“American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi has blamed the bad economy for Adam Lambert being booted from ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
“We’re living in a pretty bad economic time, so they have to do what they have to do to keep their advertisers,” Kara told E! News columnist Marc Malkin. “Networks are doing what they think their viewers want and don’t want, so it’s just budgetary.”
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Adam was axed from his planned December 17 appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” A source told Access the decision was made by executives at ABC and not the show. The source added that the show still hopes to bring him on the program after the heat over his American Music Awards performance dies down.
At the November 22 AMAs event, Adam closed the show with his song with a performance that saw him give his middle finger to the camera, pull a backup dancer’s head to his nether regions and kiss his male keyboard player.
And the “Idol” judge, whom many blamed for outing Adam earlier this year during an appearance on “The View” (before he confirmed he is gay in a Rolling Stone magazine cover story), defended the singer’s controversial performance at the American Music Awards.
“We always know he’s going to shock us, right?” Kara said in the singer’s defense. “He’s going to wow us and give us the unexpected, and that’s his thing…That’s what we look for.”
Adam claimed on his Twitter account on Wednesday night that he was also booted from Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2010.”
“Yes, sadly friends, ABC has cancelled my appearances on Kimmel and NYE. 🙁 don’t blame them. It’s the FCC heat,” Adam wrote.
Despite his “Kimmel” cancellation, Adam has picked up a primetime booking. He will appear in the studio on “The Jay Leno Show” on December 21.
“American Idol” returns for Season 9 on FOX on January 12.
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