Adam Lambert's comments re: his musical theater career- Page 2

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 2:50am

Adam Lambert is possibly one of the sweetest and most humble people I've ever personally known.

Judge away but YOU are the real douches.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 2:54am

TDH, you know EVERYONE personally. We know you haven't even spoken to half the people you say you have. He is douche. When the "fans" lose their case of "Idolnitis" he won't have anything to fall back on after this stunt.

[binau]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 3:51am

I'm not sure why people think he'll have nothing to fall back on - stunt casting?

[bubbleblonde]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 6:04am

He's too theatrical in the same way that a drag queen is theatrical, i.e. histrionic and OTT in general. He needs to realise that he can sing songs without screeching, looking like an emo hobo 80s tranny goth in pain and sounding as if he's about to cry.

[sr4mjc]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 8:00am

I will still be voting for him, not based on any interview but because he is really the most talented contestant this year and I do think he could be a good recording artist. He wouldn't have to tone down the musical theater comments if the producers didn't bring it up in every interview.

[Mel089]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:53am

Hey i love adam lambert but i heard hes gay is this true? :s

[Annas_Priest]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:59am

Does it matter?

Or better yet, is it any of your business?

[Mikers]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 11:57am

Not that it matters but his myspace page has his status as gay.

He was never on Broadway.

He was in the Wicked ensemble in LA and an understudy for Fiyero.




Adam Lambert From American Idol Broadway Spider-Man?

[snowskittle]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:04pm

OK, why DOES Hollywood and the music industry look down on Broadway? I have heard that some actors at least, look on Broadway as requiring the best of their acting skill and that some successful tv and movie actors try to return occasionally to do Broadway roles even though it's a big drop in salary compared to the others.

If this is true, why does it seem to be the opposite for music...if it is?

[Jersey Girl2]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:05pm

In the beginning you need to stand out to be remembered on idol.
He did that.
At this point in the competition he has to prove he can sing.

& about the theater comments- he also has to make them believe he wants this more than anything else.

It should be interesting.

[Mikers]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:07pm

BROADWAY MAGAZINE - While there has always been a solid connection between Broadway and the show American Idol, this season’s arrival of Adam Lambert has audiences buzzing and savvy Broadway producers smiling. Lambert has performed in the global hit musical Wicked. His success on American Idol has people wondering…could he be Broadway’s new musical Spider-Man? The show is set for 2010, and features a score by U2. While Lambert has told MTV that he hopes there isn’t a “Broadway Music” week, because he doesn’t see his recording career going that way, the new Spider-Man musical could well be non-traditional in every way. Let us be the first to speculate that Lambert could one-day be Spider-Man on Broadway. “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark” is set to open Feb. 18, 2010.

Following in the footsteps of Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Taylor Hicks, Ace Young, Diana Degarmo, and now Constantine Maroulis in Rock of Ages, the list of Idols who have found a home on Broadway has been significant. Evan Rachel Wood is already cast, and Jim Sturgess is apparently a front-runner for the role…but who knows what will happen in the coming months?


Adam Lambert From American Idol Broadway Spider-Man? Updated On: 3/1/09 at 12:07 PM

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:20pm

Unless he doesn't make it in the recording industry, I don't think he will play Spider Man because he says he doesn't like musical theatre. Even if it is a ROCK musical, it's still THEATRE...and he states he doesn't want to do that.

[toddlisatyriem]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:38pm

PLEASE READ!

Adam already has 3 controversies surrounding him on American Idol. This statement that he made is addressing 2 of them! (The third controversy is the gay non-issue that people are buzzing about, but he so far has not addressed that or should he have to on American Idol.)

1.) He’s is too Broadway and not mainstream.
2.) That he isn't an unknown artist because he played Fiero in Wicked and therefore should be disqualified.

Voters that don't understand or follow Broadway have been talking on the American Idol forums about how Adam should be disqualified from AI because he was a lead in a Broadway show with video on Youtube to prove it.

What I have taken from Adam's comments are that musicals were a job and that he really is an unknown artist trying to break into the music industry which is where his heart is and where he has always wanted to end up. He NEVER said that he didn't like performing in musicals or that he wasn't appreciative!

