Posted on 03/29/2007 8:10:08 AM PDT by rface
British salors are tortured in Iran.....The Democrats are going to "Cut-and-Run".....Huge Tax increases are on the horizon....and Pissant is pissed that Rudy Guliani has so much support.....Now the real possibility arises: Will Sanjaya kill "American Idol"?.......
The Indian-American teen says he'll win, but Simon Cowell says if that happens, he'll quit. Even Paula Abdul, usually the kindest judge, says the buzz surrounding this unlikely contender has "run amok."
It started with the Web site votefortheworst.com, which encourages voters to keep 17-year-old Sanjaya Malakar on the Fox show because his performances -- marked by a weak singing voice that often veers off-key and flowing hair that has been arranged in increasingly bizarre styles -- are just so bad.
Radio shock jock Howard Stern picked up on the movement and urged listeners to vote for Sanjaya. Then came the newspaper articles, blog posts and even mentions by David Letterman and deejay David Lee Roth.
And it appears to be working.
Despite cool reviews from judges -- and his most outrageous hairdo yet, seven small ponytails swept into a mock Mohawk -- Sanjaya survived Wednesday night's contestant pool pruning on the megapopular reality show.
Chubby Chris Sligh was booted instead.
Show producer Nigel Lythgoe has scoffed at the idea that the Vote for the Worst site has affected voters.
"When you're getting 30 million votes, whatever that Web site can do is just not enough," Lythgoe insisted this week.
But if the teenage troubadour keeps raking in the votes and actually wins, it will undermine the very premise of the show -- that the singer America loves most will win. If Sanjaya comes out on top, it may be because America hates him most.
The British show "Pop Idol," the inspiration for "American Idol," was ditched when Cowell decided viewers had spiraled out of control in picking winners. "Pop Idol" was scrapped in favor of "X Factor," where contestants advance solely on the judges' calls.
"Sanjaya winning would change the show dramatically," said Dave Della Terza, who is behind the Vote for the Worst site.
And Della Terza points out that singing talent isn't the only thing that makes a performance.
"It makes the show infinitely more entertaining when Sanjaya comes out with a new hairdo than when LaKisha (Jones) sings another boring ballad," he said.
More like 40 something gays guys.
Someone should launch a denial of service attack on that website.
Go Sanjaya go!!
Idol has diffenently jumped the shark this season.
Votefortheworst has been around for several years. They are usually helpful in getting a person to the top 5, but no further. Sanjaya does have a loyal support group which helps also, but Sanjaya is finished around 4th or 5th place when those two groups will not be able to offset the other voters.
Stories like this one make me proud that I've never watched American Idol. Or Survivor, or The Bachelor, or any number of the surreal depictions of what Hollywood thinks is "reality."
Those are dead-on impersonators from the Stern show. "David Lee Roth" singing "Votin' For Sanjaya" to the tune of "Runnin' With The Devil" should have been a clue to the author.
A nation obsessed with frivolities while the fate of the civilization rests on a precipice.
Happened yesterday.
The author is mentioning the fact that on David Lee Roth's radio show, he (DLR) has mentioned Sanjaya and the website. Same with Letterman on Letterman's TV show.
I have to admit that I have never seen the show but this whole thing sounds like a publicity stunt. Think how many more people will watch just to see how far this guy gets and to see if Simon will have to quit. If it is a publicity stunt, it's a pretty good one if they want to increase viewer ship (which is the only thing the suits at Fox want).
This season is the worst yet because they did not give the audience GREAT talent to watch. With the exception of Melinda and LaKisha there is not much of a competition. We used to watch to see how well the contestants did. This season we watch to see how poorly they do. (Again, Melinda and LaKisha excluded.) SAD, BUT THEIR OWN FAULT!!!
There are a billion people in India, if just 30% call in and vote, then Sanjay (whoever that is) is unbeatable.
Cowell is the only reason to watch. I like his asberic comments and is dead honest. He says what everyone thinks but is too polite to say out loud! Sonjiya can't sing at all but then the only true talent on there is Melinda Dolittle-she is wierd to watch but she can sing. The other black chick can sing but has no stage presence. The night Lulu told her NOT to sing Diamonds are forever and she did anyway. That song is a tough song and I thought a stupid choice. Melinda wins it. I'd be really mad if I was voted off and Sonjiya stayed. He's s She-He!
