Seven Things We've Learned from the Adam Lambert Controversy (And One Piece of Blatant Speculation)

Wait! Stop! I know you're probably as sick to death as I am of Adam Lambert and the controversy surrounding his November 22nd performance at the American Music Awards.

But before you run screaming from the computer at the sight of another article about this, I think it's worth asking: what did it all mean? More importantly, what does the rapidly fading moment in pop culture say about America, 2009?

Here's how I see it:

Being an Openly Gay Singer is a Much Less Big Deal Than it Used to Be

For most of the time while he was lead singer for Culture Club, Boy George downplayed or denied the fact that he is gay.

Boy George! The make-up wearing cross-dresser who everyone assumed was gay anyway!

Why in the world would he do that? Probably because he'd seen the devastating career fall-out in the 1970s and early 80s when male singers like Elton John, David Bowie, and Johnny Mathis were honest about who they are.

Lambert's sexuality has been controversial, but it is nothing like it would have been 20 or even five years ago. The fact is, a top American singer is proudly gay — and has even embraced and promoted an openly gay sexuality the way virtually every straight singer embraces and promotes his or her heterosexuality.

Gay Male Sexuality is Still Very Threatening to a Lot of People

If Lambert had been female and done the exact same dance moves at the AMA — the kiss and the "simulated oral sex" with one of the dancers — would there be a similar controversy?

No.

How can I say that with such certainty? Well, Janet Jackson grabbed the crotch of a male dancer in her opening number, and Jennifer Lopez was groped by a group of bare-chested men. Virtually all of the other numbers were sexually charged (which, frankly, was tiresome).

But it was Adam's performance that got people upset. ABC received that famous 1500 complaints for Adam's performance, not for the others.

Why? Because it was GAY. Duh.

Next Page! Adam says there's a double standard! Was there?