Adam Lambert Striving for Attention?

Adam Lambert performed his new single "For Your Entertainment" at this year's American Music Awards. First... I wasn't feeling the song at all. It sounded like bad rendition of 80's Rock. I am not even sure why they let this new-jack perform as if he was an established artist... his damn album hadn't even dropped at the time of the awards.

The entire performance was just gaudy. Clearly he planned to be risqué as an attempt to promote himself and his new album.
Dick Clark Productions censored Lambert's performance for LA viewers, and has managed to completely remove all YouTube videos of his performance. I wonder would it have been such a big deal if he had just kissed the guy on stage, rather than simulating sexual acts as well. Who knows? Is it a form of discrimination... certainly. However, I just think all of his attempts to stand out are a bit overboard.

In his interview with Access Hollywood, he speaks about female artists who have pushed the limits of sex... but that is just it.... IT'S BEEN DONE!!! He will never be Madonna and he doesn't possess the true uniqueness of Lady Gaga. He looks like a cheap morphed version of David Bowie, Boy George, and Annie Lenoxx (Eurythmics) combined. I guess he has managed to accomplish what he wanted... as they say, "There is no such thing as bad publicity," but there is an apparent reason why he LOST American Idol, so perhaps his antics will only continue to be counterproductive.

Best 2009 AMA Performance - Janet Jackson

The mark of a true performer... Janet Jackson "Miss Jackson if ya nasty"... is truly a phenomenal entertainer. There are very few artists who have the staying power and the ability to transcend the years like Janet. Everyone in the industry should take note.

When Denim Fails...

Denim usually seems like a safe bet when choosing an outfit for the day. Designer labels such as True Religion, Seven (for all mankind), Rag & Bone, and Citizens of Humanity have really revolutionized the style of denim. However!!! Denim done right... still requires some sort of "Fashion Cense". Whether you're a women's size 2 or 20/men's 30 or 50 there is a flattering pair of jeans out there for you.

With this said, some people tend to go terribly wrong when it comes to denim... let's take a look shall we?

Thanks to Street Correspondent, Kristen... we are now reaching out to new cities. She managed to snap the following shot, "In-Transit" on a city bus in Atlanta, Georgia:

Osh Kosh B'Gosh!!! Why did this man choose to put his big ass in a pair of denim carpenter overalls? Your guess is as good as mine. I'm not even mad that his derriere looks as if someone filled his Hanes with cooked oatmeal... It's the fact that a grown man is wearing overalls and he isn't slashing hay on a farm. Overalls are only cute on toddlers. While they were slightly in style in the 80's/early 90's in the days of Cross Colors, I can assure you... they certainly aren't fashionable today. I mean really... take a good look. The pockets are located on the sides of his cheeks, making his buttocks appear that much larger. Let's not overlook the fact that his ass is snacking on the denim which is causing them to ride up his legs. Sir? SIR!!! This is not the look!

Next! I caught this woman on line in my favorite fast food eatery, Joe's Best Burger:

This woman is quintessentially "pear" shaped. This figure is the result of those that carry the bulk of their weight below the waist, thus resembling a pear. Because of their disproportionate weight, buying clothes that fit properly while flattering their shape can be a real bitch.

Let me tell you where this woman went wrong. First and most important... she should have went up a size. Much like the man on the bus... her ass and inner thighs are swallowing half the denim. This is resulting in an extreme case of "high waters" (pants too short). If she was to walk another city block she would be wearing Capri's. Had she went up one size and chose a thicker denim, this wouldn't have been much of an issue. She likely chose a smaller size because to purchase pants that properly fit her bottom, would likely result in a larger/baggy waist.

Her next major issue is color. She should have opted for a dark wash/indigo denim. This would've been visually slimming, especially if they were lightly distressed in certain key areas.

Last but certainly not least, she never should have worn that jacket. There are two problems with that jacket beyond it's color. First, it sits above her backside. An easy way to minimize would be to have something that sits a little lower (at least at the hip line). Second, that gaudy gold trimming at the bottom of her jacket simply accentuates the size of her buttocks by dissecting and acting as an outline. Instead of the jacket? She should have chosen a flattering blouse/sweater in an eye catching color/print... this matched with dark jeans would've drawn the eyes to her top, thus minimizing her bottom.

As always!!! If you see a hot mess in your travels and manage to snap a shot, please feel free to email them to me at Censibility@gmail.com for my in-depth review.

The Face of Abuse

For those of you who missed the 20/20 Diane Sawyer/Rihanna interview, I have embedded the videos below... Before I discuss my views on abusive relationships, and the Rihanna/Chris Brown fiasco please read the poem below:

A Kind of Love, Some Say

~Maya Angelou

Is it true the ribs can tell
The kick of a beast from a
Lover's fist? The bruised

Bones recorded well
The sudden shock, the

Hard impact. Then swollen lids,

Sorry eyes, spoke not

Of lost romance, but hurt.
Hate often is confused. Its

Limits are in zones beyond itself. And

Sadists will not learn that
Love, by nature, exacts a pain

Unequalled on the rack.

