Mad World, Mad World, Mad World, Mad World

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UPDATE:  Since we've been dubbed 'completists', here is one more to add to the Mad World collection.  Adam is on the Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, again with Michael Orland complementing on piano.  I think I'm gradually falling in love with the gently undulating instrumentals almost as much as Adam's vocals.  This is a very slow version marred slightly by the audience cheer at the big note.  His bewitching voice is soft and beautifully haunting.

This post is really one for those of you who are completely obsessed, especially if you watch it all the way to the end!

One good thing about Adam not having been crowned AI is that he hasn't had to sing No Boundaries on the press tour.  Although he hasn't dissed it outright, he's managed to tactfully wriggle around providing his frank opinion of the song by saying it's 'difficult to sing live', 'has lots of lyrics', and 'he wouldn't have chosen that as the final song of the season'.  So instead of being forced to sing a song that blatantly wasn't written with him in mind and doesn't suit him, we've been treated to several performances of Mad World.

The first performance was an outdoor one from the CBS Early show in New York.  There are a number of videos in addition to this one which show him warming up and doing sound checks where we get more of an insight into how he controls each aspect of his performance.  Even when just warming up, the clarity of his tone is quite astounding.  This rendition is a really beautiful one and I actually prefer the simplicity of just him and a piano to the arrangement we had on the show.

The next one is a performance on Good Day New York.  The sound mix here seems better than what was achieved on the show, and even the studio recording.  There are some small differences between this one and the last one in the phrasing, timing and melody.  I prefer Michael Orland's piano here because he's removed much of the beat so it's much smoother and flowing.  It's more mellow and there's a sadder, more subdued feeling to it, created by that and by Adam's gentle vocals.  His voice is stunning.

Next is Adam performing on Regis and Kelly with the same pianist as the CBS show.  The pianist sticks more along the lines of the Gary Jules version by keeping the rhythm more central rather than smoothing it out.  This gives the song a more depressing feel because it it accentuates the repetition and routine of being trapped in miserable life.  Adam again sounds different here and has varied the verses by bringing in the chorus earlier.  I think they went a little overboard with the reverb on this, but it adds to the haunting effect.

Adam at the Today Show and warm-up.  Here his breathtaking voice sounds so tender and silky smooth.  He seems to vary the lyrics with each performance, making each one unique.  This one is slower paced with Michael Orland back as the pianist who again really makes the song flow.  Adam takes us on a dream-like journey through heartbreaking sadness and melancholia.  This feels like his most vulnerable performance and I think it might be my favourite of this lot.

Well, he made sure he nailed the final note on all of those performances.  I'm happy that by not winning, Adam has managed to choose what song to associate himself with, which is a song that suits and resonates with him, enabling him to move people.  I think he chose the right song to do on the press tour because it's evocative without being too strenuous on his voice.  No Boundaries has quite a range and I can see how it could cause problems if you had to sing it repeatedly.  And it can never be a good thing to be tarred with a song you don't like, to introduce yourself to the world as a recording artist.

Now, if you're a Lambosessive who scored highly in the test, I expect, like me, you'll try playing the videos simultaneously just to work out the tiny differences.  Go on, you know you want to!

An Awkward Predicament

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Before the end of the AI season, I was dreading the disappearance of Adam regularly gracing our TV screens and was hungry for anything I could get.  The floodgates have since been opened and there's been a barrage of photos, interviews, articles and TV appearances to pore over, whereas during AI, he was shielded from the press and his appearances were controlled and in manageable chunks.  It's been so much more exhausting to follow than before, especially as I'm also trying to catch up on life in general.  We've been spoilt so far, but when the interview circuit comes to an end and news dries up, I'll become increasingly reliant on fans posting concert videos and - gasp - hounding by the evil paparazzi to feed my obsession.  I'm hoping that Adam could stifle that demand somewhat, by communicating with us regularly and directly via his website.  A vlog/blog would be ideal.

