CBS Early Show Compares Raunchy Adam Lambert Performance to Elvis

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At the top of Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez teased an appearance by singer Adam Lambert on the show and addressed his raunchy performance at the American Music Awards on Sunday: “And is he the new Elvis? Or did he simply just go too far? American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is here to set the record straight after his controversial performance at the AMA’s.”

As the show opened, co-host Harry Smith echoed Rodriguez, seeming to dismiss Lambert’s open mouth kiss with another man and simulated oral sex on stage at the awards show, as just breaking new barriers: “Those of us of a certain age, who were actually alive when Elvis first performed on Ed Sullivan so many years ago. There was so much controversy about him performing, they actually had to shoot him from the waist up....Because of the hips shaking and people didn’t want to – wanted to make sure that their children weren’t harmed by what was happening there. So maybe there’s some similarities to all of this.”

Near the end of the 7:00AM ET half hour, Rodriguez noted the supportive crowd for Lambert outside the Early Show studio: “The Early Show, only the Early Show has what they want this morning, Adam Lambert performing live for the first time since the AMA’s. He’s also here, everybody, to answer questions about that controversial performance, which this crowd seems to overwhelmingly support.” Smith turned to Lambert and wondered: “When you walk out – it’s what 7:20 something in the morning, and you see hundreds and hundreds of people here in support of you, what do you think?” Lambert replied: “Thank you guys so much. I say thank you, thank you very much, yeah. Long live Rock and Roll.”

In an interview with Lambert at the top of the 7:30 half hour, Rodriguez asked: “Did you have any idea your performance at the AMA’s would ignite this fire storm?” Lambert claimed: “No clue. No clue at all. You know, I was really looking forward to it. I worked really hard with my dancers and my band for about two weeks putting that together. And I admit I did get carried away, but I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

After Lambert’s performance at the AMA’s, ABC, which broadcasted the awards show, cancelled Lambert’s Wednesday performance on Good Morning America. CBS then jumped at the opportunity to have on the controversial performer.

Here is a full transcript of Rodriguez’s interview with Lambert:

7:00AM TEASE:

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: And is he the new Elvis? Or did he simply just go too far? American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is here to set the record straight after his controversial performance at the AMA’s.        

7:00AM TEASE:

RODRIGUEZ: Good morning from New York City, this is Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, where for hours now all through the night people have been lining up by the hundreds hoping for a front row seat to a much anticipated interview and performance by Adam Lambert. Welcome to the Early Show on this Thursday [Wednesday] everyone. I’m Maggie Rodriguez with Harry Smith. And we are ready this morning, the stage is set behind us for that performance this morning by Adam Lambert, the first since his controversial performance at the American Music Awards. He is here in our green room, ready also, to take questions about that performance that has raised so many eyebrows. There he is with his band. Adam, good morning.

ADAM LAMBERT: Hey, good morning.

RODRIGUEZ: You ready to set the record straight?

LAMBERT: I will, yeah.

RODRIGUEZ: Alright. We’re here to talk to Adam and hear him perform a little later this morning.

HARRY SMITH: Those of us of a certain age, who were actually alive when Elvis first performed on Ed Sullivan so many years ago. There was so much controversy about him performing, they actually had to shoot him from the waist up.

RODRIGUEZ: Because of the hips shaking.

SMITH: Because of the hips shaking and people didn’t want to – wanted to make sure that their children weren’t harmed by what was happening there. So maybe there’s some similarities to all of this.

7:12AM TEASE:
    
SMITH: And American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert with us live this morning.

CBS ANNOUNCER: His controversial act stunned America. Now American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is ready to talk. The interview and a special live performance coming up on the Early Show.

7:23AM TEASE:

[FOOTAGE OF SIGN IN CROWD THAT READS: “CBS Can Handle What Adam’s About To Do”]
    
[HARRY SMITH LAUGHS AT SIGN]

RODRIGUEZ: The Early Show, only the Early Show has what they want this morning, Adam Lambert performing live for the first time since the AMA’s. He’s also here, everybody, to answer questions about that controversial performance, which this crowd seems to overwhelmingly support, Harry.

SMITH: Seems to.

