“As a community, we’re a little bit resistant to a gay male pop star ourselves… It’s very easy for people to look at my origin, which is American Idol, and automatically assume that I’m a commercial sellout or a puppet or a flash in the pan. I don’t think I’m any of those things. There’s something weird there. We’re very eager to celebrate a strong female. But to celebrate a fellow gay man—it gets catty sometimes.”
—Out singer Adam Lambert in the latest issue of Instinct.
Melody
So sad but true.. Time to change all that and start fresh.. Adam is a remarkable singer and an even more remarkable man. The album Trespassing is about his life,there is much on this cd that all of us can relate to. IMHO not listening to this great pop album is to deny yourself pleasure and an opportunity to relate to the joy and pain we all universally feel.
Laura
I really like this guy’s honesty. He does have a remarkable voice and I love his style. If I was a gay man, I’d be proud of him. He sure makes no apologies or tries to hide anything. How refreshing.
w.e.
That has become such a tired cliche and stereotype- that gay men are all infatuated with “divas”. I appreciate many different types of music and artists and do not need to worship a straight female singer to make my life complete. Time to grow up, people.
Guest
OK then No. 3 w.e.: then spread the word dude, good for you, make change in your own corner of the world, and I’ll do the same, and maybe others will follow suit. I hope so but Lambert’s got a damn good point! I read on a blog yesterday something like, sure, publicly known entertainers like Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Bomer are great, wonderful, but they are hardly threatening of overly out of the box for “red staters” and the like… Lambert is fairly left of center, hardly traditional, yet still so very everyday man, everyday Joe, etc., on so many levels, that he’s a great public figure to somewhat represent certain aspects of the human condition. Geez, I would think the LGBT community, or more of them anyway, would be proud. I guess I’m not worldly enough myself to get it or to understand better. Never mind the fact that the guy seems to be smart, kind, decent, thoughtful, well spoken… I won’t even get into his physical attractiveness or mad crazy talent. In any event, the Trespassing snippets are brill, hope NOBODY denies themselves the pleasure and excitement of participating in Adam’s stunning innate talent for foolish reasons.
DIVAS SUCK
I, too, am over the whole Diva thing with gay men. Of course, I don’t listen to anything that would make it to a top 40 station anyway.
jason
What I find distressing is that gay men will support a fake bisexual female singer before they support a genuinely bisexual male singer. It’s odd, and concerning.
You only have to look at the absurd gay male fandom for fake bisexual females like Madonna, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney, Christina etc etc.
There is this bizarre thing going on here. I’ve said it before but I think gay men have a sick fascination with lesbian acts, even if they’re fake. I also believe that gay men have a sick fascination with speculating on a man’s sexuality. Gay men enjoy speculating, and they want the man to be closeted so that they can continue speculating.
It all points to a dysfunctional gay male mindset, I’m afraid.
Mark
Adam had one of the biggest roll-outs possible, actually doing a big song that closed – what was it? – the VMAs? The American Music Awards? And he ruined it by forcing some guy on all fours into his crotch. I was at work the next day and heard some straight guy announce to the lunch table: “I was going to get his new CD but not now!” Don’t cry for me Argentina.
Raven
Oh Mark, really? That is so 2010, or whenever that was. Lambert pushes limits, just like female stars like Madonna and Britney and anything Minaj does these days. Judge on talent and entertainment value.
Bill Mitchell
Maybe if Adam wasn’t reminding everyone every 5 minutes that he is gay things would go easier for him? Adam Lambert is gay. We get it. We got it 2 years ago and we didn’t forget. You don’t hear Bon Jovi reminding everyone he is straight in every interview he does, do you? Does Bon Jovi feel the need to make out on stage with a female bandmate every show when he is on tour?
Adam’s sexuality is only a big deal to people because HE makes it a big deal. Just shut up and sing Adam. I honestly don’t care who you prefer to sleep with – so PLEASE stop telling me.
~PR~
@Mark: What did that same coworker have to say about eminem’s call to abuse women? Or Lady Gaga’s bizarre set with broken glass? Violence is ok, sexuality no? Screw that mentality. Adam Lambert certainly crossed a line but in my opinion, it was a line that needed to be crossed and in reality, it has not hurt him as much as many would like to believe. Bottom line is, as a performer, he is awesome and he works the crowd.
samo
Jason you have a point except that Madonna has DENIED being bisexual saying back in the 90s because she has a sexual image that people automatically assume she’s bi but she’s not she loves men. The Advocate ripped her apart for this statement even call her “sissy of the year”. Madon na has also spoken out repeadidly on her love of male/male sex saying to VH1 that two men together is really hot and telling the Advocate in a seperate issue that “every straight guy should have another mans tounge down his mouth at least once in his life”. Can you imagine gaga make those statements? Madonna made those over 20 years ago amd most habe aliwnated a lot of straight guy fans who thought she was hot but were upset at her pro gay male sex comments.
Mark
@Raven:
@~PR~:
Listen kids, I’m just recalling an episode that was perfectly true. Ricky Martin burst on the scenes at the Grammies and had a perfectly successful career. Lambert pissed off a lot of the “mainstream” from the get go. Not because he was out, but because he went lewd. I don’t have a thing against the guy. Never have paid for any of his music though and it’s unlikely I will, and it is not because that.
~PR~
@Bill Mitchell: Ah, how misguided you are. Straight performers are always reminding audiences that they are straight, either by flaunting their sexuality with other people or discussing their sex lives publicly as a means to reassure fans that they are not homosexual. Adam Lambert is not only open about his sexuality, as many straight dudes are, but he is also a role model for those that need one (granted, not always doing the best thing, but hey… nobody’s perfect). Seeing an openly gay man a successful as he is still broadcasting his sexuality even though he doesn’t really need to serves as a beacon of hope to those who do not have that luxury. Honestly, it serves as a potential counter to the bad views of homosexuality engrained in them from the current religious and political landscapes. Truth is, fans of straight performers take their idol’s sexuality for granted (a cumpulsory heterosexuality if you will) whereas fans of gay performers do not always have that luxury.
