14 DAY TRIAL // The 2009 American Music Awards kicked off on very high notes, with Janet Jackson delivering an extremely superbly choreographed medley of her greatest hits, and continued with one fiery performance after another. Adam Lambert, the American Idol runner-up and currently the talk of the town, was the one to close the awards ceremony but, as it turned out, his live rendition of “For Your Entertainment” was more than many viewers could take, Rolling Stone says.
As we also reported a few hours ago, Adam’s live gig was too hot to handle even for some of his most die-hard fans. The dancing, the explicit gestures and a vague feel that he was simply trying too hard to get people’s attention were all too much. Above all, though, there was the dancing that angered and shocked many, even prompting speculation that ABC might want to consider editing out parts of the performance to make it more suitable for young audiences and, most importantly, primetime television.
However, such a thing would amount to censorship, which in turn, would equal discrimination, Adam believes and says so for Rolling Stone. He did nothing out of the ordinary onstage at the awards, and certainly did not push the envelope further than other female artists did, also during live ceremonies that aired at peak hours. Therefore, having segments of his performance cut out would cry double standards and, personally, he wouldn’t want to see that happen, the singer says.
“It’s a shame because I think that there’s a double standard going on in the entertainment community right now. Female performers have been doing this for years – pushing the envelope [...] – and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out. We’re in 2009; it’s time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people’s eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I’m not for them. My goal was not to [expletive] people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom.” Adam tells the famed music publication.
This is also the stance most Lambert fans have also taken after said controversial performance. Glambert, as they call him, is known for being an eccentric performer, the kind that knows no boundaries or limits, so nothing about him should shock and make people roll their eyes in disbelief. He has often made it a point of carefully constructing for himself a powerful onstage persona, and it is from this perspective that this year’s AMA performance should be regarded.