Update: Adam Lambert responds to Aaron Hicklin, via twitter:
Dear Aaron, it’s def not that deep. Chill! Guess ya gotta get attention for the magazine. U too are at the mercy of the marketing machine.
Until we have a meaningful conversation, perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publications’ agenda onto my career.
Well, yeah, but that still doesn’t address he behavior of 19. Does Adam think it’s fine for his publicist to tell reporters not to ask questions that would make the interview “too gay,” or, “you know, gay-gay”? I can’t imagine he would.
Sure, Out editor, Aaron Hicklin calls out Adam Lambert’s management, 19M in a scathing letter from the editor that accompanies the mag’s special “Out 100″ issue.
But that does not negate the detailed and insightful interview with Adam Lambert the magazine has posted on their website.
The journalist who conducted the interview, Shana Naomi Krochmal, has posted a blog up at Popnography you might want to read if you haven’t already:
An excerpt after the jump, but please read the entire post HERE.
Let’s get the most obvious thing out of the way first: Yes, it is totally absurd to imagine that anyone thinks they can somehow control or manage how gay Adam Lambert seems on any given day. You’ve seen him, right? Maybe read an interview with him? That’s exactly what I love about Adam, that in addition to being able to sing his face off (his words), he is defiantly, outrageously campy and queer — and that he seems to have such a sense of humor about it, and a willingness to shake things up.
That said: Despite plenty of back and forth between the magazine and the label about the cover and the photo shoot, I still wasn’t prepared for what happened when I showed up at the 19 Entertainment offices for the interview. I briefly met Adam, and then the publicist and I walked out to the balcony, at which point I was cautioned against making the interview “too gay,” or, “you know, gay-gay.” Specifically I was discouraged from asking about the March on Washington that upcoming weekend or other political topics. I pointed out the difference between the Advocate, Out’s sister newsmagazine, and Out, which is more broadly a men’s fashion and lifestyle book, but obviously made no promises one way or the other. It was pretty awkward, as if we were discussing two totally different people — an Adam who doesn’t seem to have any real filter when talking about his life or his opinions, and an Adam who could somehow be contained, made safe for mainstream America.
There’s gotta be some major schizophrenia going on behind the scenes at 19M. I believe Hinklin and Krochmal’s accounts, while at the same time, acknowledging, that on the surface, 19 appears to be just fine with Adam, exactly as he is.
Maybe at some point, we’ll get the full story. Perhaps that peek behind the scenes will come from Adam himself. But I don’t expect it now–Adam’s focus needs to stay on that all-important debut album that’s just about to drop.
The second part of the interview is as good as the first. Out-of-bounds fans, loss of privacy as a trade-off for realizing his dreams, balancing love with his career goals, are a few of the topics discussed. Read part 2 HERE.
I really like these parts of the huffington post article”
After reading Aaron Hickler’s open letter, I felt compelled to summarize and add a few more of my own suggestions on how you might further prove your ‘gayness’ to the ‘gay community’ (the gay community, of course, being defined as a monolithic entity of one heart and one mind).
5. Please re-consider your gay-hating handlers, particularly 19 Records. They clearly have too much control over your creative choices. Could that album cover have been any more straight and predictable?
10. And finally, as a ‘gay pioneer,’ remember that we are ‘all counting on you not to mess this up.’ No pressure. Gay salvation depends on your career path. As the gay pop culture prophet Perez Hilton warns, you can either be a cog for the mainstream music machine or the gay community. There are no other options. You cannot be complex, you cannot be both masculine and feminine, you cannot resist labels or boxes, you cannot experiment, you cannot form your own identity, you cannot just be. You must always match stereotypes, meet expectations. Of course, if you do slip up and need to come out again as a gay man, Out Magazine would be happy to provide the platform.
Hold up Roger is GAY?. does this not make some difference?. i thought the OUT guy meant some straight publicist who didn’t know the struggles of gay people. Roger must have experienced discrimination and hate in his lifetime to take such matters lightly. so yeah i totally agree with u here that this whole thing cld be abt something else.
also people really want Adam to pick a fight with his mgt NOW? the album is not even out yet.and even when maybe he is satisfied with them. I mean Kelly can do it on every album and get away with it but I doubt Adam is that kind of person. He strikes me as someone who will tell them to their face if he had a problem not go to press like others.
meanwhile i had a good laugh this morning.. that huffington article was just the best. the message i got is stop trying to tell people (stars) how to live their lives, or respond to attacks, or behave cos you don’t and never will know them personally. so Rock on Adam.
My favorite part of The Huffington Post. Laughing out loud for real!
