hypocrites

The Ladies of ABC Ask Adam Lambert Whether He’s Hurt By The Ladies Of ABC Censor Him

Adam Lambert must be exhausted talking about his American Music Awards performance — especially to Barbara Walters, who begins the interview asking the singer whether he’s tired of people being “afraid” to have him on their show. You know, like The View, which pulled the ridiculous stunt in taping the interview ahead of time, or Barbara Walters’s own taped special last night, which refused to air his AMA kiss.

“I’m surprised,” says Adam of the reaction. “I’m like, ‘Really. Is it that big of a deal?'” No, it is not.

But what we’re most impressed with Lambert’s handling of the situation is that he’s being the most adult person in the room. Not ABC. Not the parents who complained to the network. But Adam — who, as he says, is not anyone’s babysitter. He’s a performer. If you don’t like what he does, stop watching. But once again, if you’re going to let your kids be exposed to — or, if you’re ABC, your network broadcast — sexualized images of pop culture, then quit freaking out about the gay guy. (However, while we understand the career reasons, but do not care for his need to apologize for the performance.)

And as for you, Sherri Shepherd? Remarking how parents are justified to be outraged? And how nobody “pays attention to TV ratings”? Even Elisabeth Hasselbeck knows that’s a farce. Because lady, you are a parent. And you, Miss, appear on an eponymous sitcom where you make jokes about alcohol abuse, sex out of wedlock, and on and on — all at an hour that the FCC monitors and an hour where children are more likely to be watching. You’re a sad mess of hypocrisy and unqualified to preach to anyone about values.

Meanwhile, ABC has responded to criticism about Barbara Walters’ special last night, which refused to show the same-sex kiss, but spent most of the interview discussing it: “It was an editorial decision to show very little from the performance and focus on the fresh, new interview with Adam Lambert. … The Lady Gaga kiss was used quickly in context of things that upset her father. … ABC never had a problem showing the kiss, In fact we did not edit it out of the west coast feed of the AMAs. … The network has a solid record of showing gay men and women in primetime which is why GLAAD has given ABC top honors for the positive portrayal of gays and lesbians for the past several years.”

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