Those of us that follow Broadway and musical theater know that he wasn't on Broadway, or did he have the lead. For that matter, most HUGE male Broadway stars are virtual unknowns to the regular households in America. Really.... how many of our family and friends that don't follow Broadway can tell you who Christian Borle, Cheyenne Jackson, or Norbert Leo Butz is?

[4getmenot]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:58pm

sr4mjc- I disagree that he's totally blameless with the producers shoving the broadway label down his throat. When he auditioned at his local arena/mall whatever, he didn't have to disclose his Wicked credentials (if he is really concerned about being perceived as a totally unknown). Yes, maybe it would have come up later in the season anyways. But I don't believe for one minute, having the Wicked back story didn't him an edge in the three or four auditions in front of the Idol producers before he got to sing in front of the judges. I don't believe for one minute that being labeled as the "Wicked guy" didn't help him stick in the judges' and audiences' minds between his first audition in front of the judges and some of the early performance shows. In one sense he was lucky that Wicked had been well known to the judges and producers (Stephen Schwartz's Hollywood connections maybe?) when a show like Xanadu would not have rang the same bells. So by bringing his theater background up on his initial Idol audition, he brought with him a knife that cuts both ways. He chose to go into the competition with Broadway in capital letters written on his chest.

And in response to the above poster - I think the point of many of the comments in this thread was protesting the idea that having a "broadway" sound was somehow inferior to being "mainstream". It isn't so much his desire to go the "mainstream" that we have an objection to, it is his insinuation that as long as he has a source of income, he is too good to do broadway.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 1:05pm

He has BROADWAY tatooed on his chest?
Got a pic?

[4getmenot]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 1:07pm

It's a metaphor for how he can't go anywhere in the Idol competition without the Broadway label following him.

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 1:07pm

Spiderman???!!!! Methinks he may be a bit too swish to take on that role.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 1:11pm

Why are the hot ones always the douches?

[toddlisatyriem]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 2:28pm

If you take the time and go back and read the entire statement, you will see that he was in NO WAy dissing Broadway or musical theater. He was however addressing the belief that some people, including the judges have of "certain elements of the theater training that could be detrimental to the ‘Idol’ experience".

The style of "most" musicals are not mainstream. ITH for example doesn't follow this, however the training that Adam has had since he was 5 years old has been something that he has had to adjust to the American Idold experience.

He states that he doesn't listen to show tunes in his spare time. Well... I'm a teacher, but the last thing that I would want to do in my spare time for enjoyment would be to teach a group of 35 five year olds.... does that make me a douche. PLEASE!

Stop twisting words or reading into things that just are not there.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 2:34pm

Paul F. Tompkins just called him "A masturbating lizard with Fall Out Boy hair" HA!

I think the biggest problem is this:

The musical theater THING was just kind of the way that I was paying the bills. I mean, we all gotta have a job, right?”

He is disrespectful of what he was given. There are millions of people who would just want to be in the at least the ensemble. He took that spot from someone who actually would have WANTED to be there and ENJOY it. People understand that after performing showtunes, the last thing you want to do is LISTEN to more showtunes. Ashley Brown has said that she doesn't listen to showtunes in her down times.

Updated On: 3/1/09 at 02:34 PM

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 2:42pm

Umm... who cares?

He's talented enough to look at it as a job, rather than a passion.

For others who have a stronger passion? Too bad they don't have the same talent.

Life sucks. Deal with it.

[sr4mjc]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 4:20pm

4getmenot - I agree that mentioning Wicked was a double-edged sword for him. He's kind of in a no win situation right now. He needs to convince Idol that he doesn't want to be that kind of recording artist but in the same note he has to be careful not to alienate the industry he's found work in.

I for one think he's tons more entertaining and charismatic doing the Glam (Crawl thru fire) type songs and would love to buy a ticket to that kind of show. Not everyone can pull that off.

Rock on Adam, show us who you really are!

Just out of curiosity, it's obvious he received alot of votes last week, how many votes do you think came from fans who like Wicked and have been checking out his tube videos and how many were based on his performance ? I guess what I'm asking is, are his comments about theater likely to lose him any votes at this point in the game?

