Is America Ready?

[fabulouslyghetto]

Isn't a lot of AI's viewers the younger and older crowd? They might not even be aware he's gay. Hetero emo and gay whatever-you-call-that are terribly similar. You'd be surprised how clueless people are.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

You have a point there, but what I worry about is the teen girl crowd.

Are they going to support a gay singer if they can't see themselves "with" him?

Maybe, they can see themselves, like, totally shopping with him! Ya know? Like, he could be their, like, ya know, like bff!

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

They can like, totally share makeup tips and like, everything. Ya know.

Omigod it's like you read my mind! Yeah, totally. I totally could see that.

Considering the sugary tone of AI he's "edgy" (or atleast as close as Idol will come to "edgy") so people might give him a chance. He hasn't even been in the bottom 3 at all has he?

I do loathe some of my brothas for not being more open about it, for the first few seasons it seemed like the floodgates were open for gay black men; Gideon Mckinney, Justin Waddell, but I don't think any of them are really out. If Adam wins it could mean a shift in attitudes towards homosexuality, we're already seeing that in *snickers* Iowa of all places. Anything is possible.

 

[Spiff]

We'll soon start seeing television ads that say something like "A storm is coming. The clouds are dark and the winds are fierce. The next American Idol will soon be decided, and he will be gay. He will force me to listen to gay music, on my radio. I will have no choice. . . But people like us are coming together. Please, vote for a hetero Idol, vote for the straight boy. . . the really cute one. My daughters happiness depends on your vote. . . "

 

[doctorsun]

The thing is, the fact that he's gay has never and will never be stated on the show. American Idol will never let someone be out on the show. If it wasn't said about Danny Noriega, it's never going to be said about anyone. That ambiguity is key. It lets the tween girls and older people who don't know any different love Adam.

 

[jesusfarts]

Yes, America's ready for an openly gay American Idol. America just doesn't know it yet.

Even if he doesn't win, I can see him being a pretty big star after AI.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Even if he doesn't win, I can see him being a pretty big star after AI.

I dunno, Idol is the kiss of death as far as musical credibility. He's probably gonna get piss-poor material and even worse management and marketing.

 

[techboywi]

I think America is ready for a gay idol, I just don't know if Adam Lambert is it. He has been doing well, I grant you that.. I've liked most of his stuff, I only loved one of the songs he did (the one where he was very mellow, I can't think of the name right now).

If he does win, he probably won't have any real success unless he does what Kelly Clarkson did and get out of 19 records and management from Simon Cowell

 

[Shanefull]

Once he steps away from American Idol he becomes his own person.

He will be owned by 19 Recordings and like Lance Bass and Clay Aiken, he won't be allowed to be honest until his contract ends. Clay came out as soon as he was free of AI and 19, which for Adam could be 5 years and 5 albums as it was for Clay.

You have to look at the guys like Lance Bass and Clay Aiken who only came out when their careers were at a lull. Adam has never denied who he is. He doesn't strike me as someone who is willing to go back into the closet just to sell albums. He is being nice and quiet and subdued about it all but that also makes me feel like he's trying to stop the cliches. I dunno. I overthink these things. But I fear middle America is going to revolt. I hope I am wrong.

Isn't that what Clay Aiken did? He wanted it to be about his music instead of his personal life. Adam isn't any more out than Clay was, there is just a lot more evidence of Adam's gayness out there on youtube and pictures but he never said he is gay since he started Idol. They say he is more honest about it but he really isn't.

 

[drbonermen]

I would imagine yes, remember clay aiken?

 

[aijalon18]

The only thing that concerns me with Adam is he might go the route of Will Young who won the first season of Pop Idol, the British show that AI was based on. Will Young was never officially closeted and came out almost immediately after he won. Even though He was openly gay but all his videos that I ever saw would be really artsy and weird or he'd by himself. I've never seen him depicted as being with a guy. I think that's what may happen with Lambert.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

I would imagine yes, remember clay aiken?

Clay didn't come out until LONG after his run on Idol, and we've yet to see how it will affect his career.

 

[SuperQueer]

Do you think America is truly going to be OK with an out gay singer winning American Idol?

Do you think there is enough stake in a show like Idol for any of it to matter?

Just some questions that have been rolling around in my head as I watch Adam continue to win over America and the Idol judges on the show.

But I have this fear that it is going to get down to like Kris Allen and Adam Lambert and America is going to balk and vote for Kris.

What do you guys think?

I think it will be down to Kris and Adam too. I thought Kris was the best until I heard Mad World - I think America will vote for whomever they think is the best singer. It shouldn't matter who wins based on their sexuality. I think Adam is currently getting a fair chance. I just hope that the media - doesn't start running propaganda against Adam "because he is Gay".

I'm proud of Adam - Win or loose, I plan on buying and enjoying his music. I cannot perceive that he wouldn't get a record deal and be successful.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

I am finding that there are a handful of people in the gay community who are actually purposefully against Adam and that worries me.

In the American Idol 8 thread there are some who rail against Adam every time he performs. I'm not seeing the problems they see.

So if the gay community doesn't embrace him, will the straight community?

In some areas, yes. Some heteros are more gay-friendly than some homos. There are many gays who oppose any other gay who doesn't wear flannel shirts and belch and chop down trees in his spare time.

Some may not like his stage presence, voice, etc..., others don't like the fact that he's openly gay and/or isn't overtly "manly."

 

[Inwood]

I sincerely believe the anti-Adam posts in the AI8 thread have nothing to do with his sexuality but rather with his singing style.

At least that's how I feel toward him. Good on him for being an unrepentant 'mo. However, that doesn't mean I have to support him to win, which I don't. I simply don't like the way he sings.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

I sincerely believe the anti-Adam posts in the AI8 thread have nothing to do with his sexuality but rather with his singing style.

How do you "sincerely" speak for others?

 

[Inwood]

How do you "sincerely" speak for others?

Where did I say I spoke for others? I said I sincerely believe. Big difference.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Where did I say I spoke for others? I said I sincerely believe. Big difference.

Either way, you're speaking for other people, all of whom you've never met. Some of the comments about him have nothing to do with his voice, if you can't see the undertones some of the commentary you need glasses. Coke-bottle classes.

 

[Inwood]

Either way, you're speaking for other people, all of whom you've never met. Some of the comments about him have nothing to do with his voice, if you can't see the undertones some of the commentary you need glasses. Coke-bottle classes.

I'd appreciate it if you would kindly tone down your vitriol toward me. I've not been confrontational toward you, so I expect to be treated in the same manner.

And no, I am not speaking for other people. I am voicing my opinion based on my observations. The undertones you speak of may or may not be there, but then again, you might be speaking for other people, all of whom you've never met.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

I'd appreciate it if you would kindly tone down your vitriol toward me. I've not been confrontational toward you, so I expect to be treated in the same manner.

Huh?

And no, I am not speaking for other people.

I sincerely believe the anti-Adam posts in the AI8 thread have nothing to do with his sexuality but rather with his singing style.

This isn't commentary on other people's posts? Doesn't sound like you were talking about your own.