Let me start off by saying that I do not watch American Idol. I do not follow the careers of its performers and really don’t care for pop music, which is why I am surprised to be tracking the exploits of recent alum Adam Lambert.  But circumstances around a recent performance of his at the American Music Awards plays right into the hands of MASC readers.

Because all the media conglomerates issued takedown notices for the actual video of the performance in question, I can’t really provide the link.  I really want to focus on an interview Lambert conducted with a CBS morning show thereafter, to which I can link.  Now, in terms of the performance, let me just say that he likely went a little further than anticipated with some simulated sex acts and a pretty hot and heavy make out scene with one of his male dancers.  I don’t have a problem with this, Lambert is openly gay, and that’s how he wants to perform on stage.  I recall everyone going nuts over a Brittany Spears and Madonna make out session few years back on the MTV video awards.   So, I figured same-sex affection is fairly old-hat for American viewing audiences.

Apparently, Lambert’s performance caused quite a bit of controversy, leading to a cancellation of an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America.  Lambert then went on a CBS morning show to counter.   I don’t know what I expected from him, but I was shocked at how reasonable, articulate, and logical his response was to this whole situation.  I must say that I think he is absolutely correct in identifying the double standard regarding same-sex relationships in the United States.

Oddly enough, this double standard was laid out before our very eyes even within this interview.  A pre-recorded intro to the discussion with Lambert included a clip of his disputed performance with the kiss blurred out, while showing an unadulterated version of the Brittany-Madonna kiss from 2003.

I’m coming in a little late here with commentary on Lambert-gate.  There has already been some decent analysis of the situation from the prominent feminist blog Feministing. Otherwise, the whole ordeal is not really receiving much coverage other than the finger-wagging homosexual-shaming going on in some of these mainstream interviews.  I want to believe that a situation like Lambert’s is going to push us in the right direction in terms of questioning this double standard.  Or, that same-sex affections towards men as gross or disgusting whereas the same behavior between women is acceptable or just an experiment in homosexuality.

I cannot help but feel that with all things popular culture, this too will fade and be yet again relegated to the ether of happenstance.  I have my own knee-jerk dismissive reactions to most of what is in popular culture.  This one, though, this one I want to hold onto a bit longer, but I think it’s one of those hot potatoes that’s going to get easily tossed.  We’ll see how it goes.

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Shaun is an assistant professor of elementary education at Towson University in Baltimore, MD.