11/25/2009
CBS 'Gave Real Thought' to Blurring Adam Lambert Gay Kiss
Earlier I posted the video of a segment broadcast this morning on CBS The Early Show, in which the network decided to censor footage of Adam Lambert kissing a male keyboardist during the AMAs and then showed the Madonna-Britney kiss moments later, appearing to prove Lambert's accusations that there is a double-standard in media when it comes to gay male imagery.
CBS has responded with a really lame excuse:
"We gave this some real thought. The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times, including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated and, for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences."
Posted 6:18 PM EST by Andy Towle in Adam Lambert, Kiss, News | Permalink
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I went from luke warm feelings for Adam Lambert to full-fledged fan.
I will buy his CD immediately. "Lame" is an understatement. That statement is a bunch of s*%t.
Posted by: David T | Nov 25, 2009 6:27:14 PM
Wow, what a truly lame response. They know they were wrong. They need to apologise.
Posted by: Joseph | Nov 25, 2009 6:28:15 PM
When CBS got Adam to interview with them instead of ABC (after they dropped him), they could have made a statement with the interview and footage and really made a difference and impact in many people's lives. Instead, they appeared to just be going for more shock value and controversy and the statement they made unfortunately, IMO, makes them look worse to me than ABC because of the way they conducted the interview and the footage during the segment. CBS would have been better off just not touching it instead of trying to make ABC look bad and instead making themselves look worse. And their statement on the interview is ridiculous. Janets boob popping out was also seen more times than Adam's performance, but they don't continue to show that.
Posted by: Uflyguy | Nov 25, 2009 6:42:10 PM
Message to the world regarding two men kissing: Get over it!
Forcus on something really important like the Levi Johnston/Sarah Palin feud.
Posted by: nick | Nov 25, 2009 6:47:29 PM
The more I think about it the more I'm offended and appalled by this response. We're talking only about the kiss here, not the face/crotch grind, just the kiss. "May lead to legal consequences"?
Does that mean that Luke and Noah's kisses on As the World Turns, which they've been doing for 2 years now, may lead to legal consequences? That Fish and Kyle's kisses on One Life to Live, which they've been doing for several months, may lead to legal consequences? Both of those shows air during the day.
On top of that, male-male kisses have been occurring--erratically but increasingly--on network television for over a decade. To claim "legal consequences" now is disingenious at the very least and thoroughly dishonest at the most, and entirely offensive either way.
If I were in New York, I'd start organzing a mass male-male kiss-in by the gay community (and our straight allies) in front of the CBS Early Show windows every morning until they admit they were wrong and issue a proper apology.
Posted by: Joseph | Nov 25, 2009 6:52:43 PM
I certainly believe that they gave it "some real thought," that is thought about how to disguise their obvious double-standard under several layers of bullshit. They were clearly milking the "great current controversy" (one they helped create) for all it was worth.
By their illogic it's okay to show "controversial" images as long as it's old stuff and you do it repeatedly. I guess that means two men kissing is taboo right now but in a few years, once it's "familiar," it will be fine for the innocent little children and broadcast widely--this interview is looking better for Adam and us all the time.
Posted by: Ernie | Nov 25, 2009 7:00:35 PM
Hmmm... smells like, OMG!!.. Bullshit!!
Posted by: Luc | Nov 25, 2009 7:01:15 PM
It's only the puritan U.S. that gets upset by this. I praised CBS for them grabbing Lambert, but that ataboy went in the dumpster. They are just as homophobic as ABC and NBC. They can show two males kissing on a soap opera, but not on the morning show? It is also apparent, that although most Americans like to be hyphenated to their roots (country/culture-American), they have nothing in common with the country they would rather associate with. As an example, have these people never watched the Olympics, where males from other countries have kissed after a performance. Of course we know that NBC, during the Olympics, shy'd away from showing Matthew Mitcham and his boyfriend. It is puritan censorship from the major broadcast networks. They are afraid of the right wing Christians who promote bigotry. This just proves, even with their statement, a double-standard. When they talk of legalities, where does it state no same-sex kiss will be aired on television? It's always amazing they continue to apologize for their judgement. We accept and then do the same things again. They can do that with the gay community because it is 'accepted'.
Posted by: CB | Nov 25, 2009 7:01:32 PM
Homophobia. Plain and simple...
