Tonight, after more than four months of auditions, performances, ballads, and screeching, America will anoint the eighth American Idol. The media and your inner gay have you believing Adam Lambert has the win in the bag. But just as likely, he doesn’t. And what, pray tell, is going to happen if, when the house lights are brought down and Ryan Seacrest aligns the top two side-by-side, Kris Allen wins the grand prize?
Well we’re not expecting marches on Washington, rallies on statehouse steps, nor rioting in the streets. But if Kris beats Adam, the media crackstorm that will engulf Allen, Lambert, and American Idol‘s four judges will undoubtedly include criticism that the competition is anti-gay, that it was rigged because 19 Entertainment doesn’t want to market and promote a gay guy, and that America is still the homophobic land where Don’t Ask Don’t Tell also applies to singing contests.
But if we’re to believe Idol‘s story, it’s America’s vote (and not producers) that determines the winner. Which means last night’s tens of millions of 866 dials and text messages truly determine Lambert’s fate: Will he become America’s first gay Idol?
Even as we pose the question, we laugh a little. Really? Whether a gay guy wins some Fox reality competition counts as important? Well, no. But also, in a very big way: yes. Lambert’s talent aside, his sexuality has become a growing part of his bonafides as a contestant. And everyone from tween girls to working moms to retired grandmothers — you know, the stereotypical Idol voting audience — is growing more aware of which team Lambert plays for; they have the Information Superhighway in Kentucky, ya know.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Idol is pop culture’s lowest common denominator; it reaches more Americans every year than any other entertainment phenomenon. So if Lambert does win, it will in some meaningful way represent that not only does America think the guy can sing and perform and scream, but that they don’t care he can do all those things while dedicating them to his boyfriend Drake.
Of course, Lambert’s win will also be a rallying cry for social conservatives. Any O’Reilly or Gallagher worth her bigoted salt will be able to spin the crowning of Lambert as an example of the deterioration of American society and its social norms. We can already see the black-and-white footage of Lambert performing in the background of an upcoming National Organization for Marriage ad, with text scrolling over his face about the danger he represents to his teenage fans.
But if Lambert doesn’t win? The outrage and upset from the gay community will be tangible.
Queerty HQ expects this very site to erupt with comments lambasting America for its homophobia. It won’t be about whether competitor Kris Allen is a good singer (he is) or whether he deserves the Idol crown (he might), but that we’ve built up expectations that Lambert will win this thing — and if he doesn’t, the immediate conclusion will be America hates gays.
As for Allen? He’s got an undeniable Christian base, even if he plays down (or chooses not to highlight) his past as a “worship singer.” Allen said Monday he hoped “having the Christian vote” wouldn’t decide whether he wins. (Does Lambert feel the same about having the gay vote?) “I hope it has to do with your talent and the performance that you give and the package that you have,” says Allen. “It’s not about religion and all that kind of stuff.”
But denying religious types are rallying behind a pretty poster boy would be foolish; legions of fans attached themselves to Allen simply because of his faith, the same way Lambert attracted plenty of gay fans (who might not even look twice if they saw him in a bar) simply because of his sexuality.
Which means if Allen wins, religious conservatives will declare God the winner. In beating Lambert, Allen will be evidence to this demographic that gays are inferior, and one of their own was destined to win.
But no matter the outcome tonight, fans of either contestant can rest assured: They’re both going on tour. They’ll both be in the press for weeks and months. And they’ve both got at least one album in ’em before we turn our backs and ready ourselves for Season 9.
And in case Adam’s same-sex loving ways weren’t clear, enjoy this pre-Idol performance (it’s loud, turn down your speakers):
Sasha
If Adam comes in second, at least he won’t have to release that godawful Kara Dioguardi song as his first single.
Anonymous
Enough already. Now that the truth has come out that a bunch of silly ass, socially disfuntional queens are spending all day and half the night voting for these yet-to-come-out twinks queen for the season how much more can be printed.
Good lord, and to think I thought this site overdosed on Michelle Lucas.
Queerky
Controversy is the best publicity. Miss Prejean got more attention by losing than the winner did. If Adam loses, it will be tit-for-tat (or in this case tat for tit).
victor
Well, they dropped down barricades in the Castro – so I am sure there will be a riot if he loses. Good thinking by San Francisco’s government.
ask ena
Honestly, I think winning is a curse and coming in 2nd the best of all scenarios.
