Tension: Michael Sarver & Adam Lambert?

[watch Sarver's elimination video: notice Adam and Allison are the only ones that don't give Sarver a hug. Also, click here and check out what Danny Gokey & Adam Lambert have said about each other].

Negativeneil, Adam’s brother Neil, posted online (here at somethingawful dot com) about Sarver during the competition. Negativeneil quoted a statement that Sarver had made on an online post, “Where I’m from, you’re either in the closet or you’re dead”, and responded: ”With Sarver, well…. Mom and Dad always taught us that it isn’t what you say but how you say it. That’s how I got so sardonic. So if what he said offended Adam, it probably had some teeth to it. Do I think he hates gays? No. Do I think he’s an ignorant shithead with no concept of diversity and how to interact with people that don’t match the narrow archetype of everyone you grew up with? Yes… Alright, I’ll stop derailing about Sarver now and just say this. He’s not at fault for being ignorant if he’s never stepped outside his comfort zone. But if I were in a similar situation in which I found myself in his neck of the woods, my first inclination wouldn’t be to tell the people around town that where I’m from we all think they’re inbred hicks. Just sayin’.”

According to Anoop, Sarver and Lambert are ”not afraid to speak their minds”. In an off-camera post-finale interview [with Michelle from Best Week Ever] Adam said that there was “maybe” a contestant that he didn’t get along with. He couldn’t say who because they would be on the tour together. I guess that person is Sarver. 

I know Sarver and Lambert disagree with each other, but I hope that they will both get along alright together during the tour (without arguing or tension) and appreciate and admire what they can about each other.

Sarver seems like a warm and likable guy - but also rigid & black and white. He comes across as someone with firm ideas (that he doesn’t test) about the way things should be.  Matt and Lil both said that Sarver was inflexibly chivalrous (he wouldn’t let Lil open her own door of the car, he had to open it for her). I think Sarver gets scared & reacts defensively when his firm ideas about the world are questioned or shaken (rather than being willing to reconsider his preconceptions). 

Sarver is a hardworking man whose goal in life is to provide for (and love) his family, and to be a great father and husband. I’m guessing that he is a man who is in general happy with his views/beliefs and is unwilling to test/reconsider them because doing so is too scary.

Adam talks about Sarver: “He’s got that papa bear kind of energy… We’re all very, very different. But the cool thing about Michael is that he’s come into this competition with an open-mind and he wants to learn about people.”

Sarver talks about Adam: “He’s always got good things to say about everything that we’re faced with. No matter what we’re doing in the day he’s thinking about it in a positive way.”

Sarver talks about Adam coming runner-up:

Sarver – I remember Paula said, “iconic” [about Adam]. That is no joke of  a word, right there. I’m serious.

Lil – And [Adam & Kris are] two of the nicest guys I think I have ever met. They really are.

Sarver – Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And the way – I thought that Adam was nothing but cool when the first thing that he did was wrap his arms around Kris.

Lil – Yeah, of course.

Sarver – That is who Adam is, right there. That was cool.

Sarver talks about his American Idol experience – For me personally, this has been one of the most incredible rides. Short of my own family there is nothing greater in my whole world than what happened on American Idol, it’s priceless, you can’t put a price tag on this type of thing. I would say to anyone thinking about it, just do it. This is the most incredible musical experience I have ever had. People ask me, “What’s your favorite thing about American Idol?” Other than the singing, it is the people. You would be amazed. I remember about 3 weeks after I left the show I looked over at my wife over the dinner table and said, “I miss it”. Because you get so connected… The people are incredible. And I don’t think I ever - there was nothing wrong. Nobody was hating on each other. It was ridiculous”.