July 21, 2012 
Well, as the saying goes, “it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings“. But, somehow, this rumor looks and feels just about right.
If all goes well during the final negotiations between Mariah Carey and American Idol, it looks like the diva songstress will be sharing her advice and guidance as judge on Season 12 of American Idol.
And, I really do think that experienced American Idol judge, Randy Jackson, will be seated beside her – for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost he is her manager and, therefore, she would feel very comfortable with him by her side.
Secondly, American Idol needs Randy’s experience to smoothly guide the audition process.
Quite frankly, I had little issue with Randy last season. I found him to be more helpful and, certainly, more coherent than in seasons past. Except for the “I hate Broadway” thing, he is actually a very strong judge.
And, if they add, say, American Idol alumnus, Adam Lambert, as the third judge, Adam’s strong theatrical background would recognize this level of artistry in the Top 12. Plus, he is an extremely diverse artist. Rumor has it that he has already been approached.
I am actually excited about the prospect of this threesome serving on the panel. How about you?
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I like the idea of Mariah as a judge too and I wouldn’t be opposed to a songwriter sitting at the judge’s table as well. Diane Warren comes to mind.
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Janey – Dianne Warren is an excellent choice.
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Not thrilled about Adam Lambert. The whole idea of LSD being touted by him as an acceptable method of “self discovery” really bothers me. Couple that with his AMA performance and other similar performances in Europe and it just sickens me that the lesson that comes out of it all is that these actions are the right way to get ahead in life these days.
Our children are doing everything right; getting their high school diploma, maintaining great GPA’s in college, staying away from drugs and their reward is to leave college with a debt the size of a home mortgage hanging over their head and going to work as a Walmart cashier where they can never hope to make enough money to pay off that debt. They do everything right and they get zilch! Someone like Adam does all of these ridiculous things and he is placed in front of teen agers to tell them what they are doing wrong?? It makes my stomach turn!
I see so many people defending him and I am absolutely befuddled by it. They say, “Isn’t a person allowed to make a mistake? Nobody is perfect.”
Well my answer to that is, NO! You are not allowed to make a mistake in today’s society unless you are talented, attractive and very, very wealthy! Then you get a pass for some reason.
Our children don’t trust us any more. We have told them that if they do all of these things they will be successful and it’s just not true anymore. Then they look back and see that we also told them that there was a Santa and a Tooth Fairy and they start to think that we are nothing but a bunch of habitual liars! That is when they start to look to others for the truth. You put the likes of Mr. Lambert on a family program as a judge of the right way to perform and theres their confirmation of how things should really be done in order to achieve success. It may seem silly to a lot of people and a non-issue in light of the tragedy in Colorado this week but I say it is exactly the issue that leads to these kinds of tragedies.
We as a society really need to take a step back and make a few changes from the bottom up. My thoughts and prayers go out, first and foremost, to the victims of this senseless attack. They were unsuspecting and undeserving of this. Nobody wants to get into the “why” of the situation. It’s so much easier to just dismiss it as the insane act of a maniac but that will just lead us to shed more of our privacy and liberties for the sake of security and that is not the answer. We have to address the root causes of violent acts like this and learn how to prevent them from a more proactive standpoint so that we can maintain our freedom to move around and function in today’s world without giving up our freedom and surrounding ourselves with security cameras and armed patrols. We have to look at the subtleties of today’s world and all that our society is being exposed to such as the desensitizing of our younger generations to violence and absurdity through the entertainment industry, video games and the internet.
It has to start somewhere and I say this is as good an issue as any to begin a dialog to facilitate a change and make a difference. Some people just want to be entertained and they don’t care about making a difference. If nothing makes a difference to you it’s hard to compel yourself to speak out for change. I personal feel the need to try and speak out.
I am not trying to make a villain out of anyone. Those who defend Adam are, in their mind, doing the right thing for him. I applaud anyone who tries to do the right think according to their own system of values but I was once told, “Some of the biggest regrets we will have in life are not the things we do wrong. They are the things we do right but for the wrong people.” I live by that and try never to “cast my pearls before swine”. This is simply my opinion.
Everyone stay safe and have a blessed weekend!
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Some people just have way too much time on their hands. I’ll make my response short and sweet. Adam would be a fantastic judge. ( I think that’s what this article is about, right?)
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Taymaro – I absolutely agree with everything you said. And, I had no idea that Adam was touting LSD as an acceptable method to self-awareness. The great Steve Jobs did so as well. As much as I respect Steve Jobs and all that he achieved in his lifetime, I disagree with his pro-LSD stance. And, the same can be said for Adam.
However, nothing can diminish their talent. We are all flawed human beings and we can’t throw stones.
Also, over the course of generations of music, many of our greatest artists were warped beyond reason. Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland – I could go on and on. Many of our classical composers as well.
And, don’t even get me started about the “wonderful world of sports”.
Where do we draw the line? As long as Adam doesn’t cross the line again, I think we should give him a pass. I think he would have a great deal to offer the singers, I really do. However, i would prefer to see an establish songwriter or record producer take his seat beside Mariah – that would be, to my mind, even better.
But, you struck many important nerves with your last comment and I do agree that so much in this world has to change. Has to! The world is clearly spinning out of control when it is unsafe to go to a movie. And, drugs are a major reason for this. The drug trafficking business needs to be eliminated and in a ruthless manner.
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I think Adam would be a brilliant judge, not only is he talented, he’s been exactly where the contestants will be.