In any case, as much as I like to root for the gay, ANY gay, how much shrieking can one take from this guy? Well, at least he’s keeping the make-up and hair product industry afloat.
7SnowyNights
@Sasha: Oh God, yes. That was the worst song I’ve ever heard. I would marry Simon if he fired Kara on the air tonight.
jeffrey
It’s been very obvious from the beginning that IDOL and/or Producers have been touting Adam to win. The judges AND IDOL BOTH want Adam to win, so if he doesn’t win then it basically means that America prefers Kris. End of story.
Chris
I understand the point trying to be made. However, it’s rough because I didn’t vote for Adam because I don’t like his style at all. It has nothing to do with his or Kris’s sexuality (or mine). But then articles like this lead me to feel a little like a gay traitor because I *didn’t* vote for Adam, since he’s clearly a fellow homo. That being said, if Kris were flagrantly anti-gay (or even somewhat, like annoying Danny and talentless Michael Sarver), then perhaps a retalitory vote against him would be okay. I think that both Kris and Adam have great talent – but Adam’s talent and style isn’t for me. It’s just a shame that politics and “moral” stances will come into play voting for an American Idol.
slider
Notice that Simon didn’t comment on the song but on the performers..meaning Adam and Kris…..that song sucked..
as to the performers, I am praying for Adam…every time I have voted in the past my choices lose (from Clay Aiken to Chris Daughtry to David Archuletta) so I will pray this time..a lot.
Both are different kinds of singers….Adam combines rock, blues and soul….
Kris combines pop, blues, soul, some salsa…
Adam has the better voice and the better performer.
As the AI judges remind us this is a singing contest..on that note, Adam should win…I might add he does better when he strips away the rock part of his voice and gets raw and does less is more….and exposes his vulnerable side.
Adam reminds me of a male Janis Joplin….excellent rocker, blues, some soul and major depth…
Kris reminds me a bit of Santana, John Mayer and Rob Morrison..he will do well in his career….
Adam in the long haul, with good management (the same for Kris) will do extremely well and will be the major Rock superstar/singer that I believe will carry him far over the years…
I wish them both well and I would have voted for Adam even if he were str8…but then I feel voting for whom I want to win has been their kiss of death (like when I kept voting for David Archuletta, Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry etc.)
so, this time lots of prayers….I am praying that works:)
Go Adam!! and even Go Kris..but I HOPE AND PRAY ADAM WINS and Kris is second…
stevenelliot
@7SnowyNights: I’d marry simon period! Then we could gangbang Kris :~}
drew brown
i’m actually surprised at how many of my gay friends are NOT supporting adam lambert; in fact some actively dislike him. i think he’s too “out there” for them. personally, i love his style and am enthralled by every performance he gives. but, what sane gay guy wouldn’t have a bit of a crush on the absolutely adorable kris allen? he’s hard not to like, even if his talent doesn’t even compare to adam’s.
Anonymous
@victor: Please tell us you are joking. You are, correct?
May the lord have mercy on our sensiblities if you are not. And for some strange reason I have a feeling you are not.
I wonder if it will be shown in times square like that Powerball drawing was a few years back. Good lord, here we go again.
slider
Drew..I have to agree with you..Kris is adorable and hunky hot..so I like him as much as Adam..they just have different singing styles…but both will do well. From everything I read, Kris is very gay friendly and is close friends with Adam..so that makes it extra cool too…better then kiss ass Homophobe Danny Gockey.
I just think that Adam has a better range as a singer and to me when he does the more raw stripped down singing he outshines every competitor…the same is true when he does his Rock voice..I hope he mixes it more with blues and soul as he did last night with the Sam Cooke song….
well the votes are done…the envelope awaits…Good Luck to both Adam and Kris:)
drew brown
@victor: If they truly put up barricades in Castro, it’s because of the pending announcement of the CA Supreme Court’s decision on Prop 8. Not because of Idol. I hope.
D-Sun
All that will change if he loses is that when I buy his album in a few months, I’ll be able to listen to it without suffering through that musical nightmare that is No Boundaries.
Jeff
probably the best thing to happen to both would be if Kris won. Although I have no love for the evangelical little punk Kris who undobtly would vote against your rights guys btw. BUT Adam would be better off if he lost. As a winner he will ALWAYS be tied to AI. As a loser he’ll probably have a better career and won;t be at thier beck and call.
