard with this number.”
Comments
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angelmom (anonymous) says…
Why do gay performers feel the need to make a statement about their sexuality in front of an audience? You don't see straight people making such a point to make others uncomfortable. I just don't get it.
rbwaa (anonymous) says…
"You don't see straight people making such a point to make others uncomfortable."
=============================
female performers have done it for years, many of them essentially nude on stage...., but i guess it is only to titilate, not to make others "uncomfortable"......
CharlesinCharge (anonymous) says…
Heterosexual performers flaunt their sexuality regularly in public and it is equally disgusting. Think of Madonna, Britney, etc. And what about all the teens and cougars that are crazy over the young stars in New Moon? Now that's disgusting!
Lambert's performance was over the top and it was distasteful regardless of his sexuality. However, he is being criticized solely based on discrimination.
fastwalker (anonymous) says…
Adam Lambert looks like a pockmarked Sonic the Hedgehog. Muppet of a chap with a clamp.
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
angelmom (Anonymous) says…
Why do gay performers feel the need to make a statement about their sexuality in front of an audience? You don't see straight people making such a point to make others uncomfortable. I just don't get it.
Oh really?
Madonna never did anything like that...
Britney Spears never did anything like that...
Janet Jackson never did anything like that...
You're only uncomfortable because you're ignorant and your mind is closed.
drake (anonymous) says…
My mind is open and homosexuality is wrong.
CharlesinCharge (anonymous) says…
Ignorance and prejudice is wrong.
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
You act like it's a choice, drake. You probably think that people choose to be homosexual.
That makes a lot of sense. The way that gays are treated in this country? Who would choose to go through that?
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
@ Multi
"Had Brokeback Mountain been about women, they might have allowed it to win Best Picture"
I couldn't agree more.
parrothead8 (anonymous) says…
angelmom (Anonymous) says…
Why do gay performers feel the need to make a statement about their sexuality in front of an audience? You don't see straight people making such a point to make others uncomfortable. I just don't get it.
In addition to the women others have listed, can you truly say you've never seen a straight man flaunt his sexuality on stage? Jim Morrison built an entire mystique around it. Every rock band in the 80s built their careers around it. The marketing industry depends on it for their very existence.
The only reason you "think" straight people don't flaunt their sexuality to make others uncomfortable is because you've been conditioned to "think" that heterosexuality is the norm, so it doesn't make YOU uncomfortable. However, the only norm in humanity is its many, many variations.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
"My mind is open and homosexuality is wrong."
I think the second part invalidates the first unless you include "or maybe I'm wrong" in there somewhere.
acg (anonymous) says…
I loved his performance, I think he rocks. What do I care who he kisses and if he does it on stage? This double standard also ticks me off. If a male artist is being sexy and provocative for the sake of women, it's totally cool, think Elvis, Usher, J Timberlake, etc. If chicks want to kiss on stage like Britney/Madonna/Christina, it's all well and good. But if two guys kiss, well then, people are up in arms about it. So disgusting. I remember every straight man I know badmouthing brokeback mountain but had it been a girl on girl movie, they'd all own copies. Pathetic!
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
@ acg
That's what the movie "Bound" is for! Jennifer Tilly makes me drool...
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
so if Brokeback Mountain had two females in the lead roles, who would get the gig? Kathy Bates and Kelly Ripa?
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
Dresden, for your next user name after you get booted again, can I request that you use Eric_Cartman? It's perfect for you.
acg (anonymous) says…
Ricky did that have Gina Gershawn in it? If its the same movie I'm thinking of that was hot.
ksdivakat (anonymous) says…
his preformance was way over the top. I had no problem with him kissing anyone, but I did have a problem with his dancer mocking oral sex on him, and not because hes gay but because its disgusting to do that in public.
When Madonna kissed Brittney she didnt hump all over her, and thats the difference, Adam really went way out there and it was disgusting to me, but not because of the kiss.
Ricky_Vaughn (anonymous) says…
That's the one, acg! I agree...very hot.
monkey_c (anonymous) says…
I didn't see it. But I can't imagine what is the problem with a little on stage smoochy...I mean that is a girl he's kissing right? Sure does look like one.
acg (anonymous) says…
You know, monkeyc, until people started whining about it I thought he kissed a girl, too. In the new age of emo androgeny, who can tell, right? To me, it doesn't matter. I'd rather have people kissing each other than killing each other, either way.
ToriFreak13 (anonymous) says…
The funny thing is..the only defense by him and his supporters...is that hetero women get away with this. It's far from the truth. The things that went on in that performance are not allowed or glorified for anyone, and every and all entertainers that have performed with such raunch have been called out on it. Another point being overlooked and being focused on way too much by his fans and himself, is the HOMOerotic parts of the performance. He actually made suggestive erotic poses with women as well. This is an obvious cry for attention with misdirection aimed at the nonsupporters of gay entertainers when the raunchiness extended way past being "gay". Instead of focusing on just the fact he had to exploit himself to make a record successful....call it like you actually saw it... he can't sing!!!...nor perform for his life! It was pathetic and a far cry from "entertainment". LMAO at his attempt at a tuck and roll.
Jcjayhawk1 (anonymous) says…
MJ made a living out of grabbing his crotch.
Jcjayhawk1 (anonymous) says…
You can always change the channel.
honeychild (Mel Briscoe) says…
it sounds like he did something that madonna would be very proud and envious of (that she didn't do it first!). shock value carries alot of water, publicity-wise.
it sounds like he crossed the line tho, w/ the mock oral sex and grabbing someone on the crotch. the kiss i personally don't have any problem w/ but the rest of it sounds pretty foul for prime time.
denak (anonymous) says…
I agree with honeychild and ksdivakat. The kiss was fine but simulating oral sex is just a little too much over the top and that would be my opinion regardless of the person's gender or orientation.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…
Once one has *departed* sexually,
"over the top" and "beyond the pale"
no longer are even mileposts.
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
So maybe he's not for everyone. I've seen worse. I think it was just one of those"in your face" performances to get even with AI. I bet he sells more albums than the actual winner.
mr_right_wing (anonymous) says…
"Lambert performance causes stir" ...just as it was designed to do. This was not a 'mistake' and this was not 'spur of the moment'. I didn't even know this guys name before this, but now I do (at least for the next 5 minutes.)
No such thing as bad publicity!
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
"This is an obvious cry for attention"
Look, I'm just not buying it. I'm having a really tough time imagining a performer at a celebrity award show doing something to get attention.
ivalueamerica (anonymous) says…
Angelmom, as far as I can tell, the USA is not set up to give special rights to bigots like you to keep blacks or gays or latinos off tv.
mr_right_wing (anonymous) says…
Actually it should be "I couldn't care less..."
Saying "I could care less" means you must have some amount of concern (albeit small)..