According to reports, ABC received more than 1,500 complaints about Adam Lambert’s sexually-charged performance at the American Music Awards.
In what many are describing a s an S&M-themed performancem the American Idol runner-up flipped off the audience, kissed a male keyboard player and fondled several of his backup dancers, one of whom had his head pulled into Lambert’s crotch. The latter was edited out the West Coast replay.
The now openly gay singer was performing his new single “For Your Entertainment.”
Lambert, 27, said his goal was “not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom.”
On his Twitter account, Lambert wrote, “All hail freedom of expression and artistic integrity. Fans: I adore u.”
Later, responding to a tweet from Perez Hilton, the singer wrote, “Thank you for the support. It WAS a bit pitchy. Don’t know what was goin’ on with the sound. Same thing always went down on ‘Idol.’ ”
Were you offended by his performance?
Did You Find Adam Lambert's American Music Awards Performance Offensive?
I wasnt offended at all. I expect at least one racy performance from the AMA and I watch it to see if there is some shock value for sure and I think he is right – if Madonna or Brittney did it, it would be acceptable.
Angela – and that is very sad that musical award shows has come to porn instead of good old family watching!!! They should have waited for their after party to do this and not on live TV where kids were watching and some were present in the audience. Lady GAGA is in that category too – Just plain Wierd and sad!
Adam gave the best performance of the evening. He is the most exciting performer to come along in decades. People need to deal with the fact that he is a sexy gay alpha male and he is not going to go around apologizing for who he is.
THE REST OF THE WORLD REALLY DOESN’T CARE ABOUT ADAM HE IS NOT A ALPHA MALE HE’S A ATTENTION HOUND THATS ALL. HE’S A COCKY PUNK KID WHO CARES FOR ONLY HIM. I THINK HE SUCKS AS A PERSON AND PERFORMER.
Do you know him personally? How in the world if you don’t do you know he “SUCKS AS A PERSON?”
Kerry – Then the show should have been featured on MTV or some porn channel and not on live television during family time!!! Period!!
not at all. adam is such a good performer, i was really entertained. and his album, for your entertainment: good music, good vibe, great voice.
I am not at all offended by Adam’s performance…He is so right freedom of expression and artistic ability. Being Gay is not a scary thing what if a straight person did it…people would be shocked and then move on. I suggest we do the same here.
What surprises me the most is that it took a Canadian website to ask “me” if I was offended. I’ve been following this story since the AMA’s and not 1 single News site, Blog site or any site has asked this very question. Did I find it offensive? Not only did I find it offensive….It felt like Adam Lambert had sexually molested me and my kids. I felt dirty.
Sad to know that there are so many broken TV remote controls out there. Why didn’t you just turn it off? Are you upset because he’s a man? What is the big freakin’ deal?
Yes I was offended. I “was” an Adam fan, but no more. I am not a child up late, but an adult who had no idea he would be doing those acts. The kissing a man didn’t bother me…it was all the other racy acts he did. I haven’t seen any female singers do such?? He’s trying to get people to notice/remember him, well he did, but for the wrong reasons! Now we know why Chris Allen won…
So, I’m assuming Helen you were equally offended by Janet Jackson that grabbed her male dancers crotch, pulled him into her and simulated a hump, and then he danced facing her, and on his knees near her crotch area, be it briefly, but non the less that’s where he was? What about the rappers that sing about rapping 17?
Did not notice Janet doing that….probably wasn’t watching…not a big fan of hers. Adams whole performace was racy/sick….something nobody would have missed….he can do what ever he wants with himself but to subject it to the viewers,who were just watching an award show, unacceptable.
Helen – frankly, I thought the song was really bad! Did not sound good at all!
Yeah, but EVERYBODY is talking about him. No such thing as bad press, right?
no not at all …loved it
Offended?? Absolutely not. I expect this from the AMA, VMA, etc etc. To all those people who claim they were Adam fans before this all happened-Adam is still the same Adam you fans however are not the same fans. You apparently have not researched his career. I still think he is great and will always be a fan because he is true to himself which a lot of so called fans don’t seem to be. I agree with Adam the only thing he needed to change in that performance was his singing. If you listen to it, it really is a good song. Just like a lot of the other songs on his CD.
