June 10, 2009

Adam Lambert certainly played the gay card well.

In yesterday's post about Adam Lambert, Christopher Althouse Cohen wrote:
Well, he certainly played the gay card well. He didn't acknowledge it but put out plenty of hints on YouTube prior to the show, refused to answer questions about his sexuality after the show was over just long enough to be "in the closet" and therefore able to stage a big coming out thing, used coming out as a way to get the best magazine cover you could possibly get, and somehow managed to negotiate a deal where that very magazine cover would make no mention of his coming out in the article and would appear to just be about how "wild" he is as a performer. On the show, he got all the credit for being out without having to deal with any of the consequences, and now he gets the big cover but gets the appearance of it not being about his coming out. He is quite media savvy and played the game for maximum attention.

Oh, I do like that he acknowledges in the article that he's fat. Bad skin isn't quite as much of a revelation, and people can forgive bad skin, but people act like he's hot when he's quite out of shape and can't possibly look good naked. But props to him for admitting it.
Ouch!

26 comments:

Bissage said...

CAC is correct, of course, that the idea is to make the most of what you’ve got.

If I were a performer on American Idol, I’d be dropping hints left and right that I’ve got nothing down there but a smooth spot -- just like a Ken doll.

Just imagine the anticipation!

dbp said...

Adam played it well, but he could have done better: He was so gay-acting that, whatever the evasions, everybody knew he was homosexual. He should have acted slightly more straight.

What would be interesting is if a heterosexual acted gay, was evasive and then afterwards came out as not-gay.

Treacle said...

To the dance charts with Adam! He'll have fun there with the ghost of Sylvester.

Anonymous said...

"somehow managed to negotiate a deal where that very magazine cover would make no mention of his coming out in the article and would appear to just be about how 'wild' he is as a performer."

I'm assuming this is about the Rolling Stone cover. But what I don't understand is that Lamber did come out in the article. He said, "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear that I'm gay." Am I misreading this?

Anonymous said...

Oh I think I understand what Christopher meant. The COVER didn't mention that he was gay, even though the ARTICLE did. I don't really see that as a very big deal though. It actually kind of fits, though. Lambert never explicitly said he was gay during Idol, but if you looked hard enough (which was not that hard at all), there was plenty of confirmation.

Jason (the commenter) said...

For all the people who thought Adam was cuter than Kris Allen: Adam thought Kris was cute!

Martin said...

Chris makes an interesting argument, but one that is hard to prove. Did Lambert manipulate the media well or was he just dumbass lucky? According to the rules of Idol he was embargoed from talking to the media, so if he was being himself and wasn't allowed to talk, is that following the rules or manipulating the media?

Did he (or an agent) tell Rolling Stone what to do or did RS do it. I mean, they're making $$ off this, so why not grab him, say nothing on the cover, and force people to buy a copy and read?

In the past you were "in the closet" and "came out." What if, like Lambert, you're never in the closet today? Does that still qualify as coming out?

As for being too fat, Chris betrays his myopic I-live-in-WEHO-attitude. I think I hear the gym calling you.

A.W. said...

You know, i won't assign that level of calculation to Lambert, although i admit the theory fits the facts very well.

I just get tired of all the identity politics of it. Will anyone ever look past that issue and notice that he sounded like a bad 80's hair band singer?

no, sorry, a relatively good 80's hair band singer. which is still bad, but I guess if someone put a gun to your head and forced you to listen to bad 80's hair band singing, he's a better option than most.

The best man won this year. two years in a row.

and the fact he is on the cover of rolling stone? disgraceful. why not wait until he actually makes a contribution to music instead of just singing other people's songs? none of the idol kids belong there until and unless they put out their own album, and usually not even then.

Unknown said...

Hey Althouse, you got some rule against handing out tags to your own flesh and blood? Set 'im up already! :-)

Anonymous said...

Yes, CAC, the entertainment world is corrupt and venal, in a very cheesy way, regardless of one's sexuality.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Martin: They're allowed to talk to the media. In fact, Adam Lambert talked to a reporter, during the show, about the pictures of him kissing another guy (or at least everyone thought the implied topic was that). Here's what he had to say.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

As for the fat thing, I generally don't like when celebrities who are only average physically are treated as if they were hot just because of their celebrity (think Sarah Jessica Parker). I think it's good if Lambert doesn't let it go to his head. He has a stage presence that seems very sexual, but if you looked at him in real life as a normal person, I think he'd seem chunky and not that hot.

Palladian said...

Oh yes, because "chunky" people are never "that hot".

Anonymous said...

Palladian-
Kate Winslet- kinda chunky, quite hot.
Marilyn Monroe- chunky by today's standards, hot by almost any standard.

Joe said...

Kate Winset and Marilyn Monroe are certainly not hot by any standards. To each his own, I suppose.

Now Charlize Theron....

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Marilyn Monroe was totally hot, look. Kate Winslet is attractive, not hot.

Palladian said...

I so trust a homosexual on the subject of women's hotness.

Palladian said...

Charlize Theron?

Quite a feat to look simultaneously anorectic and flabby.

Palladian said...

But as a homosexual, I suppose I can't really judge the hotness of Charlize Theron either.

Palladian said...

I wonder where one applies for this "gay card". Maybe that's what I've been missing all these years. The GayCard... don't leave homo without it!

Ralph L said...

celebrities who are only average physically are treated as if they were hot just because of their celebrity (think Sarah Jessica Parker).

Since Trooper isn't here, I'll say that Parker is one in-shape filly. If she were 3 years old, she could win the Derby.

Lambert looks like he's about 16 and hasn't lost his babyfat.

Unknown said...

Ann, why so nasty? what's your problem - homophobic much, hm?

Unknown said...

..and "gay card". if only it was as so easy and accessable as a card. adam, like anyone else shouldn't have to "play" or "act" to be anything else than what he really is. you like a large proportion of americans really have no idea at all. get educated.

veni vidi vici said...

All I can say is, that quoted comment of CAC's that creates the excuse to talk about Lambert one more day sure does drip with envy!

Wow.

Palladian said...

"if only it was as so easy and accessable as a card. adam, like anyone else shouldn't have to "play" or "act" to be anything else than what he really is."

He's a performer. Per - for - mer. It's his job to act like something other than what he really is.

But anyway, if he was all about "being himself", why did he never mention his sexuality until after he lost?

"you like a large proportion of americans really have no idea at all."

Um... no idea about what? Althouse's son, the one who made these comments, is gay. Do you think she hates him?

"get educated."

use capital letters.

Unknown said...

You guys are ridiculous. Adam looks hot, just the way he is. He was smart and I thank God he didn't officially "come out" while on the show - so many haters out there may have prevented my getting to enjoy and cherish his wonderful performances up to the end of the show. Hey, I know he's not everyone's taste, but there are millions of us who adore his voice, his style, his sexiness. This 51 year-old hetero female is totally in the Paula Abdul camp: Adam, you can sing anything you want and I will be a fan forever, first in line. See you July 11 in Oakland!