Adam Lambert's Gay 'Inner Maybelline Girl' Explored
The NYT attempts to connect all the dots in a piece on sexuality and American Idol:
"Can a gay contestant win? Leave aside for a moment the answer to such a question, or even whether Mr. Lambert is gay. He may be. He may not. Fox, which owns 'Idol,' is not saying; neither is the contestant himself. What is notable is the intensity of the insinuations caroming around the Internet and in certain corners of the mainstream press — that and the fact that even asking whether a gay contestant can win a broadly popular reality show, whose survivors are selected by public acclaim, seems increasingly anachronistic in light of decisions in Iowa and Vermont to extend marriage rights to gay men and lesbians."
Up till now I haven't posted this clip of Adam Lambert performing as Joshua in the musical The Ten Commandments with Val Kilmer, but its full of bare male chests, mascara, and Lambert's signature vocal stylings, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted Apr. 13,2009 at 10:02 AM EST by Andy Towle in Adam Lambert, American Idol, Gay Marriage, News, Reality TV | Permalink
This is what’s killing Broadway. Who wants to pay big $$ to hear someone singing “American Idol” style? He turns the word one into 6 syllables. That screechy ya-ya singing stinks. I wish I were old enough to have seen someone really great like Alfred Drake or John Raitt. You know legitimate singers with real voices that didn’t use gimmicks or need microphones.
Posted by: ggreen | Apr 13, 2009 10:12:38 AM
Makes me wonder why someone like him is even in American Idol. He's already made it - isn't AI supposedly for finding *new* talent?
Posted by: Peter | Apr 13, 2009 10:27:17 AM
GGreen makes a good point about vocal style. The ability to hold a note and make it interesting without turning everything into a melismathon seems to be disappearing, particularly in popular music. But it is ultimately just a question of taste. One hopes that in time people will see those musical gymnastics as, well, just a bit much. But in the meantime, there are plenty of great singers out there...they just aren't on Idol, but on stages from LA to Chicago to NYC.
As for the question of whether an openly gay person can win Idol, who votes for idol? What's the demographic of those who make the calls? If it is, as I suspect, mostly tween girls, then Lambert probably is in trouble....as much for his edgy sound as for his orientation.
Posted by: notshychirev | Apr 13, 2009 10:27:18 AM
Is it just me or does he remind anyone else of Sam Harris from the old Star Search days?
Posted by: Dan | Apr 13, 2009 10:36:51 AM
No, this isn't what's killing Broadway, it's crappy material that's killing Broadway. Lambert was easily the best singer in this show and the only one who got unanimously great notices. The guy has star quality not previously seen on "Idol," and is the favorite to win. If he wasn't making such a splash no one would care about his sexuality. As it happens, it doesn't seem like people do, because he's light years past everyone. Most of the "Idol" voters, based on their blog postings, don't seem to give a shit about his gayness and show a lot more maturity about it than many gay men.
Posted by: Jim | Apr 13, 2009 10:44:41 AM
Oh lighten up, guys. I'm as anti-melismathon as anyone, but Adam's voice is fantastic, and when he's in charge of the interpretation his creative talent is spot on.
Beefcake AND a musical? It's a gayboy's wetdream!
Though I must say, I suspect the ancient Jews weren't quite so smooth....
Posted by: Kevinvt | Apr 13, 2009 10:46:01 AM
peter
I thought the same thing.
Posted by: jimmyboy | Apr 13, 2009 10:46:17 AM
He reminds you of Sam Harris? Really? While both have great ranges and a strong connection from their chest to their middle voice (affecting the "superbelt" sound), Adam has a substance and restraint that I've never seen in Sam. Adam gives his songs depth; he knows when to pull back. Sam seems to use everytime his mouth is open as an opportunity to show how high he can sing, how loud he can sing, and how many runs he can sing. Marty Thomas is in that same category. It's like, "Okay, I get it already. . .you can sing high notes."
Adam has a quality the likes of them lack. He also possesses a confident, strong sexuality they lack. While someone like Sam or Marty seem out to prove themselves, Adam is SURE of himself and unabashedly himself, no matter what anyone thinks.
And Adam can hold a note without doing runs (which he proves in this song). Adam takes this "kind" of singer to a whole new level and has a unique, compelling, infectious artistry. Sam Harris, Marty Thomas, and others like them have amazing voices--unquestionable talent--but they lack the artistry and substance Adam has. (You have heard their solo stuff. right? Amazing vocal stylings but rather empty and forgettable.)
Posted by: Jay | Apr 13, 2009 10:58:00 AM
Um... Val Kilmer?
Posted by: giovanni | Apr 13, 2009 11:03:21 AM
Being cast in a role. . .even a starring role. . .in a musical. . .even a Broadway musical. . .does NOT mean you've made it. Theater actors are NOT paid as well as you think they are. Some of your favorite Broadway actors are worth a lot less than you think they are. . .probably a lot less than you yourself.
Posted by: Jason | Apr 13, 2009 11:04:23 AM
If he should win, it would be a major event in American gay history. AI is the most popular show on TV and still a huge cultural phenomenon. An openly gay American Idol would be a wonderful role model for young gays throughout the country. As the contest gets narrower look for the culture warriors of the right to take out their knives and come after him on talk radio and cable. I am kind of shocked at some of the cynical comments posted here about Adam. We need to stand up for him.
Posted by: JimSur | Apr 13, 2009 11:08:40 AM
Also haters be damned! Lambert may not be everyones cup of tea but he's pretty freaking thrilling to watch/listen to. Rock on queer boy! Rock on!
