Adam Lambert Kisses a Boy at American Music Awards

It wasn’t the best performance of the night (that spot is reserved Lady GaGa‘s glass-shattering rendition of “Bad Romance” and “Speechless,”) but it will certainly be the most talked about!

Adam Lambert hit the stage at the American Music Awards Sunday night for an energetic, borderline sex-show version of latest single “For Your Entertainment” that included shoving a male dancer’s face into his crotch, dragging a female dancer around the stage by her shoe, and making out with a male keyboard player.

“Female performers have been doing this for years — pushing the envelope about sexuality — and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out,” Lambert later said, perhaps referencing Madonna and Britney Spears‘ liplock back in 2003.

“We’re in 2009 — it’s time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people’s eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I’m not for them,” he adds. “My goal was not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom.”

We totally agree with Lambert about the double-standard, but he should also keep in mind that those performances are generally reserved for MTV! (ABC seemed to take note of this, editing certain thrusts out of their West coast broadcast.)

With the exception of GaGa and Lamby, most of the night’s performances were a snooze – Daughtry strummed through the motions during “Life After You,” Janet Jackson‘s lipsync-ed her way through her opening montage, and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed “Empire State of Mind” for the 548823th time.

Shakira was decent – performing new single “Give It Up To Me” with the help of a step team, and Whitney Houston‘s first live TV performance in five years (“I Didn’t Know My Own Strength”) was fine…

Scooping up notable awards were Jay-Z for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Male (“Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t,” the emcee laughed, during his acceptance speech), Michael Jackson (two awards, accepted by brother Jermaine), and Taylor Swift‘s three trophies via London satellite, including Artist of the Year.

I Spy NY: Shakira, Metallica and More

I Spy in NY…

Shakira performing a semi-secret show at PC Richard and Son Theatre Friday (top photo), Metallica killing it at Madison Square Garden Saturday night (middle photo), Black Eyed Peas’ apl.de.ap tipsily spinning late-night in his and Taboo‘s Gansevoort Hotel room Sunday (middle photo), Goodie Mob and Slick Rick performing at B.B. King Friday night, and Tyson Beckford and Miami rapper Gambino drinking Grey Goose in Tenjune’s VIP section Sunday night.

Paulina Rubio Rocks New York

Paulina Rubio is Mexico’s Shakira.

She sings. She dances. She occasionally picks up a guitar and strums along.

She’s also a fiercely beautiful blonde who goes through about 19 costume changes per show.

We learned about all of this during our first Paulina Rubio concert Tuesday night at Nokia Theatre in New York City. We also learned a ton of Spanish, as 99% of Rubio’s music and stage banter were en Español.

“Esta cancion para todos los chicas!” Rubio told the crowd. (“This song is for all the girls!”)

Rubio then dived into “Yo No Soy Esa Mujer” (“I Am Not That Woman”) off of 2001’s self-titled Paulina.

Poison Ivy met three Mexican-American girls at the show who told us they’ve been Rubio fans since La Chica Dorada came out in ’92.

“We’ve been listening since we were living in Mexico at age seven,” they said. “But this is our first show.”

And what a show it was!!

Check out a sampling of Rubio performing her 2002 American crossover hit, “Don’t Say Goodbye,” below.

Shakira Relaxes in Paris

Shakira and fiance Antonio de la Rua have a moment in their hotel room in Paris last week.

We can’t wait for her new record SheWolf October 5!!!