I decided to write about abusive relationships and in particularly post this poem because I feel there are so many women out there that have been victims of domestic violence. One of the very first episodes of Oprah's new season showed a woman who was the recipient of a face transplant after having her face shot off by her husband (Picture: top left). Unrecognizable of her former self, she stated she had thoughts about going back to her husband after her near death experience.

Rihanna (pic: upper-right) revealed during her interview, there had been several instances of abuse prior to the final and very publicized occurrence. If I had to guess, a man will almost never haul off and beat a woman the way Chris Brown did, as a first time occurrence. Abuse tends to start off verbally and gradually increases to various stages of physicality (shove, slap, etc.).

A few weeks ago I conducted a small poll on domestic violence. Of those that responded, approximately 60% had been abused or knew someone who had been a victim of domestic violence.

Sadly, one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. While men are occasionally victims, 85% of domestic violence victims are women. However, most cases are never reported to the police. (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence/ncadv.org)

A strong, confident woman is much more likely to rid herself of a toxic situation. The weaker woman is one who almost always has low self-esteem, thus finding herself back in the same situation. In the 20/20 interview, Rihanna touts about her strength to Ms. Sawyer, but I beg to differ. It took "8 or 9 times" for her to escape an abusive relationship. In fact, she didn't initially define the previous occurrences as abuse, being that they weren't as violent. It was almost as if she was still trying to protect him...

Sawyer: "He repeatedly shoved you into a wall."

Rihanna: "No he didn't repeatedly shove me into a wall."

Sawyer: "What happened?"

Rihanna: "He shoved me into the wall."

Regardless to whether it was "repeatedly" or not, you were in fact shoved into a wall... and that is in fact abuse/domestic violence. Three weeks after that violent attack, Rihanna found herself back with Chris Brown. Although it certainly took a lot of strength for her to call it quits, I think the Bajan beauty has a long way to go before she is able to personify a strong, empowered woman. After all, when asked if she could see herself with Chris in the future... she mentioned that she isn't God, thus unable to see into the future.

Finally, we need to stop blaming the victim. With such ignorant comments as, "what did she do to provoke him," it is no wonder as to why this crime often goes unreported. Abuse in any form is about power and in this society that power is undeniably and inherently, male privilege.

The following is the 20/20 video clip.

If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, please call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233span style="font-size:130%;">
*Be sure to leave a comment on your views of domestic violence and the Rihanna interview.

Rico Suave

Please keep in mind that the following pictures were taken on a NYC train in mid-October.

Have you ever? I won't even go in on the woman, who was wearing drawstring Capri's with Ugg-like boots. I want to discuss her boyfriend that she clinched onto as if someone would actually want him.

For a brief few days in October we had mid-sixty degree weather. Why in hell is he wearing a tank top... even worse a damn "wife-beater" outside? I guess I can see why this term, "wife-beater" arose... with men like him wearing them in public.

Here is a silly thought... An undershirt, should probably be worn UNDER your DAMN shirt. The ONLY men that can get away with wearing just a wife-beater are those with chiseled bodies... Not skinny men with child-like bodies, and certainly not men who look as if they're six months pregnant. This man is suffering from a case of "Dunlap." His gut dun-lapped over his damn belt. Another 10 - 20 lbs and he can say "so long" to his anatomy.

Not only was he bold enough to wear a wife-beater outside with a protruding gut, but he paired it with dress slacks and shoes that looked as if they sailed over on the damn Mayflower. I gather he felt that his Rico Suave/South Central look was sharp...

Lastly, he needs to cut off that greasy slicked back pony tail and donate it to Locks of Love.

*If you or someone you know spots a Hot Mess in your travels, feel free to take a picture and email it to me at Censibility@gmail.com I'm always open to new material.

Age Appropriate?

Before you take it off the shelf, ask yourself if the item is appropriate for someone your age. If not... one of two things will happen: Either you'll end up looking much older than your age (which is never a good thing), or you'll look like a an old ass bastard trying to look young.

As always, take a look at the following example:

This man appears to be in his mid to late 30's. However, this gaudy graphic print t-shirt says, "teenager." There are many age appropriate, graphic print tees out there. One store that comes to mind is J.Crew. J.Crew often sells many graphic tees with subtle prints for both men and women.

I usually wouldn't have paid much attention to this man, but the rosary beads around his neck made me dig out the ol' Palm. I was completely awestruck. What kind of tackiness is this? Not only is he trying to use rosary beads as a fashion accessory, but it looks as if he caught them after they were flung off a balcony on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras... need we ask what he flashed to get them?

The gist of this post? Dress your damn age! If you're a man, dress like one... not a 15 year old boy. You can still be fun and fashionable without looking like an ass.