Wednesday, April 22, 2009

On Being a "HOT" celebrity: If Kris Allen Can be Openly Married, why can't Adam Lambert be Openly Gay?

Once again American Idol (much as I love the show) allows us to look at the heterosexist machinery of FAME. And I'm not talking about Paula's comments about Kris shopping in the women's department - uh, Simon, I think she meant for SONGS, not for underwear. But thanks for taking it to that awkward place. Kudos to Kris for laughing it off! What I DO mean is this:



Kris Allen can be "HOT," even though the masses of women (and men who are Gay and Bi) in America know they can't have him. They want to believe that Kris is singing to them, and they fantasize they are the object of his affection. BUT HE'S NOT REALLY AVAILABLE.

So if Adam Lambert came out as GAY and talked about his boyfriend like Kris talks about his wife (not a lot, but enough to let everyone know what's what), what calamity would befall him?



Suddenly, I suppose, all the masses of women (and gay and bi men) in America would know they can't have him. They want to believe that Adam is singing to them, and they fantasize they are the object of his affection. BUT HE'S NOT REALLY AVAILABLE, EITHER.

What's the difference, exactly? So are women watching Kris thinking,


I'll make him leave his wife for me!


Is that much more realistic than watching an OUT and gay Adam and thinking,


I'll make him leave his boyfriend for me!


Is the disappointment of fans that Kris is unavailable different than the disappointment of fans that Adam is unavailable?

I'm sure I can't be the only one who's noticed the show's soft-pedal on Kris' wife. Heck, they're practically NEWLYWEDS, and it's not something that comes up a lot on the show. I'm thinking that's on purpose. They wouldn't want to ruin anyone's fantasy now, would they?

Would actually saying
"I'm Gay"

cost Adam the Title of "American Idol," because then people couldn't pretend they might someday get it on with him?

Doesn't this blow away the whole "reasoning" for why someone shouldn't come out on the show?

Or am I missing something here?

What do you think?

3 comments:

Hayden Thorne said...

Is the disappointment of fans that Kris is unavailable different than the disappointment of fans that Adam is unavailable?I had a friend in high school who had a total crush on her gay friend. She played the aggressor, in a manner of speaking. She took him out on dates all over, and he went because they were good friends. She seemed to be in complete denial (at least in my baffled teenage mind) for such a long time, and when he finally told her that he'd like to start seeing other boys, she broke down and had a really hard time letting go.

On the other hand, I developed a crush on a straight guy who developed a crush on my good friend, and while I was crushed, I was able to remove myself from the picture quickly.

Not sure to what extent individual personalities and circumstances come into play here, but I've heard of other accounts from straight female friends who fell in love with gay men. Their experiences coincided with my high school friend, i.e., they were in denial for a long time (ergo, risking the label "fag hag"), deluding themselves that those guys will someday turn around and "discover" them.

Hayden Thorne said...

I used "crush" a little too much in one sentence, didn't I? My bad. XD

Angie said...

I agree that unavailable is unavailable and it shouldn't matter. On the other hand, I've definitely seen female fans of male celebs snarking all over the guy's wife or girlfriend, talking about how she's a bitch or a whore or a skank, how she's too slutty for him or not pretty enough for him or just hanging on his celebrity coattails to shore up her own nonexistent talent, or whatever. I'm not completely convinced that their expression of their views was completely motivated by concern and compassion for the gentlemen involved. [/sarcasm] I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that there was some "If I can't have him then no other woman is good enough for him" sentiment buried in there.

Of course, whether anyone should care what people like that think is a whole 'nother issue. Personally, I say no. But given that there are fans -- and pretty rabid ones, the kind who'll see all your movies or buy all your DVDs/CDs/whatever -- who have that POV, I can see how some industry execs might cave to the extent of favoring male stars who are or appear or can be pretended to be straight. :P

Angie