Stephen Tyler certainly wasn’t a choir boy either! Yep! Adam has made some pretty dumb choices, but, so have I and everyone else!
Like MCL said, the list is very long of artist that have/are abusing drugs, you may be hard pressed to find that one who hasn’t…not saying it’s okay!
Mariah’s backstory is a little on the questionable side too!
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Hey All
I don’t have a problem with Adam as a person or anything that he has done. He just as good as any celebrity to me . I’m not even going to touch the moral thing. Most folks in high places like that a far from anything that I would call an example.
But Adam as a judge ….ummm … I don’t know. Would he critique the talent well? I think so. Would he know a winning voice when he heard it? Absolutely? But … there are a billion people out there who can do that, and if a billion people can do it, then that makes the job less than a job for an expert. I just happen to think that the contestants on Idol need a more expert opinion
I’ve been talking with a couple of folks about this over the past couple of days and I’ve been thinking …. If I were competing … I’d have a hard time respecting the opinion of someone who’s most famous for just basically being a runner up on the same show just a couple of years ago (what is it just 3,4 years?). I’d like someone who has accomplished a little bit more, judging me. Adam is an awesome performer, and has done alright but a judge on the show …I don’t know? I would hope that those competing are looking to be superstars, and not just looking to make a record and do couple concerts a year with audiences of 1000/2000 people for a year or 2. Then what next …a job as an Idol judge. I would hope that that those judging would have reached superstar status or at least worked with or been associated with people who have reached it.. If they haven’t, then I don;t know if I would put that much stock in any advice they’d give me on the show.
Bringing Adam on at this early point …to me … would lower the standards of Idol and then more decline. I remember when Brandy was a judge on AGT and one of the contestants very flippantly said to her … “when is the last time you made a record?” Brandy was speechless and looked very hurt. Yes, it was a disrespectful comment, but it hit at the core. I think Adam should use his 15 minutes working on making himself a superstar and then when he’s gotten there 7/8 years and has proven he can hold it down … then if its still around and hes’a achieved that … go for it.
Now Mariah …meets those standards. Some of the others meet those standards too. Adam …too soon right now.
Just a opinion of a “wanna be”
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Hello everyone. Haven’t been here in a while although I still look at the posts from time to time. I have reservations about Adam’s being a judge but for completely different reasons. I think being a judge will derail his solo career which has been going extremely well. He is an astonishing performer; I saw him 4 times during the summero of 2010. But I think he would be an awesome judge too. So we shall see what we shall see.
I think the connection between someone espousing LSD as a means to self-discovery and the Colorado shooting is a real reach. By all accounts, James Holmes was a model citizen. Not even a speeding ticket on his record. In my opinion, the shooting is a direct result of the ease with which people can buy assault-type weapons in this country and has nothing to do with what is going on in “society” today. The reality is that violence is actually much rarer than it was in centuries past. An average citizen in medieval Europe stood a much higher chance of being killed than anyone today (a book by Howard Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard, “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined” is an exploration of this issue). What we have today that was not true in medieval England is extensive media coverage. But I greatly respect the eloquence with which Taymaro has made his case.
Thanks, MCL, for all you do!!
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Vonnie,
What is questionable in Mariah’s past? Enlighten me please. I didn’t comment about Mariah here because I have no idea about her past and I didn’t want to give her any props without knowing a whole lot about her. I did a little research but couldn’t find anything negative to the point that I would hold the same opinion of her as I do Adam. I saw an interview with her and Nick that was conducted by Barbara Walters. They seemed to be devoted parents and have great family values.
Also you speak of all the other people whom you say have a checkered past. You use that to excuse or nullify the behavior of Mr. Lambert and that to me is just reasoning to maintain the status quo. I am talking about wholesale change and taking a stance to facilitate that change even though I hold almost no hope that it will ever happen. It’s just my opinion. Please don’t take offense. I am not trying to insult anyone who has a different opinion. In fact most people have a different opinion LOL but nobody has been able to say anything to make me consider changing my view on the matter. I don’t consider myself so rigid as to not be willing to consider other people’s point of view and adjust my own mind set to accommodate different thoughts and ideas. I have been proven wrong many times and I have changed my mind many times on a lot of things. I don’t think I am wrong on this one though.
slynnc,
I think I did stay on topic with my comment. Also it took only five minutes to write that and probably a millisecond to think about it. It wasn’t a carefully thought out attack on Lambert if that is what you are thinking. It was just my honest opinion. I know it’s inconsistent with your own but I was just being honest.
Karl,
I agree with your points on his inexperience. I also brought that up in my posts at AmericanIdolnet.com yesterday. I don’t think he is in a position right now to offer advice that will lead to a long and prosperous career for these contestants either.
Rosanne,
I totally appreciate your point of view. I am not perfect either. Jesus was the last perfect person on the Earth and he is no longer here to teach his lessons to us in person. Therefore we have to rely on imperfect people to teach us, as best that they can, right from wrong. I totally get that. I was more throwing stones at the idea of Lambert sitting in front of children and judging them when I feel he shouldn’t be in that position considering his past indiscretions. I would still watch the show but if he is there I would much prefer them to raise the age limit back to 18 to maybe even 21 years of age. But as I said to Vonnie, using people of like nature as examples to justify his behavior just seems to me like an argument to maintain the status quo instead of a stance to facilitate change. I do respect your opinion but I have my personal reasons for feeling the way I do. I have written about my son’s struggles before and when you sent him your wishes I just didn’t say anything but I will now. He is no longer here and the opportunity has past to change what happened there. I will never feel that I did enough to help him and that is part of what drives me now. I have anger issues about that, not only towards the current state of social affairs but anger towards him sometimes but mostly towards myself. I feel like I failed him and I don’t ever want to feel like I didn’t do enough again. Living with it now is hard enough.