Come on people. Adam had just come out and was asked to perform on the music awards. Did you honestly not expect a racey performance from him? I rather enjoyed it. Like another viewer said “madonna and britney kissed and that was ok” It actually turned alot of viewers on. But god forbid a gay man doesnt hide who he truely is..It is those who hide who they truely are that end up in a shrinks office all there lives spending millions just to make others happy as they stay miserable. We are in the year 2009/2010 grow the hell up and deal with reality…
I didnt really care for the song he sang but I am proud at the fact that he was not afraid to be himself. U go Boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adam just came out?? We have known for long time that he is gay…where have you been?? I’m guessing in the closet…probably so…since he “turned you on”. Some reality should remain private and not forced on those innocently watching the AMA awards..
When Adam did his rehersal he did not do the same performance as he did on the show. That in itself shows he knew he was beyond the bounds of what society will accept. I am appalled that he did those acts during a time when children were watching. I watched Idol and was disapointed when Adam didn’t win, but I have changed my mind now. I don’t enjoy watching a bunch of pervets dancing around the stage doing things that should be done only in private. Those people who enjoyed Adam have minds that have sunk to the gutter. It is really a sad world when Adam’s kind of acting is considered ok.
Hope – that maybe so, but on American Idol he did nothing racy like this and it was on the same time as the awards show – during family time!! All we need is the likes of that idiot Perez Hilton to add this crap to TV! So, since people are all for Lambert’s X rated acts on TV, then it will be ok for conservatives to get on TV and view their thoughts about gay marriage!! Should not be a problem right?!
TOTALLY OFFENSIVE!!!!
We have enough suggestive crap on TV without him adding to it. He’s such a great talent, sad he has to stoop to such disgusting tactics. I was surprised when he didn’t win Idol, now I’m glad the wholesome Chris Allen got the top spot. Lambert does not even come close to being a good role model to the age group he most likely appeals to. As for me, I’m in my early thirties, married, and have 3 kids, you can be sure I’ll steer them away from this guy, he’s bad news.
i don’t think that this is the correct venue for expression…it should be good entertainment especially when teenagers can view this…but what about when the rappers are on and half their song needs to be cut out do to vulgarity and crotch grabbing….that is ok?? it is all bs…no respect for the fans that put them there…
I found it very offensive. I also was an Adam fan and voted for him on Idol. That was too far over the top. He should show his talent by singing. The racy sex acts overshadowed his ability to sing. It was not neccesary.
Yes I found it disgusting. It seemed to me that this is the type of performance one might see at a strip club, not on live television with families and young children watching. I find Adam Lambert to be a very self centered young man.
I was shocked by Adam’s performance on the AMAs. I didn’t think it was appropriate. I still love his voice and went ahead and bought the new CD. Every song is good by the way. I will pray that he has learned what the public doesn’t really want to see and put out more great music.
I really, really liked him before, but this was over the top. Reminded me gay parade in Berlin. And for Janet Jackson? No voice, so what else she can offer?
Shocked, disgusted and terribly disappointed. I had hoped to hear his spectacular voice and see him as the handsome guy that he is – not a scowling, writhing bad boy. If he was acting (probability), then he did an outstanding job. He has admitted to getting carried away, but he also needs to apologize to those of us who watched and voted him through his Idol journey who were offended by this performance. To divide his fan base on the eve of his CD release was a terrible business move.
My husband and I found his performance disgusting. We will not buy his CD now becuase he has questionable values. He could have given an outstanding performance without going as far as he did. We thoroughly enjoyed his performances on American Idol and he has a great voice but that is all he has. What a disappointment.
Shocked, disgusted and terribly disappointed is exactly how we felt about his performance. It makes us sick that we voted for him on American Idol. As far as we are concerned he is the FREAK that so manny other people thought that he was. The American Music Awards should be ashamed that they televised his performance. What is the entertainment industry coming too.
Shock, disgust,freak, quetionable values, over the top, offensive. Hmmmm, I was wondering how moral and decent some pepole are when they trash a person whom they don’t even know and yet they seem to have a sense of moral outrage. Interesting…How lucky are the rest of us to have such moral upstanding folks be looking out for our moral integrity.
What he did was totally unacceptable and not neccessary to force upon us who watched the award show…If morals means considering other peoples feelings then so be it.
I found it nauseating. This should not be shown on Public TV viewing The Media (some) have glamorized this lifestyle to the point where strait people have opted to stay in the closet.
Are we living in the last days or what?
What txwich said. Does the phrase “holier than thou” ring a bell? All this self-righteous blah blah blah-speak is ridiculous, in my opinion. Welcome to the 21st century. Turn off the television and do a puzzle with your kids. Or take a walk. Or read a book.