Will our collective thirst and fixation fuel a source of misery or worse, even danger?  This is the predicament, although part of me wants to live in denial and wash my hands of all responsibility, believing it should rest entirely within the conscience of the paparazzi.  Who am I kidding?  It's my demand that drives them.  OK, so Adam can more than hold his own and has been very accommodating in his encounters with TMZ, maybe even revelling in baiting them.  In all his interviews, he's been lightning fast on his feet, navigating all the difficult questions with flair and he has an intuitive knack of being able to instantly flip the dynamic in an instant.  Celebrities and the paparazzi have a symbiotic relationship, needing each other, and from Pop Goes the Camera, Adam knows what to expect.  But there was one incident last week that was just disturbing and involved a video showing some paps pursuing Adam's car, which I won't link to for obvious reasons.  His driver was doing his best to shake them off, with manoeuvres that could qualify as dangerous driving offences, but was unsuccessful.  Part of me likes to believe that Adam enjoyed playing with them, excitedly laughing his ass off, getting his driver to lure the paps on a wild goose chase just for fun.  But another part is horrified too.  Have we all forgotten about Diana?  I do not want Adam joining the 27 Club.  Yes I have an insatiable desire for all things Adam, but is it really worth all that for the possibility of a couple more photographs?

The Big Question That Just Won't Fuck Off

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One of the first questions during the press conference just after the final results show was relating to Adam's sexuality.  Since then, it's been a recurring interview theme to ask questions that dance around the subject.  None of the interviewers will ask the question directly because there's no way you can ask the question without sounding like a complete dick.  Even Ryan Seacrest has hidden behind the pretence of asking him whether it affected his chances of winning.  For someone who claims to lack a filter, Adam is very savvy and has tactfully handled his questions in the best manner possible with his charm and quick wit, and he's been successful at somewhat deflecting the question and bringing the focus back onto his music and style.  He seems to enjoy playing the media, teasing them, giving them plenty, but keeping the unequivocal answer they seek just agonisingly out of grasp whilst showing them to be the stupid fools they are, but I wonder how long he can maintain it before the question ends up wearing him down.  I'm finding it yawningly tiresome and I'm not even the one being asked.  When the analysis of the results has finished, what will they use next to try to beat the answer out of him?  I have a horrible feeling that the pressure is going to keep building, they're going to keep pummelling him and it's not going to stop until he gives the answer.

For any sentient being who has bothered to look, the answer to the big question is glaringly obvious.  Adam's told us he's not hiding anything and he's given us an abundance of allusions for us to draw our conclusions from.  We've seen plenty of photos, he's never tried to deny or cover anything up and he's told us he has nothing to hide, it's not an issue for him.  A quick look at what was his MySpace page leaves us in no doubt.  He's changed a load of lyrics in the songs he's done to become gender neutral.  He loves Gossip Girl and dressing up.  Some of his responses have all but been a full-on declaration.  There's little in the way of ambiguity.  To the question 'Do you think your sexuality affected your chances of winning?' he's acknowledged the question and gone on to answer it, not take issue with the question.  His role model is Harvey Milk and he has talked about ACIGC representing new civil rights issues.  When asked whether he was bi-curious, he answered Laura Saltman with a flirtatious look, telling her she was helping him with that.  When asked about the elephant of a question, he told us it was pink, which made me laugh.  It was sharp, witty and very clear in its message.  Come on!  What more do they want?  Do they seriously need a public display of sodomy?

Adam has such class and does not need to be dragged down to the level to get that pointless elusive headline.  I mean, does he really need to spell it out letter by letter for inane assholes?  The media persistence and its obsession with being able to correctly pigeonhole him really pisses me off.  Who - apart from those hungry for a big headline - actually wants or needs explicit confirmation?  It really isn't necessary to state the obvious and the fact that it is so obvious and the media are still hunting it down only serves to make it seem all the more ridiculous.  We know he is sex personified and it's really not important to pinpoint the category he fits neatly into.  His sexuality is such a non-issue for most of those who care and is only significant in the way it affects his art.  I really hope he doesn't succumb to the pressure and never explicitly proclaims his sexuality because I just find the idea of a front page declaration vulgar and tacky.  I think it would essentially undermine part of his mystique if he places himself within the confines of a box.  Like his art, he doesn't belong in any box and I hope he continues to evade the stupid label they're trying to pin on him.

The Final Results Show

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Well it's been a looooong time coming, apologies, but here's my very overdue review of the final results show. Hope the revisit helps with the withdrawal symptoms.

It was a horrible feeling I had going into this one. It would be the last time I would see Adam perform for a very long time and I would no longer be able to speculate on his song choice, wardrobe and hair. I'd heard rumours about some crazy wardrobe choices and a duet with KISS. I was looking forward to the performances and to him being crowned the winner. I noticed that at the start, they graphics seemed to depict both contestants like it was an election, with Adam's RoF hell pitted against Kris's heavenly blue background, maybe the type of showdown the producers were rumoured to have wanted.