I’m sorry if I have violated your policies or misused your platform to express my opinions. I won’t do it again. I will just not comment on things I feel this strongly about in the future. I think that would be the best thing to do.
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Taymaro,
Please don’t feel that your opinion is any less important than anyone elses here…all opinions are welcome and much appreciated! When you open up and share why Adams drug past bothers you, then we as fellow readers understand why this bothers you.
I try not to excuse bad behavior, my only thought is, good luck with the Hollywood crowd finding someone who is not or who has not used drugs and alcohol…does it excuse? No!
As far as Mariah, just type in your google bar Mariah Carey, drug and alcohol…she in her younger years was a total mess.
I am sorry about your son, as a parent my heart goes out to you!
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Hi Darlene!!!!!! 🙂
I think you hit the nail on the head with the Brandy comment…judges needs to be current. Contestants are savy…and very much into the now, if you aren’t sruggling in todays business then to them you are clueless…
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Actually…I think they should just move the Duets judges over to the Idol judges table!!!
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Darn Taymaro. Darn!! I am so sorry for your loss. Words cannot begin to express my deepest and heartfelt sympathy for all that you have endured.
But, please – PLEASE – do not burden yourself with anymore guilt. It is difficult, I know, but I am sure that, as a parent, you did everything in your power to prevent your son’s tragedy.
The survivors suffer an eternity. Your son is at peace, free from his demons. He would want you to embrace the life that eluded him.
You are an eloquent writer – you should be speaking in the educational system on the dangers of drug abuse . Turn your anger and grief into something more positive and powerful.
God Bless You for sharing your personal life with us. We have all learned a big lesson today – that people oftentimes speak from personal experiences and we cannot judge.
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Taymaro – you are free to comment as you please!! Freedom of speech is integral here in the MCL community and you have always been so adept at stringing those words together. Please!! Do not hesitate to express your feelings in a respectful manner – as you ALWAYS DO.
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MCL… 🙂 🙂 🙂
The very reason why I love this site!!!
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Thank you Vonnie!!! :):):):)
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Taymaro,
I have been thinking alot about you today, and just wanted to come back to tell you that you have greatly touched my heart…I totally respect your opinion on Adam as a judge.
MCL,
You words to Taymaro were so kind…I love how you care for us, this is what makes this site so wonderful, and why I can’t stay away for very long at a time.
As well as all who post here…FAMILY!!! 🙂
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Just a thought…but I find it sad that in the state of our economy that an idol judge would be making 17 million dollars…what in the world is Randy, Ryan and the rest of the staff making??????????????
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Vonnie – thank you so much. I try to make certain that this site reflects the manner in which I go about my life. And, in doing so, I feel that I have attracted the very best members to this MCL community.
You and so many others here have complete respect for one another and I love that. I could not run a site plagued with bitterness and negativity – it would stress me out too much and be so counter-productive to what we are trying to achieve here.
Yes, we are family and a pretty darn good one at that!! :):)
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I am 100% sure Mr. Adam Lambert will be the best judge. Besides many others reasons related to his back ground/ experience, HE HAS THE GUTS TO JUDGE IN AN ACCEPTABLE and CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. Mariah , yes she is a great singer and celebrity but honestly, I don’t see her giving constructive criticism. She will be another “beautiful” or ” baby, baby, baby” “cheerleader” judge. American Idol needs AT LEAST one real (Simon style) judge. A judge who 1). knows what the contestants are going through 2). knows singing/music 3). who’s not afraid to speak his/her mind.
These are the main reasons (among others) why I believe Mr. Adam Lambert will be a GREAT JUDGE.
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Adam would make a brilliant judge and he is a perfect role model for young people. Adam is an extremely talented and competent musician and he would bring a dying show to life again.
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AussieLady – I am sorry but I am going to have to edit your comment. Taymaro has deeply painful and personal reasons for his commentary. Did you read his latest comment?
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It apears to be official that Mariah Carey has joined the Idol team, this according to Entertainment weekly, Fox News and other sources.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/23/mariah-carey-american-idol/
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Welp…Mariah it is!!! Gene you need to pull more strings over there at idol.
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Taymaro,
I hope you will accept my apology for my particular choice of words to you when we were kidding around about the inner workings of Idol. I wouldn’t hesitate to kid with you or anyone else here for that matter, for a minute but I wasn’t aware of your personal tragedy and heartache when I chose that particular common expression to use. I’m very sorry for my words and I hope you understand that I wouldn’t do that on purpose for the world. I am very sorry to hear of your loss.
MCL offered excellent advice regarding turning your loss into a gain for others in whatever way is a good fit for you, and I commend her for her loving support.
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Gene: Thanks for that information about about Mariah. Very interesting
Excuse me Ms Vonnie ……..
….but it was not Darlene that made the comment about Brandy …I BEG YO PARDON!! It was was I 🙂 “honor to whom honor is due”. 🙂 🙂 🙂 just jokes…just jokes
And speaking of honor ……Rosanne … I did read the full comment before it was edited and I support you 100% and thank you so much for doing that. I know I have said this a couple times before but like Vonnie I too I SO appreciate this site and the way that you manage it and the tone in which you work to keep its community. You are TRULY a master class lady. Every now and then a comment or 2 gets in thats rough but it’s SO rare here (at least compared to other sites) and I think its because of the beautiful spirit which you display in keeping it going. Thank you!! Bravo!! Kudo’s !! and every good word that can be spoken for a job well done.!!!
