The fate of “American Idol” contestants is far from uniform. If the universe were right and good, the winners would go on to become superstars, pumping out jam after hot summer jam, taking only brief vacations to make out with models on a yacht off the coast of Tahiti. Runners-up would go on to become moderately less famous versions of the above and so on down the line.

But life is not fair and this is the principle that governs the fate of “American Idol” contestants. Take Adam Lambert. The Jewish pop star is a prime example of how you don’t have to win “American Idol” to fulfill the wildest dreams of every teenage boy from the 1980s.

Lambert, who placed second during Season 8 of “Idol”, is currently filling the shoes of the late Freddie Mercury in what Queen is calling its “quasi-reunion tour.” The tour kicked off in Phoenix, AZ on June 23rd, right in the middle of the Southwest’s face-melting heatwave.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

This is all happening as buzz builds for Lambert’s upcoming single “Two Fux.” The song drops June 30th and is his first release since the 2015 album “The Original High.”

“Two Fux” is no “Despacito” but it’s definitely a solid bop in its own right. You can watch Lambert perform it below.

Jewish pop stars are few and far between so it’s nice to see Lambert basking in the limelight right now. Just goes to show — maybe second is the best.

Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter at @arr_scott

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount