What is it with celebrity interviews lately? Must everyone take things out of context?

… the singer is responding to a fact-based mention that Boyle’s first album debuted higher than Lambert’s? Did the reporter note that Adam laughed at that moment perhaps to make it clear that the glittery one wasn’t cursing his non-competition?

You decide.

(Of course, objectively, “I’m happy for her success” is about as horrific as an attack on another human can get. We realize that brutality might sway your interpretation.)

Now let’s take a trip into the irony department, with a bit pulled from higher up in the interview, before the alleged Boyle-clubbing section. (Shock! His album comments aren’t actually the lead of the story! Which you’d never know if you did a Google news search of the two names right now!)

These are the words of Gay Times writer Jamie Taberrer; the bold emphasis is mine:

From his forgivable penchant for guyliner (don’t pretend you haven’t been there), to his opinion-polarising album cover, to his controversial performance at last year’s American Music Awards (in which he kissed and groped a male member of his band, inducing thousands of complaints to TV network ABC) it seems Adam can’t bat a mascara-clad eyelash without offending somebody. The irony being, of course, that Adam’s really not shocking underneath it all. In fact, he’s a just a normal guy who – shock, horror! – is actually WILLING to talk about his sexuality.

Boyle and Lambert were both pop-culture sensations on their respective continents and beyond, and were both runners-up in high-profile singing competitions — so bringing up the comparison isn’t shocking. And even if, like me, you have no problem with SuBo, giggling at her take on the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” is hardly out-of-the-box thinking.

Today’s flurry sounds suspiciously like widely repeated reports of Adam putting “one of his own fans on blast” for talking on a cellphone during his performance (If what Adam actually said was an attack, a lot of what’s on the Ministry probably violates Geneva Conventions). Despite the American Music Awards uproar, Lambert has a track record of good manners and general decency toward others. So of course the search is on for the story or headline that “reveals” some heretofore unseen mean and nasty “real Adam” lurking under the surface.

“Adam’s not really shocking at all” doesn’t drive Internet traffic like “Adam’s picking on poor sweet Susan Boyle” does.

Context, people. It’s all about the context. Call me when there’s video of Adam clubbing a baby seal, and then maybe I’ll believe he’s a jerk.

Maybe.

– Christie D’Zurilla

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

What is it with celebrity interviews lately? Must everyone take things out of context? Adam Lambert spoke with U.K. magazine Gay Times for its March issue, in an interview excerpted here. Yes, he criticizes Susan Boyle‘s album. But does he “slam Susan Boyle“? Was the point of the interview to trash her album and extend [...]

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY

It wasn’t really the man-on-man kiss or the simulated oral sex that marked Adam Lambert’s performance on the American Music Awards on Sunday as shocking. Mostly it was ABC’s reaction. By rescinding Mr. Lambert’s invitation to sing on “Good Morning America,” ABC self-protectively drew a line that networks usually prefer to keep blurred.

Or as Mr. Lambert said Wednesday morning on “The Early Show” on CBS, “There’s a lot of very adult material on the A.M.A.’s this year, and I know I wasn’t the only one.” Mr. Lambert, runner-up on this year’s “American Idol,” was referring to other risqué performances Sunday night, including Lady Gaga smashing whiskey bottles, Janet Jackson grabbing a male dancer’s crotch and Eminem talking about his character Slim Shady’s rap sheet of rape, assault and murder.

There is a lot of very adult material on television all the time, and mostly it flows unchecked and unpunished, except when it comes as a surprise and hits a nerve. Community standards are mutable and vague; lots of people don’t know obscenity until someone else sees it. Ms. Jackson transgressed during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show because she exposed a nipple, which is one thing that network television normally doesn’t show. Mr. Lambert, who just released his first album, startled viewers because he did things akin to what outré rappers and female pop stars have performed onstage to get attention, only he did it as a gay man.

To read the complete article, visit nytimes.com

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY It wasn’t really the man-on-man kiss or the simulated oral sex that marked Adam Lambert’s performance on the American Music Awards on Sunday as shocking. Mostly it was ABC’s reaction. By rescinding Mr. Lambert’s invitation to sing on “Good Morning America,” ABC self-protectively drew a line that networks usually prefer to keep [...]

Adam Lambert’s sexually suggestive choreography — including kissing another male — on the American Music Awards stage Sunday night happened “in the moment,” the singer told CNN.

Lambert, who is openly gay, said it is “a form of discrimination and a double standard” for anyone to object since “women performers have been pushing the envelope” for decades.

As for the awards, it was a big night for country and pop crossover sensation Taylor Swift with five and Michael Jackson with four.

Source: CNN

Adam Lambert’s sexually suggestive choreography — including kissing another male — on the American Music Awards stage Sunday night happened “in the moment,” the singer told CNN. Lambert, who is openly gay, said it is “a form of discrimination and a double standard” for anyone to object since “women performers have been pushing the envelope” [...]