Posted by: wirrrn | Nov 25, 2009 7:06:33 PM
total crap double standard.
though it was one of the unsexiest kisses i've ever seen......
Posted by: DruggyBear | Nov 25, 2009 7:09:15 PM
I agree with David T. I wasn't even going to steal this album online, but now I'm going to the store and paying for it. I love Adam after this.
Posted by: Tony | Nov 25, 2009 7:15:33 PM
Ludicrous, gutless, offensive. What a bunch of horseshit: "lead to legal consequences". I can't wait until when this is shown as archival footage demonstrating how major Networks were complicit in fucking over gay people in America.
Posted by: Jack A | Nov 25, 2009 7:20:46 PM
Show Adam your support and buy the album. It's only $3.99 at Amazon until the 30th. I have been listening to it all day long. This album ROCKS! In fact, I'd say it's Top 40 radio station programer's wet dream.
Posted by: Keith | Nov 25, 2009 7:53:21 PM
Does anyone have a CBS email address so we can write them to let them know how patently ludicrous (not mention offensive) it is that they blurred *a kiss*?
Posted by: peterparker | Nov 25, 2009 7:58:54 PM
PeterParker, here's the CBS News feedback form:
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml
Also, their telephone #: 212-975-4321
Posted by: Joseph | Nov 25, 2009 8:07:28 PM
Their excuse will henceforth be used to explain the slang definition of "lame". @Joseph thank you for providing feedback form address.
Posted by: Interested Bystander | Nov 25, 2009 8:14:59 PM
Adam Lambert A.I. finalist? Yawn. Adam Lambert Goth Pop figure? Yawn. Adam Lambert Kiss Vigilante, flaunter of the law....sign me up!
Posted by: MackMichael | Nov 25, 2009 8:25:39 PM
Joseph---thank you for the email address. I just emailed my complaint and I encourage all of you to do the same. I don't know what good it will do but it's time we call these people out every single time.
Yes, I am an avid supporter of Adam and his album is fantastic!
Posted by: javo | Nov 25, 2009 8:44:19 PM
"...may still lead to legal consequences..."
That's right, kiss a man and it will lead to LEGAL CONSEQUENCES if you happen to be a man yourself. This statement is the very essence of a homophobic double standard.
Not only is it anachronistic, it's revoltingly insulting. Prince was flashing his ass on TV in the fucking 1980's. Bowie was blowing Mick Ronson onstage in 1973! What fucking planet are CBS living on? And for God's sake what era?
Posted by: elcamino | Nov 25, 2009 9:04:43 PM
I read the statement and am unbelievably offended. Do they think we're a bunch of fricken' idiots? Legal consequences my ass! One consequence for sure is they proved Lambert was absolutely correct about the double standard - and - btw, CBS management is a bunch of homophobic morons. Shame on this.
Posted by: Mike | Nov 25, 2009 10:04:46 PM
It was really apparent to me that it was two men kissing...
Posted by: Menaces2Society | Nov 25, 2009 10:07:38 PM
This just reaffirms it WAS all about him being gay, it WAS all about the gay kiss, the media is far more homophobic than I thought.
Anyone know where I can send a strongly worded email to?
Posted by: Bayley | Nov 25, 2009 10:10:31 PM
Also, if the gay community could take a page out of unity from other communities and actually SUPPORT OUR OWN...we wouldn't deal with this stuff.
Instead, as soon as one of us goes mainstream....forget it...the gay community and our commentary becomes FAR more homophobic than anything I've ever heard elsewhere.
Get out there and support this guy, buy his CD, and know he really is at a stand still because he's damned with them and damned with us and our magazines.
Posted by: Bayley | Nov 25, 2009 10:13:31 PM
I thought it was 2 women kissing, what with all that make up, hair spray, and glitter. ;)
Posted by: Otter | Nov 25, 2009 10:15:43 PM
Is it a crossroads, bayley? Is it do or die time? Oh, the humanity. This is all gay hate. I hate his music but hate it less than every other AI contestant's music. Hate it...but I'm going to give his cd to people I know for the holidays...because...I hate them, too (and it's for a good cause...someone else's fabulous wealth).
Posted by: TANK | Nov 25, 2009 10:37:43 PM