Adam Lambert: My dad thought I should maybe apologize for AMA's

Adam Lambert doesn't feel the need to apologize for his controversial American Music Awards performance, however his father thought he should.


"My dad was like, 'Maybe you should apologize Adam.' I was like, 'Well dad, I don't feel like I did anything wrong. It just maybe wasn't the right judgement call,'" said Lambert during a Tuesday appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"It's a taste thing more than an obscenity thing."

During the S&M-themed AMA performance of his debut single "For Your Entertainment," which aired at the conclusion of ABC's three-hour broadcast of the ceremony, Lambert grinded, groped and danced with half-naked men and women -- several of whom were decked out in bondage gear.

At one point in the routine, the American Idol eighth-season runner-up held a leash attached to a male dancer wearing bondage gear and used it to pull the dancer towards him.  Lambert then grabbed the back of the dancer's head and shoved the dancer's face in his crotch, simulating a sexual act and causing ABC to cut to an overhead shot of the studio audience during the live East Coast broadcast.


Lambert also fondled a female dancer's crotch, made-out with a male keyboardist, and grabbed his own crotch during the performance.

ABC canceled a subsequent appearance Lambert was scheduled to make on Good Morning America.

"I think ABC was a little bit mad at me, and I don't blame them. I got carried away. It's stuff that I did not do in the rehearsal, so they were probably a little bit taken a back," he told DeGeneres.

"They gave me a great opportunity to close the AMAs, and I would never want to smack that gift horse in the mouth. I think they were taking a big leap of faith having me do that, and unfortunately it didn't work out as we all thought it would."

Lambert added that he's always a little "nervous" before performing but added that didn't really play too large of a factor during the AMAs.


"I forgot that this was the first time people were seeing my on TV again after Idol. I didn't really think about that as objectively as I might have wanted to," he explained.

"I think on Idol I experimented with a lot of different styles and outfits and tempos and things like that. Then I went on tour over the summer and experimented with different types of performing there. Then I was in the studio making a record. So for me this has all been one journey. I was like, 'Oh, I'm going to try and do something a little risky now.' And it was maybe a little too far."

While he offers no apologies, Lambert said he has had an opportunity to think about the performance.

"I think in hindsight I look back on it and I go, 'Okay, maybe that wasn't the best first impression to make -- the first second impression,'" he said.

"I had fun up there. I had a good time. My dancers had fun, the band had fun. But I respect people and I feel like people walked away from that feeling disrespected, and I would never intend to disrespect anyone. So that was not my intention."


In addition, Lambert said the fact that he's a gay male had an impact on the way the performance was viewed.

"People aren't used to seeing gay men portrayed that way on TV. The image of gay men in the media tends to be very cliche and safe," he told DeGeneres.

"I think I got up there and had a little more energy, I was attempting to interpret the lyrics of the song quite simply. I was putting on a character, putting on a persona, being this kind of rock star, dangerous kind of guy... Something came over me, I got caught up in the moment and maybe went a little too far."






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio