‘The finger was to the people that have been criticizing me … the people who doubt me … the people that were about to censor me,’ ‘American Idol’ star says.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

Adam Lambert performs at the 2009 American Music Awards on Sunday

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Adam Lambert has spoken publicly several times about his controversial performance at the American Music Awards on Sunday. It was a performance that had him singing his single, “For Your Entertainment,” while dancing provocatively, falling, kissing a male bandmate and (in a move missed by many) extending his middle finger.

“We were having a good time,” he told MTV News on Tuesday (November 24) about the performance, adding that as soon as he gave the finger he knew he had taken things to another level.

“Literally, as I did it, I went, ‘Oh god, what am I doing?’ ” he explained. “I was out of body. You know, the finger was to the people that have been criticizing me. The finger was to the people who doubt me. The finger was to the people that were about to censor me. The finger was not to fans or people who support me at all, by any means.

“The finger was to Out magazine’s editor who wailed into me, people like that,” he continued. “It wasn’t premeditated; it just kind of happened. In the end … it was to prove freedom of expression and to prove I am in control of my situation. I am an artist and I’m here to express myself. My intention wasn’t to upset people.”

As for his now-infamous kiss with keyboardist Tommy Ratliff, he said that in rehearsal he had only pulled his hair. So Ratliff was expecting something — but not a big, very public kiss.

“He did not know! No — during rehearsal I grabbed him by the hair and kind of just looked at him,” Lambert said. “He’s straight, but not married. He’s single. I guess he didn’t mind getting kissed in the name of entertainment.”

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