American Idol: April 2007 Archives

The top 9 American Idol contestants will be mentored by Tony Bennett this week, but the big question is can Sanjaya survive?

Melinda Doolittle, Gina Glocksen, Haley Scarnato, Phil Stacey, Lakisha Jones, Blake Lewis, Chris Richardson, Jordin Sparks and Sanjaya Malakar will battle it out under the influence of the 80 year old legend, Tony Bennett. 

Lakisha and Melinda have really been knocking out of the park.  Chris Richardson thinks he is Justin Timberlake, and Sanjaya Malakar is in his own universe. 

Each week Sanjaya manages to squeek through without even landing as one of the lowest vote- getters.  This is due in part to some deaf tone teenagers who think he is "cool" combined with pedophiles who dig the adrogonous type and coupled with people who are voting for him as a part of the "vote for the worst" campaign.  That's the formula to keep a non-singer around for this long, no matter what the judges say.

Others, like myself, believe he is ruining the competition.  One myspacer even started a hunger strike that she had to break, because Sanjaya still hasn't been voted off!!

It will be interesting to see what Sanjaya will pull out of his ass this week.  I still hope he does drag.  If dresses up like a woman and sings a Tony Bennett song, I'll shave my head Britney Spears style.

Sanjaya Malakar is my least favorite person to ever compete on American Idol, there I said it!  But I may have this whole competition wrong.  Maybe it isn't just about being the best singer anymore.

In the past American Idol judges and execs have looked for a good singer who they could teach to be a star.  It has definitely worked with Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Fantasia Barrino.  They haven't been as successful at making Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard household names beyond Idol. 

Maybe this year, Idol executives will have to try something new.  If Sanjaya Malakar wins this competition, then they will get to take someone who already has star power and make people think he can sing. But that may not be a problem.

"He has a charm about him that is key to being a pop star," Stuart Meyer of Sub Pop Records told TMZ. "Some of the biggest pop stars, like Madonna and Britney, aren't exactly the best singers."

I just hope he doesn't forget about the websites and radio shows who are trying to get people to vote for Sanjaya as a joke.

Tuesday night Sanjaya Malakar and eight other people who can actually sing (Melinda Doolittle, Gina Glocksen, Haley Scarnato, Phil Stacey, Lakisha Jones, Blake Lewis, Chris Richardson and Jordin Sparks) will perform live on Tuesday night at 8pm on Fox to the songs of Tony Bennett.