So Middle America is in uproar over a slightly raunchy performance delivered by non-American Idol Adam Lambert at this week's American Music Awards.
TV network ABC admitted that 1500 people had complained about the performance, in which Lambert simulated a bit of oral sex and then kissed another guy. I think it's those aspects of the performance that the viewers are complaining about, though personally I think they'd have a better case if they complained about that screeching Lambert does when he's trying to hit the high notes - that's truly offensive.
The always rationale US Parents' Television Council called on its members to complain to ABC, the show's producer Dick Clark Productions and any advertisers linked to the awards show, and for those members based in areas where the oral sex simulation was screened (West Coast networks edited that bit out) to complain to media regulator the FCC.
The Council's President called the Lambert routine "tasteless" and "vulgar", and said his members were "outraged" that it had been aired before the watershed. He said of his members: "They just can't believe the nature of the content, the explicit nature, and how much graphic content there was".
Lambert defended his performance, saying: "I had fun, my dancers had fun, the audience that was in the Nokia had fun. Anybody else who was watching it and enjoying it, thank you for being entertained". If people had been upset by the show, he added, that was just a "form of discrimination and it's too bad".
Staying with his theme that any outrage of his performance is basically just homophobia, he told Rolling Stone: "Female performers have been doing this for years - pushing the envelope about sexuality - and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out. My goal was not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom".
ABC said 1500 complaints was "moderate" - and to put it into perspective 3000 people complained to ITV recently when Simon Cowell didn't use his casting vote to kick Jedward of 'X-Factor', and US TV shows have much bigger audiences. So either Americans haven't quite grasped how easy it is to complain in the email age, or the outrage over Lambert's routine isn't as strong as some US media have suggested. 500,000 people complained when they got a glimpse of Janet Jackson's breast at the 2004 Superbowl half time show though, admittedly, the Superbowl is American's biggest family TV viewing event.
All of which possibly means the outrage being reported has been at least slightly manufactured by the media. Whether that means ABC and the AMA producers will avoid investigations and fines and whatnot remains to be seen, though presumably all the hoo haa will help American Idol runner up Lambert flog some records.
However, there has been one immediate change to the popster's schedule as a result of the AMA performance. ABC have uninvited him from their 'Good Morning America' show, presumably wary of screening another controversial performance while anger remains regarding the awards.