11/24/2009

in

Controversy ensues as singer jumps morning shows amid angry phone calls and cancellation.

Robyn Chelsea-Seifert

[![2009 American Music Awards - Show](http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/a/d/6/4/2009_American_Music_0ab9.jpg?adImageId=7806364&imageId=7115468)](http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=adam lambert american music awards&iid=7115468)


The AMAs should be proud. Who needs rehearsal time when there seems to have been way more free thinking at this year's ceremony than any previous year? At least we'll be discussing this one for another 15 minutes. Who knows, it may even creep into the conversation at the Thanksgiving table.  
  
From J.Lo's ass hitting the ground to Adam Lambert going with the moment and channeling every female artist who has ever donned cutaway sequins and knows how to grind, the performances are still on everyone's lips and blog posts. Amazing. Lambert, the "American Idol" winner who faced a media storm in coming out after the show's wrap, took the stage Sunday night as the closing act and he shut that place down. He made a few gestures to oral sex, kissed a male keyboard player, grabbed a female dancer's crotch and dragged another around by her ankles. Obviously Lambert is not a member of the purity ring-wearing singing society known as the Jo Bros and it's not like audiences haven't grown up watching Madonna do this 20 years ago.  
  
Yet apparently 1500 people weren't too thrilled with Mr. Lambert cutting a bear-skin rug right before their puritan eyes as ABC - the network airing the American Music Awards - received their calls complaining about the performance. Lambert was to follow-up the Sunday event with a scheduled concert Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." That didn't happen, even though Lambert performed without incident on the morning show only three months ago.  
  
An ABC spokesperson told [*The New York Times*](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/adam-lambert-concert-planned-for-good-morning-america-is-canceled/), "Given his controversial American Music Awards performance we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning."  
  
ABC's loss is CBS's gain as he will now perform on their "Early Show" on Wednesday and then head over to "The Late Show with David Letterman" that night.  
  
Speaking of the controversial performance, Lambert told [Ryan Seacrest](http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20322485,00.html) on his morning show, "I think the adrenaline kind of took me over. I admit and I'm kind of proud of the fact that I did get a little carried away. I had a good time and I was merely interpreting the lyrics of my song. It wasn't meant to piss anyone off, it wasn't meant to hurt anyone or cause any problems."  
  
He continued, "I don't feel like I owe anyone an apology. I did something female performers have been doing for years. All of a sudden a guy does it, and it's crazy. I do think there's a slight double standard."

## Comments


### [I like Lambert and all, but](/features/36314.html#comment-80)

Submitted by ebby08 on 12/17/2009.

3

I like Lambert and all, but that performance was disgusting. ABC is a family channel. Imagine what kids were thinking when they saw him tonguing down a dude....yuck!!

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### [Well-written. I don't think](/features/36314.html#comment-6)

Submitted by MowhawkWindmill on 12/8/2009.

4

Well-written. I don't think Lambert owes an apology...seems like these networks get a little carried away..Can't blame ABC though, as economically endangered as they are, it's understandable they wouldn't want to take risks

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### [You also must take into](/features/36314.html#comment-16)

Submitted by Blakely1318 on 12/13/2009.

You also must take into account the fact that ABC is a network that is based off of viewership. If audiences did find the performance offensive, and contacted ABC to say so, then it is understandable that they would need to cater to their viewers' wants.

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