Image of the Week: November 20th

Previously > Adam Lambert Responds

Adam Lambert Responds

Photo: Jason Bell

[Ed Note: Ed's note: We've no desire to prolong this discussion, but whether or not we crossed a line in throwing light on the conversations that preceded Adam's cover shoot and interview, we're glad to see such a robust and spirited debate. We admire Adam's achievements, which is why we honored him as Breakout Star of the Year, but using the editor's letter to discuss the old school tactics in the way he is marketed and promoted was important for an annual issue that celebrates gay progress -- the Out 100. 

In his interview with Entertainment Weekly, reprinted in full below, Adam says, "the letter that Aaron wrote is holding us back. Because it’s recognizing the big difference as opposed to letting us all ignore preference and just be people." We're glad he's sees sexuality that way. So do we -- it's why we were so dismayed by his management whose actions reinforced those distinctions rather than erased them. This was never about turning Adam into a political figure, or about whether he should have been on the cover of Rolling Stone first (of course he should have -- what pop star wouldn't want that?). It was, however, about challenging the double standard applied to gay and mainstream media, or to use Adam's words, moving past those distinctions between gay and straight.

As this controversy erupted a young gay man was murdered in Puerto Rico precisely by the kind of people who refuse to see past sexual preferences, and while we know that such hatred offends Adam as much as it does us, we hope his fans will consider the relationship between slurs such as "too gay" and the second class status -- yes, a form of apartheid -- of gays in America. Adam is not required to address this cruel and lethal discrepancy -- he does enough simply by being himself -- but was it too much for us to expect his managers, with or without Adam's consent, to treat Out with the same respect they would treat mainstream media?

Regardless, at this point, we'd like to focus our attention on celebrating Adam's achievements -- and the achievements of all of our 2009 Out 100 honorees -- over the past year and look forward to seeing what 2010 will bring for him and all the gay, lesbian, and trans people who strive to make a positive impact on our lives.]

Entertainment Weekly: Let’s talk about the OUT magazine kerfuffle.
Adam Lambert: Isn’t that fun? [laughs]

We now know the behind-the-scenes dialogue between the magazine and your management team. The thing I’m curious about is, from your perspective, how does it feel to have your image managed by someone other than you?
What people don’t realize is, I am managing my image, more than maybe the editor of OUT magazine likes to give anybody credit for. My team is a team. And I really feel fortunate that 19 Management and Simon Fuller said to me, from the get-go, “We want to do what you want to do. You need to tell us how you want to do things, what interests you have,” and they’ve been incredibly supportive of me. I really mean it. I’m not being puppeted around. I didn’t want to jump onto a gay magazine as my first thing, because I feel like that’s putting myself in a box and limiting myself. It was my desire to stay away from talking about certain political and civil rights issues because I’m not a politician. I’m an entertainer. That is not my area of expertise. I can talk about relationships and personal experiences because as an artist those things involve writing lyrics and that part of my process. But I didn’t feel comfortable talking about the March on Washington. I didn’t feel comfortable, so I asked my publicist to ask the interviewer to stay away from the political questions. I take full responsibility for that. I think that the editor has his agenda and has his opinions, which I respect, but they’re not necessarily my opinions. And I wish there was a little respect for that. Not every gay man is the same gay man.

They’re gonna take away your laminated membership card.
Apparently. It’s just sexuality. We’re all very very different, just like all straight people are different.

Who told you that?
You know? That’s the thing. But the funny thing is, in order for us to progress, we need to stop segregating ourselves. And a letter like that, that viewpoint — the letter that Aaron wrote is holding us back. Because it’s recognizing the big difference as opposed to letting us all ignore preference and just be people. So I think in attempt to champion a cause he’s actually taking a big step backwards.

With things like the phrase “gay-gay”?
That was taken out of context. It was all taken out of context. And also, the other thing that I feel about it? If there are things going on behind the scenes with my management, it has nothing to do with my interview with them. He really crossed a line.

To see the school days–themed 2009 Out 100 portfolio, shot by Jason Bell, featuring Adam Lambert, Cyndi Lauper, Wanda Sykes, Rob Marshall, Dan Choi, Neil Patrick Harris, and more, head to Out.com.

To read our exclusive interview with Adam Lambert, head here for part one and here for part two.

