Is America Ready for a Gay "Idol"?

Fortunately for all involved, this overwrought fascination is also accompanied by Adam’s undeniable musical talent, which is a testament to his years of professional experience. Without a doubt, the combination of these factors works in the producers’ best interests, helping resurrect Idol’s musical credibility.

But will Adam’s rather apparent musical superiority matter in the end? When it comes to the nation’s biggest pop cultural phenomenon, contestants often get by for reasons other than their talent: Taylor Hicks anyone? The franchise has always benefited from the slightly falsified notion that it can take any Average Joe and turn them into tomorrow’s superstar. Clearly, that’s a notion many viewers identify with.

However, Lambert, – frequently referred to online as “Glambert” – with his immediately over-indulgent aesthetic and confident stage presence, is quite different than most of Idol’s typical viewers and has never fit into the average public mold.

As such, it wouldn't be a complete surprise if the more accessible Kris Allen took home the crown. With his puppy dog eyes, pared down dress and quiet sense of humor, Allen is every young girl’s dream (and not a few gay boys’ as well).

Kris Allen

Not only is Kris cute and humble, he is also a devout Christian who at the age of just 23 is already married, to a woman that is. And she’s not just any woman either. She’s a pretty, all-American blonde girl who eagerly cheers him on every week, alongside his parents, Kim and Neil.

If the passage of Proposition 8 last November in California has anything to say about the American  public, it is that they tend to relate to those who share the same traditional family values as themselves. Debatably, this could mean that America will decide to play it safe and stick with a contestant who doesn’t threaten the traditional patriarchal institution.

Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the voters who backed previous contestants will disavow Adam completely in the final. After all, the singer and his family have kept relatively mum on his sexuality ever since he reached the top 12.

Queries by journalists have been met with vague answers such as ‘I know who I am … and I’m just going to keep on singing. ’ Also worth noting here is how Adam has generally been far more aloof than his fellow competitors during both the pre-recorded interviews as well as throughout the judges’ feedback sessions.

For example, while others this season have rambled on about their children, loved ones or, in Danny Gokey’s case, his deceased wife, Lambert has mostly limited his conversation to polite nods of appreciation.