Of all the people made happy by Sanjaya Malakar’s exit from American Idol – and yes, I’m looking at you and your big fat grin, Simon Cowell – the happiest is, I think, Sanjaya himself. If he isn’t, then he should be.
I’ve said for a while now that the show was sapping whatever talent he had, pushing him to make a bigger spectacle of himself each week because plain singing just wasn’t enough in his case. In the process, he got some of the hardest-earned stage confidence that I’ve ever seen anybody garner and that’s the one positive thing he can take with him from Idol. Once the crushing weight of the show was off his back, he immediately relaxed into a much more confident and less desperate performer – the evidence is right there for you to see in his farewell performance.
So now that he no longer threatens the crown itself, everybody can sit back and enjoy his kookiness. No longer will he inspire hunger strikes and boos at ball games. Howard Stern and Vote for the Worst just got their rightful comeuppance. In this bright new day, people might even wave back at him occasionally. He is no longer the Anti-Christ of Idol (makes no sense, I know, but play along please, we’re pretending Idol hysteria has real world implications).
I personally started the process a full two weeks ago so I can recommend it for the rest of you haters out there. I was shown the light by Tony Bennett, people, when he said he loved Sanjaya because he was a performer. He must be, I reasoned, because the Sanjaya Freak Show had me transfixed at the pony-hawk. I mean, before that I was just appalled at the fact that he made it when people who could carry a tune like Sabrina Sloan and Stephanie Edwards got kicked off. But the faux-hawk convinced me I was witnessing some sort of greatness – some sort of awesomely bad greatness.
I know, I know, the rabid Sanjaya Sweeties (how come there’s no "official" name for Sanjaya lovers? I think his claim is far greater than that of Chris "Fro Patro" Sligh) amongst you will come out with your war cry, “Sanjaya Can Sing!” Look, don’t convince us, convince him.
Article comments
1 - Kaonashi
Thanks for the shout out Amrita! But all your links are messed up except for the YouTube one.
As for Sanjaya, I'm sure he'll turn up again sometime, like on a tween-friendly sitcom on the Disney Channel, where he can woo little girls to his heart's content. I reckon he may even make it to the cover of a few teen magazines for a couple of months, until his fans move on to the next adorable guy with dreamy eyes and sweet smile.
2 - Amrita
Well that sucks, let me send an email and see if that can be corrected.
As for Sanjaya, it'll be interesting to see his first single. I won't but it but I'll watch on youtube :)
3 - alessandro nicolo
Sanjaya should hook up with William Hung.
4 - Kaonashi
Alessandro - That would be the most unholy alliance ever. The world may implode if that happened.