Poskod Malaysia

THE 2010/2011 INSPIRED/EXPIRED AWARDS
Category: Most Ingenious Ploy To Get Into A Concert For Free

For most of us, Adam Lambert was the steak in a mostly-sizzle American Idol 8th season. Glambert’s vocal chops aside, it was his penchant for theatrics — like his infamous onstage kiss — that really got tongues wagging. So, when news broke he was performing in Malaysia on 14 October 2010, his fans snapped up tickets, caused an acute shortage of black eyeliner, and made signs saying: “Can I have your (adopted) babies?!”

On the other side of town, however, other people were making picket signs in protest of the show. Glambert’s crime? Being out and proud.

In the days leading up his concert, the expected media frenzy took place, with Glambert being called everything from “morally unfit” to “a danger to young Malaysians” — the usual tirade. It culminated in PAS Youth members and students from the All-Malaysian Islamic Students Coalition (GAMIS) gathering outside the Putra Indoor Stadium in a “peaceful protest”. Twelve protesters were allowed into the Stadium to distribute flyers.

These supposedly anti-Glambert people got to see his show for free.

That’s a novel strategy to secure free passes: protest the concert on moral grounds. I mean, those “bukan budaya kita” people couldn’t possibly believe that they were getting their point across. They were handing flyers to those already queuing up to buy tickets — those glam fans semangat enough to brave KL traffic and Bukit Jalil car parks. SO wrong tree.

For being homophobic — and closeted Adam Lambert fans — the anti-Glambert protest is a very, very un-glam EXPIRED.

PS: have you seen Azwan Ismail’s “Saya Gay, Saya Okay” video yet? You should.

(Michelle Tam)