Friday, November 27, 2009
Homo / Celeb / Hetero Triple Standards
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Nov 27, 2009 at 9:01 AM
I'm not sure what a triple standard is... but this sure feels like one: Adam Lambert kissed a boy at the AMA's and presumably liked it. Good Morning America dropped him. CBS played a clip of Lambert's AMA kiss but blurred it out—which they didn't do when they showed a clip of Madonna's open-mouthed kiss with Britney Spears at some other awards show. Now Good Morning America has invited Chris Brown—who beat the shit out of a girl and got away with it—to perform. So in case you're keeping score at home: It's not okay for a gay male pop stars to kiss a male dancer. It is okay for a straight male pop star to beat the shit out of his pop star girlfriend.
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2
That's goes boys kissing boys is icky, but guys beating the shit out of their girlfriends is a sacred tradition.
3
Obviously kids must be protected from things that are GROSS and subjected to things that are SEXY HOT!
4
To even further complicate things, don't forget that the very same CBS is, even as we speak, embroiled in a legal battle over whether they should have to pay a fine for showing Janet Jackson's nipple.
The world just keeps getting stranger and stranger.
The world just keeps getting stranger and stranger.
6
Did you see Adam Lambert's interview with Michael Slezak at EW.com when they discussed this very thing? I thought of Dan as I was watching it. It's in five parts. The 2nd half of part two "Obviously in America it's OK to be violent but not sexual." Pt 3 @ 30 seconds "What about the children?" Pt 3 1:30 they discuss the sexism of showing two women kissing but not two men, and at 2:25 "They're reinforcing the idea that homosexuality is dangerous." http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/25/adam-l…
7
No kidding. I figure if people aren't allowed to say, "I hate fags!" Then they'll say, "That wasn't appropriate for children!" Such bullshit.
8
And here's CBS's response to why they are standing by their decision to blur it: they're cowards. http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/11/25/ada…
9
Yes, exactly. Traditional marriage, that. Haven't you been paying attention?
It is okay for a straight male pop star to beat the shit out of his pop star girlfriend.
Yes, exactly. Traditional marriage, that. Haven't you been paying attention?
10
What's been going on with Adam, from reaction to his photo shoot with Details to what his management pulled with Out has been infuriating. But I am delighted with how articulate, mature, and brave he's been about it all.
11
It'll be interesting to watch how this defining moment will influence a change in the game of sexual politics.
12
It wasn't just the kiss, it was the combination of the kiss + simulated forced fellatio, and that it was on ABC and not MTV. I don't blame GMA for trying to avoid subjecting its family friendly audience to forced fellatio by someone who was recently an "idol" contender. Agreed tho - Chris Brown should be shunned.
13
What if they caught Chris Brown on camera beating up his girlfriend while she kissed a girl? I'm not sure if that would be primetime made for TV movie material or X-Tube amateur porn. Where are they drawing the lines here?
14
I think it's time for the supportive straight male music artists to rally 'round and start trading kisses on live TV. Eye candy AND flooding the networks with OMG INAPPROPRIATE clips, and everyone can just get the hell over it.
15
I'm a straight woman, but I find it much more hot to see 2 guys kissing than 2 girls (I guess that's why I'm straight). Anyway, that's just too confusing to wrap my head around. Chris Brown is a douchebag, and I don't see why Adam Lambert's act is any worse than most female popstars. At least now there's a conversation going and hopefully something constructive can come of it.
On a different note, why was Jennifer Lopez falling on her ass edited from the west coast broadcast, too? I would have loved to see that in the show!
On a different note, why was Jennifer Lopez falling on her ass edited from the west coast broadcast, too? I would have loved to see that in the show!
16
Dan,
I agree with you. It is indeed a double standard or triple if you will. I consider it in poor taste for Lambert to do what he did, for Timberlake to rip off half of J. Jackson's bra and the Madonna/Spears kiss, all live on TV. And, interviewing Brown is completely inappropriate.
I have a feeling that network executives have more tolerance for heterosexual or girl-girl action than boy-boy action as well. But, if one is egalitarian such as I (and I think you are as well) than all should be prohibited on mainstream or network TV especially during prime time.