Kamikapse
His whiny rant reeks of entitlement.
Gay people are not obliged to buy his stuff and support him, just because he is gay.
Jason2
@Kamipapse: Just the fact that you call this a “rant” speaks volumes. He makes a very valid point which is obviously over your head. I absolutely agree with him.
jason
Mark,
Would you say the same thing about Britney Spears? Britney Spears tongue-kissed Madonna at the MTV music awards back in 2002. What was your reaction then? Did you and your straight male friends say “ewww, I’m not going to buy Britney’s CD’s anymore”. I eagerly await your response, if you can think of one.
jason
So, Mark, you still haven’t answered my question. You’re OK with women going lewd but not men going lewd?
jason
You know, what I think is also going on is that there’s a form of compensation happening here. Because of our lack of sexual interest in women, we gay guys attempt to compensate by over-worshipping females in other arenas, such as singing and acting. It’s as if we’re apologizing for not being sexually interested in women.
It’s as if we’re saying “look, honey, I may not want to go to bed with you but I will make up for it by showering you with devotion”.
How else do you explain our bizarre fixation for drag queens?
Kamikapse
@Jason2:
No, not at all.. there is no valid point.
He *thinks* he’s talented enough that he should be worshipped by gay people.
Most gay people obviously disagree.
jason
Kamikapse,
I don’t think Adam Lambert has ever criticized those who don’t like him. I think he’s just making a comment about the obvious double standard. Don’t deny that there is a double standard.
I mean, it’s clearly absurd when a gay man worships a lip-synching hack like Britney but not a talent like Adam. Clearly absurd. There IS something strange going on here. It’s as if gay men wish to adhere to fake rather than real, female rather than male.
I know that a lot of gay men like to live in a fantasy world but this can be highly damaging when it starts to distort perceptions of reality.
Aric
No one is here for Adam Lambert because you can only really sell him to women. Take a tighter body, a more compelling personality and a quality like “Writing his own songs” and both women and gays will respond.
There would also be more attention if there was a gay singer who was black/Hispanic.
Mark my words, 19-20 year old black/mixed/Hispanic/whatever boy who writes his own songs and probably sings over Electronic Dance. Just release uplifting gay anthems for the girls and boys to foam to.
Name one anthem Adam has released….
All Adam had to really do was release a dance track for every gay club to play for eternity and he would have been done. His management doesn’t know what they are doing, probably why he dropped them.
Myk
@Bill Mitchell:
I’m sure Adam would be more than happy if people and media would focus on his career; however sadly the first thing you might hear when talked about Adam “isn’t he gay?”.. Adam has to talk about it cause that’s what people first think of him. Also I remember Adam once said that he’s a professional musician, not a professional boyfriend, when was talked about questions he was getting from fans, regarding to his music but also private life.
Still, he is gay. He is proud to be who he is. He has no reason to hide anything. He is open. You should be glad that someone is.
Allen D.
@jason: Maybe what’s “going on here” is people just don’t like his music.
jason
Allen D,
Well, I suppose gay men can stick to AutoTuned electro-babble from the computers of Doctor Luke or David Guetta and vocal guests like Britney, a woman who can’t even sing live.
I mean, I suppose this sort of egg blender music does serve its purpose to gay men. It’s good for shaking one’s uterus to while getting high on ecstasy.
Texndoc
LOL! I have as many Gaga and Britney CDs as I do Lambert. I love opera. And the FACT is this guy blew his debut big time. That’s all, honey. If Renee Fleming started doing crotch grabs during Marriage of Figaro I’d buy her music still.
Tommy
I really would like for there to be a big male pop star, gay or not. I want to support Adam but his music just doesn’t grab me. It’s boring, manufactured commercial music with no personality. I just happen to like the music of female artists like Madonna and Gaga more. Their music is just more appealing to me than Adam’s. Madonna and Gaga work hard for what they have, rehearsing for hours and hours for their tours. You don’t hear them whining about how everyone is discriminating against them and being unfair to them. They just get on with their job. For some reason a lot of male gay pop stars like to moan and whine. Boy George is another example. It’s just a big turn off to me.
The only male pop star I really got into was George Michael. He is truly a talented songwriter, much more talented than Adam but unfortunately he got sidetracked by all his personal issues. Hope he makes another record.
Manon
Elton John, Boy George, George Michael, Ricky Martin. All well-known and well-accepted gay pop stars. I don’t remember them whining about the cattiness of their community, and it must have been even harder for them back in the day. The cattiness will go away if Lambert shuts up and puts out some quality music.
cam
Actually, the fact that he is still popular, whereas many straight winners or runner’s up in American Idol would seem to indicate this isn’t exactly true.
Look at Chris Allen, Bo Bice, Ruben Studdard, Justin Guarini, etc… And yet Lambert is outselling all of them, getting nominated for a Grammy.
All of these “DIVAS” that the gay community is supposedly pushing are also people that are loved by straight people. Lady GaGa for example is selling massively to straights. Madonna who doesn’t have much of a straight following anymore crashed and burned on her last CD.
Again, the fact that Lambert is so much more sucessfull than even the winner from his season would seem to indicate he IS getting support.
cam
@Manon:
Also, the continual screaming and playing the victimization card by his female fans just reminds me of the Clay Aiken fans. I think it gives them something to feel loyal to if they feel like their hero is somehow under attack. It is to their benefit to continually claim that he is so put upon.
samo
Un cam Madonna didn’t crash and burn with her last CD it debuted at No in 37 countries and by years end will sell about 2 to 3 million worldwide probably making it in the top 10 worldwide sellers of the year with very little except the superbowl promotion. Lets not forget that according to the Guinness book Madonna is the worlds biggest selling female recording artist of all time with sales exceeding 300 million. Hwr upcoming tour is expected to gross over 500 million worldwide beating her previous record from her last tour as the highest grossing tour by a solo artist of all time. M will also beat her attendance record on this tour by playing to more people than ever before so while her and everybody elses album sales including Lady Gaga are on the way down her concert sales and attendance continue to get bigger and bigger with each tour. How come the media doesn’t report that?
