American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert joins Wanda Sykes, Cyndi Lauper, Lt. Dan Choi and Rob Marshall on the year-end cover of Out Magazine as part of the Out 100 Class of 2009. But its not the umpteenth chat about Lambert’s much-buzzed homosexuality that’s making waves — it’s the accompanying letter from Out Editor-in-Chief Aaron Hicklin.

In his address to Out subscribers, Hicklin claims Lambert’s label, 19 Entertainment, turned down earlier requests to feature him on the cover because they feared it would adversely impact record sales: “It’s only because this cover is a group shot that includes a straight woman that your team would allow you to be photographed at all — albeit with the caveat that we must avoid making you look ‘too gay,’” Hicklin writes.

“Getting straight men and women to do Out is easy these days. It gives them cred. The irony is that right now it would be easier to get Kris Allen to do a solo cover shoot for us. But only because he’s straight.”

Adam has responded to Aaron Hicklin’s accusations in a posting on his Twitter account, writing: “Dear Aaron, it’s def not that deep. Chill! Guess ya gotta get attention for the magazine. U too are at the mercy of the marketing machine. Until we have a meaningful conversation, perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publications’ agenda onto my career. Until we have a meaningful conversation,perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publications’ agenda onto my career.”