For the record, I watched none of the above as I tend not to watch TV anyway. And, perhaps like you I find PDAs (straight or gay) quite revolting sometimes. Largely because it's unexpected. That's not necessarily prudery. It just some that some celebrities and others get off on it. I mean if I want to see "suck face", I'll watch pornography.
I agree with you. It is indeed a double standard or triple if you will. I consider it in poor taste for Lambert to do what he did, for Timberlake to rip off half of J. Jackson's bra and the Madonna/Spears kiss, all live on TV. And, interviewing Brown is completely inappropriate.
I have a feeling that network executives have more tolerance for heterosexual or girl-girl action than boy-boy action as well. But, if one is egalitarian such as I (and I think you are as well) than all should be prohibited on mainstream or network TV especially during prime time.
For the record, I watched none of the above as I tend not to watch TV anyway. And, perhaps like you I find PDAs (straight or gay) quite revolting sometimes. Largely because it's unexpected. That's not necessarily prudery. It just some that some celebrities and others get off on it. I mean if I want to see "suck face", I'll watch pornography.
17
it's because britbrit and madonna aren't lesbians. their kiss is OK because it's purpose was to titillate straight men. grossing out straight men with two boys kissing, though, that's not ok.
19
Not sure I agree with your maths, Dan. Two wrongs don't make a right - or a third standard. It's more like TWO double-standards. Double standard squared, if you will. (If we pretend they were playing Scrabble, we could say that they just made two three-syllable words using only one letter. Score!)
20
If Brad Pitt simulated oral sex with Angelina Jolie at an awards show I'd feel the same way. The kiss, no biggie, the simulated oral...better for a different type of show...Chris Brown should be in jail!!!!
21
@ #12. Cause all the kids love sitting down and watching Good Morning America.
"There are cartoons on but I want to see if the Iranian situation has deteriorated over my Lucky Charms!"
The best part of the interview was him bring up the Britany Madonna thing and then they showed it unblurred.
"There are cartoons on but I want to see if the Iranian situation has deteriorated over my Lucky Charms!"
The best part of the interview was him bring up the Britany Madonna thing and then they showed it unblurred.
22
At least the guy Adam kissed didn't complain he smelled and tasted like cigarettes. And didn't Madonna kiss Britney and Christina in the same performance?
23
#22, yes, but nobody remembers Christina. Just Britney. I think it's because with Britney there was tongue.
And, well, Christina has actual talent and has demonstrated clear support for gay civil rights, and that's just simply not as interesting as a talentless pretty girl (Bush supporter or not) who sings disco songs that are fun to dance to.
And, well, Christina has actual talent and has demonstrated clear support for gay civil rights, and that's just simply not as interesting as a talentless pretty girl (Bush supporter or not) who sings disco songs that are fun to dance to.
24
Keep acting righteous, keep dissing less privileged groups you stupid child molesting FAGGOTY Andy.
25
@24. What the F*ck. God, even your USERNAME is hypocritical. "F*ck Bigots" and then you say "F*GGOTY?" What the hell is wrong with you? Apparently, you use that word a lot, from your other posts. How can you supposedly stand up for, say, disabled rights, and then go be a f*cking homophobe? Are you insane, or just stupid? You say "f*g" with almost EVERY post! I mean, really! Do you see any problems with your logic?
27
Oops. Didn't mean to post the link! Oh well, too long to post in this little box anyway. Check it out if you want :)
Second one down in my blog. www.blackdove.wordpress.com
Second one down in my blog. www.blackdove.wordpress.com
28
The worst thing about Adams Lambert's performance on the AMA's was his godawful singing. Seemed to me he did all that grabbing, fondling and kissing to distract people from his lack of talent.
29
I'm way late to the party here so probably nobody will see this, but I'm going to post anyway. I just wondered why nobody has asked if Lambert was high or drunk during the AMAs. Evidence: impulsive (and probably career-suicide-level stupid) actions, given the fact he was on AB-fuckin-C and not at a gay cabaret; tripping and falling; very poor vocals (normally he is spot-on); his weird flip-off of the audience along with bizarre disgusted facial expression at the end of his performance. I know he was in a fight with Out mag for implying he was trying to downplay the gay ... but still, his actions just seemed so out of character from everything he did on Idol, all his various interviews, and other YouTube performances in other venues. Can't help but wonder if he ingested some chemical courage beforehand... and maybe that's another reason ABC doesn't trust him with a live stage.
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