Pairs of hands all over the country were clasped in prayer last night. “Thank you, God,” said thousands of mouths, exalting their voices to the divine. Were they thanking Him for good weather, for providing food, or for curing a sick loved one?
No. They were thanking Him for finally getting Sanjaya off of “American Idol.”
Sanjaya Malakar, a 17-year-old from Washington State, has been the single most talked-about candidate on the show this season. Not because he’s the best. Not because people loved the inspiring story of how he couldn’t be happy he made the Top 40 because his own twin sister got cut. No, the reason he was so popular was this: He had little talent (except for his hair, maybe).
To be fair, I liked Sanjaya until he made the top 24. He came off as a sweet, although kind of naive, kid. I preferred his voice to those of other male contestants like Sundance Head, Jared Cotter, and the way-overrated Chris Richardson. It wasn’t until Sanjaya made the top 12 and had to sing next to people like frontrunner Melinda Doolittle, that it became clear how outclassed he was. Then he became the darling of Web site www.votefortheworst.com (which asks people to vote for the least talented singer on “Idol,” thus undermining the show from within) and Howard Stern, who urged his listeners to vote for Sanjaya.
Here’s one thing I think went largely missing in the hubbub surrounding Sanjaya, whose increasingly wacky hairstyles and underwhelming performances became more interesting than anything else on the show: He’s 17. I don’t care how mature he is, he’s still 17. The second youngest male contestant on the show, Chris Richardson, is 23. The other teenager on the show, Jordin Sparks, has been mostly praised by the judges and in the press.
I remember myself at 17–major body image issues, definitely not comfortable in my own skin. If you’d put me on TV and made me endure the kind of public ridicule Sanjaya’s been subjected to, I would have needed psychological counseling.
In a season that even the judges have called lackluster, Sanjaya was used to get people to tune in. The more people hated Sanjaya, the more they tuned in to mock his singing and see what crazy outfit he’d come out wearing next. The show capitalized on his unpopularity. The only winner was “American Idol,” who spits out aspiring performers with no remorse while collecting enough ad revenue to feed a third-world country. And why were they able to keep getting away with it? Because you, and me, and plenty of other Americans kept watching. Because we implicitly tell the producers their cruelty is okay by continuing to endorse their program.
We are all Sanjaya. If you were on the street and fell, would you want people to point and laugh, or would you want them to help you up? What if they broadcast your fall on TV and asked the whole world to laugh at you? Sanjaya managed to keep a sense of humor about being constantly mocked. I doubt I could do the same.
If you’re going to thank God that Sanjaya is kicked off the show, at least thank God that this guy won’t have to keep dealing with being regularly humiliated on television.
posted April 20, 2007 at 8:47 am
i love sanjaya…and you’re right,about him being mocked so pathetically was horrible.and i mean horrible.poor him,im gonna miss him so darn much on this show now..!
:( *sniffles*
posted April 20, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I wish him well & pray some good comes of this…Maybe the uncalled for publicity will help him find his place in show business…God does not like ugly & will be at his side to help him find his dreams. I personally enjoyed his performances. and I wish him all good things that make him happy!!!
posted April 20, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I liked Sanjaya too! It really hurt, and again showed me how this world can be cruel when I saw the media, and others making fun of this young man. For GOD SAKES, he is only 17 years old! I think he has a wonderful voice, and I believe within time he will gain the experience he needs to add some showmanship to his act which is what did not come out until later this season. He was not the best, but all and all for a young 17 year old, he was great! He has been blessed with courage, and talent that many of us if given the same opportunity would not have made it this far! People learn not to be so judgemental and understand that SANJAYA DID WIN!!!! He was PERFORMING on “AMERCIAN IDOL” and ye that NEGATIVELY judgeth him so much; YOU WERE WATCHING AMERICAN IDOL!!!!
posted April 20, 2007 at 9:34 pm
I am 57 years old, and I enjoyed Sanjaya. His singing wasn’t as strong as the others, but he was good. He has a great personality and with that he will achieve what he wants. Some people make fun at others and don’t see themselfs in the mirrow. With God’s blessings , you go Sanajaya!!!!
posted April 20, 2007 at 9:51 pm
sanjaya sanjaya america loves you.sanjaya is very talented,some people are jelous.the beauty with sanjaya is that he has a life unlike some people who stinks.
posted April 21, 2007 at 12:12 am
Could you imagine being 17 and having to keep coming back week after week, knowing that you are the butt of jokes throughout the country? The young man shows a certain character and sense of peace that I do not often see in young men his age or older. I would often think that every week he would pray, “Dear Lord, please let me get voted off”
posted April 21, 2007 at 1:05 am
that just show you where the world stand, it’s a dog eat dog world, need I say more. God bless the child. As Dr. Kent M. Keith put it People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogsanyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.Give the world the you have anyway.