RODRIGUEZ: But there’s also a lot of criticism.

SMITH: When you walk out – it’s what 7:20 something in the morning, and you see hundreds and hundreds of people here in support of you, what do you think?

LAMBERT: Thank you guys so much. I say thank you, thank you very much, yeah. Long live Rock and Roll.

[SMITH LAUGHS]

RODRIGUEZ: We’ll hear from Adam, ahead this morning on the Early Show.
    
7:30AM SEGMENT:

HARRY SMITH: Tell you what – we’ve been doing a little survey around the crowd, people have come from as far away as Tokyo, from South Africa. We have people, I think, from almost every state in the union who have made it a mission to be here to see Adam Lambert.

[CROWD CHEERS]

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: They want to see his live performance, his first since the American Music Awards. And they want to hear him talk about it. As we know, he’s no stranger to controversy. Back when he was on American Idol, he frequently pushed the envelope and took some heat for it. But during the American Music Awards this Sunday, he did it again. But some people say this time he went way too far.

Until now, Adam Lambert was best known as the runner-up from American Idol, but now the openly gay artist is making headlines for his erotic performance at this week’s American Music Awards. Particularly these two moments that shocked even young fans used to over-the-top performances.

[BLURRED FOOTAGE OF LAMBERT ON STAGE]

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL [ADAM LAMBERT FAN]: He’s out of control.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL B [ADAM LAMBERT FAN]: He’s different.

RODRIGUEZ: But Lambert says it wasn’t crazy and he wasn’t trying to upset viewers. Quote, ‘My goal was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom.‘ It's the latest in a string of pop music controversies, like Madonna and Britney’s famous lip lock at the 2003 MTV Music Video Awards. And now a backlash has emerged against both Lambert and ABC, which had to edit the performance for the West Coast. After the broadcast, ABC reportedly received more than 1,500 angry phone calls.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Under Fire; Lambert Defends Controversial AMA Performance]

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Well, certainly between the hours of 6 and 10pm is not the time to break open alleged barriers with regards to homophobia.

RODRIGUEZ: But industry insiders maintain that Lambert’s risque performance is par for the course in pop music, where breaking the rules often leads to long-lasting careers.

BRIAN HIATT [ASSOCIATE EDITOR, ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE]: This is a long way from Elvis’ hips, but it’s a similar sort of reaction. I think what seems to push buttons a little more is in the context of him being openly gay.

[FOOTAGE OF LAMBERT’S PERFORMANCE]

RODRIGUEZ: What does Adam Lambert think about all the controversy? Let’s ask him. Good morning, Adam.

ADAM LAMBERT: Good morning.

RODRIGUEZ: Did you have any idea your performance at the AMA’s would ignite this fire storm?

LAMBERT: No clue. No clue at all. You know, I was really looking forward to it. I worked really hard with my dancers and my band for about two weeks putting that together. And I admit I did get carried away, but I don’t see anything wrong with it. I do see how people got offended and that was not my intention. My intention was just to interpret the lyrics of my song and have a good time up there.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Straight Talk; Adam Lambert Answers Critics]

RODRIGUEZ: Did you plan, when you were rehearsing, did you include those sexually charged moves in the rehearsal?

LAMBERT: Those kind of came from more of a impromptu place. No, those were not rehearsed. So, you know, I think ABC was taken a little by surprise. And that wasn’t my intention. I wasn’t being sneaky. It just – it got the most of me, I guess.

RODRIGUEZ: I think that people take issue with the fact that it – that it did happen on network television, where a lot of families were watching. As you know, you have tons of fans, especially children, who have followed you since Idol. Can you imagine their parents sitting down with them to watch the AMA’s and without warning, there you are, kissing another guy, simulating oral sex. Can you understand why they would be upset?

LAMBERT: Yeah, I suppose I can understand why they’re upset. And, you know, honestly, I – it didn’t cross my mind, children. It was almost 11:00, I didn’t – you know, it was a night time show, I was there in the audience full of mostly adults. And sometimes I forget, ‘oh, there’s a camera on.’ You know, I’m – I come from the theater. And I’m programmed to kind of look at who’s in the live audience and that’s kind of where I come from. And so I was looking out in the crowd and saw some of my favorite pop stars and thought, I want to do – I want to let loose. And it just kind of – it got the best of me. And I had a – I had a great time, unfortunately, there were people upset, but I think there were also people that really enjoyed it. So like Idol, I guess I have a tendency to divide people. Apples and oranges, you either like it or you don’t.

