Ed. note: If anyone can make this applicable to job hunters, Howard can! Enjoy.

Writer’s note. During my college years, I was entertainment editor of my campus newspaper and I learned my craft by writing concert and record reviews.  I have seen many good concerts and many poor ones as well.  As I was watching the American Music Awards last Sunday, I thought this would be a good time to revisit my roots, by writing about that performance.

I will be the first to admit, I am a big Adam Lambert fan.

I had read a review in another piece where the writer suggested that those who purchase the CD may bring it to the cash register the same way that an embarrassed teenager brings his first copy of Playboy Magazine to the cashier.  I thought the analogy was a poor one.  I followed Mr. Lambert’s progress on American Idol last year.  That show made me forget, at least for a little while, about my upcoming unemployment. Like many of my fellow co-workers at the time, I was surprised that he lost to Kris Allen, another very talented performer.

Actually the reason why I chose this performance to review is because it reminds me of a former co-worker, from many years back. I knew my former co-worker was frustrated with his current position.  His goal was to work for one particular company and when he was granted an interview with them, he was on cloud nine.  The following day he told me about how great the interview went, because they had given him the chance to vent about his current employer.  I did not have the heart to tell him that you never bad-mouth your current employer, even if it is justified!  He did not get the position.

I cannot help think that Adam Lambert’s performance at the American Music Awards was not unlike my former co-worker’s experience.  This was his big opportunity; his chance to prove to the American public that they had made the wrong choice during the American Idol finals.  Instead of seizing that opportunity and doing his song from the movie 2012, a very impressive video that can be seen on the movie website for 2012, he chose the title track from his first solo album, For Your Entertainment.

What followed were several minutes of questionable theatrics, including implied dominatrix moves, suggested oral sex, some crotch grabbing, and a long French kiss with his keyboard player. While my family and friends were horrified by the performance, I have always prided myself on looking beyond the theatrics and asking myself, how good was the vocal performance?

Truth be told, the vocal performance was mediocre, at best. Adam Lambert has an incredible vocal range. His vocals were choppy, off key and the harmonies with the backup singers simply were not there.  Was this the same performer who bowled me over on the 2012 soundtrack and won second place on American Idol last year? Apparently that version of Mr. Lambert was not in the building last Sunday. A solid performance, showcasing his multi-octave vocal range with the world falling apart as a theatrical backdrop would have been more worthy of his talents.  Instead, just like my former co-worker many years ago, he took that opportunity to “vent” and expose areas of sexuality which would best be saved for a concert performance, TV cameras absent.

Unlike my former co-worker, who never received a second chance to showcase his abilities, I sincerely hope that the American public gives this performer a second chance to show what a talented individual he really is. After all, we all deserve a second chance.

Happy Holidays and Good Hunting!

-By Howard K. Young, Contributing Writer & Member of The 405 Club.

View all of Howard’s posts here.