The first wardrobe choice I found was a little bit strange. When Adam and Kris walked down the steps, they were dressed heard to toe in white and it looked like they were either wearing matching pyjamas or Clockwork Orange jumpsuits. On closer inspection, Adam was wearing patent silver boots that I later found out were supposedly flown in especially from Antwerp. There were some technical problems because the mics weren't working.

When it was time for the first act, it made more sense that they were all in white and the only clothing that wasn't, were Adam's boots. Even without them, he looked like a rock star, owning the stage when he was jumping around and with his kneeling close-up when he punched the air. When the others went down to the platform behind the judges, Adam stayed on stage guiding Scott. It felt like Adam got a little bit more camera time than anyone else and being the tallest and in the centre of the stage certainly helped. Besides, the camera just loves him.



Adam's next appearance was a slightly comedic clip where he was pretending to wind a lever to spin the trophy that Kris held. Ryan spoke to Adam's parents and Adam's mother was wearing some black rocker gloves with her outfit, and his father had painted his nails, which I loved. I wondered whether the fact that Adam's parents are divorced and so couldn't really play happy families had any negative impact on the result.



I found the package of Adam's journey quite moving as it painted him out to be a great, groundbreaking artist who shook up the show. We were reminded that Adam faithfully fulfilled the promise he made at the start by using his ideas to twist up old songs and surprise us. It seemed very much like a sentimental winner's package down to the soundtrack of Viva La Vida and the shot of his gloved hand punching the air at the end. I felt a tinge of reflective sadness as I watched it, seeing how he has developed and how I would miss following his journey on a weekly basis.

When Adam graced the stage for his performance of Beth, it was a Moment even before he started singing. The sea of the audience stood up in waves of anticipation and applause in his presence, as if they knew they were about to witness something special. The camera looked up at him from below as he stood majestic and statuesque like a deity serenely surveying his subjects. He was radiant and absolutely beautiful with his movements relaxed. It felt like he was finally completely comfortable, standing proud, confident, truly being himself with heartfelt sincerity. He gave us a knowing look with a couple of blink-and-you'll-miss-them cheeky eyebrow twitches. That look told me he knew me and knew what lay in my deepest and darkest recesses and that he understood. The glint in his eyes also made it as obvious as possible without a formal declaration what he meant by playing all night with him and the boys, come join us if you dare. He seemed to emanate a happiness, an inner peace and it was the first time I'd felt that magical connection. The simple piano accompaniment highlighting the clarity and effortlessness of his gorgeously low, rich and slightly grainy vocals only added to his splendour.

When I was able to notice the clothing, I was amazed by his industrial rhinestone shoulder cages / angel wings worn over a black aligator-skin top that had a matching rhinestone trim. It was teamed up with his fingerless gloves, his biker trousers from Cryin' and his glittery gold Zodiac Show platforms. Glambert! His eyes were surrounded with glistening jewels and he wore sparkly handcuffs where his belt-loop chains would normally be. I thought this was symbolic of his finally being free and unshackled in expressing himself without the pressure or judgement of competition. The shot from behind made his hunched posture portray him as a very lonely but gentle figure. From the front, his platforms gave him extra height, and the camera angles of the bright lights above and behind him and his towering over us with his angel wings, made him seem like a supreme being. Everything about his performance suggested to me that we were witnessing his transcendence. He looked stunning, like a dark sci-fi post-apocalyptic manga angel-prince. The audience gazed in awe at the fruition of his years of toil, the pinnacle of the Adam Lambert Show.

I loved the sound of Adam's voice when he introduced KISS. It was very different from his speaking voice and it had a rock edge to it. The band descended from a platform amid a cascade of fireworks. Compared to the band, who I thought looked a bit dated and on the vulgar side, Adam looked understatedly sophisticated! He stomped and strutted his way around the stage, visibly having a lot of fun. When his voice broke through during Detroit Rock City, it sounded incredible and everything about Adam - his style, his vocals, his sneer, his movements and his stage presence completely outclassed KISS. We were left in no doubt as to who the superstar was. There was a cheesy but amusing split-screen graphic with Adam in the centre. During Rock'n'Roll All Nite, Adam's parents were shown rocking out, which was really heartwarming. Adam managed to sneak some hip-swivels and a crotch grab in underneath the censors before wailing some trademark high but short notes. The performance ended with more fireworks being set off to the smashing of a guitar. Adam seemed to have that post-performance adrenaline beam that had been lacking for some time. He rocked the house. What a fantastically fun and energetic performance that was.



