Why do people sometimes hold a high level of regard for certain celebrities – people who, in most cases, they’ve never met and only know about on a superficial level?
I find myself asking this question while thinking about meeting one of my favorite singers a few weeks ago.
Adam Lambert was in Atlanta earlier this month as part of a radio promo tour, and I had the opportunity to briefly meet him. Now, I’ve met my fair share of celebrities in the past; it’s one of the perks, if you will, in working in entertainment journalism. I can’t say I’ve ever been quite as excited about meeting a celebrity as I was about meeting Adam, though.
Seriously. I’m shocked I wasn’t speechless when I actually got to meet him. On top of that, after he posed for pictures with me and my boyfriend, we briefly talked about Atlanta nightlife and drag queens. It’s one of those incidents that just felt…surreal.
So why would meeting this person in particular turn me into someone who squeals like a schoolgirl (something which, thankfully, only happened once I’d left Adam’s presence)?
Maybe it’s because Adam’s more than just an entertainer to me. I don’t mean for this to sound like he’s taken on the form of a deity in my life. But Adam’s impact on my life feels…stronger than most entertainers.
For starters, there’s the gay pop singer factor. Adam was the first openly gay pop singer to sign to a major label. As somebody who follows pop culture, it felt significant. I normally gravitate towards female pop singers in my listening habits. Adam’s one of the few male singers to grab my interest, not only because he fits the style of music I like, but also because I can sing along to his songs and not have to do a gender-flip (seriously, his song “Fever” is my jam).
Then there’s the role model aspect. Even though I certainly don’t have a problem with the stereotypical gay man/pop diva relationship—don’t get me started on my fascination with Madonna or Lady Gaga—I like the idea that there’s now a gay man who can serve in a similar aspect.
I am, of course, aware of Elton John’s decades-old out status, but…Elton’s a little too cranky for my liking. Adam, though…Adam’s pretty cool. He’s confident, charming and charismatic, but he also doesn’t put up with shit. I like that. And again, as much as I appreciate that in my favorite pop divas, there’s something more powerful about it coming from somebody who I can identify with more easily.
Obviously, other people have their own reasons for liking celebrities. Sometimes it’s nowhere near as deep as my example, which really isn’t all too deep in the first place. Other times, the reasons are more profound for the person involved. I sometimes roll my eyes a little when I see someone say that, for example, Britney Spears saved their life. But when I stop to think about it, who’s to say that it’s not true for that person? People we’ve never met can affect us in powerful and unusual ways.
I know that Adam Lambert’s one of the people who fills that role for me. That’s why meeting him was exciting. Just don’t get me started on the idea of meeting Madonna or Lady Gaga. I’d go crazy.
That was a great read, thx!
“People we’ve never met can affect us in powerful and unusual ways”
– so very true.
And speaking of ‘Fever’ how many mainstream male artists would sing the line “there HE goes, my baby walks so slow”? There is another line on his album that I adore: “and all the girls in the club wanna know where’d all the pretty boys go” ;D The way Adam sings this is just priceless
It’s just too bad that for all the change that happened in the last few years, ‘Fever’ still could not be the single – because of the pronoun. I remember Adam once telling the story about the day he and Lady Gaga recorded the song, and how they briefly pondered recording a radio edit – with a “you” instead of “he”. And they looked at each other and just went: “naah, fuck it”. Lol, gotta love them both
Aw what a great article. I won’t go on and on about all the ways Adam strutting his way into my world has changed it up for the very best it can be, but i can agree so much that he is certainly one celeb who is much more than a hugely talented singer, pretty face, or nice guy. Thanks for your insight. LOVE Adam & so honoured to be witnessing his rise from his foray into the public arena, which can be both very loving & harsh. he handles it all incredibly.
Oh and by the way, if you have heard of the singer Simon Curtis, he DOES claim Britney Spears saved his life in a way…he tweeted that her music kept his will and spirits going when he was at his lowest point battling cancer. Just wanted to share that with you! Simon is a lovely and inspiring fellow, also!
He is very talented and he just seems like a really great guy and he’s very giving to his fans. Glad you met him. Great write up and that pic is AWESOME.
I was speechless the 1st time I met our Mr. Lambert; my reaction surprised me, actually. I work in an environment where I meet celebrities frequently, so it’s become no big deal to me – but man, Adam just has a charisma and aura that can knock you right over. Very special!! People gravitate towards him when he walks in a room. He has that “IT” factor in droves. He lights up a room when he enters it; and that same room darkens a bit when he leaves.