Kris on the other hand might have a small career in Gospel, Folk or Soft Rock. Without the win Kris will winf up in Dollywood I guarentee it. Take the cute factor away and he no more special than some coffeehouse performers.
Michael W.
Kris bombed last night and the judges made it clear that he blew it. The only reason he could win is because of a bias against Adam.
And Barack Obama will certainly have helped Allen. His anything-but-gay agenda helps fuel the homophobic atmosphere in this country. If he treated us like human beings instead of a radioactive demographic during his time in office, then maybe a lot of those votes for Allen wouldn’t be there.
ka
“Although I have no love for the evangelical little punk Kris who undobtly would vote against your rights guys btw.”
Wrong
AlwaysGay
If Adam doesn’t win it’s a sign of American heterosexuals anti-gay bigotry and how omnipresent anti-gay bigotry is. We all know many American heterosexuals voted for Ruben Studdard over Clay Aiken because they believed Clay was gay (he wasn’t out at the time) and they didn’t want him to win because of it. They had no intention of buying a Ruben Studdard cd or single. A couple days before Chris Daughtry was eliminated a story on AOL wondered if Chris shaving his whole body was gay and how many of his performances were filled with gay overtones. That story was prominent on the site and widely viewed. David Archuleta was passed over for the bland and solidly heterosexual David Cook.
Adam is the better singer, preformer and personality by lightyears. Last night Kris forgot the words to “No Boundaries” and was out of tune.
TANK
What’s american idol? A bunch of nelly queens rioting in the castro if a gay contestant loses? I hope he loses! I wanna see some rioting! Over a teeveee competition…god I hate teh gays. LOL!
drew brown
@AlwaysGay: Seriously? You can tone down the gay-oppression rhetoric just a little bit. Adam has made it to the FINAL TWO contestants in the entire competition. That’s a remarkable achievement and took a helluva lot of voting by a lot of people. I’m not trying to say anti-gay bigotry does not exist, or that his sexuality won’t affect the outcome, but let’s try to keep things in perspective. Sheesh.
Grant
If Adam doesn’t win, then the gay community is going to whine and moan and call it homophobia; when all it means is people prefer Kris rather than Meatloaf, er, I mean, Adam. This queer voted for Kris.
Ashton Micheal
Honestly I can’t stand Adam he bugs me in soo many ways and its not because he is gay its because he comes off very cocky. You don’t need to look like a rocker to be a rocker you don’t need all the extra make up to be a good singer.. I like Kris I think he is really good singer he would do well in the industry. I think Adam is much better on Broadway he over sings and tries to hard. Its great that he made it this far and its amazing how many people like him but I voted Kris and thats where my vote will stay.
Jeff
@Grant:
All gay activist shit aside. You voyed for Chris? LOL! You are obviously tone deaf or your dick did the dialing!
James Davis
I keep hearing over and over how Adam is so much more talented than Kris, but is he really.
Yes Adam’s vocal range is far superior to Kris, but Kris also plays Guitar & Piano which Adam doesn’t.
As far as talent I’d put then on par with each other, so for me it’s about style.
Adam’s style of 70’s glam rock just isn’t my taste, and Kris’s Jason Mraz vibe is quite enjoyable to me.
It’s sad that politics come into this and that both sides gay & homophobic can’t just vote for whom they prefer to see entertain. That said I took the high road and voted on who I found more entertaining, Kris.
SteamPunk
If Adam loses, then Bill O’Reilly will speak about how much he was right to think Americans are too conservative to choose a “gay” American Idol over a “Christian”.
BB
I’ve liked both Adam and Kris from the begining. Both are amazing in their own way. To suggest that each will win mainly based on religion or sexuality is insulting to them and to their fans.
p.s. The song Kara co-wrote is awful and I feel for whoever has to promote it.
mark
American Idol will take a serious hit to their popularity if Adam doesn’t win, he has been the most talented since the begining. While Kris is cute, I never expected he’d be in the last two. I won’t watch Idol in future series if Adam comes in second. That Kara song was atrocious.
What Bill O’Reilly or Maggie Gallager do or don’t do…matters ..uh….not at all.
btw the lighting people on Idol seem to have liked Adam since the begining, he has no control over that aspect, and he was always lit….better.