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Taymaro
First – let me just echo what MCL and a couple of others have said. I know its hard not to but don’t let that guilt take you there. You tried to reach your son and I believe somebody with a greater love than you and I both, tried to reach him as well, because of that love. However at the end of the day, we are all allowed to make choices .When we make a choice that is not for our better good, its our choice. The results of OUR choices are not because somebody failed us. .If THE ONE who loves more than we can ever love was unable to change his path, then no amount of love that you could have given could have made things turn out different. Somebody who loved him more than you did ,reached out (because HE always does) and your son responded and chose his own path. It definetly wasn’t because of a lack of love. You loved him, you didn’t fail him and the Greater One even loved him more
I get you passion now against the LSD thing and why you feel the way you do about Adam and why you’d like to see somebody there who’s not just a mentor or judge but somebody who will also be a role model. And to that I’ll just say …We DO need to see more them (I’ll even say we just need to see them period). Having said all that though …. in my opinion, I don’t think its it the role of shows like Idol to present role models because so often those doing the picking have not actually been role models themselves. So just what could we actually expect?
To get role models on these shows, I think what we have got to do is work overtime to support those who HAVE BEEN role models. .Those who have stayed out of trouble. Who haven’t been instigators of scandal. We should raise the names of those we know who have been that . Blog about them .Attend their concerts and if enough support is there to make them the stars that they deserve to be … then they will put in the places that we’d like them to be …like on shows like Idols. If that doesn’t happen and the public won’t support those who have been the type role models we’d like, then we’ll continue to to see people endorsed and promoted who can’t fill the shoes. For me …VERY FEW of the most recognized names of our time can fill the shoes of what I call role model . Its a high standard and often ends in disappointment.
So what I expect on shows like Idol is to just bring people before the contestants who have been successful in their craft, That in itself would be an accomplishment for me … IF …and thats a big IF. IF ….there are indeed people who have been successful and have been role models too …then that would make it even that much sweeter.
There is a name who I have always thought who would be a good judge on Idol. It;s not someone thats current though and they haven’t made records in a long time but back in the day they were pretty popular and had massive success. This person in my opinion has been a role model. In all the years they we have known them there have been no disappointing scandals at all. They know whats its like to be a young teen in the business and how to sat afloat when the limelight is gone. (Oh and 17 million I’m sure would not be a requirement. They would be honored for the call). Its not because of their singing ability that I think they should be there. Only their experience in the business. I personally would become a more attentive fan and would definitely listen to this persons wisdom. Evey year I imagine this person being there … and that is Jermaine Jackson.
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Rosanne, you are the one who is eloquent to the very limits of that word’s descriptive value! Thank you so much! You will never know how much those words mean to me and I will cherish the discovery of your site for eternity because of those words.
I appreciate everyone of you. All the beautiful words mean a lot. You will never know how much. I am trying! I really am. I am not a speaker though. I can’t put two sentences together coherently in front of people. You don’t understand that I have been to the brink of my own destruction and back because of this. I have worked through a lot of it but some of it will take a long time and may never get resolved in my own mind.
My personal feelings are just too deep and so complicated. I take absolutely nothing at face value anymore. I live my life and view the world with a level of cynicism that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. It absolutely robs the joy from just about everything I do. I am mostly afraid that if I try to impose on anyone else’s life at this point that I will inject that negativity into their personal psyche and create another person just like me who lacks joy and the ability to think in a positive way. I can control it though and when I and my wife spend time with my nieces I do control it but it’s very very difficult.
Gene, I don’t remember anything that you said that I took in a negative way. I considered it all in jest and thought your post was pretty funny and spot on with my own thoughts. I thought I was the only one capable of thinking that way so it was actually a breath of fresh air to see it all laid out in words that way by someone else.
I long for a place to lay the blame so that I can satisfy my own need to forgive myself. The search for that place has lead me down a disparagingly dreary road and to the very depths of humanities deepest and darkest idiosyncrasies. I traveled there only to realize that the inherent evil in society is exactly what creates the nesting place for all that is righteous and kind in our species. You can’t appreciate the true brilliance of a light unless it lives in the darkest of environments. If my son inherited the tiniest speck of what my mind has been able to conjure up in the aftermath of this tragedy it is almost understandable even expected that something like that would happen. The adversity in my life had prepared and strengthened me for this rough ride but he had absolutely no life lessons to fall back on. He was left weak and defenseless by our love and determination to shield him from the trials of our own early lives. As the avalanche came crashing down on him he had nothing to look back on for a lesson on how to deal with it because he had never had to deal with anything at all in the past. That is the reason I shoulder so much of the blame but I am working on it and you all have helped a lot with no more than your words. I will tone down the negativity in future posts and try not to snuff out or even dim in the slightest way, the amazing light that exists on this site.
Congratulations and Thanks Rosanne for creating a community that has attracted so many wonderful people. You’re truly a “Master Class” human being. All of you are!
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Taymaro,
May the Lord Bless and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you PEACE.
Numbers 6:24-26
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Woot! Well ‘xcuse me of my faux pas mr brotherkarl sir…honor given!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m still giggling over that one…I LOVE IT!!!