Zayda
@Tommy: I’m not sure what Gaga could whine about though…the fact that radio will play any crappy single she releases? C’mon, I’m not saying she doesn’t work hard but I don’t see her struggling to get her music played and it’s not always quality stuff.
Also, the gay male pop stars that have been mentioned in these comments became hugely famous while still in the closet so not the same thing.
JayKay
He’s too screechy for me, but he’s right. The “OMG STRONG EMPOWERED WYMYN” diva worship practiced by so many gay men is downright pathetic.
musicfan
@Bill Mitchell: It’s EVERY.SINGLE.INTERVIEWER that interviewed Adam that constantly brings up “the gay thing,” Adam’s not bringing it up on his own. Then what they do is headline the article with his response, making it sound like Adam made these statements. Everything has a context, and many times the media reports things OUT of context.
Have you all even followed Adam at all? Put yourself in his shoes? He’s the reason why I now support the LGBT community. Before 2009 I didn’t care; why should I? I knew NO ONE who was gay. I’d been taught being gay was sinful, and didn’t think that gays should get married. Suddenly, just watching Adam Lambert on American Idol, I started to care about this man. He is truly a remarkable man, a tremendous talent, but mostly he’s a proud & out gay man who is not afraid to be who he is, he inspires others to do the same. I started to care more about myself, and about the gay community… and somehow was inspired by a man who didn’t know who I was & I’d never met personally. This is true for many others – and he has only grown nearer & dearer to my heart…. I have followed his career since & I support him 1000% – I’ve never heard him say one harsh word against ANYONE. Regardless of how cruel others have been to him, he ALWAYS tries to be positive. What an inspiration!
@Manon & others – Adam is NOT whining, he is stating a FACT. I know he’s been greatly hurt by the gay community not supporting him when he needed them the most (after the AMA’s). Do you even know why he did that? Mostly it was because of being attacked left & right – the gays saying he wasn’t gay enough, the straights saying he was TOO gay… he’d been hassled by Perez, TMZ & everyone in between… then that OUT mag editor Aaron Hickman (or whatever his name is) went & pre-empted his cover with that stupid letter. Well, THAT is why Adam did his AMA performance the way he did – sure, he was in the heat of the moment & it was pure adrenaline, but there was also all of this in his mind, and when Lady Gaga did her crazy performance, his competitive nature also kicked in … not to mention the hype the AMA’s were giving him… how was ANYONE going to live up to all the hype? These are not excuses… this is what actually happened. Then for MONTHS & MONTHS, EVEN YEARS since he is STILL questioned about it, he has had to talk about that ONE NIGHT again and again and again.
Anyway…. I think things are changing… I’ve seen a lot of gay boys tweeting positive things about Adam, how nice he is & how much they are loving his music. So hopefully this trend will continue & I know he wants the support of his community. He has a very kind heart, he’s a sweet guy… I hope everyone, gay, straight & everything in between, will give him a chance… he is so much more than that guy from Idol, or the guy from the ’09 AMA’s.
cam
@samo: said…
”
Un cam Madonna didn’t crash and burn with her last CD it debuted at No in 37 countries”
___________-
It set the record for the largest drop in chart history after it’s first week sales. Additionally, it’s position on the chart was pushed much higher because Madonna was giving a free copy to everybody who was buying tickets to her concerts and then counting those as CD sales.
We were talking about the U.S. and that is what happened here. The fact that her CD will most likely not go even platinum here is a major crash and burn for somebody who, when the countries population was smaller, used to sell over 10 million copies easily.
kat23morg
@Mark:
Wow where the frig have you been the last what…three years…I suggest you get over it…So you are saying that it is ok for straight singers to do the same thing Adam did …to kiss a person of the same sex on stage …to do a sexual action on stage…I suggest you youtube JLo’s New Years Eve performance (was televised) where she put her male dancer’s face in her crotch)…or Grammy performance where she stuck her behind up to Pitbull’s scrotch and shook it…or where Brit kissed Madonna…or oh hell…very rock singer…rap singer…and lord knows any top 40 pop artist does something risque and sexual…then make you stupid comment. Yes, men have definite issues with gay men…straight or gay men. It is so wierd how you claim you have no issue with being gay…yet you do not like a gay man being open…doing something sexy of gay nature on stage…Wow…does that mean in public you have issues with holding your partners hand…or kissing your partner on stage. Adam has amazing talents, a huge heart and he is honest and that freaks people out. He does not act fake…and frankly I find a lot of gay males very fake…pretending to be straight…when they are not…As a straight married woman who believes in equality…I see it as very hypocritical to judge someone for being proud, open and not scared. Adam has raised over one million dollars for charity in the past two and half years…raising more as I write this for Charity Water…all while being extremely busy with his Global Superstar career (yes…if you check your facts he is world wide known for his amazing singing and performances). I dare you…gay men who do not support him…give me one logical reason why…really…and do not base it on old news…or assumptions…base it on current news..facts…
cam
@kat23morg: said…
”
I dare you…gay men who do not support him…give me one logical reason why…really…and do not base it on old news…or assumptions…base it on current news..facts…”
_______________
Everything has to be a conspiracy doesn’t it? Did it ever occur to you that they may just not like his music?
Aric
Wait.
This doesn’t even make sense.
Do you know how many pop girls are out there? Literally hundreds. How many of them are successful (On the scale we automatically use)…. Five or six. Beyonce, Britney, Gaga Rihanna, and Perry.
The fact that Adam even charts is astonishing based on how the hell he is marketed.
How is it “hard” for a gay singer when we have literally three examples to base that information off of. All the while N-O-N-E of them are marketed using sex appeal.
Like I said before, get a young kid, a dance track and a nice body who is marketed correctly and they will burn up the charts.
Gabriel
I completely agree with Adam Lambert. I was recently having a discussion with my roommate on this same subject: How gay men have got their gay divas, who are supported to the teeth, but we shun the Adam Lameberts and the Mikas of the world.
musicfan
@Aric: RADIO will not play Adam’s music. Do you know how great a song “Fever” was? (Lady Gaga wrote it) All because of “there HE goes, my baby walks so slow…”
They wouldn’t even play “Better Than I Know Myself” …. that’s as close to “Whataya Want From Me” as you can get… yet for some reason, a lot of stations wouldn’t play it. They are so AFRAID of “that gay guy” for some reason.
musicfan
Bottom line here, guys…. Support Adam Lambert. PLEASE. He’s one of you, he needs you to have his back. He’s written songs for all of you, because he knows, he lives it, too…
musicfan
@Aric: He wrote “Aftermath” and even did a remix with the proceeds going to the Trevor Project. This album there are several, especially “Outlaws of Love”
samo
Cam that’s because nobody buys cds anymore only 1 cd released in the last ten years has sold more than 10 million domestically and that’s Adeles album! The cd/ticket promo was only for the US and you had a choice to accept the cd or not if yoy did it was INCLUDED with the huge price of a Madonna ticket so it WAS NOT given away for free. Madonna is one of a handful of veteran artusts who released albums this year amongthem van halen paul mccartney bruce springsteen and lionel richie in 4 weeks time she has already outsold their releases worlwide and in the us (except for richie in the us but she demolished him worldwide) how come the media doesn’t talk about that? And about hwr sales drop well she did have thehighest first week salws if ANY album this year sof course the more you open up with your first week the more you’re gonna drop and the previous holder of the biggest sales drop rwcord was LADY GAGA
mc
On the one hand, it seems certain acts like Scissor Sisters/Jake Shears have a big following. On the other, I don’t know if I can count Elton John (who originally came out as bisexual), George Michael (who was forced out of the closet after his 1998 arrest) or Ricky Martin though, as they had already established their careers before everyone knew they were gay.
Adam Lambert is one of the few artists who’s starting his career as an out gay man, and it does seem that he doesn’t have a huge amount of support from the gay community. Maybe it is that whole idol thing and people not respecting that or maybe he has a point. Lady Gaga and Madonna do seem to get more respect and attention. Maybe people should consider his words. Are people just catty around successful gay men because it makes them feel inadequate and insecure, while you don’t get that competitive feeling around successful female artists?
samo
And another thing Cam madonna has already sold over a million tickets in the US alone for het tour if the cd was given away for free with every ticket bought wouldn’t the cd sales be over 1 million copies in the US when it’s. Only at just under 50000 copies sold. This further proves my point that cd wasn’t given away with every ticket pir hased. Just do basicmath or are you that stupid
Tommy
@mc: I don’t see why I should support someone just because they are a gay man. I wanted to like Adam Lambert but I listened to his music and I just didn’t connect with it. I like his voice but his songs did nothing for me. I don’t think it’s true people aren’t catty about successful female artists. Maybe Madonna and Gaga sell more records, but they get a lot of catty criticism especially on this website. They are torn apart for everything often in a mean spirited way. I don’t see anyone saying terrible things about Adam. For the most part, he’s just being ignored which is his complaint. I don’t think you can classify Adam as a successful gay men, because he’s not that successful. Why would anyone be jealous or feel insecure around someone who hasn’t sold that many records? That’s his whole complaint.
Tommy
@Manon: Boy George and Elton John are the two biggest whiners in the world. In fact, Adam looks good compared to them. Elton was all bent out of shape because Madonna won a Golden Globe and his song didn’t. Don’t get me started on Boy George’s endless jealous attacks on Madonna and how bitter he is about how his solo record have flopped.
adamfan
As a huge Adam fan, I have seen an increase in the gay male support of him this year. It is still pathetic how many don’t support him for some flimsy excuse. How much would it hurt to throw a few bucks his way and purchase his album? He is the ONLY gay male on a major record label to start his career admitting his orientation. Seems to me if his community supported him, it would make it easier for future gay men in the industry. For those who think they don’t like his music, give his new album a listen. It is honestly amazing. Dance songs and true ballads about life. And to the guy above who said Adam doesn’t write his songs, he wrote on 12 of the 15 songs on his new album. Rhianna doesn’t write any of her songs but it doesn’t seem to hurt her. Just support the guy, OK? You don’t have to become a crazed fan, just buy the music. He has worked so hard on this album for his “community”.
J
I don’t like Adam Lamberts songs.Well,the ones I’ve heard.Also,I rarely hear him on radio.
Gary
The lamest excuse I’ve read so far is “I don’t like his music”! Come on, have you even got off your tight a$$ to even listen to it? The guy probably has the best vocal range and control of any singer in the industry, his songs are fun, dancey, soulful, and yes, even anthems! Aftemath, Outlaws Of Love, Underneath, broken Open anyone? The fact is, he has inspired me to be a stronger person and fight for my equality! He is 100% right in his statement but I can also say, knowing Adam, that he didn’t dwell on that statement but answered a question brought up by the interviewer honestly and probably wanted to talk about his music he worked so hard on for the last year! Of course his one answer is the one people choose to focus on and then take it out on him! The usual crap that is always handed on Adam! Comparing him to Martin, Elton, etc., is rediculous, established artists who then either were forced out of the closet or came out after,I admire Adam’s courage and strength to persevere through all the bs he gets handed to him! I will be buying his album & enjoying it!
Ryan
I was super exited when Adam was first on American Idol and was looking forward to his stuff and him being good gay representation…until the album cover came out. And then the cheez-tastic videos. Adam is a huge diva himself. I think the thing is we want our male singers to embody what we like about men and our female singers to embody the female power side of things. There was a video of him in concert, I forget the name of the single, but he was butching it up and it was good he just do that type of stuff.
‘Cause I love George Michael and the Pet Shop Boys (new album out in the fall!!!) ’cause they don’t queen out in their music. SO Adam needs to butch it up if he’s a boy and wants gay guys to like him. I sure there is plently to critisize there but that’s just why I think
this is happening to him.
