Is He an Idol?

It seems that the oddsmakers are truly scratching their heads with this season's American Idol. Despite the cries and protests of faithful viewers of the show, the lanky young Indian-American, Sanjaya Malakar has stuck around and is now officially in the final eight competitors on the program. Now having never watched more than a few episodes here and there when there was truly nothing else on TV, I cannot say that I am a huge fan or even a passive one. Still, it's difficult not to hear some news here and there about the show and the cries of agony and protest over the fact that Sanjaya is still there while better singers have come and gone. Having only heard him sung once, and that too a song by "The Police", I was disappointed to hear the rendition be slightly off-key. Everyone has their off days but it seems as if Sanjaya is having more than others.

Viewers and longtime fans of the show have protested the fact that he's still there and that he's continuing on through the various voting stages. Now everyone can blame the viewers for what's happening but for me, something else seems to be afoot. As someone who has long avoided the show, I am surprised that I know so much about what has been happening this season. With all else that's going on in the world, isn't it amazing that I still know who Sanjaya is and why he's being protested? I'll bet that in a completely unscientific survey of people out there, more people would know who Sanjaya Malakar is versus the young woman British sailor who was held captive in Iran until yesterday. (Don't go and Google it... her name is Faye Turney).

I'm sure the producers are also very upset about the fact that their show is garnering so much attention and controversy. You see, the thing is, when you hear so many protests and complaints about a person, most of the curious people out there would want to see if the complaints are valid. I'm sure that there has been a surge in the past few weeks in viewership due to people tuning in to hear the 17-year-old kid with crazy hair and an occasional off-key voice. Just as many people must be turning in to see if he'll finally get voted off as well. People keep reacting after every vote with surprise and dismay to find out that he's still there. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if all of a sudden, he makes it to the final round and then is voted off.

Whatever the final reason ends up being for his long-lasting run on the show, I don't think it's fair for everyone to 'beat up' on him the way they do. Sure he's a bit gawky and awkward but that's the way everyone was at 17 years old. If you don't think so, then harken back to your younger days and try to remember how well you seemed to fit in with all your peers. I think he's done a great job sticking around and continuing to try and make it farther on the show. Even if he wins the whole thing, I'm sure he knows that there's not much of a fan base out there for him. But regardless, he has a small and faithful fan circle that is pulling for him and hoping that he wins every week.

I feel that he's being used as a pawn by the producers on American Idol and at Fox. Earlier in the season there was the whole controversy over contestant Antonella Barba and her nude pictures from several years ago. It stirred up enough controversy at the time to divert everyone's attention from the whole singing part of the show and wonder if the producers would ask her to step down. She was eventually voted off and although she didn't make much of an impact as a singer, she managed to stick around a while longer than people expected. When her scandal failed to raise viewership she was let go and then the whole apparatus appeared to shift focus to Sanjaya. It makes it seem all the more like a setup. Whether he is truly and idol or not remains to be seen but I think for what it's worth, he's got more guts to sing up there despite the fact that people are ripping into him at every turn. Part of me hopes he does win and that Simon Cowell, that stuffy stuck-up Brit finally quits. In which case Sanjaya will truly be an Idol in my eyes.