Op-Ed: Are Adam Lambert's drama-filled incidents all for show?

Over the past couple of weeks, singer Adam Lambert has been all over the headlines. This popular American Idol runner-up is proving to be the star of this year's American Idol. But is that a good thing?

I remember watching American Idol that night. The show was spectacular with a series a star-studded performances. The votes had been counted and America was waiting for the results. I was one of the millions of Americans who felt Lambert had already won based on his fan-base and his performances the previous week. Then the moment of truth arrived and it was time for Ryan Seacrest to reveal the finale's results. The winner was not who America had expected to win. Adam Lambert was the runner-up. He lost the coveted American Idol title to Kris Allen. Both singers were amazing in their final performances and I was pleased to see the under-dog had won the contest. It was at that moment I decided the show was not maybe not fixed after all. But this year did not go without incidents, and most of these incidents have been after the show ended and the 12 American Idols started working. The one contestant still making headlines is Adam Lambert. I wonder if his actions speak louder than his words? Almost immediately after the American Idol finale Clay Aiken (a fellow gay American Idol runner-up) posted a blog expressing his own personal opinions regarding the popular Adam Lambert. Aiken blogged about the show as well, claiming that American Idol's biased opinions for Lambert ultimately affected the voters into voting for Kris Allen, resulting in the underdog winning by the largest number of viewer votes. Aiken also said on his blog:

"I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing 'Ring of Fire' and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening!"

This sparked a series of blogging comments back and forth from both of the American Idol runner-ups. Eventually, Aiken apologized to Lambert but the embers of that fire are still smoldering. Becoming the runner-up has not slowed down Lambert's publicity and his effortless way of achieving headlines. A recent front page cover of the Rolling Stone Magazine on June 10, revealed Lambert is gay. He claims to have waited to "come out" until after Idol had finished. Lambert said:

"Right after the finale, I almost started talking about [being gay] to the reporters, but I thought, ‘I’m going to wait for Rolling Stone, that will be cooler."

And he also made a statement about Aiken:

“Clay Aiken’s gay, and I’m gay, and we couldn’t be more different. The only thing that is the same about everyone in the gay community is that we’re gay. … Why can’t we talk about a human community?”

But the big announcement about his sexuality and his smoldering feud with Aiken are just the icing of this drama cake named Adam Lambert. An all-out feud between the fans of the second and third finalist of this season's American Idol has been a gossip topic lately online. Lambert fans and Danny Gokey fans have erupted a huge debate on the Twitter. The heavy debate started with some Facebook photos, a dinner at Buca di Beppo, a few unsavory comments and an autographed picture. It quickly escalated into an Internet maelstrom that topped Twitter's Trending Topics list and became one of the most-searched Twitter topics, according to VH1.com. Both Gokey and Lambert defend their friendship and took to the Twitter airwaves themselves in an attempt to calm the feud. Even in Internet feeds, feelings can be hurt and a person's words can used and turned against them. MSNBC has reported that working with Lambert has become difficult and he has exhibited "Diva" behavior:

'He is such a diva. Rude to everyone—from fans right down to the lighting folks," complains one person who was unfortunate enough to work with him."

Another disclosed source who worked with Lambert during a New York stop told MSNBC:

"A-list celebrities have come through here and been infinitely more polite."

Though I do wish the best for Lambert, I am beginning to wonder if each headline created is another step toward fame. It's becoming a familiar scene with new celebrities in Hollywood today. As they say, any news in Hollywood is good news. Even if it is bad news. Fame is a very tricky subject for every celebrity and each must learn to handle their success in their own way. Becoming hot-headed and forgetting where you come from are steps to blocking possible business ventures. I only hope Lambert realizes attitudes were never cool. Not even back in high school and with really good eyeliner. Perhaps Lambert is attempting to follow in the footsteps of other celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan or Brittney Spears. Their lives have been publicly analyzed for years, and every move they make is subject to front page tabloid gossip. If Lambert is attempting to make headlines, perhaps he should follow in the footsteps of stars who have gained their fame by their success instead of their drama queen antics. But then again, weren't Lindsey Lohan and Brittney Spears famous years before they became tabloid gossip?