The Parents Television Council – a name that is surely worthy of any right-wing Christian pressure group – complained that Adam Lambert’s performance on ABC’s American Music Awards as “nothing short of tasteless and vulgar”. (Note the ‘nothing short of’. It is the Acceptable Language of Indignation.)

PTC president Tim Winter had this to say:

“Adam Lambert, the second-place finisher in last season’s ‘American Idol’ competition, chose to treat American families to simulated oral sex and other demeaning behavior. ABC and Dick Clark Productions had every reason to know what to expect, as Lambert himself proclaimed that his performance would be ‘very sexy’ and would include leather and chains. But the producers and the network chose to bury their heads in the sand.”

This is a playground of subconscious intent. Winter makes it sound like so much fun. Note the way he says Lambert chose to “treat” them. Maybe there is a note of disappointment because it was only “simulated”? And that image of the execs burying their heads in the sand after hearing about the leather and chains is positively pornographic.

Really, though, Lambert’s performance was tame material compared to your average pop video, which you can see any time of the day. Indignation is a useful smokescreen for homophobia.

Further reading

Follow the links for the BBC coverage of the incident and the PTC’s official press release:

The BBC
The Parents Television Council