Dave
@Jason-Adam Lambert isn’t bisexual. Lots of gay men and LGBT people supported Freddie Mercury who is or was a bisexual singer.
I agree that the whole Diva thing is overplayed by gay men.
cam
@Gary: said…
”
The lamest excuse I’ve read so far is “I don’t like his music”! Come on, have you even got off your tight a$$ to even listen to it?”
__________________
And once again, here is the nut job, victimology/conspiracy folks.
1. You think that the lamest excuse for not buying a CD or downloading music is that……Somebody doesn’t like that music?!?! That would be the most valid reason of all.
2. You are claiming that they must never have listened to it and THAT’S why they claim they don’t like it? Oh yes, because ANYBODY who doesn’t like something YOU like MUST Be lying about it because you are perfect.
I swear, Adam is ok, I have liked one or two of his songs, but his fans really do not serve him well when they do things like this.
Tim
People LOVED Freddie Mercury. Straight, gay, man, woman. Adam just isn’t in that league, and sadly never will be. Best of luck to him, anyway.
Alex Sarmiento
Whatever you think of Adam’s music, he has a point. When it comes to eating their own, gay men are the fucking world champions. We don’t support ANY of our own, even if they are extremely talented, even if they are edgy and like to play with gender, and even if they are commercially viable. But the first straight guy or straight female to give gay men a second look, and we piss our pants in delight. If Adam was a woman and a lesbian, this wouldn’t be that much of an issue as lesbians are more likely to support their own (even if there are also catty elements therein).
Maybe, just maybe, because of how LGBT people have been treated over the course of history, a gay man wanting to be at the top of his game while being an openly gay man from the get-go is so shocking for gay men to handle because there wasn’t anything like him before, and they don’t know how to handle it. To an extent, we can handle gays being drag queens or successful-but-closeted artists and musicians or second bananas on television or in the movies or even in music (not that there’s anything wrong with being a drag queen or a bit player). In fact, we tend to prefer that because mainstream society has conditioned us to, for lack of a better phrase, “know our place”. But Adam doesn’t want to be the second banana. He wants to be a motherfucking STAR. And isn’t that what we all want in life? To be a motherfucking STAR in any capacity? For wanting to be openly gay AND a STAR at the same time and carve a different place for himself and for others, Adam deserves our respect and admiration, not our consternation. More support from the LGBT community can only help Adam evolve as an artist and as a person.
adamfan
@Alex Sarmiento: Well written.
adamfan
@Tim: Freddie never openly admitted he was gay. Also, there was no internet to track his every move like there is now. By the time something was published in a mag, it was old news. This is a different world. I agree that it was hard NOT to know he was gay, but there seems to be a difference in admitting it.
adamfan
@Ryan: Interesting perspective. What do you think of Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters?
Naturally
@Alex Sarmiento I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s the lack of gay support that’s keeping Adam down. 1) Remember, he only has one record out. 2) No new music for 2 and 1/2 years. 3) The tracks sent to radio so far are non-starters.
I mean what’s to support? To be brutally honest, at this point he’s lucky people are still talking about him. If he really wants to be a star he needs to do something star-like.
Leigh
Adam Lambert has the finest voice in the music biz today. Do your ears a favor and get his new album, “Trespassing,” which will drop May 15. Listen to a superior male singer for a change instead of all those inferior female ones.
Tylertime
I have never been an Adam Lambert fan from the time he set foot on the AI stage and before all the gay rumors. I found his singing to be no more than shrieking and overly theatrical. Whether it be Elton John, Lady Gaga or Kiss I don’t like performers who hide behind makeup and costumes. It basically says they have to have a gimmick because they don’t have true talent. I could care less that Adam is gay. I have supported George Michael and I have even liked the Gayken.
Chadboy
Adam is becoming the Rupert Everett of the music industry constantly whining about his career. Adam, try working a 9 to 5 job in a cubicle with a boss yelling at you every hour and then sing me a song about how hard you have it.
anonymous
@Chadboy: He isn’t constantly whining. He was asked a question and answered it. This interview was about so much more but the media thought this would be “sensational” to discuss so they did. Get your stories straight before you criticize. Adam is the kindest man around and would never say anything derogatory about you.
Leigh
@musicfan: I’ve followed Lambert for a long time and everything you say is true.
Leigh
@Tylertime: You don’t know what you’re talking about. You know zilch about his voice or his music.
Leigh
@Chadboy: One thing he doesn’t do is whine. He’s got courage and incredible guts to put up with the gawdawful vilification that attaches itself to anything he does.
Jason
@You don’t know what you are talking about so go back to YOUR cubicle and stop being a little bitch. You just proved his point, which I agree with, regarding cattiness.
jason
Manon,
Neither Ricky Martin nor George Michael nor Boy George were out during the commercially successful part of their careers. Therefore, your comparison fails.
James
I agree with what he’s saying, but did he also stop to think that maybe people don’t buy his music because they don’t like it? I’ll always applaud an out gay male entertainer, but I just don’t like his music, therefore I’m not going to buy it just because he’s gay.
turq
It’s not like Adam called a press conference to discuss this topic. Someone asked, he answered the way he perceives this situation. He has often said that there are all kinds of gays and not to lump them together as one homogeneous group.
I totally respect people not liking his music. That’s everyone’s prerogative. I do think though that his second album Trespassing is lightyears better than his first. This is not based on the rather innocent released singles, but on snippets from all songs of the album. I also welcome that he evolved his look together with his music away from glam and towards a funkier, edgier style.
DiscoDan
I completely understand what Adam Lambert is saying about the “cattiness” he experiences. Even attending a very liberal arts college on the east coast, where you think one would be accepted for being gay there is much cattiness/faggotry bullshit that goes on here and its ridiculous. And if its like this in college god only knows how bad it is in the entertainment industry. I will definitely be buying Adam’s next album, and so what if it is to support him if he is gay, it doesn’t matter. I love the divas,and I have seen most of them live in concert, and when I saw his AMA performance I LOVED IT! It is very hard for a guy to diva it up and still be seen as a man while doing it, and I hope he turns it out in the future.
keepitreal
He has zero sex appeal and he is a bottom. youtube.com/mediamyselfandi
Kyle412
I like Boy George, Celine, Mariah, Oasis, Maroon 5, Pet Shop Boys, Garth Brooks,etc…..a diverse range of music. There are plenty of artists that I don’t care for either. Lambert happens to be one of them. I don’t care if people like his music, but it just isn’t my sound. It’s called individual taste. I don’t like all the music that my friends like and vice versa.