Kid A
If Adam loses, and there are protests/riots/media appearances about the “homophobia” of the american people, that will make gays look worse than having a gay contestant lose. The average American, the people we need to have a dialogue with, have low tolerance for knee-jerk, seemingly forced political correctness and resent minority groups for making a stink about what seems like small problems. I’m not saying this is my opinion, I’m just saying where a lot of people are coming from.
If there were such a homophobic conspiracy, adam would not have made it this far as it is.
Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell
@TANK: Haven’t you been reading the site the past two days? It is anti-gay american to critize these lonely, silly ass queens about this trashy, clearly rigged crappy ass show promoting rejects from Cobra video.
Has anyone thought for a moment how many times either number can be called if you rig a computer to call it? Think about how the voting is set up and then you will understand more clearly why nothing else but a lonely ass queen would even watch this shit anymore.
Good lord, does anyone have common sense anymore?
Dorian
Or maybe Adam Lambert wins and he denies he’s gay. I mean, Adam Lambert isn’t the only effeminate straight guy who wears eye-liner.
Even if Kris wins, Adam will have a career. He’s very popular and has a great voice. This is not going to be a case where the 2nd runner-up disappears, without a trace(ex. Justin Guarini, Blake Lewis).
Alex Sarmiento
Here’s what he should do: sue the shit out of Kara DioGuardi for writing that goddamn song “No Boundaries”.
rick
i had to check these singers out on line, since i do not watch fox except for sunday nights, to hear them sing. they both make me cringe but lambert is the better singer.
his mad world was spot on to the remake version.
rick
forgot to mention kara’s song SUCKED, big time, and not in a good way. is she named after olivia newton john or supergirl?
Bitch Republic
Adam has had some great moments, and he is definitely very talented, but he screeches too much like a middle-aged woman. So, I voted for Kris.
Tom
In a perfect world, right after he wins AI Adam will come out … and admit they threatened to put a bullet in him if he didn’t sing that heinously craptatstic Kara DioGuardi “masterpiece”. My ears are still bleeding.
BradSA
I don’t think Adam will win but it will be because of his shrieking and nasal wailing. Take away the superficial make-up nail polish, freaky clothes and dramatic hair and you have a chubby, average looking freckled red head with an annoyingly high voice.
Dale
You should talk to Clay Aiken. The people behind the scenes at AI2 knew Clay was gay, and although vote wise he was far, far ahead of EVERYONE during the entire season, he came in second. The fix is already in against Lambert. I’d bet my best Gucci bag on it!
drew brown
Notice the staggering amount of internalized homophobia directed at Adam in these posts… there are definitely gays who will not vote for him, and plenty of straight people who will.
roger
i’m very confident kris won. in fact, i’m positive of it. surely the danny and kris voters aligned to make sure that the judge-favorite, adam, didn’t win.
i don’t ever watch the show, but i watched last night for the full episode just to see what my friends were talking about.
btw: everyone says adam is elvis. i don’t get it. his vocal theatrics remind me of sam harris. i didn’t like it in 1982 and i don’t like it now.
BradSA
“American Idol” finalist Adam Lambert lives in the land which prides itself on enabling freedom of expression, but the 27-year-old said its still very challenging to be accepted for who you are in the United States.
“I vowed to be myself as much as possible. I vowed from the get go to try to be myself throughout this competition and the fact that people have backed me on that really feels good because that’s a hard thing to do — be yourself in front of America,” Lambert said. “My big thing was I don’t want to freak people out. I want people to get to know who I am in the way that I present myself visually and the songs that I chose. Sometimes they’re just for shock value, sometimes they’re just the way I express myself and I didn’t want that to get in the way of my singing”
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520890,00.html
__________________________________________________________________
This guy isn’t going to come out. He wants to sell CDs and coming out will not help him. I wonder, will we go after him with sharpened knives like what happened to Clay Aiken or are we satisfied that his career has been damaged enough?
dgz
honestly, queerty — this was a well thought-out article.
curt wilde
@SteamPunk: Honestly I think Bill O’Reily will use any excuse just to mention his teen idol crush Adam Lambert lolz
lou ann
I think it will be just fine if Adam loses. Except for Adam’s civil rights anthem, Change is gonna come, the performances were bad. They look exhausted. They obviously don’t give them any time to rest their voices or themselves. That last song sucked and they both knew it and so did the judges.