Previously > The 2009 Out 100

Fast & Furious with Debbie Zoller

Famed make-up artist Debbie Zoller couldn’t be happier. She’s flourished in a cut-throat industry for 25 years and has racked up a total of seven Emmy Award nominations. For two seasons Zoller created the “peaches and cream” look on Mad Men to fit the early 1960s period and now she’s making blood, guts and gore look authentic on ABC’s hit show Castle.

Zoller is no stranger to the big screen either. She's worked on the gay comedy Jeffrey, Pirates of the Caribbean and Kill Bill 1 and 2.

But behind the makeup is also a woman who fought to save her brother Mark’s life after he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Though he passed away in June, Zoller says she has no regrets and will continue the fight for other individuals with leukemia.

We caught up with Zoller while she was on lunch break at Castle. In an rare and honest interview, she discussed what she thinks of Adam Lambert’s makeup, what looks should go back in the closet, and what she learned from her brother’s fight.

Out: It’s always more fun to dish on the worst dressed people rather than the best dressed. So, before you tell us what’s in with makeup, tell us what’s got to go.
Debbie Zoller: I see so many people still doing that streaky blush of the 1980’s. You know, where you look at them and they look like they have war paint on. I still see that, and I’m like, "are you kidding me?" Nowadays the cheeks are supposed to be just apples and illuminated and make you look like you just have a little bit of blush.

What else is in?
The retro 60’s red lipstick is very in right now. Also, a clean eye with a black eyeliner. Pat McGrath was doing a lot of that with the fall fashion runway shows. The smoky eye is definitely coming back in. But instead of it being the smoky blacks and grays, they are mixing it now with the jewel tones -- smoky blue or smoky green.

Do you see men wearing makeup becoming an “in thing"?Guys nowadays are getting just as vain as women. They like to stand in front of a mirror before they go out on a date or out to a club. Sometimes they may have acne or if they shave with a razor they may get razor bumps and it’s all red and not looking too pretty. They want to be able to cover that. Men will use products, but they won’t admit it. Ten years ago I was really close to creating my own line of men’s skincare and foundation.

Adam Lambert’s makeup caught America a little off guard. What do you think of his look?

I love Adam Lambert. He reminds me a little of Sam Harris [The Class] who I worked with for years early in my career. He has such a huge voice and is an amazing talent. I love his "guy-liner.”

An Open Letter Regarding an Open Letter to Adam Lambert

[Editor's note: Already, in less than 24 hours, the incredible response to our interview with Adam Lambert -- and our Editor in Chief Aaron Hicklin's open letter to Adam -- has made a few things clear: 1) His fan base is awesomely, ferociously dedicated to the singer and 2) perhaps there is some confusion surrounding the intention and/or overall point of Hicklin's letter.

In an effort to shine a bit of a brighter light on the subject, the author of the interview with Lambert (Part One can be read here and Part Two can be read here), Shana Naomi Krochmal, penned the following to address some of the literally thousands of comments that have been already left all over the Internet regarding this story.]

Let's get the most obvious thing out of the way first: Yes, it is totally absurd to imagine that anyone thinks they can somehow control or manage how gay Adam Lambert seems on any given day. You've seen him, right? Maybe read an interview with him? That's exactly what I love about Adam, that in addition to being able to sing his face off (his words), he is defiantly, outrageously campy and queer -- and that he seems to have such a sense of humor about it, and a willingness to shake things up.

That said: Despite plenty of back and forth between the magazine and the label about the cover and the photo shoot, I still wasn't prepared for what happened when I showed up at the 19 Entertainment offices for the interview. I briefly met Adam, and then the publicist and I walked out to the balcony, at which point I was cautioned against making the interview "too gay," or, "you know, gay-gay." Specifically I was discouraged from asking about the March on Washington that upcoming weekend or other political topics. I pointed out the difference between the Advocate, Out's sister newsmagazine, and Out, which is more broadly a men's fashion and lifestyle book, but obviously made no promises one way or the other. It was pretty awkward, as if we were discussing two totally different people -- an Adam who doesn't seem to have any real filter when talking about his life or his opinions, and an Adam who could somehow be contained, made safe for mainstream America.

The 2009 Out 100

Photos: Jason Bell

Today's the day: we're revealing the complete and -- if we don't mind saying so ourselves -- absolutely stunning school days–themed 2009 Out 100, shot by renowned photographer Jason Bell and comprised of the 100 gay, lesbian, and trans people who have made a meaningful impact in their communities and on mainstream culture in the last 12 months.