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Vonnie
You are excused 🙂
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Masterclass Lady…I am appalled that you have edited my comment. I expressed my feelings in a respectful manner, so where is the freedom of speech that you said was so integral ????. Because Taymaro has lost a child is no excuse to insult another person who has clearly not harmed anyone. It is so obvious that Taymaro is not in favour of Adam because Adam is gay. and you have supported Taymaro’s hateful remarks by deleting my comments.
Joely …..Agree with you wholeheartedly. I am waiting to see if it will be edited too.
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Aussie – Taymaro never said that. It was the drug issue that was problematic. Please don’t start an argument when there was not one to begin with.
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Confused I surely am here! With all due respect it appears the focus of this topic has left the building and has branched off into a personal direction. @Taymaro so sad for your loss, as I too lost a child, and that pain will always be with me. It’s devastating but I learnt I couldn’t cloud judgement upon others because of my tough situation. This is indeed a tender healing time for you. But with regards to your earlier comments above, the strange connections from one issue to another I found simply harsh with regards to Mr Adam Lambert. You are of course entitled to your opinion, but I found your words so unjust towards this talented man who I think would be a simply perfect judge for the upcoming season of AI. I find him to be so refreshingly intelligent, talented, honest, and open and through him so many people have learnt to love with an open heart to change the world that we live in through acceptance, love and peace. Beware of those who don’t share these great traits, they’re one one’s you need to watch, but NOT Adam.
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Hi Jo,
I too hope Adam is idol’s next judge named…the article above this one Sue posted a video of Adam mentoring a group of young children and teens, he was amazing!
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Aussielady
I’ve seen you here before but I don’t know you. I stand behind Rosanne 100% in editing the comment (she could have just deleted it totally…but she is a master class lady and showed respect for the things you said that keeps this site what it is. I did read your initial full comment and all of Taymaro’s comments and you can go back and read his yourself. They are still there unedited. No mention of Adam being gay was posted until you posted it. You went all the way there and assumed that the reason Taymaro did not prefer Adam was because Adam was gay.
Where did that come from? Not from him. I don’t prefer Adam as a judge either but trust me …. trust me … it has nothing at all with him being gay. I stated my reasons as did Taymaro (and neither were about Adam being gay) Why did you go there? because of assumption?. With Adam there has been drugs, there have public brawls. They nothing to do with him being gay.
If Taymaro had the kind hatred that you said he had …he could have just said it but instead very respectfully that conversation was kept off the table. If he was there and expressed it…it would have took the conversation to a whole new level, but thats not what happened. You brought it though and very disrespectfully personally attacked him at a place where that attack was not called for at a very inappropriate time. Talk about hatred. How disrespectful was that . That was awful. Had it even suggested what you said …your response would have made sense, but he didn’t even suggest it …but you went all the way there. Adam Lambert , to me is awesome performer. Awesome!! Probably one of the best that has been on the show and for him to go as far as he did was incredible!! It shows how much we have grown … but as I judge …as I said before … I don’t think so. If I can’t express my opinion though about a celebrity with out being personally attacked for doing it then I guess we have only grown in one area.
Rosanne has made it her business to keep the tone of this site at a pleasant level for you and all us of us who come here. You were not attacked, but you came against Taymaro, Rosanne and now I’ll probably be attacked. Its unfair because that subject was never introduced as we ALL know it brings high tension because we all have different feelings about it and you know that …. but you didn’t care. Thats not the kind of site that Rosanne has built here. There are plenty of sites though who want that kind of drama. It it hasn’t been here …why would you bring it? Why would you introduce something like that and …at a time when he was expressing his loss …. especially when he never even suggested what you said. I didn’t get it
Rosanne I really really love tis site as I have said so many times before …and if you took my comment out .here.. I’d understand. I wouldn’t be the least upset. The tone you keep here is so pleasant. I;d understand why though if it was removed and would contribute your removing it to being the master class lady that you are.
But I’ ll be a right posting on 🙂 Love you Rosanne and all the new friends I talk with here.
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BrotherKarl – thank you again for your eloquent words. I really love your contributions to this site and value your support and friendship very much. Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
And, I do hope that AussieLady will come back and share her thoughts in a more positive light. I think that whenever one speaks of Adam with the slightest criticism, some people think it is an anti-gay issue. And, it’s not!
We all had issues with Jennifer Lopez’ suggestive videos being aired while young eyes were quite possibly watching the American Idol Results Show. These stars have to take responsibility for their actions because they are constantly in the limelight.
Adam, no doubt, would be a wonderful mentor and judge. He is extremely bright, articulate and talented. However, that being said, we don’t want him prancing on the Idol stage with suggestive movements during the Results Show. That would be very wrong and unwise.
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AussieLady,
I respect your opinions but I have no problem with Adam’s sexual preference. If I have a problem with sexuality being displayed on AI at all it’s because it has always been a family show. I think that the airing of JLo’s video crossed over the line as well. That sort of thing just doesn’t belong on a family program. If I have a child that is interested in having a professional career in music I would like to send them the message that they need to learn to reach the audience through their voice and the lyrics instead of through their sexuality. Everyone knows that “sex sells” so in my opinion that’s the lazy way to go about it. The ability to deliver a performance and make it resonate with the audience through the subtle nuances of your voice and the way you deliver the phrases of the song takes a lot of work and effort. Just because you are gifted with good looks and sex appeal doesn’t mean you should rely on that so much. With me it’s all about the music and the voice. Not so much the looks or the sex appeal. Having a great down to earth and real world personality will gain a performer a lot of support from me as well. Certain songs require a little bit of a display or limited sexiness in the wardrobe or performance but there is a line that they shouldn’t cross on public television and on a family program IMO.
