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Story Updated : November 25, 2009 04:35:00 PM

Adam Lambert Blurred on CBS Early Show

CBS's Early Show blurred Adam Lambert's AMA performance when he appeared on the morning show, but aired, uncensored, the infamous Madonna/Britney lip-lock. Why? A show rep says it's because Lambert's kiss is the "subject of great current controversy."


LambertCBSx390 (Screen grab) | Advocate.com

Adam Lambert took to the stage of CBS's The Early Show Wednesday morning, after being rejected by ABC’s Good Morning America because of his controversial finale at the American Music Awards Sunday night.

Lambert performed and spoke with coanchor Maggie Rodriguez. He told her he had “no clue” that his performance of his lead single, “For Your Entertainment,” would prompt such a stir during the AMA broadcast. Racy stills of Lambert's provocative performance were blurred by CBS, blocking the images of the singer simulating oral sex and kissing his keyboardist.

However, just moments later, the kiss that rocked the 2003 MTV Awards between Madonna, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera was shown in its full glory, as pointed out by Towleroad.
 
Wednesday afternoon, CBS issued the following statement: "We gave this some real thought. The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences."

Jarrett Barrios, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said CBS's decision illustrated "an unfortunate double standard" that is too often held up for gay performers

“I would have hoped CBS would provide the same treatment for images of gay and lesbian people and not create an unfair double standard that treats our community differently,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. “CBS regularly shows kisses throughout every daypart. The kiss was not blurred on ABC nor in news coverage on other networks.  While we continue to applaud The Early Show for featuring Adam Lambert today, we have reached out to the show’s producers to express our concerns about their decision and offer ways they can make their coverage of gay and transgender people more fair.” 

Watch the video below.


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Reader Comments
  • Name: Brandon
    Date posted: 11/28/2009 6:40:02 PM
    Hometown: Baltimore

    Comment:

    If he had just kissed and they reacted like this it'd be easier to unite as a community over but OH no he had to do some really sexual like oral... that is where I draw the line. Even for a hetero to do.

  • Name: Jake
    Date posted: 11/28/2009 3:11:59 PM
    Hometown: LA

    Comment:

    bill- I'm not poor or young- and I think ALL the trash out there on TV is inappropriate- have your opinion and I'll have mine- comment on Adam, not me.

  • Name: bill
    Date posted: 11/28/2009 11:57:27 AM
    Hometown: d

    Comment:

    jake, jake, jake my poor young man if i did not know better i would believe you never saw this before, brittney, madana, rap singers come out come out jake or is it late for you but then i do know you and what book stores you frequent

  • Name: Jake
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 8:36:23 PM
    Hometown: LA

    Comment:

    It's kind of hard to believe he didn't know it was inappropriate (the kiss was fine, but the blow job...). He never did anything like that on American Idol- where he kept his teeth firmly clasped on his tongue so he wouldn't offend people- he knew the difference then, why not know? Like most gay boys- when we come out of the closet- he went over the top. It's that release, 'screw it/look at me' cliff we tend to jump off.

  • Name: judi
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 5:48:58 PM
    Hometown: omaha

    Comment:

    I'm offended by a gay man telling "Adam to go away because he's giving gays another bad name!" Are you ashamed of who "you" are? I'm straight, my son is gay, and no matter what he did, or has done, has never wanted me to tell him to go away. I applaud Adam for his performance, and am glad he ripped open that envelope. You just judged a person because he was gay. And your gay? Your no different than all the haters out there. Adam needs no to apologize, because, yes, he did go out of the box. But it was Adam. Yes I have a 11yr old girl who watched this, and I had to explain, but she already knows more that I've told her, for her age, and she we are very open about everything. I don't lie to my kids. I just want to say "How Dare YOU discriminate against someone because of him showing who he is, and how he feels, and interprets his own talents and thoughts, and being GAY?" Your embarrassing to the human race. Its already a struggle for rights, why make it worse on your part? Disgusting!!!

  • Name: sterling
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 4:08:04 PM
    Hometown: anniston, al

    Comment:

    Go away Adam...your giving us another bad name!!!

  • Name: Ron
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 11:45:21 AM
    Hometown: UpState NY

    Comment:

    the more I read about all this controversy, I believe and agree with Adam Lambert that it is due to the fact that he is a Gay Male. as a gay man myself, i have acted out to "shock" ppl, and let it be known that i have the right to be who i am as well. i'm glad he did what he did, as a result of him getting so into his performance and just being himself regardless of what the str8 or gay viewers thought.... I say...GREAT PERFORMANCE ADAM!

  • Name: Lane
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 10:48:27 AM
    Hometown: Raleigh

    Comment:

    Ok this is the video for Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted" from 1988 and you tell me what Adam Lambert did at the awards show was worst. Get real. The video is not flagged for adult content either on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6w_e2HhEE

  • Name: Calvin
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 10:24:24 AM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    Adam should have brought up the fact that the network is biased against gay male performers again, after the interviewer brought up "It's the venue, Adam not your sexuality." If straight acts Janet Jackson, who's career is over, can grab a man's dick, and Ememin can rap about the "goodness" of gang rap without protest from the networks or public, then Adam can certainly kiss a man and oral play as much as he wants. I don't know though if Janet, Emenmen or Lady Gaga have ever performed pushing the envelope on morning shows though.

  • Name: Chris
    Date posted: 11/27/2009 2:47:28 AM
    Hometown: Tulsa

    Comment:

    No they have no rite to blurr that Its not as bad as a hell of alot of stuff on tv now days ABC is out of line. People just need to accept Gays as who we are.

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