Adam did his best to muster energy for the Sam Cooke song, so he deserves to win if you base it on last night’s show. Otherwise, they’re both different enough to have two completely different kinds of careers.
What matters now is “can you sell records” and call enough attention to yourself and your music to keep it going.
The production standards of idol has always sucks and still sucks.
lou ann
@lou ann: Last sentence:
The production standards of idol have always sucked and still suck.
There, I said it again.
Chris
Politics ARE in play and WILL in part decide who win’s. Also, we have the SAME ID which i don’t know how it happened, but I voted for Adam and even though I personally don’t particularly like his style either, I want him to win so that it can prove to all the fundies that their bigotry doesn’t affect mainstream America as much as they think it does. That being said, as much as i HOPE he win’s, I don’t think he will due to these exact reasons and gays like you not seeing the big picture of this. Sure its just another lame talent show, but with the MSM making such a big deal over his sexuality I would have hoped that at the very least ALL of the gay community would have supported him for this reason alone.
Chris
Well Kris won, I guess all the fundies have the power to alter the view of mainstream America much more than I thought
Bri
aaaand the results…
sorry, guys.
Kyle
YippEEEEEEE. Chris won!!!!! I love when the underdog wins.
mark
two words idol
F*CK YOU!
Chris
@Kyle: Glad you and all the fundies are happy, why don’t you go over to Bill O’Reilly’s bog and celebrate.
Bri
Does anyone else think Kris Allen looks a little bit like Hal Sparks?
Kyle
@AlwaysGay: David Cook doesn’t come off as straight.
brittany
OMFG ADAM LAMBERT DIDNT WIN WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UGHHH I AM SOOO PISSED RIGHT NOW!!!
D-Sun
Well now look on the bright side; he never has to sing No Boundaries again. Ever.
He dodged a bullet there. A cheesy bullet full of lame metaphors about hurricanes and whatnot.
Michael W.
Soon as they said it was a record number of votes with over 100 million, I knew that meant Adam lost.
Synnerman
By making it a religious issue BillO made sure Adam would lose.
Fuck Jesus and his followers.
Lance Rockland
This fucking sucks!
Adam was the BEST singer on American Idol this year.
Dude was robbed, all because people in this country are homophobic jackasses.
Let’s riot!
NewYorkness
American Idol – the best doesn’t always win:
1. Kris over Adam
2. David over David
3. The old guy over Katharine
…Adam will do very well .. probably better than any other idol possibly including Kelly Brianne.
Kyle
I’m not homophobic. I like being gay. I have been out and proud for years. I’m not a “fundie” either as Chris called me. I just couldn’t stand that shrieking banshee’s voice and his cheap theatrics. It had nothing to do with Adam being gay. I actually liked the Gaiken when he was on Idol because I liked his voice. Came down to what I personally consider “music” and what I consider “noise”.
Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell
Wake me only if the sun does NOT come up tomorrow morning.
Good lord. Now I know how parents across america felt about the Beatles.
roger
1. at 7:39 p.m. i accurately and emphatically predicted that kris would win. bitch, pleeze.
2. batman doesn’t and shouldn’t ever sing. that theatrical bullshit is the reason adam lost.
3. kris can do a fantastic acoustic country album and he’ll be just fine. carrie underwood paved the way for him to make the move to country radio.
4. adam will be fine too. he and gene simmons really seemed to have some chemistry.
Kevin
Hey, who cares if he lost? He already got all the exposure he needs to be successful. Let’s not forget, Jennifer Hudson didn’t win either!
Michael W.
@Kyle: You’re a fucking traitor. I spit at the ground you walk on.
David P
Alright, it’s true, America is homophobic – especially the gays! I don’t know a single gay man who voted for Adam – they all voted for Kris. Why? “I think Adam screams too much…”…like a screaming QUEEN, perhaps? Then let me guess, you only like straight guys in your porn too, hmm? Internalized homophobia in our own tribe may have been more to blame than homophobia from the New Life Church. I am so confused with the world right now…
curt wilde
WTF?? SERIOUSLY???KRIS ALLEN?? WOW HOW EXCITING!!!! moves to Canada lolz
slider
THIS SO REMINDS ME OF WHEN CLAY AIKEN lost
I remember Ruben Studdard’s father saying well the faggot didn’t win…we won…not the guy in pink
As Dale (comment 37) said, AI insiders don’t like we Gays and they are quite homophobic.
