By Kathleen Gilbert
NEW YORK, November 25, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Earlier this week ABC cancelled rocker and former American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert's appearance on this morning's ”Good Morning America” following a deluge of complaints after he shocked audiences Sunday night with an obscene sadomasochistic-themed dance routine. However, CBS immediately invited Lambert to appear and perform on their Wednesday edition of their rival morning program, “The Early Show,” where Lambert was stubbornly unapologetic towards younger fans and parents caught off-guard.
After the live performance of Lambert's song “For Your Entertainment” at the 37th Annual American Music Awards was broadcast just before 11 p.m. EST, the AP reports that ABC received at least 1,500 complaints over Lambert's graphic sexual moves. In the time-zone gap before the show was broadcast to Pacific viewers, the network removed one brief scene in which Lambert kissed a male keyboard artist, but left in other highly sexually explicit moves.
A poll by the New York Daily News found 66% of respondents deemed Lambert's performance unnecessary and inappropriate for television. The former American Idol star's fan base is widely recognized as constituting children and young teenagers.
An ABC spokesperson said Tuesday it was cancelling the openly homosexual Lambert's Wednesday “GMA” appearance because “we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.”
Lambert is unapologetic, however, saying this morning that the more explicit scenes were unrehearsed and contending that female performers such as Madonna have received less criticism for equally explicit moves.
“I admit I did get carried away, but I don't see anything wrong with it,” Lambert said during his interview on CBS's Early Show Wednesday.
Asked about families caught off-guard by the network television performance while watching with their children, Lambert replied: “I suppose I can understand why they're upset, and honestly, it didn't cross my mind – children. It was almost 11 o clock, it was a nighttime show, I was there in the audience full of mostly adults and sometimes I forget, 'Oh, there's a camera on.'”
“It got the best of me, and I had a great time,” he continued. “Unfortunately there are people who are upset, but there are also people who really enjoyed it.”
Lambert declined two opportunities to apologize for the possible scandal to young viewers. “I'm not a babysitter, I'm a performer,” he said.
“I was just performing the lyrics of my song.”
The Liberty Counsel has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against ABC for exploiting the “lewd and filthy” performance by censoring only a small part of it, and teasing the rest of Lambert's actions as “what everyone will be talking about tomorrow.”
“ABC promoted Lambert's performance to boost its ratings,” said Liberty Counsel President Anita Staver in a press release Tuesday. “Now ABC should have to pay a hefty penalty to the FCC for assaulting its viewers with a debased performance by Adam Lambert.”
To contact ABC:
ABC, Inc.
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
(818) 460-7477
Email form: Audience Relations Department