In Adam Lambert’s first performance on television since the season finale of season eight’s American Idol, he aimed for the type of controversy Madonna and Britney Spears are more well known for generating. He completely stunned the Nokia Theatre audience in Los Angeles as well as millions of television viewers watch the live broadcast of the American Music Awards on ABC with his risqué version of the song ”For Your Entertainment.”
Lambert wasn’t dubbed the Wild Idol by Rolling Stone for nothing. Glambert most definitely delivered when it came to him promising a sexy performance. He closed the live show out by making out briefly with a male keyboardist, having simulated oral sex with a male dancer, and having a gigantic mirror prop so that the audience would be able to see their very own shocked faces while they watched. Producers were not informed in advance about the man on man kiss. According to Lambert the male musician that he kissed during the performance is straight.
Lambert also said that if portions of his performance are cut by ABC for the rebroadcast for the West Coast it would be discrimination.
The 2009 American Music Awards included performances from stars such as Rihanna, Eminem, Green Day, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and Whitney Houston. However Lambert, the newcomer, was chosen to close the show out. His performance had been advertised to be eye popping as well as something that people would be talking about the next day.
Lambert, surrounded by a troop of dancers who were clad in gear that appeared to be Haus of Gaga inspired, strutted across the stage at Nokia Theatre, dragging some of the dancers, who were outfitted with S&M gear, by harnesses. He stop to caress others legs- both women and men. As Lambert’s band played the techno crunch from his For Your Entertainment single, he pranced around on stage clad in black leather while hitting all the high notes that are his signature. During the song’s bridge, Lambert sat on a chair beneath a female stripper who was on a pole. He then worked his way back along the stage as he sung, “do you like what you see? Let me entertain you until you scream,” with the song lyrics “can you handle what I’m about to do” sounding like they were directly challenging the audience.
In recent years stages at awards shows have been the scene of some of the more controversial and memorable performances. The headlines were stolen by Madonna and Britney Spears when they kissed during the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003. Madonna also turned heads that year when she humped the floor while performing “Like a Virgin.”
