Lady GaGa and Adam Lambert seeing equal opportunity censorship?
Filed Under (American Idol,article ) by Admin on Saturday, May 8, 2010
Posted at : Saturday, May 08, 2010
When Adam Lambert’s racy performance on the American Music Awards late last year got him subsequently booted from a scheduled Good Morning America appearance, many observers questioned whether the he would have faced the same kind of censorship if he’d been a woman (or a straight man). Now Lady GaGa is furious over the fact that a minute and a half of her pre-taped American Idol performance of new single “Alejandro” went missing when the show aired, apparently without her approval or prior knowledge. While the two performances are only tangentially connected (one was performing on Idol, the other is a former contestant), it does reopen the question of just what factors are at work, consciously or subconsciously, when networks and censors go to make these decisions.
What’s not clear in GaGa’s case is whether her performance was edited for content or length, although it seems unlikely that FOX would be that desperate to reclaim ninety seconds out of an hour-long broadcast which frequently runs long on results night that they’d risk pissing off their high profile guest star just to keep the show from running a minute or two over; whether the show or the network will ever admit it, the editing was more likely ordered by the network to make GaGa’s performance feel less racy to viewers – also known as censorship.
So does this mean that those claiming that Adam Lambert was targeted for censorship due to his gender or sexual orientation are now proved wrong? After all, Lady GaGa is neither homosexual nor male (we’re ignoring any unfounded nonsense claiming the contrary, and so should you), and yet she’s found herself censored on television as well. Observers on all sides can argue over whose performance was more racy, whether having part of a pre-taped performance removed equates to having a subsequent appearance canceled, and so on. So we’ll leave it to others to answer the question. But perhaps the most striking aspect of the situation is that the one thing Adam Lambert and Lady GaGa have the most strongly in common is that they’re both pop stars who are extremely popular in the nation’s big cities and more liberal and progressive areas, and yet neither plays nearly as well in conservative small towns where their flamboyant performances scare the crap out of those people.
One then wonders if television censorship should instead be determined by time zone or population density. That way those who live in the real world wouldn’t have to have their television viewing habits entrenched upon by the preferences of those who still think it’s the 1950’s, and vice versa.
Beatweek Magazine
Here's the censored version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXpxjPuEm6k
And here's the UNEDITED version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFAkV7Z2LwY
What’s not clear in GaGa’s case is whether her performance was edited for content or length, although it seems unlikely that FOX would be that desperate to reclaim ninety seconds out of an hour-long broadcast which frequently runs long on results night that they’d risk pissing off their high profile guest star just to keep the show from running a minute or two over; whether the show or the network will ever admit it, the editing was more likely ordered by the network to make GaGa’s performance feel less racy to viewers – also known as censorship.
So does this mean that those claiming that Adam Lambert was targeted for censorship due to his gender or sexual orientation are now proved wrong? After all, Lady GaGa is neither homosexual nor male (we’re ignoring any unfounded nonsense claiming the contrary, and so should you), and yet she’s found herself censored on television as well. Observers on all sides can argue over whose performance was more racy, whether having part of a pre-taped performance removed equates to having a subsequent appearance canceled, and so on. So we’ll leave it to others to answer the question. But perhaps the most striking aspect of the situation is that the one thing Adam Lambert and Lady GaGa have the most strongly in common is that they’re both pop stars who are extremely popular in the nation’s big cities and more liberal and progressive areas, and yet neither plays nearly as well in conservative small towns where their flamboyant performances scare the crap out of those people.
One then wonders if television censorship should instead be determined by time zone or population density. That way those who live in the real world wouldn’t have to have their television viewing habits entrenched upon by the preferences of those who still think it’s the 1950’s, and vice versa.
Beatweek Magazine
Here's the censored version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXpxjPuEm6k
And here's the UNEDITED version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFAkV7Z2LwY
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28 comments:
I don't think Gaga was that racy but it was about time. She's been pushing the boundaries so hard and she's being loved for that. Adam does it a little bit then he's crucified.
Tweet #AdamLambertDay! It's #4 Trending Tropic right now
Why the comparison? (I am not saying that one is better than the other or anything, I think both are amazing!) But I just think that what was censored in the performances were completely different things and you can't really compare the two of them.
