Adam Lambert, center, performs the closing act on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at the American Music Awards.

Got home from work about 10:40 Sunday night and figured I had missed Adam Lambert’s performance on the American Music Awards.

But I was surprised to hear that he had yet to perform and was, in fact, going to be the evening’s finale.

Good.

He was going to perform his new single (“For Your Entertainment”) in front of … well, the music world. Figured it was going to be perfect for him.

Following a string of commercials, he finally appeared. And as I watched and listened I simply became more and more flabbergasted.

On this huge stage. In front of this influential audience. With millions like myself who witnessed his talent on AI tuned in … what, exactly, was he trying to accomplish?

The splendid range of is voice was totally lost amidst the distracting sideshow of dancers in what seemed to be a pseudo S&M club and it was obliterated when he screamed, yes, he screams, some of the vocals.

At one point he had one of the dancers, a male, on a leash and it got worse after that (apparently so much so that part of it was edited out on the West Coast feed).

The entire presentation was inappropriate. Inappropriate for the demographic audience that probably waited up to see him which was also the same demographic that fell in love with his talent for the better part of five months earlier this year.

Lambert’s appeal seems to be aimed at a very narrow band of fans. Undoubtedly, his hope is that that narrow band will expand.

It will, if he somehow makes a quick about face and focuses on his talented voice and not the glitz he is using to surround him.

As I witnessed first hand eariler this year in Oakland during the AI Tour, Lambert is an engaging, incredibly likeable personality and you find yourself rooting for him.

But not this Adam Lambert.

The world gives us enough shock the way it is, right now from Adam we don’t need to be shocked, we need to be entertained by his incredible voice.

By the way, Lambert is scheduled to appear on the David Letterman Show Wednesday night.