There's no strict entry criterion for being in the 100. We salute the brave (like Lt. Dan Choi), marvel at the new confident out stars (Adam Lambert), thank our allies (Cyndi Lauper), and recognize the tremendous achievements of the major players who are proud of who they are (Wanda Sykes and Rob Marshall). We also included the bravest young voices, the dedicated campaigners, the openly gay politicians and lobbyists who've brought us so far. And we celebrate the directors, the writers, the Broadway producers and stars, like Neil Patrick Harris, who have shaped popular art and culture. More than that, we thank ordinary LGBT people who have done extraordinary things. And, fittingly, after the moguls, the advocates, the agitators, and the tastemakers, we stand humbled by a class from the Hetrick-Martin Institute's Harvey Milk School. We are honored to bring you the 2009 Out 100. This year's theme is a gentle nod to the days that shaped, delighted, and terrified us all and made us who we are today -- school days.

The December/January Out 100 issue is on newsstands now and you can see the full portfolio at Out.com.

You can also read the first half of our exclusive interview with Adam Lambert. The American Idol star gives us a play-by-play from the center of Fox’s PR storm, gets graphic about just how far curiosity can carry you, and talks about his taste in men (hint: “pretty” is pretty important):

Out: How do you describe your sexuality?
Adam Lambert: I think one of the things about the gay community that’s really interesting is that while people own their homosexuality, there is a strange aversion to letting the masculine and the feminine exist within you in a balanced way. And for me, personally, I feel I have a very strong masculine side, and I also have a very strong feminine side. And a lot of people are scared to live in that gray area. There’s boys out in Boystown that are either really fem or really butch. It’s at the extremes. I love when I meet people that are just kind of comfortable being both. And they don’t have to identify being really butch or really fem. Why? Why would you have to?

And also, if you’re one of these, then you must be attracted to the other. Are you attracted to guys like you?
I don’t even know anymore. I think when I was younger, I could box in what my sexuality was about, what’s my type and all that. But as I’ve gotten older, and just learned more about myself and the world, it’s not really about type anymore. I mean, if someone’s hot, they’re hot. If someone’s interesting, they’re interesting. If you have an energy and a chemistry with someone, then you have chemistry. Done. You can’t really define that or explain it. It just is. You just meet people and you click, or you don’t. You know? [Pauses.] Although -- I like pretty boys.

[Laughs.] What kind of pretty?
Pretty. Pretty is pretty. And I’m generally drawn to [guys who are] younger than me. Generally…but there are exceptions.

To read the first full half (we'll have part two up tomorrow), head over to Out.com.

Previously > The 2009 Out 100: Tony Kushner

Quickies: The Smoking Gun

> A waiter claims he lost his job after Kevin Spacey had a diva moment (or, at least, a nicotine fit) in a Newport, Rhode Island restaurant last summer. Peter Turner says he was laid off just days after Spacey reacted less than amicably upon being asked not to smoke, causing his boss to remark "If the owner knew you pissed off Kevin Spacey, he'd have me fire you."

> Adam Lambert is on the market! focusing on his career.

> Will a new storyline on Alan Ball's True Blood restore our faith in the heretofore sub-satisfactory lesbian vampire genre?

> A dramatic reinterpretation of "Poker Face" as only Christopher Walken can provide.

> Pop quiz! What's the difference between a porn star and a My Little Pony?

Previously > Quickies: Primetime Gays and Gagaian Symbolism

Photo: Getty Images

First Look: Adam Lambert's Debut Album Cover

It's as if the love child of David Bowie and Samantha Fox joined an outer space Ice Capades league and -- more importantly in light of his recent questionable Details shoot -- it's gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay:

Previously > Hummer: Peaches's "I Feel Cream"

Chatter: Adam Lambert

"@admamlambert: Yes it’s true: I spent yesterday in the studio w the insanely talented and creative Lady GaGa recording a song that she wrote! I love her. Gaga wrote the song a while ago and she thought it would be a good fit for me. It’s a solo track. I feel so honored and lucky to be asked. GaGa just gets it, ya know?"

-- Adam Lambert revealing that his new album will feature a song written by Lady Gaga via Twitter.

Previously > Chatter: Madonna