Interesting
(a) I only noticed Adam Lambert recently on Youtube. He was great on American Idol, but his music after has been flat.
(b) His career has been going relatively well. Not great. But well. He’s headlining with Queen this summer, which I think is a natural fit for him.
(c) There is something to his point about gay men and their reaction to other gay men. I don’t know what it is.
(d) The comments about his lewdness is funny. in the same year, they had another performance- exactly same moves, but it was a woman and a man. No one complained. It wasn’t the acts. it was the gender of those performing the acts.
(e) I tire of Jason’s rant about bisexuality. whatever kernel of truth there may be there about the double standard of female bisexual and male sexuality is lost in his obvious bigotry. Its not like total lesbians have it easy in the business. And there are just too many gay examples to claim that its about that issue. And besides, reading his comment, its not about all audiences. He’s referencing specificallyt he gay ones. I don’t think bisexual women are popular amongst gay men because of some fantasy. That would be a strange argument to make, and yet that’s required to buy into Jason’s rants here.
(f) Closing on a good note- He’s amazing talent. I hope he does well with the sophomore album. Its not my taste, but it doesn’t have to be. The reality is that I see him as a more a rocker (and thats where he really needs to be) rather than a pop diva type. For some reason his own personal tastes as an artist seem to deviate from where his talent seems to place him. I hope he does really well again with Queen this summer. I think he would make a great front man to the legacy of Mercury. Not the same. Different. But unique and great from what I heard online of his prior concerts with Queen.
~PR~
@keepitreal: so, being a bottom is a bad thing now? Good to know.
TheWolf
@Gary: Did it ever occur to you, that if someone says he doesn’t like Lambert’s music this is an expression of his personal taste? I don’t care that he is technically skilled and/or talented. Or one of “us”. I think his music is awfull and a reason not only not to buy it, but also to turn off the radio.
what
okay i mostly straight guy, but why the hell do you gay men have a fascination with female singers? is it cause their something deep hidden in you gay men. like some c@nt female attitude you gay men want to experience. it is strange that you gays in many ways worship females then me or my straight counterparts. do you men sometimes wish to be female. ain’t much special about females except giving a child, maybe love and sex
Andrew
I really like Adam’s work. Adam to an Australain is simply another artist, so there isn’t anyone tearing him down simply because he was on an Idol show.
Oz has the Tall Poppy symdrome, celebrate someone, then tear them down, this happends to Kylie every 5 years or so.
You’re assumption that gay men want to be women is out-of-date by about 50 years; this is not the reason. Not all gay men like the same music, you just think they do.
The joke around the office is gay men like Kylie & Madonna, but then I point out the other gay men on the floor who like hip-hop and Jazz and the people I am talking to sit their and then realize “Oh, yeah, I did’t think about that.
Rita
I think Adam should just focus on the fans that has helped him in his career which are mostly non gays and the lesbian communities. Yes they are few US gay men but for the most part they aren’t interested. As a fan of his I say good riddance. He needs to continue being himself and put out music he wants and appeal to the ones that are interested in him and his music and if more US gay men jump on board than good. I do have to say he gets more support from straight dudes and his male gay international fans who scratch their heads wondering why the hostility he gets from US gay men. I also wish that US gay publications would stop writing about him. They have enough gay dudes to write about. Why write about an entertainer that clearly your readers isn’t interested in. It’s no secret his name garners mega hits and his fans should wise up and stop supporting hits to them. Adam gets plenty of love from mainstream media and you can’t win them all.
jason
what,
You make an interesting point about the absurd level of adulation that gay male culture has for female singers. As I said previously, I think it’s got something to do with compensation. Gay men feel they need to compensate for their lack of sexual interest in women by declaring their over-the-top adulation for them.
You also have the scenario where gay men are living vicariously through women. Women attract straight-identifyin guys, which is basically what many gay men wish to do too. Gay men seem to have a fascination for straight-identifying men.
Cam
@Alex Sarmiento: said…
“Whatever you think of Adam’s music, he has a point. When it comes to eating their own, gay men are the fucking world champions.”
_____________
And there you have it, the inherent homophobia of the Lambert fans. He isn’t the number one seller in the country, therefore it’s gay men’s fault.
Yeah, that’s why Scissor Sisters and Mika were SO unsuccessful.
Here is my take. Sean Hayes came out and complained about the community…i.e. he can go fuck himself. Neil Patrick Harris came out and embraced himself and the community and the community rallied.
Lambert played peek a boo, then in his “Coming out” interview he stated that he didn’t want to be seen as a gay pop star, or a “Gay” singer etc…
Fine, he didn’t want it, now he shouldn’t complain aout the community not showing up en masse to a party they weren’t invited to.
Rita
Scissor Sisters and Mika aren’t successful in America. Are any of them getting US radio play? They are more successful outside of America. I just don’t see the big deal in gays not supporting him and him telling them who cares. It’s why I say US gay publications should stop writing about him so he can stay out of the gay community face.
mikeandrewsdantescove
I completely agree with Adam on this. Look at who the Pride committees always choose for the entertainment? It’s female divas!
I would encourage Prides everywhere to consider men. Let me give you some examples: Colton Ford, Ari Gold, Jason Walker, Jonny McGovern, Jipsta, Cazwell and Matt Zarley.
