I think the crux of the problem is that gays are no longer satisfied with mere tolerance. They want acceptance. This puts them into conflict with much of the Christian community.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

He talks about naming the band after a tanning salon (not!), dynamics of the tour bus, not giving up, President Obama, and um, Dublin’s recording contract (Hee). It’s his most entertaining and revealing interview yet. Didn’t want any Cook fans to miss this.

Cookie singing Permanent at the finale…yay! That is my favorite from his album and being the soppy, sentimental Filipino that I am, I wished he’d sing that in Manila but knew that he wouldn’t/couldn’t.

Speaking of the Manila concert, the author of that Manila Times article on DC also wrote a very nice review of the concert. (I agree with just about everything he wrote.)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/may/19/yehey/life/20090509lif5.html

(Sorry for the ugly link. I’m on my mobile.)

Photo With less than 24 hours to their final à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  performances, last men standing Adam Lambert and Kris Allen took a timeout to meet the press.

And mostly, they tried to prop each other up.

Allen dismissed the idea that his background as a Christian church singer would give him a boost.

Winning à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“has to do with talent,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he said. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not about religion or all that stuff.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Lambert said, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d hope people would vote based on what they hear. It’s an equal opportunity situation.”

Neither would admit that nerves have gotten to them — yet.

On a scale of 1 to 10, “I’d say about I’m at a 5,” Lambert said. Allen nodded, adding, “Tomorrow it’ll be a 10.”

Lambert enters the final performance the clear front-runner, having won over the judges week after week and singularly capturing the attention of the media. Last week’s guest artist Katy Perry was even so bold as to sing with a cape emblazoned with “Adam Lambert” on the back. Producers were not happy.

When asked if his theater experience has given him a leg up during the show, Lambert said he didn’t see it that way.

“This isn’t theater so I don’t see how it matters at all. We both have experience,” he said, pointing to Allen’s background playing in bars and clubs.

Said Allen: “I have just as much experience as he has — I just wasn’t in ‘Wicked.’ ”

Reporters tried to get the contestants to reveal their final song choices for Tuesday — and of course, both were tight-lipped.

“They’re good songs,” Lambert teased. “We think you’ll like them.”

“We’re just totally different artists,” Allen said.

With very different getting-ready regimens.

Asked how they will prepare tomorrow before the show, they gave answers that show their different personalities. “I’m going to go rehearse and then just try and get ready,” Allen said; Lambert offered, “I’m going to order a really big room service breakfast.” Including something with “lots of hollandaise.”

Further elaborating on the differences, Lambert said, “I have a very messy bathroom situation. Kris has like three products and I have every product I can get my hands on.”

All kidding aside, Lambert summed up the excitement for both: “At this point we both feel like we’ve already won.”

– Denise Martin and Richard Rushfield

Photo credit: Richard Rushfield

Article Link

liked Rickey Braddy and hoped he would have been chosen for the top 12/13, but his little swipe at Adam was nasty

huh? What happened? And this Sarver Gokey love stuff.. none of the vids are available now. What are you guys talking bout???? Tell!

It is funny how people can watch a show and see things so differently. The whole Bill Oreilly segment was focused on a Newsweek piece that was written about this Christian issue. The Newsweek guy talked about whether people think some people vote for one because they are Christianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ definitely not a a vote for Kris campaignà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.

They said that Kris is obviously a Christian because he wears a cross and married young. They said that Adam never mentioned his religion. Not once did they mention Adam is Jewish. Plus, to me, you don’t call people the “maybe gay guy”. That is disrespectful. He has a name.

The point is, the segment never should have taken place. The hidden message was obvious, and yes it was a vote for Kris campaign. I am not the only one who thinks this.

Also mentioned was the fact that Kris had not talked about his religion.

He introduced Adam as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“might-be-gayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and Kris as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Christianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ .

They plastered the photos of Adam kissing that guy all over the screen again, and they pointed out how all the other Idol winners (Carrie, Kelly, Ruben, Jordin, etc.) are devout Christians and that the fact Danny was Christian, his voters will go Kris.

They made a big deal of Kris being Christian but never mentioned Adam was Jewish. Just that Adam hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mentioned his religion on the show.

Finally, the show insinuated that Simon told America to vote for Adam because he was worried that America might not vote for Adam because heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not Christian when there were two Christian singers competing against him.

Basically, it was a vote for Kris campaign because heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the good married Christian guy.

I honestly cannot believe people donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think Adam is an underdogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.. lol

I think Michael and Danny came off poorly, not because theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re Homophobes but because it shows they are insecure and far too worried about perception.

YES! One of the things I love most about David Archuleta is that I feel he is so open about everything, which shows how secure he is in who he is. I haven’t followed Cook much, but I think he is also secure in who he is. Neither one of them hesitate to express their love for others.

Regie Hamm wins songwriting award for The Rainbow

http://www.sesac.com/events/Event_News_Details.aspx?id=926

He talks about TOML as it nears its first anniversary

http://regiehamm.com/blog/2009/05/18/my-favorite-year

OMG, thanks for posting these. Regie’s blog has me in tears. Couple the end of his blog with the one (last Summer) about his daughter and China… The Magic Rainbow is a very special song indeed.

Wow.

Regie Hamm wins songwriting award for The Rainbow

Now I’ve seen everything.