I knew Kris one, as Michael said, when they announced in the beginning that nearly 100 million had voted. I knew at that point that Danny’s voters went to Kris.
Kris is talented but he is not in the same league as Adam Lambert.
I am more then pissed because to me its once again the Gay backlash..if you are Gay in this country, or different, as Adam said, its a struggle every day just to be whom you are. Adam’s words are elegant..the good news is that he is going to kick ass in album sales and he is going to have a long, long iconic career. That much I am certain. To me, of the singers that won AI, there are only a few stand outs amongst the winners (i.e. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) beyond that the real success stories have been Clay Aiken (came in second) and Jennifer Hudson (came in 4th) AND Chris Daughtry (came in 4th)
However, I really do feel that Adam was screwed over so badly..just like Clay Aiken was with all the rumors of him being Gay and what the “Christian” voters did then, they did again tonight……and will continue to do so.
Wry Bred
This isn’t just about some dumbass TV show. The fundies have always been and will continue to be a terrifying force in this society. It’s foolish to underestimate their ruthlessness. AI’s results are but a small indication of that.
Kyle
@Michael W.: Traitor? How? I voted for the Gaiken years ago. I vote for who I like musically. That’s what the show is. It isn’t called AMERICAN POLITICAL STATEMENT.
Chris
This is one reason why the gay community, if you can call it a community, never gets anywhere. The Christian fundies were able to have solidarity in their ranks and make SURE that the gay guy didn’t win whereas otherwise most would not have even watched the show. They DID NOT vote for Kris because they thought he had the most talent, they voted for him to make sure Adam didn’t win. The gay community can’t even get off their f***ing asses and call in en mass like the fundies did, if they had Adam would have won. Sure its just another stupid talent show but if Adam had won it would have shown solidarity within the gay community and would have also shown america we are a force to be reckoned with and that we do have power. It could also have shown the politicians that finally Mainstream America didn’t care about a persons sexuality and maybe would have caused them to re-think their views about pandering to those christian bigots. But NO, even some gays here didn’t even show their support last night, its pathetic when gay people can’t even come together to support one of their own in a talent show. How in the world do we think we can ever make any progress in the political arena if we can’t even unite in something as simple as this.
roger
i just realized: perez hilton has been championing 2 people in particular in the past month. shana moakler and adam “glambert”, as he calls him. well, it seems that perez’s support is the kiss of death.
shana has quietly gone back to her trailer park while carrie prejean is still miss california. and adam, who even the mainstream media as well as the judges had all-but annointed as the new american idol, just lost. in a huge upset.
wow. perez hilton is an awful spokesperson for the community AND he picks losers.
Joe
@Chris:
No, that’s not it. American Idol being a pop music show and FOX being a conservative company makes its viewer base more conservative, which is generally against gays.
You really can’t blame the “gay community” for presumably not voting because not all of them would vote just to support another homosexual, as if they’re against heterosexuality. And, the gay viewers are a minority of American Idol viewers anyway, so even if they all did vote for Adam, that still wouldn’t be enough for him to win. Don’t assume that everyone in America is viewing. The show has it’s base audience.
Its conservative base will vote against Adam’s homosexuality which has been blogged to death about because it is part of their belief. If there was no proof of his homosexuality, Adam would have won like Clay Aiken.
Toby
C@Chris:
Chris, take a chill pill and get your priorities in line. I have marched in numerous pride parades, marched on Washington DC, donated time and money to gay causes and have done the most important thing any gay can do….I have lived openly as a gay man since I was 22. I have always been open about who I am and many of my straight friends have learned about what it “means” to be gay through me and they have changed their previous opinions about GLBTers.
I don’t vote for someone simply because they are gay just as I wouldn’t vote for someone simply because they are male or white.
Chris
The Christian fundies were able to unite in solidarity and make SURE Adam didn’t win because he was gay. They could have cared less about how Kris sang, they just wanted to show mainstream america and politicians that their voices carry weight and it shows. IF WE as a gay community can’t even get off our asses and show our support and unity by voting for one of our own on something as simple as a talent show, how in the world do we think we can have a united voice in our own futures. Most gay people do not get directly involved in the lobbying for gay rights and equality, they only bitch about it on blogs which gets us nowhere. Here was one instance when the gay community could have come together as one powerful voice, but because of the internalized homophobia in some of us, as one reviewer pointed out, that didn’t happen. We only have ourselves to blame for the situation we are in.