I definitely don’t think that a person who advocates the use of illegal drugs or the abuse of legal drugs should be placed in a position to be judging children.
If Adam were to clean up his act and make public statements of remorse for his stance on using LSD and his grotesque performances I would have no problem with him being a judge. If I think about it the way Karl put it. That’s it’s actually an indication of his failures rather than his success I can probably stomach it now but he will still be earning millions so that’s kinda hard to take as well. It’s a starting point though. If in his critique of the contestant he would say “You will end up having to take a job like this to earn a living instead of performing up there if you don’t improve on this or that” I would have to do a complete about face on my opinion.
I could go into this long spiel about all the performers and actors that I like who are openly gay but that is just not one of the criteria that factors into my appreciation or dislike of their talent. So I don’t really know about their sexual preference unless someone makes a big public display of it or if I just happen across an article and find it out. It doesn’t matter to me. I couldn’t make up that list because for some of them I don’t know, or I don’t remember, and I definitely don’t care what their sexual preference is. It’s just not a determining factor for me.
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Jo,
I would hope that most people who read that would not take it that I was making a huge leap from Adam Lambert directly to the actions of James Holmes.
The point that I was making is that young influential minds can be adversely influenced by the actions of those who are in the public eye and seem to know the recipe for success. Most people want to be successful in life agreed?
You don’t hire a chef to build your house and you don’t hire a carpenter to cook in your restaurant?
If these young people see someone get ahead in life through absurdities and if they hear that person tell them that LSD was their launching pad what do you think they are going to do? They will take that BAD advice. That’s my issue. Then to have that misdirected individual sit and judge my child’s (or anyone’s child)performance just doesn’t sit well with me and would lead to all sorts of hard feelings if it were me.
The connection I make is that the entertainment industry as a whole is guilty of acting irresponsibly with the things that they put out there for human consumption.
I really don’t want to get into an detailed conversation about that but I will just say this.:
We are conditioned to view violence as an acceptable form of entertainment from a small child. From something as seemingly harmless as “Tom and Jerry” cartoons to slapstick comedy like “The Three Stooges” to sports like boxing and wrestling and the martial arts. Now bring that all the way to Hollywood and violent movies and all the incredible special effects that make everything so realistic and breath taking.
It didn’t take a whole lot of brain power for James Holmes to come up with the idea to do what he did. He was taught exactly how to do it by Hollywood. Everyone I have heard seems to think that it was some grand scheme that was conjured up by a diabolical demon mind. Well that demon mind lived in Hollywood not Colorado. The script had already been written all he had to do is assemble the tools and learn the lines and he was ready to make his debut.
My only question is “Why are we so entertained by violence?”
The only difference between a maniac and a normal person is that normal people are satisfied with simply consuming violence as a form of entertainment. Maniacs need to produce it to satisfy their need. Luckily there are very few maniacs in society or it could be much worse.
But at the end of the day. There is a market for violence and in some sense it becomes a necessary commodity in today’s society. But that doesn’t excuse prostitution or drug use so it shouldn’t excuse violent entertainment either IMO.
You see it can’t be completely explored without writing a book. That’s enough on that subject. I hope you understand the connection I was making now.
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There’s good news! Just a few seconds after completing my last post I saw on “The Insider” that a lot of the movies that are scheduled out this year which contain violence are being re-edited out of concern and respect for the real life instances that are shockingly similar have taken place. They are even pulling back the advertising for “The Dark Night Rises” and making adjustments. I am sure this will be temporary but it’s good to know that someone else is noticing the problem and they are making an attempt at acting in a responsible manner.
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Can we just step back for a moment and get some perspective about Adam?
Please just watch these videos of Adam performing at two different American Idol results night:
Never Close Our Eyes
Whataya Want From Me
Does anyone see ANYTHING offensive about either performance? Anything at all that you would not want your children to see?
I see a beautiful man on stage singing beautiful music.
The fear that he would recreate his AMA performance on the AI stage is simply unwarranted.
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@Sue
Thankyou for bringing the focus, and the correct prespective back to Adam Lambert
with positivity, and for posting the outstanding videos. Adam is a beautiful man who is loved by so many, including my own children, all who have had the priviledge of sharing some time with Adam. He is a source of admirable inspiration and light and he would be an awesome mentor on a show that needs to be re-energized.
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Sue –
Thanks of the video’s. Let me say I don’t think anybody at all doubts the charm or expertise that Adam would bring as a judge on Idol. We saw his level of professionalism when he was first introduced to us and you can definitely see it in the video’s. Would he make a good judge? Of course he would! Thats not the question. The question is ….Is he the VERY BEST person out here for the job? OR is he the ONLY person out here to do the job? I say …of course not? Personally …aside from Ellen (who is probably my favorite comedian of ALL time), I’ve liked everyone of the judges who have held that seat on Idol. They have all done well! Are there people out there who can do a better job that what we’ve seen or who’ve we mentioned ? I think there are and thats what we want. I guess I’m not sure why out of all the many who could do this why he seems to be the ONLY likely choice here. Is that really ALL that we have?
For me … I’d like to just see the searched broadened a bit beyond the very few names on table …(all who I’m sure who could do a great job. I’d just like to see some better choices. I hope we are not saying that Adam Lambert is the only qualified celebrity in the world who can make a difference there. Come on now. He might be great for the job but is he the ONLY person out here who can do this. Wow!! Can we open it a little bit more at all?
