Wednesday, March 14, 2018

'American Idol' Contestant Says Kiss From Katy Perry Made Him 'Uncomfortable'

The two-night premiere of "American Idol" on ABC offered confirmation that Katy Perry can knock a person off their feet with a kiss -- but that doesn't mean the smooch's recipient will necessarily appreciate it.

A kiss between the Grammy-winning "Idol" judge and a 19-year-old contestant named Benjamin Glaze recently raised eyebrows. Glaze, an Oklahoma native, had arrived to audition for the show when Perry's fellow judge Luke Bryan discovered that the teen had never been kissed.

"I have never been in a relationship and I can't kiss a girl without being in a relationship," Glaze told the judging panel, which also includes Lionel Richie.

The trio was aghast, and Perry apparently decided to remedy the situation. She stood up and called Glaze over, but he was reluctant, telling her, "No, wait, hold on." Still, Perry continued to call him over as Bryan laughed and Richie waved him closer. The contestant continued to protest, but ultimately approached the table, where Perry offered her cheek. Glaze then went ahead and gave her a brief peck.

The situation, while a little awkward, seemed playful enough. Glaze even suggested a redo after Perry called him out for not making "the smoosh sound." However, when he went in for a second time, Perry quickly swung her head around and got him on the lips. Glaze literally fell over backward, and though he got up smiling, he did scold Perry, saying, "Katy! You didn't!"

Many people have pointed out that Perry would have done well to drop it after he initially showed his reluctance or at least asked before going in for a kiss on the lips, especially in a post-#MeToo world. In fact, after the episode aired, Glaze admitted he wasn't thrilled with how the situation played out.

"Would I have done it if she said, 'Would you kiss me?' No, I would have said no," he said, according to The New York Times. "I know a lot of guys would be like, 'Heck yeah!' But for me, I was raised in a conservative family and I was uncomfortable immediately. I wanted my first kiss to be special."

That said, Glaze clarified that he didn't view it as sexual harassment and now classifies it as "lip contact" rather than "a real first kiss." Furthermore, he has found a silver lining: The kiss helped him get some extra exposure he wouldn't have otherwise gotten.

Watch the controversial kiss below.

"American Idol" airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.



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