Apparently I'm naive, because I did not realize female performers were doing this on live TV and people were not getting upset about it. I know Madonna and Brittney Spears can be sensual and maybe a little crazy, but I don't remember hearing about anything this big. So maybe they have done just as much and people have not gotten upset. In that case I would have to agree with Adam that there should not be a double standard. This brings me back to when I talked about male strip clubs versus female strip clubs. Apparently people think there is a difference. I do not. I find both equally wrong. I find Adam's performance distasteful, and while I don't believe in complete censorship of that kind of "entertainment," I do believe the time and place for it is not on a live music awards show.
Here's another quote from Adam: "I don't feel I owe anyone an apology for anything. I performed, it was late night TV, I did something that female performers have been doing for years, no different. It's just the fact that I'm me and it's a little different for people. It's really not that big of a deal. I'm not a babysitter, I'm a performer."
I mostly disagree with this statement (other than the aforementioned men vs. women doing certain things). First off, the AMAs ended at 11. A little late, but I would not call that "late-night television." Secondly, while I understand Adam is not a babysitter, I think performers should be responsible for their actions. There are different markets for different forms of entertainment. If Adam wants be that kind of performer, he should perform for that market. I don't think the AMAs are that market. I don't think a little weird Lady Gaga is a problem, but something that so many people find offensive just does not seem appropriate for an awards show. He can be a little funky on the popular awards show (he did that a little on AI, but again without going too far), but if he wants to do something more sexually charged, he should save it for the appropriate venue.
This segment from this article pretty much sums up what I think on the matter of what Adam did at the AMAs and his "Good Morning America" cancellation:
However, the Parents Television Council (PTC) does not think "GMA" should have canceled Adam's performance. Dan Isett, Director of Public Policy for the PTC tells Access, "I do think it's a little bit unfortunate. This is not a personal crusade against Adam Lambert."
"The idea that he should be scrubbed from TV completely is not where we're going," Isett continued. "It may be a bit of an overreaction on ABC's part. The important thing is that networks have the easy ability to air on a delay to prevent this sort of thing."
But the PTC felt differently about Adam's appearance on the AMAs. Lambert "chose to treat American families to simulated oral sex and other demeaning behavior," Tim Winter, president of the PTC said on Monday.
I hate that in our society there are people like Adam who find this sort of thing entertaining. I find it completely degrading, and of course not honoring to God. But as I've said before, you can't expect non-Christians to act like Christians. And while I understand this, and am not in favor of censorship, I do feel there is a line that must be drawn. And I think most of America feels the same way. Thoughts?
9 comments:
i agree with you, that there should be one standard to which everyone is held. unlike lambert seems to think, i also think that that standard should hold everyone up to an ideal, not allow them to do whatever.
you were also right about there being a place for that kind of behavior. it sounds like he was trying to force the issue or use it to get publicity.
i, too, am kinda ashamed of where this society is headed, christian or not. a cursory look through the history books at other cultures who devolved to the point ours is at is particularly disheartening.
(so, there you have it . . . three paragraphs of "i agree with you." :D )
I was telling John, Andy, and Cherie this weekend that one of these days we're going to wake up and there's just going to be a big hole in California, particularly where Hollywood is supposed to be.
But. . . the fact that there WAS controversy at LEAST means that the country hasn't completely gone down the drain. I just wonder if we'll (the US as a whole, not Christians) ever get to a point where it's not a second thought.
Anna, concerning your last sentence, that is exactly what I think is going to happen right before the Tribulation and all that... things will get SO bad that there just has to be judgment.
i had something to say about this, but rachael moore's recent blog entry said it better than i did.
did? i meant could.
My totally scattered thoughts:
lexie - i agree with you, rachael's post said it well.
here's what i commented on her site (copied+pasted)...
i haven’t even seen his performance, truthfully…but agreed, for the most part.
we can’t hold him to the same standards we have…lost people are lost. there’s a reason for that.
we have choices on how to respond. and we can choose not to judge. we can be kind and use kind words. we can turn off our televisions and not purchase his CDs. we can pray for him.
someone on twitter said "I find it infuriating that the Pussycat Dolls can be risqué and Adam Lambert's goofy sexual performance is SCANDALOUS."
That makes sense to me.
Just throwing it out there, but do you think it is 'different' because he's homosexual? That people feel soooo offended because of his sexual orientation?
And is it worse to be a homosexual guy than it is to be a homosexual girl? (Not that Britney and Madonna are gay, but they def kissed on stage. Why does it seem like this is okay and what he did was not? Was it because their kiss was on MTV and not the AMAs? Just wondering).
Again, I haven't even seen the performance and that probably doesn't make me qualified to comment on this post, but here's my $.02 anyway!
I think I made it pretty clear that for me personally, I think everyone should be held to the same standard: gay, straight, male, female, I could care less. I don't think rappers should have performances like that when they are that accessible either. Again, I'm guess I'm naive because I did not realize rappers had performances that were that blatantly sexual that were on live TV. Obviously I don't watch a lot of this stuff. If he had just kissed a dude, or just grabbed his crotch, I wouldn't have written this. But apparently, he did a lot. It may have offended other people because he's a gay man, and I agree it's wrong that it should be more "scandalous" for him than for someone like The Pussycat Dolls. I just think he shouldn't perform that way for such a wide and mainstream audience, and I don't think anyone else should either. There's a time and place for that. It bothers me when performers are so into shock they're not even considering their audience.
heterosexual or homosexual-- i dislike any major form of PDA, so for me, my distaste for his performance had very little to do with his sexual orientation.
i think we're talking about two different standards to uphold here -- first, the standard by which we should be held morally - like, as Christians I don't think we can hold people to that standard. We can't be surprised when lost people act lost. YES, we want better for them. YES, we want them to know Jesus the way we do and experience His redeeming love for themselves. But if they haven't, it's absurd to expect them to behave as though they have.
Second, though, we SHOULD hold performers to the same standards across the board. If the Pussycat Dolls can perform all crazy, Adam Lambert can too. Doesn't matter if he/she is gay, straight, male, female, etc. If it's gonna be on live television, there must be a standard. I do agree with that.
Post a Comment