ABC’s Robin Roberts will interview Chris Brown for “20/20,” a move that has caused outrage among activists who still question the network’s decision to drop Adam Lambert from “Good Morning America” in the wake of his gay kiss on the “American Music Awards.”
The “20/20” interview, taped last weekend and scheduled to air on Dec. 11, is being billed as an in-depth discussion about Brown’s assault of ex-girlfriend and recording superstar Rihanna in February. He is on probation for the beating.
According to Fox411, TV insiders say the appearance “has outraged feminists and gay activists who wonder why a convicted girlfriend abuser is more palatable to the network than an openly gay man who broke no laws with his raunchy performance on the “‘AMAs.'”
An ABC source told the column, “The network is giving a mixed message — that it doesn’t trust someone who shocked with an unpredictable show and a gay kiss, but then it is happy to go ahead with Chris Brown, who was convicted of felony assault.”
ABC News has insisted that Lambert’s sexual orientation did not play a role in its decision to pull him from “GMA” last week. ABC insiders said they ruled the “American Idol” star’s sexed-up antics on Sunday’s awards show — which included him groping a female dancer, kissing a male musician and shoving a male dancer’s face into his groin — were inappropriate for morning TV.