Mike Andrews
Alist NY & Dante’s Cove
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sex/id302835391
MusicLuvR66
Adam calls it as he sees it. His comments are based on what he has experienced. If you don’t like his music, fine, listen to someone else. But don’t criticize him for giving his opinion if you don’t happen to agree with it. I doubt there will ever be a day when a person is simply accepted as “a singer” without an adjective categorizing them as “gay” or “black” or even “reality star” so unfortunately this will continue to be an issue whether Adam likes it or not.
Alexa
I liked Adam on American Idol, I wanted him to do well, I bought his first album. Sadly, with the exception of a couple of tracks, it was crap. So boring. If his next album is better I may buy it, if not, I won’t. That’s the bottom line, not whether he’s gay or not. I will say, even though I didn’t like the CD, I did think he was fantastic live, and I would definitely go see him in concert again (even braving the throngs of crazy fans).
anonymous
@keepitreal: Where do you get your info? Adam has stated he is a top on a number of occasions, which doesn’t really matter anyway to making music. And to cam, he has also stated he just wanted to sing when he first started. He has since said he didn’t realize that being in the public eye gave him new responsibilities to his community which he gladly accepts. I wish people who quote him actually kept up with what he says!
ADAMFAN
Check out this article. Might help explain. http://wp.me/p1S7fj-jM
Cam
@anonymous: said…
“I wish people who quote him actually kept up with what he says!”
__________________________
My point was exactly about what he said when he first became famous. Not what his publicist told him to say later.
mc
I think Cam has a point because it’s been a while but I vaguely remember Adam played coy with the media on the will he or won’t he come out (even though he was obviously gay) which probably irritated some people. Then he tried to play to his straight fans and started talking about how he loved or didn’t mind kissing women. Here’s the old quote “. “I like kissing women sometimes. Women are pretty. It doesn’t mean I’m necessarily sleeping with them.” I guess he was trying to keep all his fan girls but again, I could see that not playing well for some and them thinking, now he wants gay people to embrace him?
I also think the Adamfan article has some interesting points as well. And then, it could just be some people don’t like his music. But if he puts out something good, he may get that embrace he’s looking for.
mc
And lets add, that quote came from the photoshoot where he posed with a naked woman so it didn’t seem he was exactly courting the gay community that he now wants to embrace him.
Allen D.
@jason: I’m actually partial to music where people PLAY their own instruments, write their own songs, etc. Speed metal mainly.
I bought Adam’s first album. Won’t be buying his second. Just didn’t like it. Period.
Interesting
He definitely needs better song writers. He’s a great talent, but he’s doing crap songs.
ScaryRussianHeather
@Bill Mitchell:
Oh yes it’s so shocking that Lambert’s sexuality came up in a gay publication. All you have to do is read the THOUSANDS of comments HERE since day one, 2009 trashing him for abandoning his sexuality blah blah blah to PROVE that his comments are 100% correct. Not to mention every single disc jockey snarks the guy’s sexuality when spinning a single of his.
Meanwhile Gaga walks on water with her fake bisexual narrative. Sigh. Tricking gay men is like shooting fish in a barrel. No wonder things are still messed up.
ScaryRussianHeather
@jason:
You’re 100% right and I’ve said it for 3 years now.
ScaryRussianHeather
@Kamikapse:
And gay men are not entitled to make demands of the guy, of how to “represent” which has been done since 2009. Go read the OLD THREADS for proof. He has always wanted to be a SINGER. Unfortunately, even being a singer who happened to be gay, wasn’t enough for the LGBT community’s schizophrenic “standards”.
ScaryRussianHeather
@Cam:
“Yeah, that’s why Scissor Sisters and Mika were SO unsuccessful.”
They are NOT successful as commercial pop acts. You’re living in your alternate reality between obsessing about Clay Aiken fans and some faux “successful” narrative. The only SUCCESSFUL pop singers are those you hear on the radio and those two are NOT anywhere NEAR the radio.
ScaryRussianHeather
LMAO at all the George Michael references here. He put out ONE new album since 1999 (in 2004) and it was WAY outsold by Lambert’s debut album in the US.
NONE of his singles have charted in the US since 1996.
Reality much?
reXteryalizer
Gays cant give BLOOD because they are nasty People.
Animals INjEST and Eat and Lick their OWN Feces jUST like GAYS.
Gays live a
Shorter lifespan [ That of an Animal ] in Comparison to Normal People..
Gays are the Ones Spreading the Aids Virus around the
Plantet in A Great Amount..
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm
Catholic Priests also are spreading the Aids Virus and
have a Higher Rate of infection within the Priesthood.
Catholic Priests also have their Death Records Sealed and Altered and changed
to hide that they have Aids.
This keeps the Catholic Church Gods Holy Church in the Eyes of the Millions of Catholics worldwide. while
the Catholic church Spreads the Aids Virus to all mankind.
The Catholic Church has also Convinced millions of Africans and others as
well that Condoms AUCTUALLY Cause AIDS Contraction
These people are so Evil.
priests are dying AND SPREADING AIDS at a rate at
least four times that of the general U.S. population.
801
priests responded to The Star’s survey on AIDS and the priesthood — a
response rate of 27 percent. Nearly 60 percent said they
personally knew at least one priest who had died of AIDS. And one in three
said they knew priests who were living with HIV or AIDS.
When priests do tell their superiors, the cases generally are handled quietly,
either at the priests’ requests or because church officials are reluctant to discuss and just iggy-ing the facts Thousands UPON
Thousands of Roman Cat holic priests across the United
States have died of AIDS-related illnesses
Several years before the AIDS
epidemic, many gay Catholic
men became infected by anal parasites. through sexual TRANSMISSION , to infect as many as 60
percent of gay Catholic men.
Some experts believe that the continuing epidemic of anal parasites among gay Catholic men has
been a cofactor for AIDS … and a major conTributor to its spread.
Most priests with AIDS contracted the disease through same-sex
relations.
One perverted priest had infected eight other priests.
see The real problem ….is HIV/AIDS because of the basic
dishonesty of the church with regard to all reality ,”
Some priests say the church was warned nearly 30 years ago that such problems
could develop but …. failed to take steps to prevent them.
As many as ALMOST – 50% of the Catholic priesthood is now homosexual.
