14 DAY TRIAL // When asked about what caused him to “let himself go” onstage at the 2009 American Music Awards, thus get all those people upset and even offended, Adam Lambert first said that he was a performer and not a babysitter. He then added that he got carried away and improvised on what he had done at rehearsals. To prevent that, ABC is changing policies, Reuters informs.
The network, which has already come under serious fire for its decision, first, to edit the broadcast so as to remove certain elements in Lambert’s performance, and secondly to cancel his GMA live gig, has come to the decision that stricter regulations must apply. If performers stick to what they rehearse, no one will need to worry about whether children are watching or not, like in the case with Lambert and his first major live gig outside the American Idol circuit.
“ABC edited Lambert’s performance during the West Coast broadcast of the night-time awards show, and later canceled Lambert’s scheduled November 25 appearance on its Good Morning America program. Disney/ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney told Reuters that in reaction to the Lambert performance, Disney was reviewing the steps it takes to vet live performances by getting assurances from artists that their stage shows will resemble their rehearsals, and using contractual obligations to hold them to that,” Reuters says.
However, as if anticipating what fans might say, namely that Lambert was just letting his onstage persona take over, thus being an entertainer, ABC says the move doesn’t aim to hinter creativity in any way, but just protect the viewers. “We certainly don’t want to suppress artistry at any level, but we also have to be very cognizant of who our audience is.” Sweeney says. “We really had to take the decision [to cancel the GMA appearance] very seriously and found that his performance was very unpredictable at night and [we] didn’t know what to expect in the morning,” she adds of the cancelation.
As of now, Adam Lambert has not made any comment regarding the most recent development, but neither is he expected to really take a stand on the matter. Fans, on the other hand, are already taking to the Internet to say they feel a hint of homophobia behind the network’s latest measure.