posted April 21, 2007 at 4:12 am
You are right – Idol cruelly used a seventeen year old to boost ratings. But the miracle is, Sanjaya did not let this destroy him. He seems to have an almost unreasonable faith in the world and himself. This surely proof that God is alive in each one of us. By the way, kids 12 and under love Sanjaya, and I’m betting he ends up a hit on the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, maybe with his sister joining him!
posted April 21, 2007 at 5:16 am
Sanjaya will be fine!He will be lucky enough to go on tour with the 12 finalists and have the time of his life and I am sure that he already was picked up by some recording company that likes his voice!
posted April 21, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Sayjai was not bad at all.I thought he was better than Malinda Dolittle.He didn’t screw up on his words.People should of gave him more of a chance.He was a joy to watch.He’s got a voice that a record a record producer could work with.He’s talented and can go places,which I thank he will.
posted April 21, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Sanjaya couldn’t be so naive as to think his singing was better than “Rocker Girl” Gina. If you have been watching,like my family has since the very start of the season, you would know that Sanjaya left out a word here and there in his singing. This fella knew what he was getting into. Sanjaya knew how the A.I. works so there is no defense for the “oh, they were so cruel” people. Sanjaya is not a “performer”, nor his he more talented than Chris Sligh or Gina. Sanjaya had to be voted off because when it came down to the bottom two this week, and it was between the “belter” La Keisha and the weak Sanjaya, it would truly have been cruel to send La Keisha home!! Give me a break!! Go home little Sanjaya and practice hard, very hard so that you won’t stink up the top-ten tour that he will, no doubt, be involved in later this year!!!
posted April 21, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Sanjaya was a breath of fresh air when the show first started but when it got down to 12 contestants it was time for him to go. The fair thing to do is to vote for the most talented. I know it must be tough to get voted off AI but the contestants knew chances were slim when they signed up for the show. Every week we watch someone get crushed when they have to go home but that is part of the compitition. And yes every week I have to hold back tears. Seeing Sanjaya last week made me get out the whole box of tear wipes. I wish him the best but it is not fair to those that have a lot more talent then he does to get sent home. If some of the top fashion designers don’t sign him as a top model they will miss out on the greatest opportunity since clothes were invented in the modern world. I would love for Sanjaya to sell me anything, even if it’s not worth buying. If his handsome face is on it, it’s sold!!!!!! So to all of you Ford, Chrysler, and GM Execs Sanjaya is your next best thing, we all saw the Ford commercials!!! Well heck just put him in the movies the young man is great!!! He’s very good looking, looks wonderful in his clothes, has great stage apperance, lots of sex appeal, a smile that can sell anything, and a wonderful personality that makes it all worth while. Singing may not be his calling but the kid has got a host of other talent!!!!
posted April 22, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I liked Sanjaya’s voice; I just feel he sings the wrong kind of music. It doesn’t accentuate his vocals. It was always ‘safe’ music. And the way the media has cut him up is just awful. Never, during an American Idol season, have I seen a contestant so ripped apart as they have done to Sanjaya. I pray he keeps the faith and ignores such rude comments.
posted April 23, 2007 at 1:38 am
hey is so cute im wishing and hopeing he winsi love you Sanjaya~!!~!!~
posted April 23, 2007 at 3:17 pm
The reason i watched American Idol this time was because Sanjaya and his sister brought and interest to me. I don’t think i could have did what he did as long as he did. He took the critcism and kept going. We as americans can be so cruel to humiliate people and make fun of them.
posted April 23, 2007 at 3:18 pm
And again how could someone ask God to remove someone, that’s not the God i serve. He don’t hear cruel and evil prayers.
posted April 23, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I really don’t feel sorry for someone like Sanjaya. He put his self their and surely he could tell the difference between his voice and the other contestants that are much more talented. What bothers me more is the ones that were kicked off before him that did not deserve it. I believe thats who everyone should feel bad for. Shame on those people who voted for him because he is an underdog, you definitly were not doing him a favor. Lisa
posted April 24, 2007 at 7:30 am
I liked Sanjaya and I wish him the best. I watch Idol every season and I think its a great show and also a good place to start if you have talent. God Bless Sanjaya
posted April 24, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Sanjaya made the show more interesting to watch. As you can see, the show is not all about singing talent. Its also about personality and stage presents.
posted April 24, 2007 at 3:26 pm
he was a pain in the ass !!!!!1
posted April 24, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Yes, People can be cruel not some of time, but most of the time. At times we never think about anyone else unless it involves us personally or a family member. This young man should feel good about himself. He had the courage to do what many would not, could not do. I wish him well.