Sanjaya's long lost brother

There are plenty of reasons to defend Sanjaya - American Idol - MSNBC.com

"To hear critics talk, Sanjaya Malakar’s ascendancy to the final eight on “American Idol” is a travesty, threatening the success of the show’s brand name and the credibility of the musical competition. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sanjaya is not the best singer in the history of the competition. He’s not even the best of this season’s finalists. "

Sanjaya's 'Idol' Run Not India's Fault

"So much for the Indian Call Center Theory: Under-talented singer Sanjaya Malakar's unlikely wave of 'American Idol' support apparently isn't coming from his father's homeland.
Indians are usually attuned to the successes of their compatriots abroad. But apart from a few brief newspaper articles, at least one short TV news segment and a few blog mentions, the reedy 17-year-old with the unsteady voice is a virtual unknown here.
One reason is that the show is broadcast a day late in India, and on an English-language channel that attracts relatively few viewers in this country of 1.1 billion.
'He's also an object of ridicule,' said Amit Varma, who runs the popular India Uncut blog."

Gina Glocksen Eliminated from 'American Idol'

"Gina Glocksen got her walking papers on April 4, as fans voted her off American Idol.
The 22-year-old's exit narrows the field of hopefuls to eight. A dental assistant from the midwestern state of Illinois, Gina presented herself as the most rock-oriented of the female contestants. Her final song on the contest, however, was 'Smile,' co-written by movie comic Charlie Chaplin.
Idol's most visible contestant, Sanjaya Malakar, didn't receive the highest number of votes, but survived to compete in next week's Latin-themed segment.
Now in its sixth season, American Idol is the highest-ranked program on U.S. television, drawing between 26 and 37 million viewers per telecast. "

Send In the Clowns. Don't Bother, Sanjaya's Here. - washingtonpost.com

"Panic seized 'American Idol' last night as judges searched desperately for things to say about Sanjaya Malakar's performance that would not mobilize little girls and older women to get out the vote to save him.
Sanjaya, if you've missed the show to date, is the Heather Mills of 'American Idol.' Instead of dancing without a leg, he's singing without a vocal cord. A talent amputee."

American Chronicle: Sanjaya Malakar: The Perfect American Idol For A Nation Obsessed With Fame

"There's Cher, Oprah, Madonna, and now you can add 'Sanjaya' to the list of celebrities known only by their first name.
But you argue those are real celebrities with discernible talents! Really, Britney wouldn't be able to carry a tune if it was stapled to her bald head and Cher owes her success to her risque outfits, and not to a genuine singing talent.
Sanjaya, who has the vocal talent of a cat in heat, made it through another week Wednesday. After more than 30 million votes were cast, fellow 'Idol' performer Gina Glocksen was kicked to the curb, reducing the field to the elite eight.
Welcome to the parallel universe of Sanjaya Malakar, it's a scary place populated by snide judges, crying pubescent girls, Howard Stern fans and witless grandmothers. "

Why Sanjaya is 'Idol'-ized by millions - Television - NY Daily News

"Let's not overcomplicate the reason Sanjaya Malakar will sing again on 'American Idol' this week while better voices are back home watching on their flat screens.
He's there because the most critical character in any drama is its bad guy.
Sanjaya is to 'American Idol' what Hannibal Lecter was to 'The Silence of the Lambs,' which is not to suggest Sanjaya secretly wants to enjoy his fellow contestants at dinner with a 2003 Bordeaux. He's just the guy we love to hate, or at least ridicule. Whether or not our own favorite wins, we want Sanjaya to lose.
Unlike other contestants, he elevates our adrenalin simply by showing up. 'What's he still doing here?' we holler at the TV, before we mutter a few unkind observations about his hair. That's the lure of bad guys. They keep us watching so we can see them get their just desserts.
Now some might scoff at the notion we would watch a talent show to see the least-skilled contestant. But in case you hadn't noticed, finding a winner is only one part of what 'Idol' is about. "