Posted on 05/22/2009 6:16:06 AM PDT by Pinkbell
That's the argument raging online.
"It's difficult not to wonder if Lambert's sexuality played a role in Allen's victory," the Chicago Tribune's TV critic writes. "Though he never said whether he was gay, pictures of Lambert kissing other men appeared on the Internet during Season 8.
"If Lambert's popularity on Idol was any indication of how tolerant and accepting America has become, his loss may indicate there's still further to go," continues the Tribune writer.
Adds pro poker player (and recent Celebrity Apprentice runner-up) Annie Duke: "I seriously think Adam lost just because he is gay. Bummed. Bummed. Bummed."
Blog Examiner.com labels Lambert as "polarizing," stating: "Adam was too gay for America."
Lambert once again dodged questions on how his sexuality may have played into the results.
When asked his thoughts about blogs saying, 'If he wins [it's] because he's gay, or if he loses [it's] because he's gay,' Lambert told reporters jokingly: "Is that what they're gonna say? Those blogs have a lot of opinions, don't they? I think that Kris won because he's a great artist and I was happy to be a runner-up to that.
"If there's anything that can come from this experience, and I hope that all the fans out there can pick up on, is that even if you're really different, there's a way to get along with each other," Lambert continued. "And it's not about 'Oh, you beat me because of this,' or 'You, you're different.' It's about finding the common stuff that makes it work."
Ryan Seacrest pointed out on May 13's episode that, of the 88 million votes cast that week, only 1 million separated Allen and Lambert. In an Usmagazine.com poll of 84,000 readers Tuesday, the contestants were virtually tied.
(Excerpt) Read more at usmagazine.com ...
That would have made The King "The Queen".
And the King laughed not because he wanted to, but because....
If you want to dress like a circus freak; don’t act surprised if people treat you like a circus freak.
If you want to wear black fingernail polish, prance about the stage like a flaming homosexual - don’t act surprised if there isn’t a parade held in your honor, any more than if you braided your hair in pig-tails and wore fuzzy bunny slippers.
This is a popularity contest, with vocals being a large part of the competition. What you like, doesn’t matter. What matters is what the audience likes, they are the one’s deciding your fate. So, if you chose to alienate them, this is a free but foolish decision that Adam acted on with relish.
His competition could have been gay, I frankly don’t know or care. But, Adam’s competition didn’t throw his sexuality into the audience’s face, did he? And he won. Maybe it’s not about sexuality, but in decorum - rub people’s nose in your personal obsessions, and you will alienate a portion of the audience you depend upon for your livelihood.
But don’t trust, ask the Dixie Chicks.
I’m pretty impressed with Lambert’s attitude. It would have been easy to turn negative but there seemed to be a genuine friendship between him and Kris and he seems to understand that not “winning” American Idol probably isn’t going to impact his career at all. The world is his oyster no matter what.
In his case screaming isn't just a rhyming word. He frequently loses control of his falsetto with agonizing results. The judges affected not to notice because, like most pop culture pros, they thought the gay thing was just so cool. Lambert had a passionate following of people who saw him as a political cause because they want to promote alternative lifestyles. Without them, he would have disappeared weeks ago because he's not a particularly good singer, which is usually fatal in a singing competition.
Idol this year reminds me of Brokeback Mountain. The critics loved it. Every homosexual in America saw it five times. The rest of the world either yawned or was mildly disgusted.
Within two years, Adam Lambert will be appearing only in Where are They Now columns.
You nailed it. I could care weather he was gay. He was afeminate and that turned me off. I don’t think it helped him that he sang with kiss with two foot high platform shoes. I mean he is 6’2” already. Plus he had a Michael Jackson voice and persona. Now THAT creeped me out.
In retrospect, Kris has a much broader audience, like cross-over country rock, as well as the teenage girls. Adam's superior vocal skills don't necessarily overcome Kris's wide musicality nor the now almost retro heavy metal screaming style Adam likes to highlight.
IMO there are more potential album sales for Kris in the future than Adam unless Adam expands beyond his favorite music.
A music lover, eh?
No, he lost because there were 38 million votes from Kris Allen’s home state of Arkansas, which has a population of less than 3 million...
Yeah, but they don't watch American Idol so they didn't vote.
But should do fine on Broadway.
Personally, I'm glad the amateur won.
Yep. It's on for about two weeks in February or March when streams of talentless people humiliate themselves on TV and get destroyed by Simon and the other folks on the panel. Then it disappears until the next season. (Does anyone really watch it after the auditions are over? If so, why?)
Now the Gong Show.. That was good television. I can spend hours on YouTube watching gong show reruns.
PT Barnum was also a part of the that American Dream. But Idol is no singing contest, it is a SHOW.
He deserved to lose becaause of what he did to “Ring of Fire”.
Entirely agree with you. I hate the overblown caterwauling style that’s been the fad in singing for some years now, usually exacerbated by the stupidest lyrics. I’ll listen to Jon Anderson or Geddy Lee anyday (I like Jon Anderson and Geddy Lee. And Frank Sinatra, especially his “Main Event” era).
This put him over the edge ... just plain creepy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjbvZvrjEsU&feature=related
Adam Lambert- Ring of Fire
So, in other words if a homosexual doesn’t win at everything he tries its because everyone else is anti-homosexual... get the hell out of here.
I only watched 1 episode, and I gotta tell you, what I saw of that bloke was wretchedly horrible. (As was the general talent level of everyone that I saw)
Maybe. So what?
GMTA
“Credit to Adam for being gracious and not stupid about it in his loss.”
And to Kris as well - I heard him say “Adam deserved to win” or something to that effect. No offense to him, but I agree with him, if it really mattered.
The proof will be in who is the bigger hit going forward (if it really matters). I suspect both will be fairly successful at least in the short-term.
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