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Adam Lambert says he’s gay; fans show support

Lambert's reaction to American Idol loss serves as life lesson about winning.


By Wendy Fry, SDNN

Thursday, June 11, 2009 16 comments  |  read comments  |  post a comment
San Diego: Singer Adam Lambert arrives at the Hollywood Life 11th Annual Young Hollywood Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. on Sunday, June 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Singer Adam Lambert arrives at the Hollywood Life 11th Annual Young Hollywood Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. on Sunday, June 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

More Adam Lambert Coverage

San Diego singing sensation Adam Lambert has finally made official what American Idol fans have speculated for months: He’s gay.

“I’m proud of my sexuality,” Lambert told Rolling Stone.  “I embrace it. It’s just another part of me.”

So now that Lambert’s out of the closet, will San Diegans continue to embrace him?

“I think that it really has no impact, and it shouldn’t have an impact,” said Diane Rohrbach, mother of two teenagers at Poway’s Mt. Carmel High School, where Lambert also attended.

“He’s a great performer, he has a beautiful voice, and I love to hear him and see him and, frankly, I think that’s his own business,” she said.

The 27-year-old’s sexual orientation won’t change anyone’s opinion about his singing, said Herb Ryken of Pacific Beach.

“Sexuality doesn’t have anything to do with your artistic talent,” Ryken said.

Any loss of fan support could spell trouble for concert promoters. The Idol tour comes to San Diego on July 18 with Lambert and the other finalists performing.  Coincidentally, that’s also the same day as the San Diego Gay Pride parade.

But so far it seems fans may still be more preoccupied with Lambert’s runner-up status to Idol winner Kris Allen than about whether he’s straight or gay.

Tiveeda Stovall said she’s bought tickets because it is something her whole family cares about.

Stovall, who lives in the South Bay, said her children Camille, 13, and Solomon, 10, continue to keep up with Lambert news on a daily basis.

“Camille still keeps up with what Adam Lambert is doing every second of the day,” Stovall said. “(When Lambert finished in second place), she was so depressed at first- it was almost like she was in shock, she just kept repeating ‘I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.’”

“The next morning, (Camille) started feeling better because she could see that he was OK with it,” Stovall said. “When they saw his reaction to coming in second, it changed their whole idea of what winning is about. It really resonated for them a great life lesson - that there are many ways to win something.”

Keeping things in perspective is important for teens, said marriage and family therapist Dr. Gina Simmons.
“Probably one of the biggest factors in discerning if a teenager is really becoming depressed is if their feelings interfere with normal life functions: eating, sleeping, completing their schoolwork and attending school,” Simmons said.

“Action is the enemy of depression,” Simmons said. “Joining socially with other fans is healthy and normal. Depression is about inaction, so if they are taking action it can only be helpful.”

Constructive action would be for fans to focus on Lambert’s talent and not on his sexuality, Rohrbach said.

“Sometimes I think people have nothing better to do than wonder about what someone else is or isn’t doing,” Rohrbach said.

Related Stories:

What’s next for San Diego’s Adam Lambert?

Opera experts rate American Idol’s Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert’s theater days are fondly remembered

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 9:20 am and is filed under Arts & Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

READER COMMENTScomment rules | moderation | privacy

Comment by: Jessamyn Posted: June 11, 2009, 9:41 am

All you Adam fans…Need you to vote now for Adam now…a major radio station in Malaysia is having a contest…whether to play Adam or Kris on radio…Adam is losing we need more votes only minutes left…if any one see’s this please get the ball rolling!!!!! Here is the sight were the voting is
http://www.hitz.fm/special/idolbattle/default.asp

only minutes left…let people know and start voting!

Comment by: tij Posted: June 11, 2009, 9:42 am

There is a BIG difference between two people voting 10,000 times each versus 100 people voting once each. Who has the more fans?

Comment by: ravengirl Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:09 am

Good for you, San Diegans! The gay issue has been addressed — quite well, I must say, and on Adam’s own terms — and now it should be filed away. What matters is how talented and special this guy is. so on with the show!

Comment by: grace Posted: June 11, 2009, 12:33 pm

I wonder if these mothers think that Adam is such a roll model after his very candid interview in Rolling Stone magazine?

