Adam Lambert Makes Annual ‘OUT’ List, Imitates Warhol Print Of Elvis Presley

Robbie Daw | November 7, 2011 11:25 am

Remember when OUT editor Aaron Hicklin penned an open letter to Adam Lambert two years ago and chastised him for shunning the gay publication while appearing in Details and “awkwardly grabbing a woman’s breast”? Well, surprise — the two of them have made up, and they had a nice chat for Adam’s inclusion in the annual OUT100 feature. Running with the piece is a portrait of the recent MTV EMA performer, shot by Gavin Bond, which mimics Andy Warhol’s famous print of Elvis Presley.

Andy Warhol’s 1963 silkscreen print Triple Elvis

In the feature, Hicklin and Lambert spend some time discussing Adam’s “shocking” choices following his 2009 stint on American Idol, including the Details spread and his controversial American Music Awards performance that year. The OUT editor then brings up their own dispute.

Here’s Adam’s response:

“I think it’s been character building, which is great, and it’s definitely put me where I’m at now. I think the hardest thing about being a gay celebrity is that we’re in the middle of a social rights movement and it’s a very hot topic, so we’re at a very pivotal time. Coming out was great, but there are certain issues that always surprise me and I think, Why is this an issue? I live and I’ve grown up in a space that is very accepting and open-minded; I surround myself socially with people that are artists and very bohemian and I forget sometimes that, OK, we’re dealing with mainstream culture now, which does not have the same mentality as I do. I think too that by nature I’m very contrary. If you tell me I can’t do something then I’m gonna push back harder and do it. I’m kind of rebellious, but I try to do it with a smile. I’m not a jerk about it. So a lot of what I did at the beginning of my career started to become reactionary. And also, I don’t know if I had the best guidance at the time. I was kind of flying solo in many respects, doing what I wanted to do. The people I was working with before are great people and I maintain friendships with them, they have amazing hearts. But I don’t know if it was quite the right fit on this journey, because it hadn’t really been done on a mainstream level in America, so it was new to everybody. We were all guessing.”

Seems like hindsight has given the Glam One some decent perspective, no? You can catch the full OUT100 feature here.