Evil Adam Lambert slams sweet Susan Boyle? Not exactly
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What is it with celebrity interviews lately? Must everyone take things out of context?
Adam Lambert spoke with U.K. magazine Gay Times for its March issue, in an interview excerpted here. Yes, he criticizes Susan Boyle‘s album. But does he ‘slam Susan Boyle’? Was the point of the interview to trash her album and extend his ‘15 minutes of fame’? Has he ‘gone on the record to tell everyone what he really thinks’ and blame SuBo’s album for his failure? Hardly.
[A]dam answered his critics when For Your Entertainment sold 200,000 copies in its first week on sale, charting above new releases from Rihanna and Lady Gaga, albeit outsold by a certain Scottish lassie… ‘I know, if only it weren’t for Susan Boyle!” Adam laughs. “I’m happy for her success, but that album is terrible. Wild Horses is the one that made me laugh the hardest. I just died when I heard it, I was crying with laughter. It was the most horrendous, sacrilegious treatment of that song! ‘Still, when my album charted, it was validating. I was feeling [a] bit attacked, like I had to vindicate something. I thought: ‘Wow, look what I did.’’
Does that read as if the Real Adam Lambert was twirling his villainous imaginary mustache, or shaking a fist at the heavens, and, in the spirit of ‘Scooby-Doo,’ cursing, ‘If only it hadn’t been for Susan Boyle and those meddling kids! I would’ve gotten away with it!’
Or does it read as if, perhaps ...
... the singer is responding to a fact-based mention that Boyle’s first album debuted higher than Lambert’s? Did the reporter note that Adam laughed at that moment perhaps to make it clear that the glittery one wasn’t cursing his non-competition?You decide.
(Of course, objectively, ‘I’m happy for her success’ is about as horrific as an attack on another human can get. We realize that brutality might sway your interpretation.)
Now let’s take a trip into the irony department, with a bit pulled from higher up in the interview, before the alleged Boyle-clubbing section. (Shock! His album comments aren’t actually the lead of the story! Which you’d never know if you did a Google news search of the two names right now!)
These are the words of Gay Times writer Jamie Taberrer; the bold emphasis is mine:
From his forgivable penchant for guyliner (don’t pretend you haven’t been there), to his opinion-polarising album cover, to his controversial performance at last year’s American Music Awards (in which he kissed and groped a male member of his band, inducing thousands of complaints to TV network ABC) it seems Adam can’t bat a mascara-clad eyelash without offending somebody. The irony being, of course, that Adam’s really not shocking underneath it all. In fact, he’s a just a normal guy who – shock, horror! – is actually WILLING to talk about his sexuality.
Boyle and Lambert were both pop-culture sensations on their respective continents and beyond, and were both runners-up in high-profile singing competitions -- so bringing up the comparison isn’t shocking. And even if, like me, you have no problem with SuBo, giggling at her take on the Rolling Stones’ ‘Wild Horses’ is hardly out-of-the-box thinking.
Today’s flurry sounds suspiciously like widely repeated reports of Adam putting ‘one of his own fans on blast’ for talking on a cellphone during his performance (If what Adam actually said was an attack, a lot of what’s on the Ministry probably violates Geneva Conventions). Despite the American Music Awards uproar, Lambert has a track record of good manners and general decency toward others. So of course the search is on for the story or headline that ‘reveals’ some heretofore unseen mean and nasty ‘real Adam’ lurking under the surface.
‘Adam’s not really shocking at all’ doesn’t drive Internet traffic like ‘Adam’s picking on poor sweet Susan Boyle’ does.
Context, people. It’s all about the context. Call me when there’s video of Adam clubbing a baby seal, and then maybe I’ll believe he’s a jerk.
Maybe.
-- Christie D’Zurilla
P.S. Scroll down for a side-by-side comparison of the Stones’ original ‘Wild Horses’ recording and Boyle’s updated version.
Here’s Susan’s:
And here it is as envisioned by the Rolling Stones:
We’re fans. And we’re out about it. Step into the Ministry’s glittery gallery of all things Adam Lambert:
Happy birthday Adam Lambert! Time for a news-link party
Adam Lambert, Justin Bieber in VMan [pictures and video]
Art of Elysium: Adam Lambert parties in a paved paradise (designed by Shepard Fairey)
Adam Lambert: An ex-fat, ex-closeted, ex-redhead who’s ‘very normal’ on ‘Chelsea Lately. Funny too.
Adam Lambert, shiny and fab for Gridlock 2009 (with a flashback to NYE 2008 at Upright Cabaret)
Barbara Walters’ ‘10 Most Fascinating People of 2009’: observations, and a poll
PREACH IT! Just for you, ABC, a post about Adam Lambert that is Totally Not Gay
Poll: Adam Lambert’s AMA performance: provocative or porn? Want the headlines? Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Facebook and Twitter (we’re @LATcelebs on Twitter). We just got a new address on Facebook -- find us at facebook.com/ministryofgossip.
