Networks Blur Devotion to Fairness and Equality

by Adam Amel Rogers · 2009-11-27 06:58:00 UTC
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CBS BlurredOperation scapegoat Adam Lambert continues to roll through the media obsession machine, with two networks establishing themselves as adversaries to equality. On Wednesday morning, CBS’ The Early Show made the baseless decision to blur the image of Adam Lambert kissing his male keyboardist like it was a Carrie Prejean sex tape or something. The blurred kiss appeared along with the completely unedited image of Britney Spears and Madonna locking lips. Worse than the kiss blurring is the pathetic and disingenuous excuse of a defense that CBS issued.

A spokesman for The Early Show said, "We gave this some real thought. The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences.”

CBS’ response is simply unacceptable and they should not get away with it. Blurring the image of two guys kissing sends a clear message to the audience that a kiss between men is inappropriate, abhorrent, and shameful, while a kiss between women is just hot? Their statement is simultaneously anti-gay, anti-woman, and insulting to viewers’ intelligence. It is an obvious farce -– legal consequences? What possible legal consequences could there be?

This of course is all in response to Lambert’s so-called “controversial” performance at the American Music Awards on ABC, which prompted .0001% of viewers (1,500 out of 14 million) to complain -– a response that even ABC deemed only “moderate.”

ABC’s decision to cancel Lambert’s Good Morning America performance was an unnecessary response, but it turned into an offensive response when he was replaced with famed domestic abuser Chris Brown.

To recap, men kissing is bad, women kissing is good, gay performer is bad, woman beater is good.

Offended by CBS’ decision to blur the Lambert kiss? Please let the network know how you feel by signing the petition here. Lets make 1,500 complaints look like a drop in the bucket.

(Photo courtesy of degreeszero’s Flickr stream)

Adam Amel Rogers studies the impact of entertainment on society at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center. Previously, he worked at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
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