The Ford video was a slightly sad and earnest duet with Kris and Adam, showing extracts from the previous videos. It sounded soft but I don't think their voices went well together. The next part showed David Cook hand out the award of cars to each of them. Adam's reaction of cackling whilst bent double was priceless. It was a little uncomfortable though, to watch the blatantly staged and scripted plug. I hope Adam doesn't have to endorse shitty stuff in tacky adverts in the future.

The next performance to include Adam was Santana's smooth. Adam seemed to lead everyone out, clapping in time to the music before being the only one to shake hands with Santana's extended hand. He was dressed all in black apart from a red tie, accessoriesed with a studded belt - a scorching hot look. He also wore a holster / braces and looked like a detective in a fabulous Glambert universe where the most serious crimes possible to commit, for which he was head of investigations, were crimes against fashion. Yes, I'd happily commit a fashion crime in order to get arrested by Adam before getting styled! Adam's first line of his solo was a little off, but he recovered to add some smut in Like seven inches IN (original: from) the midday sun to the lyrics, giving us his most seductive eyes. You just have to admire his wit and gall, still bending the limits and seeing how much he can get away with. With his loose hips and shoulders, he showed us some great salsa-type dance moves which he made to look naturally effortless. He did some dancing with Allison and it occurred to me then that he must be absolutely loving all the different costume changes.



The next act was Do You Think I'm Sexy. Adam looked very classy in a black suit and led one side onto the stage. He was again in the centre along with Kris and treated the crowd to a few naughty expressions and raised eyebrows. The line-up made up of all the guys reminded me a bit of The Full Monty where you almost expect them to do a striptease. Adam's movements were a controlled and subdued sexy in this performance but his voice shone, especially on the last note where he was the only one who went high. The high note was accompanied by his iconic pose before he introduced Rod Stewart in a velvety smooth voice.



We Are The Champions came as a total surprise, and from the opening chords, my excitement was uncontainable and I was whooping. YES! Adam does Queen! A fitting end, seeing as it was what he started with. During the stream, this is when it froze, to my extreme annoyance. This song clearly wasn't Kris, who seemed to be reading the autocue when he started and was more than happy to hand over to Adam. They both exchanged looks and were happy and relaxed together on the stage behind the judges. Adam's first lines were resplendent, smooth and powerful with a fine clarity, delivered from a self-assured pose. He seemed to resonate with the lyrics, passionately and angrily spitting out I've had my share of sand kicked in my face but I've come through, which brought me all the way back near the beginning to BoW. I loved the way he phrased through, driving it with that extra power and punch. Yes, he's made it all the way to the end, despite all the shit that's been thrown at him and the additional pressure he's had to endure. Now it's time to celebrate. What a beautiful opening.

He was back to a rocker look in a brown leather jacket with exquisite detailing and matching boots over a black T-shirt and dark jeans. I felt that this look was on the subtle side so as to complement rather than dwarf Kris. Adam gave us a twirl of his wrist when the band were revealed before joining Queen on stage. When they sang together, their voices didn't mesh together very well and I felt that Adam held himself back a lot trying not to upstage Kris and steal the show, despite probably bursting to go crazy. I can't imagine any of the other contestants doing the same. Adam's second solo was a little less restrained, his voice had bite, giving me a rushing feeling when he hit a few high notes as Brian May looked on impressed. The following chorus, Kris dropped off a little. We are the champions, my friend had Adam and Kris demonstrating their friendship with a hand grab and shared smiles. They were clearly having a great time and it was infectious. It made us momentarily feel that they were both so happy to be there, not really caring about the end result with both being winners. There was no doubt then who the best singer, biggest talent and superstar was. It felt like the producers had to let Kris in on it out of obligation. The last note was frustrating for me because I wanted Adam to have free rein but instead he watched and matched Kris closely. Even when it came down to acknowledging the band afterwards, Adam's 'Queen, ladies and gentlemen,' compared to Kris's embarrassed and short 'Queen' spoke volumes about their different levels of showmanship. They should have ditched Kris on this one because he was like the gatecrasher at a glamorous party. I just wanted Adam to completely let rip, and so did Queen by the looks of it. But being the ever gracious host, Adam dressed himself down to make the gatecrasher feel welcome and less awkwardly out of place. You have to admire his class for doing this, but what a great shame it was. Perhaps this will be addressed in the future if Adam is allowed to perform with them. Brian looked very happy with Adam at the end, and Adam's family had such a blast by the looks of it. It felt like the crowning performance of the show where everyone came out and anything else afterwards would just be insignificant.



