The edit wasn’t enough to hold back a tidal wave of upset viewers who’ve complained to ABC about the sexually charged stage show. More than 1,500 complaints were logged by the network on the day following the broadcast, reports the AP.
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In a statement, Dick Clark Productions executives and show producers said, “Due to the live nature of the show we did not expect the impromptu moment in question.”
A source, who was in attendance at the AMA rehearsals, said that the sex act was not one of the dance moves that had been rehearsed. “It wasn’t there; it did not happen,” the source says.
While Lambert admitted that the lip-lock was a spur of the moment event — “Adrenaline is crazy and sometimes things just happen,” he told Rolling Stone on Sunday night — it’s uncertain when the dance choreography was altered to include the controversial head-to-crotch move.
“We had this great dance number totally staged. It’s a sexy song about seduction and power and I was just doing the lyrics justice,” he told Rolling Stone. “My intention was not to try and create a controversy. But if a controversy ensues, then so be it.”
After the performance, a pleased Lambert hit the Twittersphere to say, “All hail freedom of expression and artistic integrity.”
It’s all just the latest in Lambert’s attempts at titillating audiences by pushing boundaries, something that the singer has been keen to do since coming out as gay after “American Idol” ended in the spring.
Lambert has yet to comment about the way his performance was edited, but he did tell the Los Angeles Times — before the West Coast broadcast aired — “If it’s going to be edited, then, in a way, that’s discrimination. I don’t mean to get political, but Madonna, Britney [Spears] and Christina [Aguilera] weren’t edited.”
He went on to add, “It’s a shame. Female entertainers have been risqué for years.
“Honestly, there’s a huge double standard . . . It’s 2009, it’s time to take more risks. It’s about entertainment. People want to be surprised. It’s too bad that people are so scared.”
Officials would not say if the production company or ABC called for the edits.
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Published
Nov. 24, 2009
Updated
March 12, 2018, 4:19 p.m. ET