Sanjaya exits from Idol
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Say it isn’t so.
Sanjaya Malakar, the 17yo crooner from American Idol has been voted off the show.
Sanjaya has generated more publicity, debate and division on Idol than any other contestant since, well, since William Hung.
The cute kid with the crazy hair and the so-so voice has survived weeks of widespread calls for him to booted from the show, which turned into a concerted anti-campaign to “let the worst singer win.”
Everyone from Hilary Clinton to Howard Stern to media commentators the land over had weighed into the Sanjaya debate. The internet has run amok with news items and blogs on him. Yet every week this shy singer with an eye for reinvention would return to defy his critics, notably judge Simon Cowell.
What is most interesting about the Sanjaya campaign is that this is a major turning point in reality TV.
This is a clear case of the audience turning against a reality juggernaut with a momentum to use its own rules against it. “Let the worst win” is a signal that the audience is prepared to neutralise the manipulation of reality shows, and take some control.
Sanjaya became its mascot. Now that he is free from the clutches of Idol we will undoubtedly hear his views on how he has been treated. (UPDATE: Sanjaya appears on Leno airing tonight on Comedy Channel – Fri 20 April)
In America you don’t have to do much to be made a star. Anyone who has survived that rollercoaster probably deserves more than 15 minutes of fame.
2 Responses
Yeah, but he’s still cute! And he doesn’t look, act or sing(?) like anyone else.
Of course the audience would vote for the “cute” one … these shows are not really about the talented singers and the runners up usually have more success than the winners … who would be silly enough to leave it up to the general public to decide … or should that be “the hormonal teens to decide” … Oh! Definitely our channels 7 and 10 at least 🙂
This was all just another excuse for publicity and a “storm in a tea cup” … the same way that the fall Fifi had this week on Dancing With The Stars was sad for her but GREAT for publicity and for the ratings! (I am so cynical, aren’t I?)
I don’t think it is really a turning point in Reality TV … just a new way to get publicity and ratings. Next year there will be something else …
If I were the Producers, I would make sure that it WAS rigged to some degree!
Jack!