Lambert loses GMA gig

Adam Lambert

There have been repercussions from Adam Lambert’s already-infamous turn on the American Music Awards program, whether the FCC gets involved or not. ABC’s Good Morning America canceled a scheduled 11/25/09 appearance on the program.

An ABC spokesperson told Reuters, "Given his controversial American Music Awards performance, we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning."

Lambert’s performance of "For Your Entertainment" caused apparent widespread protest – at least 1.5K people were said to have called ABC to complain about it. And it was immediately attacked by the Parents Television Council, which urged its members who were in an area where his segment aired prior to 10PM to lodge a complaint with the FCC. It urged all to complain to ABC and producer Dick Clark Productions. PTC will also go after the program’s advertisers.

Lambert claimed that some of his act was spontaneous, and complained of a double standard, saying female performers have been allowed to push the envelope on sexually-charged material in a way that males have not.

RBR-TVBR observation: We’re all for artistic freedom and personal expression – and we’re also all for the right to say, not on my airspace. The NFL learned the hard way how to pick entertainers, and we are certain Lambert will not be on its short list of half-time performers any time soon.

We saw Lambert on American Idol, and he certainly has enough talent to more than get by without excessive theatrics. If an excursion into his fantasy zone fails to fit into the theme of a given program, such as GMA, he can expect to lose the gig to another artist who is capable of exercising a modicum of restraint. This is true whether or not his performance at AMA was actionably indecent.