When he walked the red carpet at Skylight Studios for Tuesday night’s launch of Vevo, a new music-video site, Adam Lambert had two choices: Talk about other people’s scandals, or talk about his own. We in the press pit, of course, opened with the Tiger Woods mess, since, well, it involves real (instead of fake) sex. Lambert didn’t want to go there. “I think it’s funny that we focus so much on people’s personal lives,” he said diplomatically. “He plays golf. Let’s focus on golf.” We did not want to focus on golf. Really, don’t famous people screw around on their significant others all the time? “I don’t know. I’m new to it. I haven’t tried.” And anyway, Lambert doesn’t have anyone to screw around on. He broke up with his boyfriend of six months, interior designer Drake LaBry. “We just had our differences,” he said. “I’m putting a lot energy into my career right now. It’s not fair to him.”
Lambert gamely answered questions about his personal style (“More is more”) and Eminem’s failed attempt to start a beef with him by calling Lambert, Lance Bass, and Clay Aiken something that sounds a lot like the F-word. Had there been any new developments since? “I don’t know,” Lambert sighed wearily. “He called me a lovely word. A lovely word.”
Speaking of Lambert’s career, how’s he coping with the uproar over his AMAs performance? “You know, I was just doing a number. I really think people overreacted,” said Lambert. “But we’re moving forward now. You learn from things that happen. So, I realize now, ‘Okay, so maybe I’ll just be more consistent with rehearsal.’ You know, so that if during rehearsal, if there’s a problem, I don’t piss any network off, and I learn something. I think the other thing is, I move forward and not dwell on it over and over again. It’s over.”
But what inspired said performance in the first place? “Spirit of rock and roll, you know. For me it’s all about being raw and interpreting the lyrics of the song and just going with your instincts.” We thought it might have had something to do with Lambert’s idol, David Bowie, a fake-fellatio pioneer. “Well, that moment [at the AMAs] was sort of impromptu and off the cuff,” said Lambert. “I wasn’t thinking about Bowie when I was up there. I was thinking about sex.”
If Lambert is all about pushing the envelope these days, though, then why didn’t he try to do something more risqué when he appeared on The Early Show recently? The ratings had come back for his appearance, we pointed out, and they were — gasp! — no better or worse than average ratings for The Early Show. Surely this must have given Lambert pause. Had he lost his edge? Was he worried he’s no longer controversial enough? “Uh,” he replied, “I think I’m controversial just plenty. Thanks.”