[sr4mjc]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 4:24pm

I'm sure his passion is for singing and performing, whenever he can to any audience available. Beats being a waiter, I'm sure. How many people can say they truly love what they are being paid to do? I for one, cannot. But you have to pay the rent. I think if he had chosen words a tad differently, this thread would not exist.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 5:00pm

I think some of you are being far too hard on Adam. Assuming that what is quoted is exactly what he actually said, I don't find anything offensive about it. There are many Broadway/theatre actors whose first passion is their own songwriting and music. Their first dream would be to succeed with a music recording career. This isn't a reasonable dream for most of them and thus, they continue to act and earn some money from it so that they can continue to perform their music at non-paying/low-paying gigs and struggle to get a cd out there. I didn't see his comment as a diss at theatre at all. The reality is that a theatre job is a job to many actors. That doesn't mean they hate it, just that it happens to be a job that pays well and, yes, it pays the bills. I think a lot of you are overreacting to his comments. Big surprise.

[AberJ01]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 6:00pm

I agree with what many others are saying in this forum. The way he is currently acting is making him look arrogant. No, none of us know him personally to know truly what kind of person he really is, so we should reserve judgement. Many people do the same thing in these boards with Broadway actors who give a bad interview. People shouldn't judge performers they don't personally know. The problem with American Idol though is that in the end it makes his interviews on camera that much more important to those who vote based more on personality. I personally feel it's more important to vote on the voice when you're watching American Idol, but that's just me.

The problem with American Idol is that they do look down to the "Broadway style" of singing. They make that obviously very clear during the show, especially by the judges comments. Adam Lambert has obviously fed into the state of mind that if he becomes too known for his work in musical theater, that not only will he not do well, but that the judges will call him out on it. That is why he is suddenly speaking out against musical theater. Who cares if you sit at home and listen to showtunes all day Adam, but to deny that musical theater isn't a part of who you are as an artist isn't "being yourself". If he thinks comments talking about how musical theater was just a job to "pay the bills" is going to help his chances, he is completely mistaken. Not only that, but it sends a terrible message to young children watching the show who dream of a Broadway career one day as their ultimate goal. In my opinion I would have gladly traded places with him in Wicked, and it's sad he obviously thinks it was no big deal at all.

Just in my opinion, but if he really is going to be so arrogant, he might want to back up his words with great performances. His performance this past week that got him into the top 12 was painful to listen to, and way over dramatic (which is why the judges tell him he's being too theatrical!). Don't get me wrong, he's a talented singer, and the clips I've heard of his Wicked material are actually fairly good. The performance this week on Idol was just one of the worst of the night, not to mention one of the worst in a while on Idol, and it's just ridiculous he's even in the top 12. Maybe it was the overrated praise the judges gave him. In the end though, while I think he will do well, I think there are other contestants that have a much better chance to win over Adam. In fact, I'd put money on Danny Gokey any day. Not to mention, I don't really see Adam Lambert as what is current high selling male pop music. Trust me, American Idol can't change what's currently selling. They only do well when they find a type of artist that fits into that mold, for example Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. The rest haven't done nearly as well. So in the end, I wonder what will happen once Adam doesn't win doesn't do well and ends up back on the musical theater stage. Will it just be "paying the bills" again, or will he be proud to be back on the musical theater stage?

Oh, and as a gay man, I feel like I should comment on the whole "gay" controversy. In the muscial theater world, I don't think it's an issue. I've personally never had a negative reaction while doing theater, and I'd be surprised to hear of many people having problems. On American Idol though, it becomes an issue, espcially to the producers. I don't think the producers want the burden of having to market an openly gay male artist, and that is why they expect many contestants to surpress it. I mean, how can you depend on the parents of the pre-teen girls to buy tickets for a gay artist. Now as the seasons have passed, Idol has had more and more contestants who are obviously openly gay. I don't think they have done very well in the voting, but that has yet to be really seen. While I personally think it's sad that the issue needs to be discussed for every gay contestant they like Adam (cause let's be honest the blind and deaf know he's gay), it will continue to be discussed for many years to come. Do I think it will affect his success on American Idol on onward after Idol, it's certainly possible, but that's just the hard truth of the matter. As a gay man myself, I certainly don't think it's right, but reality is reality.