Did someone already post that Adam made People Sexiest Men Alive issue? they have his pic on the people website (1 of 16 on the website — Daughtry there too!) Progress!
http://www.people.com/people/package/0,,20315920,00.html
I guess gay IS sexy!
I think, after all this-”Out” wasn’t standing up for anything. I like how the huffington post put it:
4. In the future, please make an LGBT magazine your first choice of appearance. Scrap that. In the future, please make Out–the highest circulated gay magazine in the United States, available at stores everywhere–your first magazine of choice. We hear you sell a lot of magazines and we want in–for gay rights, of course!
and this:
9. If you forget everything else, remember that as a gay man you must convey your gayness unequivocally, at all times, and on the “gay community’s” terms. In the future, we will be watching to ensure your compliance (and maintain a blog for your discretions)
That Huffington Post article is GENIUS. I particularly love the way it hits so many of the key issues like – trying to put someone into a box and viewing the gay community as one monolithic entity. And the “kitten” dig? Ha. Glad he snuck that in, because Hicklin really had a sneer in his voice when he rapped Adam’s knuckles about saying women are pretty. What? He can’t say women are pretty?
As far as I’m concerned, the HP has had the last word on the subject. From now on when I read someone trying to defend Hicklin or criticize Adam, in my head I’ll be thinking: your argument is invalid!
Good morning all!
Huffington Post..Joel Vogel…..I love this guy! He gets it!!!
so excited that he was named in the top 16 sexiest– we all think he is, but maybe we should let OUT know, so they can complain some more cause a primarily hetero mag put in Adam in their sexiest issue- sexy is sexy!
Kudos to HP, great satire there.
Something about this guy Aaron Hicklin that really bothers me..another tweet from him…what is saying here, why even bother? Seems like he is still trying to stir the shit!
@aaronhicklin
Long before there was Glambert there was Will Young, the UK’s Idol winner of 2002 http://www.out.com/out100/nominees_22.asp
about 1 hour ago from web
A Michael Slezack article on Out-Gate!
http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/18/adam-lambert-out-magazine-controversy/
The compelling thing to me is Hicklin’s tweet mentioning the PR rep is gay.
So he witheld that until last night, then drops it in a tweet calculated to boost his position.
Where in reality it just makes him more of an asshole since now all three principles are gay, and Adam was nowhere involved but got bashed.
So a catfight among three turn on one. Which is exactly what cats do btw. Attack someone not even in the fight once the frenzy is out of control. I learned it when my two cats attacked my dog for just sitting there curiously watching them fight it out.
He’s a fraud and most likely knows that publicist and there are many levels to the degree of “revenge”.
We all need to tweet him to OUT the publicist since he’s gay and Hincklin is so devoted to gay people being so PUBLIC in their positions.
Just to make a point.
Late commenting as usual, but I did want to weigh in with my thoughts.
Adam is doing a great job in his own way. Perez and Co. just need to leave him alone. As we all know, Adam has almost a quarter million twitter followers–all of whom are aware of his being gay and being awesome. Besides that quarter million, there are probably another quarter million who follow(and approve of) him in other ways besides twitter (tv, magazines, internet). He is a perfect mouthpiece for the gay movement and is doing one heck of a job gaining understanding, acceptance, and promotion of their dilemma. Perez and Co. just need to back up and let him do his thing by showing the unaccepting that the rest of the world doesn’t have to fear. His way seems to be working better than the old way. Can the others say they have reached almost a half million people in a positive way in less than a year?
To me, we all benefit by “live and let live”. That’s one of the best forms of equality. Things (and people) have changed. Slowly. But Adam is on a fast track to bring about change–just by being his fierce, gentle, talented self. IMO, he has already knocked down huge walls. His willingness to be so open has made others come to accept and want to know more about him, some of his friends, and their lifestyles. I was already open minded, but I now kind of follow Ferras, Moldinari, Drake, (and sometimes Perez when the situation calls for that measure). I have had several coworkers and a cousin in the G/L community. They mean the world to me. I think if we look around, most of us do have friends/family who are–although some have never felt comfortable enough to come out. We know. We respect them and love them.
Adam, just continue to be yourself! You’re doing splendidly!!!!
That Slezak article is great. Loved every word. And since everyone knows he’s an Allison/ Kris fan he can’t be accused of being an Adamtard. Except for VV and Gawker it seems every other blog/article has been pro-Adam.
I read one review on I-Tunes that sound like they thought it was the actual “first album”.
I don’t know what we can do about I Tunes but what other ways can we spread the word.? I guess go to our local WalMart and do a little record moving (smiles mischievously)