No one is “trashing” him. They are trashing the performance in defense of decency and morality standards. Remember the Holocaust? Remember English philosopher Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’ For those of us who want music, beautiful meaningful music that speaks to the soul to fill the air, we must speak up with our mouths and our money. No, his performance is not tantamount to the murder of millions but the result is the same (the denigration of our humanity) especially when the self-righteous try to tell us we cannot speak against it for fear of hypocrisy. So, instead of slamming people for their opinions, try to engage the debate. I think you would just rather slam the commentators becuase it is alot easier than finding an argument to justify the denigration of human beings and our culture with sexual perversion.
Adam Lambert has too much talent to be so trashy. What a waste. He wants to blame his performance shocker on his gayness…what a joke. Elton John is openly gay and just look at the class he portrays with every performance. During Adam’s Idol days I said over and over that I would pay big bucks to see him in concert, now you could not pay me to see such trash. Grow up Adam. You’re wasting your talent…maybe you need to search Hollywood for a porn flick.
No not at all, it wasn’t Sexy, I wish it’s more SEXY than a bit slutty. It was hilarious thou, I felt bad cuz he stumble a bit. It’s NOT a Big Deal Performance, but sure the parents that are anti Adam didn’t enjoy them I think cuz it didn’t turn them on LOL
I found the first “out of the gate” performance and music very disappointing. I think a lot watchers expected Adam’s music to be more rock, however, he is a performer and still a great singer.
I am so amazed as to how many “Mr. Ropers” we still have in our society. To those who are so judgemental-I really hope that you give others a second chance because if you base everything that you did like about Adam on this one incident then you are not deserving of enjoying the talents of a truely great singer.
Gay, who cares! I was a big A.L. fan on Am. Idol. Knew from the beginning he was gay, not had to tell. What I found most disgusting about the whole performance was his lack of his exceptional voice all I heard was alot of screaming and that tongue, Adam keep it in your mouth when you sing, and stop with all the screaming use your voice its fantastic. Your yelling, not good.
I thought that Adam should have won American Idol as I felt that he was an exceptional artist. I felt that he was very level headed and would be a wonderful role model. However after watching his performance I was totally shocked. I am sorry but seeing a man or woman pulling at anothers crutch, two human beings in bondage being lead like dogs and aggressivley grabbing another human being and almost appearing to chew their face off appeared too much like porn to me. I think that these entertainers try soo hard to get a reaction that they use the excuse of art!!! Sorry Adam you can use the excuse double standards but I felt that Madonna and Brittany,Justin and Janet were way out of line as well!! The sad part is that they get the attention they are looking for whether good or bad as it seems that todays society supports this. These people seem to get richer for this type of behaviour.
I have both an observation & a personal opinion. My observation is that Adam has made the perfect choices up to the AMA’s. His CD was to drop the next day & as he sat in the audience watching the girls perform their racy stuff before him & looked out on an audience of music celebritys whom he admired & hoped to impress. I feel he made a very human choice to try to wow them in the audience & forgot about the folks at home. He’s a well intentioned young man who made his first human less than great choice. Adrenaline & a need to pls are a strong combination & can get the best of us. On a personal opinion note, he didnt do anything that offended me other than fail to sing very well due to all the calistenics going on with moving around the stage. I love him unconditionally still and his whole album is terrific and gets better with each listen.
Hey Tnaftal, I think you just made a good point. He was probably sitting in the audience and like you said, saw all the other racy stuff. I guess he got too carried away by it all. I hope he has learned a lot from this.
I did not like the oerformance for sound and choreography reasons.
I’m so used seeing megastars performing…nothing new.
American music awards. One of the worst family shows of the year. If the music is good it sells itself, don’t have to grab crotches, unless the show is worried that tallent alone will not support, and we all know…. sex sells. as for my family, if the format stays the same next year,probably watch a movie.
My husband and I never voted for him on Idol because, given a choice, we will not support homosexuals or “gays” and we always have a choice. It may be a surprise to the “gay community” to know that no one care what they do in bed but we do care that you are doing it in our living rooms, cinemas and theatres especially when it is “over the top”. Please know “the top” or what is tolerable is shrinking becuase of your type of antics.
The word is “bad” the singing was bad the theme was bad, it made the awards look bad, it was bad at every point, Adam…. Dude you made the gays look bad, kinda back fired on you. My sex is done in my house and I don’t tell or flaunt it outside. Why do you feel you must?