If you do not want to relive the end of the results show, skip the following paragraph.

When Adam and Kris came onto the stage for the final result, they looked happy still buzzing from the last performance and ready for it, wanting to get it over with. Adam had his arm slung around Kris like a very close friend and at that point, they really reminded me of Batman and Robin. Although Kris is likable and talented, he will always seem like Adam's sidekick. Adam seemed like his mentor when he pulled him into camera shot when the results bearer came onto the stage and obscured him from view. Adam's mother looked like she was unable to take any more, slouched in her seat. When Ryan made the announcement, it felt like time froze, I didn't breathe and the bottom of my gut dropped out. There was a little numbness, a feeling of complete anticlimax before disbelief and anger set in. NOOOOO! How the fuck could this happen? Adam is the clear winner! Adam's reaction was so gracious he immediately looked happy for Kris, pulling him close for a big hug, and shaking him into reality. He took a bow and Ryan called him a superstar before he gave the stage up for Kris. Kris said what we were all thinking - that Adam deserves this and was lost for words. Allison was quick to grab Adam but then pushed him by the ass to get back on the stage which was a little strange, but perhaps done to diffuse the awkwardness of Kris's lack of coherent speech. There was more hugging and they shared a joke before he cheered for Kris and left him to sing the coronation song. I noticed that Simon looked pissed off and wasn't on his feet like the other judges. Allison again took hold of Adam, putting her arm around him. I thought I saw a crack in the facade and a wistful expression appear on Adam's face. He may well be good at hiding it, but I do not believe Adam to be impervious to disappointment and hurt because I certainly felt it and I wasn't even involved. Adam stayed on the sidelines away from Kris for the rest of the show, allowing him the spotlight and cheering on his victory like a proud dad. My heart swelled with pride for Adam but ached with disappointment for him too.

A few other thoughts that struck me about the show was that it felt like Adam's plaything, like his tribute concert and finale to the Adam Lambert Show season where everyone else, including the established artists were just his support acts. Everyone was there to see or perform with him, the central piece of the show. For each of his group performances, he was the commanding stage presence, he seemed to be centre stage, get more camera time, the best camera shots and all eyes gravitated towards him. The stage was all his and he was in a totally different league. Even his solo was the last one of the night, barring the feeble coronation song, so he had the pimp spot again. It's glaringly obvious from any episode of AI8 who won the show and the season. It's been a week and I'm seriously suffering from the loss of The Adam Lambert Show from our screens. Still, I feel pleased now that Adam is stepping out from AI, spreading his wings ready to soar onwards and upwards. I'm holding on tight for the ride to wherever he takes me.

Think Positive!

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I've been trying to shift a mother of a headache for the past couple of days, perhaps induced by my self-inflicted jet-lag, which is why I've been on the quiet front.  Plus there's so much to catch up on.  There is work in progress though, which will include the full overdue review of the final results show, commentary on Adam's media exposure, a look back on the season as a whole, looking forward and whatever else this obsession leads me to.  I'll try to keep this blog going for as long as it's practical.  Due to being in the wrong time zone, it may not be the most reactive so thanks for your patience.

I'm surprised by the intensity of the reaction to the result and have had a look at forums where some of us still seem to be in the denial phase, which I'll attempt to explain.  This may have been one of the very rare occasions where we've allowed ourselves to open our hearts and freely follow.  It takes something really special to do that.  The safety armour that we wear when approaching any relationship since our first heartbreak wasn't worn because we know how to separate the real from the fantasy.  We assumed there was no risk to ourselves so followed our hearts, diving recklessly into dangerous territory.  It was exciting and thrilling to feel so connected to someone and feel such empathy, but we were unprepared to be wounded by disappointment.  We projected many of our personal hopes, desires, insecurities, negativities and fears onto Adam and feel that he was singlehandedly representing our dreams and fighting our causes for us.  We're feeling emotionally fragile and pissed off because our hearts rested on the outcome of the competition.  For Adam to win would have meant he was victorious in fighting our battles and would have given us renewed hope in ourselves and in society as a whole.   These hopes were crushed and we're still feeling an overwhelming loss and injustice.  Somewhere inside we feel ridiculous and tell ourselves to get a grip - this is just some reality show contestant who has no bearing on our real world, so why get all upset?  There is no relationship, but the hurt is acutely real because we let down our guard.  I think the most important thing is not to avoid emotional investment, but to make sure we do not build an impenetrable fortress for the future.  What's the point in living if we make ourselves numb by being too scared to feel?