Having said all of that though James mentioned some things that got me to thinking about Idol putting together a panel that would put a broader range of f experiences on the table. And in THAT respect I could see Adam there (more so than Scott). He could indeed represent the side who’s could speak on behalf the contestants experience since he’s been one, AS LONG AS other kinds of experiences are represented as well. And if not Rosanne herself, why not have a powerful trained vocal coach at the table. That would give them a benefit that most pop singers never get. And Aretha (because of he age which so many thinks is a negative) she would bring a wisdom to Idol that has never been represented on any of these shows. Its all very interesting.
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BrotherKarl – As I said in the newer Mariah Carey thread, I believe that “Adam would make a terrific judge and mentor.” That’s not to say that others wouldn’t make terrific judges as well or that being an AI would be the best career move for Adam.
What I am concerned about is the assumptions that have been made that Adam would not be a good judge because he would somehow sully the AI stage by recreating his AMA performance on it or that his past references to drug use, particularly at the Burning Man festival, would corrupt young people. I am particularly disturbed that anyone would go so far to link Adam Lambert to the massacre in Colorado.
Again, let’s bring in some perspective. Yes, Adam openly discussed how he came to an epiphany about taking charge of his life at a Burning Man festival years ago, and yes that certainly involved an hallucinogenic drug. However, let’s remember the setting in which he chose to share that experience. It was in an issue of Rolling Stone magazine, We all know that Rolling Stone magazine is a publication very much aimed at adult readers and that it presents the life stories of musicians, including that involving drug use, with a lot of candidness.
But, more importantly, has Adam encouraged others, especially young people, to take drugs? Absolutely not. Here’s what he has said about cocaine: “That drug is such a reflection of the lack of self-esteem & control people have over themselves and their lives.” And, I think we would all agree with him. Go ahead and do a search for videos or interviews in which Adam promotes drugs of any kind. You’re not going to find much out there. Then do a search of videos in which Adam is interacting positively with young people and you’re going to find videos like his “Majors and Minors” appearance, which I posted in the newer Mariah Carey thread.
And, does Adam not hold himself accountable for his behavior, especially now that he’s in the public eye? Here’s an interview he did this past January on the Ellen Show following an incident of public drunkenness in Finland:
Maybe some of those posting here have formed judgments about who Adam is based on a few snippets of information and have not been exposed to how thoughtful, articulate, and intelligent he is. Below, I’ve posted a longer video below in which Adam reflects on how being famous has changed his life. The “F” word in the title is, of course, “fame.”
So, should Adam be the next AI judge? I don’t know. Of course, there are certainly other talented individuals who would make fine judges. But, would Adam make a “terrific judge and mentor,” as I earlier suggested? Yes, I believe he would.
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Hey Sue
Thanks for clips. I saw the Ellen interview when it initially aired. I ‘d never seen the “F” Word.
As I said before…Do I think “Adam could make a good judge”? Yeah. I’d just like to see Idol contestants advised by someone with a little more experience. Some of the mistakes he’s made that he’s mentioned are just a result of his inexperience (not because hes some kind of a bad person) In his comments he’s talks about learning and growing up. His comments actually confirm what I think about the whole situation. In the “F” Word . He said … and I hope I’m quoting correctly … ” I would hope as a role model I would be encouraging people to be what THEY want to be as opposed to being like me.” What he said makes sense …but its not the way things work.. Those who see him as a role model are going to pattern themselves after him. They are going to do as he does not as he says. Down to the way he dresses and combs his hair. They are going to do as he does not as he says .Thats the way it goes. A wise person knows that. An inexperienced person has yet to learn it. He’s still learning and for me … I’d just rather have somebody advising on that panel who has had little bit more experience in the business … who has blossomed into a super star. Not somebody who hasn’t got their themselves yet.
Listen …Adam knows the difference in a good voice and a bad one. He’d give some great critiques. He’s not totally new to the business and he’s an awesome performer. Every time I see him perform .. it seems like he always takes us to another level …but Adam needs some grammy’s under his belt (as far as I know he just has nominations).. He needs to draw an audience where people are lined up hours and hours in advance to see him. He’s not there yet and he can’t tell anybody what to do to get that to happen because he hasn’t learned himself. I think thats where his focus ought to be right now. Jennifer and Steven realize it. Thats why they are going back. You don’t fill concert audiences and get grammys for sitting on a judging panel. I like to see Adam Lambert get his “just due” first
He’d be as good as anybody else, if he did it though. I’d just like to see somebody else. If it is him though … I’ll still be the faithful viewer that I’ve always been
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BrotherKarl – was it you that said that Jermaine Jackson would be an excellent judge? If so, I agree.
Another natural is Barry Manilow. Years ago, he expressed interest in working more closely with the singers on a regular basis, even to the point of arranging their numbers to suit their singing style. Now, that would be really something.
Considering all the health issues he has encountered, this might be a great new direction for him – nurturing other singers. He is so talented and so giving.
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Hey Rosanne
Oh Yeah !! Both of them. And the reason I say yes to both of them is because I believe they both are the kind of guys that would take it beyond the show. They have the heart for it and one things for certain … there are no careers that would get in the way. I’m going to do some research to see if their names have come up and what the response is.
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Thanks so much BrotherKarl. Keep me posted as always. 🙂
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Brother Karl,
You’ve definitely brought up valid points of whether Adam is the best fit for AI at this point in his career, and similar questions could be asked whether the AI judging gig is the best fit for Adam at this point in his career as well. Many of his fans would like to see him concentrate more on his own music and wonder if being tied to reality program that has been steadily losing viewership would be detrimental to his relatively young career.
