Re: C'mon, why is no one giving Adam Lambert credit for his performance?
Oh, please, don't be so exaggerate! Many singers, from Elton John to George Michael, have played with sexual ambiguity at some point in their careers, if not for the most part of them, and have only dared to come out of the closet after they had enjoyed enough success to avoid the stigma of homosexuality, or else, when they have been forced by the circumstances. I don't hear anyone demeaning them or saying that they compromise the image (and thus, acceptance) of the entire gay community just because they complied with heterosexist normative for a long time.
Adam doesn't have to be a saint or an example of perpetual moral probity in order to be respected, both as an artist and person. Yes, he may have waited until the end of American Idol to declare his homosexuality but, then again, do you really think that he would have even had an opportunity to become a finalist if he had openly said he was gay from the beginning? Given the way in which everyone is reacting, I doubt it. He would have been accused of misrepresenting the gay community, being an opportunist or else, trying to 'corrupt' the young and promote the "gay lifestyle" by the usual hysterical whiners of all political persuasions.
He is a musician whose only desire is to achieve fame as
himself; he has stated so enough times. Why should he be criticized for it? In addition, how could he possibly represent the colourful, complex and very varied gay community in its entirety, all on his own? Impossible demands are being made of him just because he is gay and has achieved enormous notoriety. Isn't that utterly unfair? He doesn't have the obligation to comply with anyone's rules, or fulfill their expectations.
As for his performance, yes, it wasn't that great, but he hit the glory notes quite well and well, managed to complete the choreography with a minimum amount of dignity... As far as I remember, lesser individuals (a.k.a. Britney Spears), profitted enormously from disastrous performances. For God's sake, Madonna's entire career has been a disastrous performance, and look at where she is now! I am not trying to justify Adam's mistakes; all I am saying is that he tried to offer a show, for which he may not have been fully prepared. His errors are of judgement, not morality or going against a certain identity.
As for talent being only a small part of what makes a singer successful well, yes, it's true. Then again, talent can magnify and improve mediocre performances, and Adam's struggles on the AMA stage were not made more evident by his vocal performance. Quite the contrary is true, in fact: even at his worst, his voice can easily eclipse most other singers. Which is, in my opinion, what happened.
I'd also like to ask one final question... Why is it that people are attacking him with such virulence? By the way in which some of you talk about him, it would seem that he were endorsing the ex-gay movement. He's only a singer who is beginning to build a career, not some sort of demon. Calm down a little, for God's sake!
](/images/smilies/bang.gif "Brick wall ](*,)")