If you're still feeling down, try this: Imagine Adam stoops to look straight into your eyes and you gasp because he sees deep within you.  On seeing your hurt, he goes 'Aw' and puts a hand on your shoulder then tells you not to be so upset.  He reassures you he's fine and nowhere near as upset as you are, before joking about ruining his eyeliner if you don't cheer up soon.  You smile, he gives a hearty laugh, flashing his contagious 1000 watt smile at you then wraps you up in big hug.  Cheesy?  Yes, but does this positive thinking work?

Dealing With the Aftermath - Chin up!

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I thought I started feeling better yesterday but after seeing so many interviews with Kris and how much screen time he's had, I'm feeling bitterly disappointed to not be seeing Adam instead, who would make for a much more interesting and charismatic interviewee.  And it pains me for Adam to have to talk about losing over and over again with each interview (and for Kris too).

Since the result, I've been trying to rationalise it by spending time mulling over what happened with the voting.  Apparently the rumours about the 38 million Arkansas votes were false, but the result still wasn't a close one, so did we let Adam down?  Although I voted for a full seven hours, I didn't manage to get more than about 200 calls throughout the whole time because Gizmo was so slow and the lines were busy.  Were none of Adam's fans able to bulk text?  As I've mentioned before, I thought texting would be the key because there would be no danger of not getting through due to busy lines.  Someone could have texted my 7 hours' worth of calls in a couple of minutes, so calling was relatively futile.  I don't regret it but I'm gutted my efforts made no difference to the outcome, and I'm still finding the result difficult to accept.

Adam seems to be genuinely happy for Kris and handling things very well but I can't help but hurt for him.  I keep thinking that perhaps he's not appearing that disappointed because he's good at hiding his feelings.  Or that he never really allowed himself to truly believe he could win, especially after his reaction to being in the top two.  Which makes me get worked up even more because he should have.  Maybe it's better to believe that he just wanted to use the show to get exposure rather than to win.  One thing I do find encouraging is the genuine affection and close friendship they have demonstrated towards each other, which is a great example for all of us.

This is much more than a singing competition and Adam represented so many people's dreams. Kris may have been the underdog in the competition but in life he's the popular boy-next-door who ended up with the prom queen.  Adam may not have been the underdog in the competition but he was the underdog in life, which makes the loss seem like such a kick in the teeth, a bitter and painful rejection by America for all those he represented.  For Adam to have lost to Kris underlines the notion that America is less willing to accept true brilliance than the ability to conform.  I wanted Adam to win to have the satisfaction of knowing that his music could transcend or even shift society's attitudes but I was being overly optimistic.  I'm glad I don't live in the US.  As I see it, he's reawakened in so many people a long-dormant spirit of adventure, creativity, experimentation and an appreciation of music that would previously have been dismissed.  I wanted him to know this and be rewarded for it as well as for his dedication to being a great entertainer.

I don't want to end on a gloomy note because I'm sure that's the last thing we need.  I've just managed to see the whole of the results show.  I missed a huge chunk of it through the stream (which was awful as I was scared I'd have to wait two days before I watch the result) as I had problems with the internet.  I couldn't bring myself to watch the result online but I now feel much better.  The results show felt like a tribute concert for Adam where he commanded the stage and shone like a supernova.  It was plain to see who the star was, and even the established artists he shared the stage with were made to look like his minions.  It seemed like the show kept him as the highlight for the second hour so that people would stay tuned.  Even though the Queen performance was done with Kris, it was obvious who they were there for and he seemed to be the winner who was willing to share the limelight.  Perhaps that was part of the shock because the show led us to believe that Adam had won.  Part of me feels that Kris wouldn't have gotten to the final if it weren't for Adam's friendship.  I think of what Adam brought to AI this season - which includes Slash, their first Zeppelin song, KISS, Queen, and credibility - before breaking it.  He got in the maximum number of performances (minus the coronation song, which is a plus), he has people queueing up to work with him and he had the mentors gushing all over him.  He was so gracious and seemed like Kris's proud dad at the announcement.  His iTunes sales are doing very well and Simon is a complete Glamb Skank.  People tuned in especially to watch him and even though he didn't win, it was just a stepping stone.  AI8 will always be The Adam Lambert Show.  There's plenty to feel positive about.