Doctors and scientists still differ in their interpretation of the available information about anal parasites and AIDS, But …scientists
know for sure that anal parasites contribute to AIDS
MAYBE SOMEDAY YOUR CHILD WILL BEHOLD sacraments
of fudge
PROJECTED FROM THE END OF A holy MONSTERS PRIESTLY PRICK
PARTICLES OF STRAY CORN a sacrament Of the fathers
SPECIAL BLESSINGS ? ?
if the pope permit / AS the mob of scat holics recall !…OOH
OOH ! YES HOLY fATHER ..* THE
DISCIPLES ATE CORN FROM THE FIELD ON THE SABBATH…………….
Do you want one of these seminaries in your area? You have the
right to know whether a child molester resides near you!
Gay catholic men should get tested regularly for anal parasites, and have
them eradicated if they are found, and take steps to avoid transmission
to the lay members and altar boys.
Anal paraites and
intestinal damage cause malabsorption and resulting malnutrition, further weakening the body and the immune system.
fact is /The multiple partners in the gay Catholic preisthood cause different anal parasites to be mixed together • to cause new
strains of anal parasitic viruses…
Symptoms of anal parasites can include loose stools, flatulence (gas), or diarrhea (usually mild), and
especially malaise — feeling ill, depressed, or tired. Often these problems come and go, catholics iggized idiots don’t recognize
them as symptoms.
It’s very important that sexual partners in the Catholic
priesthood .. be diagnosed for anal parasites and
treated together, to prevent re-infection.
The safe-sex guidelines for preventing AIDS will not always stop transmission, of anal
parasites. In addition to safe sex, gay Catholic priests must also avoid the transmission to younger boys
REFERENCES
Archer,
Douglas L. and Walter H. Glinsmann, “Enteric Infection and Other Cofactors in
AIDS,” Immunology Today (October 1985).
Pearce, Richard
B., “Intestinal Protozoal Infections and AIDS,” The Lancet (July 2, 1983).
REFERENCES
——-, “Parasites and AIDS: Evidence of a Link,”
DAIR Update, Number 1, published by the Documentation of AIDS Issues
and Research Foundation.
Zagury, D., et al., “Long-term
Cultures of HTLV-III-infected T- cells: A Model of Cytopathology of T-cell
Depletion in AIDS,” Science (February 21, 1986).
MMDD
What Adam says is true, BUT…this is the same guy who came out of the closet and then promptly did a sexually explicit photo shoot with a NAKED WOMAN. That’s where he lost me. Talk about sending a mixed message. If he’d had the balls to do something like that with another guy, I’d be singing his praises till the end of time; but no openly gay man in the public eye would ever do something that radical.
Drew
The problem is top 40 radio itself. It’s become a completely narrow market over the last 10 years or so. Corporate machines like Clear Channel & syndicated programs like Ryan Seacrest monopolize the airwaves with the same 15-20 songs chosen by a handful of narrow minded music directors. Legends like Madonna are virtually ignored by radio these days even with a very strong fan base as evident by 1st week album sales & concert tickets. I don’t claim to be an expert on Adam’s music but I’ve heard enough of it (via mainly internet and my own curiosity) to know that there’s a market for it. There’s tons of artists making very likable pop music but you would never know it by turning on the radio. I say bring back the request lines, give us some variety.
Ty
The problem isn’t Adam’s sexuality or gender, but that his music is very generic. You see many gay men who love Scissor Sisters and Jay Brannan, so it isn’t that gay men hate openly gay male artists… they just don’t like Adam’s music. Adam’s music is vanilla commercial music. The day Adam can actually write his own music and stop trying to make generic middle of the road Maroon 5 style music, maybe more gay people will find him interesting.
Ty
@ScaryRussianHeather:
So what if Scissor Sisters didn’t sell as well as Adam? They posed a far more threatening image to the conservative American who sees Adam as a “girl next door” like they saw Boy George. Yes, most of their music is derivative, but I’d much rather see people ripping off Queen, Elton and Bowie than making music for Train’s audience. Plus Scissor Sisters gives off a sexual image, Jake Shears is a sex symbol in the gay community, Adam Lambert otoh looks like a Liza drag queen.
@ScaryRussianHeather:
You are aware that George Michael is almost 50 right? Adam doesn’t even come near the popularity George had in the 80’s and early 90’s. And plus, if you listened to any George albums after 1987, you’d know that he pretty much quit being a pop star and wanted more to be an actual artist. Of course you wouldn’t understand some of the emotion in George’s latter music because music from the heart with real feeling is frowned upon by Simon Cowell because it doesn’t sell records.
shelby
Being an openly gay pop star in an often mean, jaded and still homophobic society surely cannot be an easy task. And yet in the face of such a task, Adam is unafraid to express himself just how he wants to. Yes, he’s human, he makes mistakes like everybody else. His intro to the pop world was a little rough no doubt. It seems so many people here just want to tear him down, almost as though they want to see him fail. I just don’t get it because above all else, he is an amazingly talented singer and performer the likes of which is rarely seen. He has the IT factor. If you don’t like his music or his style, fine. But if you’ve ever listened to Adam talk in interviews, he is truly a sweet, kind, caring and well balanced person at the core. He’s worked hard to get where he is and people should respect that he is so brave to be open about who he is, knowing it will mean some people won’t even give him a chance. I respect this immensely. He is extremely brave and I see him forging a lonesome, unmarked path. It’s his own. Even though he gets lots of hate from all sides, he manages with grace and a smile. Truly a class act. I hope people, men, women, gay, straight, will give him a chance, listen to his music and open their hearts and minds to this extraordinarily talented man.
shelby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bb1MaPC05o&feature=g-all-c
Chekier
I think it’s hypocritical that Adam Lambert expects the gay community to worship him when he even stated that he doesn’t want to be an “advocate for gay rights but just a singer”. I’m sure that the powerful divas who are worshipped my gays have at least made an effort to let their feelings about gay rights be known, even Beyonce who is known to be quite conservative.