I Used "Frak" So You Would Read This and Not Be Offended

[This is the family friendly version of a blog I posted today on my page in the Adam Lambert Fan Site. One or two of you might find it interesting.]

The Many Messages in Adam Lambert’s “Frak You”

Last night, December 15, 2010, Adam Lambert performed the second to last concert of his Glam Nation Tour at the Henry Fonda Theater, aka The Music Box, the same theater he performed in 6 years ago to the day. Six years ago, he was a virtually unknown talent (except in certain LA circles) when he sang “A Change Is Gonna Come” in that performance of The Zodiac Show, dressed in feathers, leather, and glitter, looking like a human-peacock hybrid.

Those of us who know countless trivial facts about Adam’s life were aware of the circuitous nature of last night’s performance, and were all hoping he would sing “A Change Is Gonna Come” again. He did not disappoint.

But before singing the song, he had something to say.

He called the song “an amazing anthem that was originally intended for civil rights.” He then added that the gay and lesbian community is currently involved in a civil rights movement. The crowd cheered.

He continued, “Being told years ago, “You’re not gonna make it frakking looking like that.” He told the story of working on a project while in rehearsals for that same Zodiac Show and someone said to him “You gotta take off your eye makeup and your nail polish, man, we just, we’re very uncomfortable with that.” He looked at them and said, “I’m in rehearsal and I’m a frakking singer. What the frak is your problem?” He then explained that his performance of “A Change is Gonna Come” in The Zodiac Show was charged with his feelings from that experience.

He continued, “And then, in the long run, it was the same thing. ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘You’re never gonna make it.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’” He told the crowd that he is not cocky, just thankful for his friends and proud to have completed a world tour and be a Grammy nominee.

But here’s the moral to the whole story that he wanted us to understand: “Anybody that tells you ‘no,” tell them, ‘Frak You!’”

There is a lot of meaning in that “Frak You!” It’s not just a dismissal. It’s an “I will not let your prejudices stop me!”, a “Your discomfort with my appearance is not my problem!”, an “I know there are people out there who will appreciate me just the way I am, so just get out of my way!,” an “I told you so!”, a “You were a fool to doubt me!”, and an “It doesn’t matter that I’m gay!”.

And it’s not just directed at homophobic bigots. It’s a “Frak You” to record label executives who would not give him a chance. It’s a “Frak You” to other artists and industry people who pressured him to change because they were “uncomfortable.” It’s a “Frak You” to Simon Cowell who called “Ring of Fire” “indulgent rubbish” and to Randy Travis who was rendered “speechless” by nail polish and flamboyance. It’s a “Frak You” to the 1500 people who complained to the FCC about his AMA performance while ignoring the crotch-grabbing, rifle-brandishing, and rape-extolling performances of other artists on the same show, earlier in the evening. It’s a “Frak You” to ABC for banishing all live performances from their network. It’s a “Frak You” to Gene Simmons who said his coming out would kill his career. And it’s a “Frak You” to the religious nuts all over the world who think he’s immoral or evil or deviant or whatever judgmental garbage they think.

The conventional wisdom continues to be that openly gay artists cannot succeed. And to be sure, prejudice does exist. But Adam Lambert’s success is proof that talent, training, hard work, courage, sexiness, and glitter can overcome that small percentage of “uncomfortable” people and forge a fan-base all over the world of men and women, young and old, gay and straight, of all races, cultures and beliefs. And as much as we loved hearing his story and his words of defiant encouragement, he really did not need to say it. His perseverance and triumph over bigotry is the ultimate “Frak You!”