Comment by: Baseball fanatic Posted: June 11, 2009, 1:13 pm

I agree with Ravengirl. Okay so now we know Adam Lambert is gay, yahoo. Now can we talk about his music which is why I love him so much? Do you know this guy has been asked to sing with Queen, Kiss and Led Zepplin? Or that because he dominated AI week after week for the entire show and became the number one internet sensation with Youtube and web link clicks that he won Young Hollywood Artist of the Year Award? That’s really big! The cover of RollingStones is so hot. I was standing in line at Barnes and Noble to buy my copy and a father and son were looking at the cover. I was just waiting for the dad to say some smart alec remark but the kid said I want to be a big as Adam Lambert when I grow up and the dad said…”Okay but college first!” I was all smiles!

Comment by: Mari Posted: June 11, 2009, 1:57 pm

I am a forever fan of Adam. He is honest and beautiful and I listen to his music practically all day long. The RS cover is breathtaking and the article within is Adam being truthful. As a mom, I appreciate his honesty and just came away loving him all the more…my son idolizes Adam and he knows one’s life experiences make us who we are…we don’t judge, we love and we wouldn’t want Adam any other way! Make some more music, baby—we’re waiting!!!

Comment by: Ray Posted: June 11, 2009, 6:33 pm

It is amazing how more and more people think that homosexualismum is a normal thing… it is un-natural simply a big distortion..very soon people will start making sex with animals and will consider it normal too. I dont have anything against gay people, but i am sorry for them and feel extremely disapointed that humakind are more and more degrading themselves. There has never been so much depression and hopelessness, people are living crazy lives and everything is all normal now ! But don forget soon or later we will all pay the price.

Comment by: ‘Idol’ chat: Q&A with Season 7 champ David Cook Posted: June 11, 2009, 7:39 pm

[...] Adam Lambert says he’s gay; fans show support [...]

Comment by: Sydney Posted: June 11, 2009, 9:36 pm

Ray, your opinion is the only thing that is unnatural. People need to stop with the hate. Love is love, babe. You don’t need to agree with it, but have tolerance. You are just showing ignorance by equating homosexual sex with beastality.

Comment by: Mimi Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:13 pm

Well, Ray, a lot of evidences of cases from ancient to modern times show being homosexual is biological that is not chosen by individuals. I am a graduate student at a top university. Several of my professors are gay. Faculty and students in my department all know that. They are just as kind and knowledgeable advisors as other straight married professors. We respect them a lot and look up to them for their contributions to our field. Same as the fans’ perspective to Adam, he is a great vocalist and performer in his profession. Listening to him in my ipod makes working in my research lab more pleasant.

Comment by: Adriana Posted: June 12, 2009, 1:16 am

Jessamyn…we don’t care about Adam winning of the vote in Malaysia. This country consist of the most homophobic and hypocrite people in the world. I read the news how a lot of Malaysians claim that they are religious people but at the same time the people and the royals torture low-paid workers from other countries, just because they can. If Adam lose the vote, it did not mean Kris better than Adam. It’s because the voters in Malaysia are homophobic…nuff said.

Comment by: Kathy C. Posted: June 12, 2009, 1:42 am

I think one should be “proud” of his or her accomplishments, not what sex he or she is attracted to. When sexuality is shown distastefully, THAT is what is offensive. It is sad when gay people are deemed immoral because of their differences. I feel sorry for those who are convinced that gayness automatically is equated to a perversion and human flaw.

Comment by: tet Posted: June 12, 2009, 8:02 am

I am a big Adam fan, gay or not! He is the best singer and performer there is. Cant wait to buy his cd

Comment by: LucyLou Posted: June 12, 2009, 8:33 am

This is America where, last time I checked, people still had the freedom to be themselves.
Just because you do not agree with someone elses lifestyle, does not make you right. Adam is a very talented singer and appears to be a very honest person. Perhaps it is his honesty that is making people ashamed of their own lives, and that is what they cannot deal with.
Prejudice is not a right, it is how you choose to view the world, and it is sad that in this country in 2009, people still cannot accept people for who they are.

Comment by: Most popular stories on San Diego News Network Posted: June 12, 2009, 10:18 am

[...] Staff tweetmeme_url = ‘http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-06-07/blog/conversation-sandiego/most-popular-stories-on-san-diego-news-network-12′;tweetmeme_source = ‘SDNewsNetwork’; 1. Adam Lambert says he’s gay; fans show support [...]

Comment by: Adam Lambert is on Twitter, spokesperson confirms Posted: June 19, 2009, 4:09 pm

[...] keep hearing about it, and I’m excited to give it a try,” Lambert said. More on Lambert: Adam Lambert says he’s gay; fans show support Opera experts rate Adam [...]

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