RODRIGUEZ: Now that you have had time to think about the children, your child fans, do you – do you feel that you need to apologize to them?

LAMBERT: I think it’s up to the parents to – to discern what their child’s watching on television.

RODRIGUEZ: Well, but they had no idea they were about to see something like that on network TV.

LAMBERT: Well, you know – and you know, just to play Devil’s advocate with you, Lady Gaga smashing whiskey bottles. Janet Jackson grabbing a male dancer’s crotch. Eminem talked about how Slim Shady has ‘17 rapes under his belt.’ There’s a lot of very adult material on the AMA’s this year and I know I wasn’t the only one. I’m not using that as an excuse and I don’t have any – I didn’t take any offense with those performers’ choices, I’m just saying I think it’s up to a parent to watch the television. It was almost 11:00 at night. If they’re concerned with certain material maybe Tivo it and preview it before you’re small child is watching it.

RODRIGUEZ: So you don’t feel that it’s your responsibility to – to issue an apology?

LAMBERT: I’m not a babysitter. I’m a performer.

RODRIGUEZ: Do you think – because I know in the previous days you’ve said there’s a double standard when it comes to male performers. Why do you feel that way?

LAMBERT: I believe there’s a double standard. I think that if it had been a female pop performer doing the moves that were – that were on the stage, I don’t think there’d be nearly as much of an outrage at all. Like I said, there were other performers doing risque – I mean Janet Jackson crotch grab. I haven’t heard one peep about that.

RODRIGUEZ: Do you think it’s because you’re male or do you think it’s because you’re gay?

LAMBERT: Both. I think it’s a double whammy. I think it’s because I’m a gay male and I think people haven’t seen that before.

RODRIGUEZ: But I don’t think people have said specifically they were upset about the fact that you were – that you’re gay or that you were kissing a guy. Again, it was-

LAMBERT: I think some people were upset that I kissed a guy.

RODRIGUEZ: The venue is what I’ve heard the most. Is that not what you’ve heard?

LAMBERT: The what?

RODRIGUEZ: The venue, the fact that you did it at that time and on network TV.

LAMBERT: Yeah, I suppose that makes sense. Yeah, I mean, again, when I got up on stage, I don’t think about things like ‘oh, this is network television, what time is it, what children were watching?’ I just was in the moment, I just – you know.

RODRIGUEZ: If you had it to do over, would you do anything differently?

LAMBERT: I would sing it a little bit better. The adrenaline took – you know, took such hold of me that I went back and reviewed it went ‘well, that wasn’t my best vocal performance,’ but you know, no one’s perfect, so.

RODRIGUEZ: But you admit that you got carried away with the other stuff?

LAMBERT: Yeah. I mean, it was – it – you know, it got the best of me. I’m obviously learning. I mean this is –  this was my first performance post Idol on television. The song, lyrically, is sexual. And I just was performing the lyrics of my song. And I think in the future I will probably make a little bit more of an effort to stay consistent with what I do during rehearsal to what I do during the show. That’s something that I’m learning now. And that way if anybody has any problems with what I’m doing it can be explored during rehearsal.

RODRIGUEZ: What is the image that you want America to have of Adam Lambert?

LAMBERT: Well, and I think that’s the funny thing, is that this is one song. This is one production number. This song on the album is one of the few songs that really explores risque, dangerous kind of edgy sexuality. There’s other songs on the album that are completely different. So for me, I hope that people don’t put me into a box saying ‘oh, he’s nasty and he’s going to be that way all the time.’ That was one performance.

RODRIGUEZ: Alright. And Adam, I know you’re going to stick around, perform two songs and take questions from the audience.

LAMBERT: Yeah. And parents, this is appropriate. I promise.

RODRIGUEZ: Alright. Good. Good to know because it is early.

LAMBERT: It is Early.

RODRIGUEZ: Adam Lambert, thank you.