Yes everyone head to twitter!!!!!! We need to make it #1!!!!
No comparison. I don't hear any talk about how inappropriate Gaga's outfits are or censorship. Of course there's a ridiculous double standard.
Sorry, I was so unimpressed by her performance on Idol that I do not care what was censored or for what reason. For me she needs to be OTT to draw a croud because her songs all sound the same and she has no vocal talent. Not a hater, this is simply my opinion.
Adam is so far above her in so many aspects. He puts on a performance while she has chosen a personna and is never out of character.
Just saying....
o.w.
Happy Adam Lambert Dat=y
Love and Light
OOPS, sorry.
Happy Adam Lambert Day!
Love and Light
If no comparison then why were the two put together and why the question posed in the article: "So does this mean that those claiming that Adam Lambert was targeted for censorship due to his gender or sexual orientation are now proved wrong? "
Ok - she gets away with stuff that would send critics into tailspin if Adam did it. The male dancers dancing with each other would be enough to start the screams. Adam's performance ability is so superior, he does NOT need all the flash that she projects. Have seen performances of hers when she did not have the expensive doo dads and she was SO ordinary. There is NOTHING ordinary about Adam, even in jeans and a t shirt and singing acapella(sp?) on a street corner!!
I love that Gaga's always giving a nod to her gay fans. (All the dancers are gay---shirtless) lol.
Vote Adam on vh1 top 20 please and trend adamlambertday. Now!
I agree that Gaga NEEDS all the help she can get. She is so so singer and all her songs are sounding the same vit's annoying!!
But I love that she loves Adam.
I don't get it , both the censored and unedited versions sound and look the same to me. By the way, I like her mellow version of Bad Romance but not so much the Alejandro thing. Besides there can't be a comparison between Adam and Gaga because if Adam showed up wearing only a pair of boxers and some crazy fishnets all over his body, he would've been banned forever from Idol and probably sued. I'm not even going to refer the dancers, there is a double standard and Gaga knows it so I think it's stupid to be upset over 90 miserable seconds.
Portuguese Fan
Gaga is not a singer she wasnt borna singer really by birth; her birthday is march/and shes a tiger year born doesnt say she gifted oiv wise. she has a big voice. thas all whereas adam lambert was born and hes gifted a good vocal range. good voice.;example; modonna/elvis presly/michael jackson born lucky- same zodiac sign(animal sign) similarity?i say yes.
demi moore and gaga same zodiac sign same big voice;but not a good singer.i read the article gaga rant about the fox about censorship
provocative?showing too much skin and etc. maybe for the children its show too early american idol show.
SHAMEFUL DOUBLE STANDARDS IN AMERICA!!!!
A US Baptist minister and leading anti-gay campaigner has defended himself against allegations that he holidayed in Europe with a male prostitute.
George Rekers was photographed at Miami international airport last month with a young man whom he allegedly met through a gay website called Rentboy.com.
I think that Lady Gaga is right in pointing out that AI did not show her entire performance. As a performer, I would definitely want to see reflected on the tube the exact performance that I would have given.
An Adam fan who attended the taping of Adam's interview on the Jonathan Ross UK show said that Adam had talked about David Bowie and his other influences but that the segment was not aired. I would have loved to hear him talk about his UK influences on UK TV. But, it was cut...
So what if it was cut...I'm glad they cut it because that would've been same old same old and a lot of people that never heard of him might think he was being fake by nominating some Brit musics stars as his idols/influences. Instead, they did the next best thing, allowed everyone that watched the show to know a bit more of Adam just by seeing his sense of humor and his humbleness and guess what..the sales of his debut single and album rocketed on iTunes after the show...
So no complaints from my part and we should all be happy with how great things are going...
Pt Fan
anon 642 I noticed you said "the taping of Adam's interview on...." There you go. If it's taped it can be cut. If it's live, that's a different ballgame all together. :)
Do any of you hear Adam crying that his interview was cut short? Nope - he's too classy for that.
What's the big deal about the uncut version? Didnt see anything that was scandalous! Anyway, am not a fan of Gaga.
6:24 here to 8:04. I merely wanted to point that out. What's good for one artist is also good for the other. While I would always prefer seeing a performer's entire interview or performance on any given show, I know that most of them are now taped and therefore edited. I still think it's a loss for all the viewers and loses all the spontaneity. But, I can surely live with it and do think that Adam gave a terrific interview on Jonathan Ross.