Adam has just returned from incredible run of concerts with Queen in London, Warsaw, Moscow, and this one in front of hundreds of thousands of people in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine. Elton John, by the way, was his and Queen’s opening act. Here’s just one video that you might enjoy.
However, we all recognize that Adam needs to gain greater attention for his own catalog of music. That’s happening, but it’s been a gradual process. Yes, we’d all like him to get some Grammy’s under his belt, be heard more widely on the radio, and frankly speaking, sell more albums.
I’ve been following Adam since he first appeared on AI, and I’m excited to see where his journey takes him. I don’t know if it should be or will be AI. I am delighted, though, that he seems to be one of the names under consideration.
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Brother Karl,
I also want to say that I am thankful that you watched the “F” word video I posted as it really shows how Adam as been growing and maturing in the years since he first appeared on the AI stage as a relative unknown. He has had stumbles in his post AI career, but he’s shown a willingness to learn from them.
I’m glad that you picked up on this quote: ”I would hope as a role model I would be encouraging people to be what THEY want to be as opposed to being like me.” Now, I want to address that and some of the misconceptions I’ve seen in this thread about Adam’s fans.
I am one of those fans who gladly and proudly wears the term “Glambert.” I’ve attended many concerts, met many fellow fans, and have been part of a large and diverse online fan community for three years now. There seems to be a mistaken view here that his fans are largely very young and very impressionable. That is certainly not the case. So many of his fans are like me: women in their forties, well-educated, and professional and are not running off to do LSD because Adam had an epiphany at Burning Springs. Adam’s music appeals to a much more sophisticated audience than most of you seem to realize. And, the younger fans I’ve met tend to be very well-spoken, seemingly well-adjusted, and oftentimes attending concerts with their moms, who are also fans.
And, if you start to talk with the “Glamberts,” you’ll start to hear their stories of how Adam, his music, and his journey have helped them overcome their own personal struggles and transform their lives. I’ve come across so many stories, that Adam came into their lives as they were struggling with the death of a loved one, a divorce, a job loss, illness, and so on. Adam’s fans simply don’t want to become Adam, but they take from him and his music hope and inspiration for their own lives.They form powerful support groups of friends and they move forward with their lives.
Let me share with you just one example of many. This video was taken outside a radio station in Los Angeles this spring when Adam performed in front of studio audience. A small number of fans who didn’t have tickets congregated outside hoping that he might come out the front door and pose for a few photos. You can’t see me clearly, but I was there. When you watch this video, you’ll see Adam posing for a photo and then having a short conversation with a tall, slender woman with dark, short hair and sunglasses around the 0:55. She’s a very close personal friend of mine.
You’ll hear her say to him, “You gave me my life back. Thank you.” to which he replied “You, you gave you your life back.You did it. You gave you your life back.” Then she said, “Yes, that’s true. But you helped. Your music.” What was edited out of the video was her sharing with him how he and his music inspired her to overcome a decades-long drug addiction. She’s been clean and sober for over a year now and has found an amazing group of friends who are her “sisters.” And, notice how he recognized that and refused to take credit for it.
When Adam says time and time again, “I would hope as a role model I would be encouraging people to be what THEY want to be as opposed to being like me,” the great majority of his fans understand that message and embrace it.
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Hey Sue:
You say that his fans understand the statement. Of course they do. I understand it. Its makes sense. Its what everybody would want. “Be yourself”. Thats what we all tell people to do. Nobody that I know has ever had a goal of being just like another. Take singing for example. An aspiring singer only wants the “success” of their favorite singer. They don’t necessarily want to sound like them but in their patterning themselves behind the singer …so often end up sounding just like them. Acting like hem. Dressing like them. That wasn’t the goal. Its just what happens so often when another is idolized. The favorite singer definitely doesn’t want another duplicate of himself out there in the business, yet whether they want it or not people duplicate them.They don;t tell them to do it. They just do it. And it has nothing to do with being impressional or young. We all do it. I do it. We see an outfit that somebody wheres well and we go out and get it for ourselves.There’s nothing wrong with that. And by the way ..there’s nothing wrong with dressing like Adam either …but I have to ask the question … how does dressing like another help to promote the message ….Be yourself? or how is dressing like your Idol showing the world that you are “being yourself”? To me ..it says the message is just words
I know I’m sounding a bit preachy, but when I see people promoting “Do as I say not as I do” and they think they’re being effective … it just makes me chuckle.
Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina loved her and Whitney loved her as well. I’m sure that Whitney taught her well, like we all teach our children, so that she wouldn’t fall in some of the bad habbits she fell into herself. I’m also sure that Bobbi Kristina listened tentatively to her mother because she loved her so, even more so than Adams fans love him. But she ultimately went Whitney’s path of drugs anyway and I’m sure it wasn’t her plan to do drugs or it definitely wasn’t her mothers plan for her to do it..But how you do it and mask it was right in front of her face. It just happened. Somebody who has grown some knows “Do as I say and not as I do” …usually never works. Usually once they’ve learned it though, a ton of things have already set in motion. People have got to learn that our most effective lessons are taught to the ones we love by our examples, not by the words we speak.
No need to defend Adams character ..at least not to me. He’s as good as any other celebrity out there … any other person for that matter. My only words to him would be “spend a little bit more time developing yourself before you get out here and make an attempt to start developing others.
That would be it . Oh …I saw the video and its really cool to hear that your friend has the one year clean, I’ve seen people looking for that one year for the last 20 years. May she have many many more.
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