Chris
sorry i posted twice on same subject
BradSA
@Joe, You said: “If there was no proof of his homosexuality, Adam would have won like Clay Aiken.”
Clay Aiken came in 2nd just like Adam. He should have won but it was an upset. He was the most popular and IMO best singer that year but AI gave it to Ruben. Many people are convinced he lost because of the gay rumors. Clay wasn’t flamboyant and didn’t have any pictures or anything like Adam did.
Alec
@Chris: You must be joking. That’s the only reason I can fathom for this post.
Honestly, I hope that American Idol goes off the air (however many seasons since it began and counting; alas, there are no genies to grant my wish). When it comes to politics, I’m involved. I write letters, donate time and money, etc. Because that actually matters.
Anyone who gave more than five minutes of their time to this “debate” over Mr. Lambert wasted that time, if their goal was promoting gay rights. This isn’t even on the radar.
Chris
@Alec: AS I RESPONDED ON THE OTHER POST, I myself could care less about AI, I never watch it as it is below what I consider entertainment. I also never suggested people should riot over this silly show. But if you do all you say you do on gay rights, then why is it so hard for you to understand where i am coming from on this. 1, The christian fundies called en mass to vote AGAINST Adam according to news reports I heard and saw. They were able to unite as a community to show America that they are not going to tolerate a gay AI winner. and as such showed some politicians that America just isn’t ready to Accept gays. 2, I feel that just as they did, we the gay community could also have come out en mass to show our support for one of our own, just as the christian fundies did for who they say is one of THEIR own.
If you can’t see the logic in how this would have been an important statement to show gay solidarity, then I don’t know what would because as I said if we as a community can’t even get it together enough to vote for one of our own in a stupid talent show, how can we ever unite as one for gay rights. With so many varrying views among gays, we can’t agree on anything and I find that very sad.
mark
Kris will make ONE cruddy Christian-Rock CD, and will never be heard of again.
scottyhouston
@Jeff: hahahaha! Good one!
Faith
Someone said that people voted for Kris to make sure that Adam didn’t win? That’s completely untrue. I voted for Kris because I liked him…and guess what..I have a gay brother, and I love him and all his gay and lesbian friends! I don’t discriminate, I just liked Kris’ style and voice better? I bet no one thought about that, that maybe people just liked Kris and it’s not a big hoo la of making sure Adam doesn’t win because he’s gay!
Alexa
@Faith: as I said to someone else in another post, just because YOU voted for Kris because you liked him doesn’t mean other people didn’t vote for him because they didn’t want Adam to win. Obviously Kris has fans, he wouldn’t have made it to the final two if he didn’t, but when it comes to a one on one situation, voting AGAINST someone comes into play. And there was a concerted effort by rabid Christians to make sure the gay guy didn’t win. It’s not the only reason Kris won, but it certainly helped.
Jon
This is actually hilarious to watch! These comments are quite the entertainment for me. I stopped watching the show many weeks ago when a person, selected by the JUDGES, was placed ahead of a person with actual talent. As a professional, university music professor AND performer for over 26 years, I think I’ve earned a bit of credibility on judging talent. Since abandoning the show, I’ve been entertained by all of the F’Book comments. The status changes alone last night kept me amused!
So, my thought to the people who vote for gay/str8 (instead of talent) is this….
Develop your own reality show. Have contestants stand on a stage and disclose their sexual preference and let America vote on THAT alone? Then you can argue whether or not the vote was based upon THAT rather than throw in the talent factor to confuse everyone. Music is, and always has been, subjective. Musical beauty is also in the “ear” of the beholder.
Keep writing! Keeping me entertained!
Paul
This gay man has supported Kris Allen since the top 36, and is thrilled that he won. 75% of the gay men I know personally and professionally feel the same way. Kris won Idol because he was able to relate to a larger demographic than Adam, and had a more dedicated fan base. End of Story.
pz
I’m not sure about the Fox stuff, but it was pretty clear that the judges wanted Adam to win. Simon didn’t even applaud when Kris was announced. He just sat in his chair with a stoic look plastered on his face.
Fritz Ethridge
I think that most gays voting for Kris because he looks and sounds like a man instead of a fuzzy painted up faggot. Then only person I’ve seen with more makeup on that Adam was Tammy Faye Baker.