Gaga is totally amazing in concert.....ADAM said she was from 'planet fierce' too and I believe it! So out the box and brilliant!.....and yes, I am one of her 'little monsters' and I would'nt be surprised if ADAM is too. Who knows why AI made cuts but I would'nt be surprised she commented...I did'nt remember seeing her name on the credits either.....and yes, the double standards have to go.....but will the US ever let them?????...outside the US it is not an issue
.....time to wise up realize what century we are in!...and it obviously goes even deeper in the industry... ADAM is breaking down barriers and
getting people thinking at last.
I love Gagas voice. I think her voice is the best thing about her. The way she sings is brilliant and so entertaining. I also think it was very disrespectful to edit her performance.
I really think the editing for Gaga and Adam on J.R. really just boils down to time. No performance wants any part cut, but in this instance I think that's all it was & too much is being made of it. I think Gaga has a beautiful voice {have you heard Speechless?}and is criticized for being over the top. She plays the character,"Gaga" and Adam is playing an exaggeration of himself, interpreting the lyrics of his song.There is a double standard, but don't think so in this instance. funbunn40
I actually just wanna say that I'm sorta proud for American Idol for even letting us glimpse any of the male-with-male dancing they showed for Gaga's appearance. I'll take it, a little progress is better than none - I mean AI is a show very heavily watched by the really young kids - 6,7,8 years old. Gaga's outfit was very skimpy (and don't write in with the "kids see more at the beach" business, that's different) and geez, Idol is a business and they have to be a little bit responsible - I don't feel the need to crucify them for this... again, I think it's great they showed some of the male-with-male dancing and I hope that opens up a dialogue for the better with the tweens in some households. Believe me, I'm an uber liberal East Coast person, but again, AI is consumed by the really young ones too and I think AI has pushed some limits in a good way this season with their guest performers, so I'm not going to rip on them for editing Gaga even if it was for content. Now, the AMA thing with Lambert - that was a whole different story...I'm still irritated when I think about that... his performance was on at a late hour on an award show with a historically and well known reputation for airing racy performances, and any parent worth their salt should be, or MAKE THEMSELVES, aware of this - it's called THE INTERNET parents, it's a great tool... and only parent asleep at the wheel or on autopilot would let their under 14/15 kids watch the AMA's to begin with... just one person's opinion.
Me again/May 9, 2010 1:41 PM - if I wasn't clear in my last post about Lambert on AMA's - I was in total support of that performance (which I thought was hot btw) and don't think it was necessary to edit it for West Coast. What I meant in original post was that it was aired fairly late on an award show that's very well known for it's racy performances - it was reasonable to expect a FULL NIGHT of content that was maybe not going to be suitable for the under 14 or 15 year old crowd... American Idol is earlier and well known to have the really young kiddies watching, I don't have a huge problem IF they edit a bit for sexual content - just as long as it's not only for homosexual content - but if they keep an eye on stuff for overall sexy content generally, I don't have a huge problem with that given it's viewership. But re: Lambert's AMA censorship, if I hadn't been clear in my first post, that was not necessary and there was indeed a double standard present IMHO, I thought the performance was spot on and fully acceptable for the venue it's was on.
Agree,1:41,1:50!
In Adam's own tweeted words..."slap on the wrist goes out to a few of my "fans" who r hating on other artists & their fans. Grow up ladies- negativity is so last season." Let's please try not to bash on this website...keep it a professional place for talking about AMAZING ADAMNESS!
Can't believe AI cut Gaga! They sloted her performance in there really shoddy anyway considering we are talking about the awesome Gaga! Gaga's dancers are incredible (but they appeared to be differant one's on her amazing Tour.) Gaga is a true professional who gives her heart and soul to her performance and she really does blow it out the water! She is the amazing lady of Glitter! ADAM is our God of Glitter who is conquering the whole world right now everywhere he goes! If the two worked together it would become a total glitter explosion!
GaGa is GaGa ALL THE TIME. You will never see her out of a hellacious costume even at the grocery store, whereas Adam can go without makeup and hair done just right whenever he wants to.
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