Posted by: giovanni | Apr 13, 2009 11:10:54 AM
Excellent points. He is a fantastic talent but his professional creds should disqualify him for American Idol. Gay,smay...I think Adam's in-your-face identity is the problem. He's into the emo/goth thing that doesn't come off very well on a 27 y.o. man. It's like someone over 30 who wears a cap backwards.
Posted by: jack scribe | Apr 13, 2009 11:12:37 AM
Singing a non-lead role in musical theatre hardly constitutes having "made it." I know quite a few people who work regularly in theatre (on and off Broadway) in NYC, and unless you follow theatre very closely indeed, you've not heard of any of them.
Posted by: Dan E | Apr 13, 2009 11:34:17 AM
Yeah, I agree. Even most Broadway STARS haven't "made it" by typical celebrity standards. Theater is a different animal. This is a POP IDOL competition, which is why it is INDEED inappropriate to disqualify someone like Joanna Pacitti (who already had her chance before the show and put out a major studio album with a marketing push which completely tanked) but not Adam, who has had a couple paid singing gigs. If someone is a cabaret star on the Vegas strip but no one's heard of them outside city limits, have they "made it"? Hardly. That sorta thing is niche (and yeah, I'm calling Broadway 'niche'), whereas AI is anything but.
Posted by: Ugh | Apr 13, 2009 11:49:57 AM
mr. lambert's talents aside, i think it would be remarkable for a gay, or gay adjacent, guy to win AI in the same season an openly gay guy won the top spot on canadian idol.
(and i blame all this trilling ornamented stuff on mariah carey)
Posted by: jack | Apr 13, 2009 11:57:06 AM
American Idol is absolute crap. It merely exists to garner ratings, charging huge sums for advertisers and marketing the A.I. brand. As a few have pointed out, while some of the contestants may be decent singers, the world seems more apt in voting for style over substance as true vocal aptitude has taken a backseat to flash. How many times can the Sanjaya's of the world make it as talented "singers"? I hope this trend in voting for the Britney Spears' of the world fades away along with this train wreck of a talent show (and c'mon, Paula Abdul as a vocal judge?! Even I, a fan of hers from over a decade ago, can admit she CAN NOT SING)
Posted by: CJ | Apr 13, 2009 12:03:08 PM
I prefer Kris. :)
Posted by: Eric | Apr 13, 2009 12:09:33 PM
After the way Idol treated Jim Verraros, Clay Aiken & David Hernandez - they SHOULD be treating Adam Lambert with the equal respect they give other contestants. I'm so happy Idol finally has an out and proud front runner. Adam is an amazing talent and has a wonderful personality. He's smart, charming and talented. We have an african-american President. We can have an openly gay American Idol. Yes we can.
Posted by: Sue | Apr 13, 2009 12:25:45 PM
Everyone keeps saying how great it would be for Adam to win because he's out. Um...He isn't out on the show, is he?? This article says "Fox is not saying; neither is the contestant himself." He might be gay, he might be out in his personal life, I've seen the pictures of him in drag and kissing a guy...but if he isn't out on the show - if he won't say he's gay - then he's hardly an out contestant.
Posted by: Sam | Apr 13, 2009 12:46:17 PM
I agree Sam, I don't think of Adam as an "out" contestant (even though he is clearly gay...at least to "us.") The topic hasn't been addressed on the show (even though his boyfriend is in the audience almost every week). Many old ladies and tween girls may not have seen his online gay pics or heard about them. I still see "Do you think he's gay???" posts and comments all over the Internet.
I don't think he necessarily needs to chime in at any old random time and say "Hey, I'm gay," either. If and when he is asked the question, a la Clay, then we will know how 'out' he is going to be about it. I have a feeling we won't get the same lies we did from Clay, and hopefully Adam will not prove me wrong.
Posted by: Ugh | Apr 13, 2009 12:57:03 PM
why can't he keep his tongue from falling out?
Posted by: matthew | Apr 13, 2009 1:01:00 PM
Certainly, what counts as a "professional" versus an "amateur" is hard to measure. The two best winners of the British "X Factor" - Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke - both had had some professional singing experience, but neither was actively employed as a singer. (btw, Leona Lewis is probably the best performer that any of these shows has produced. Look at her X Factor performances on YouTube.) But what prevents a young Broadway star from entering the competition? I don't know
Posted by: gr8guyca | Apr 13, 2009 1:06:15 PM
I think Adam is amazing. I'm a singer/songwriter and wanted to hate him, but I think he's one of the most talented singers American Idol has ever had.
Broadway doesn't suffer because of singers, Broadway suffers from lack of originality and poor material.
I love that he seems to make no apologies and hadn't conformed to be more like "everyone else".
Someone else to watch American Idol for this season is 16 year old Allison Iraheta. That girl is amazing.
And Adam does sound alot like Sam Harris at times, but he's taken it to another level.
It's funny how gays are so quick to knock one of their own, when they should be cheering him on because of his originality and his style and his refusal to conform.
Posted by: Bobby | Apr 13, 2009 1:30:10 PM
@SAM
First, it isnt the 1970s. Being out doesnt mean you beat people over the head with your gayness. You dont have to wear sequioned hot pants and shout it to the world.
Second, when on the show has anyones exuality come up. I guess he could play the gay card in one of his bio clips. Or scream out thats not my "friend" in the audience but my lover during panel.
I just hope he doesnt do one of those awful reveals in people magazine.
Think Rachel Maddow. She is just gay. No need to turn it into a broadway production and remind people every 5 minutes.
Posted by: shhhhh | Apr 13, 2009 1:36:11 PM