Oops. Well, it wasn't me, and I deny that I know what a DOS attack is! LOL!
Letterman, maybe. Roth has been off the air for several months now.
Simon has a massive ego, he's gonna pick up his ball and go home because Sanjaya wins?
I don't watch the show, but my sister is addicted to it.
It's no more than the old 'Gong Show'- without the hook, or trap door to ditch the losers.
Actually- if they would introduce some pain/punishment for these absymally untalented people, the show would be entertaining.
You can't manufacture a phenomenon, and it would be nice if there were some ORIGINALITY these days. Everyone wants to sound like an already known 'star'. The suckers should just lip sync and be done with it.
As for the Simon guy- I think I like him( or what I've heard of him.) Brutal honesty is sorely needed , according to my sister. He told one contestant 'If you're going to sing a Celine Dion song, you'd better have the pipes.' or something to that effect.
Bring on the trap door, the hook, the net, something! and I'll watch!
The show could filter and block certain incoming calls, like they did a few years ago when Clay Aiken fans couldn't vote, while Ruben Studdard's mother bragged about how she voted hundreds of times.
The guy probably sings as well as Paul McCartney, not a strong singer himself. If he has the support of teenage girls (and he does) as the Beatles did when they first arrived, well, anything can happen on the national popularity scale.
It's not like he needs the money. Why wouldn't he?
You really must give the 1st couple weeks of American Idol a try. I hate any and all reality shows as well, but it's just too damn funny watching the delusional people who think they have talent. Once they prune down to the top 50-100, the show becomes un-watchable.
He did just that on the British version, and for the same reason.
Undermining the show? I'll do anything to have it canceled, short of voting for anybody on the show or having any correspondance with anybody related to the show.
Simon Cowell is the only reason to watch that lousy show.
"It makes the show infinitely more entertaining when Sanjaya comes out with a new hairdo than when LaKisha (Jones) sings another boring ballad," he said.
It's a freakin' singing competition, not a hair show! Sweet Baby will not win, no matter what stupid hair-do he sports!!!
STERN RULES
FYI..read the first line in the article..
I like Simon. He's blunt and honest. What's the point of being smushy with everyone? Sanjaya is whacky...
I wouldn't be shocked if exectutive producers manufactured this somehow
If it wasn't for Simon the show would bomb. He reminds me of Eddie Albert in "Green Acres". He was the only sane one in the whole community...or maybe the opposite. I look forward only to Simon's reviews...that's where the real fun is.
The presence of Paula Abdul as a judge suggests otherwise.
Yeah. House is good. Especially in HD.
Did Cowell do the same gimimck by saying he will quit if a certain contestant wins?
I'll grant you on all that, but...MacArthur Park???
Amen!
It wasn't related to any one contestant. He said he couldn't handle the public's wacky voting anymore.
I wish there were more episodes of HOUSE too.....love that show!!
if i got that huge paycheck because i deserved it, i'd have a big ego too (probably)
These articles are giving votefortheworst way too much credit. As you said, it's been around for several years and it doesn't have a very good track record.
Last year their pick was Kevin Covais and he was the 2nd one booted. Then they switched to Pickler and she was booted a couple rounds later. They then switched to Taylor and claimed a victory when he won the competition.
This year they started with Antonella and Sundance. And we see how well that worked out for them. They really stretch their own claims of victory
People voting for Sanjaya:
11 year old girls who love his hair
Gay men
The entire Indian population of the US
Every season has an oddball that makes it into the top 6 or so. Very hard to rig this thing or even make a dent in the tens of millions of votes needed.
True that, but at least she could dance!!! Heehee
Sweet Baby can Hula and that's about it....and it's so gay!
That's right, I said the "G" word!
That kid reminds me of the Indian kid on the back of my Little Black Sambo book from childhood.
Sambo chased the tiger around and around in circles until he turned to butter.
Sanjaya matches him to a T.
I can't understand. Why would someone who detests the show or never watches the show take the bloody time to post a comment on a 3000+ thread regarding the show?
Must be considered a status symbol to go on a thread and be a naysayer, to thrash the subject.
Is there a power in taking time to post that you hate something, never watch it but...........?
Seems some need to get a real life with real opinions.
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