March 18, 2007
This is Too Easy...Video
Via Uberdesi, your home for American Idol-related everything.
What perfect timing— some of us were just talking about both Sanjaya AND the utility of hunger strikes! I’d write more but I’m rolling on the floor, laughing my callipygian rondure off.
anna on March 18, 2007 06:13 PM in Animals, Humor, Issues, Short, Video · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
Oh, wow. I mean, I agree that Sanjaya shouldn't still be on the show, but hunger striking? Even if it is fake hunger striking, he's only seventeen, and he's getting the message that his singing is SO bad that people are willing to deprive themselves of food to get him to shut up?
[Compassion mode off]
Still, it is kinda funny.
Howlarious!
The SAJA Forum had some interesting analysis on the Sanjaya affair, and quotes a commentator who thinks Sanjaya's perennial bottom-three performance is staged:
No one who can think logically and rationally can take seriously that Sanjaya has been in the "bottom 3" for 4 weeks straight. First of all we know it isn't true, during week one of the semi-finals week, [host Ryan] Seacrest mentioned that he actually finished as one of the top 4 boys. And since then he has always placed in the top 4 in the votes, even this week, he was in 3rd place on dial idol. There's no way the results can be that drastically different. Say what you will about his singing abilities, pick on how the stylists do his hair, what ever makes you feel better about yourself, but by now even Sanjaya knows that something is up. The producers are messing with him. You could see it written all over his face tonight, nothing surprised him anymore.
Well, whatever maybe the motivation to do some dieting. Go ahead baby and get started, I am definitely voting for Sanjaya, which I never did before :)
I know, right? I can't believe it never dawned on her that her stunt would probably inspire people to do more of what she disagreed with...what a genius.
Actually it's pretty entertaining. We @ UberDesi have been accused of (believe it or not) colluding with call centers to vote for Sanjaya because of this post.
I'm guessing the reasons for the accusations are pretty rudimentary - "OMG! Every person of Indian origin must know someone who works in a call center. These brown people must be huddling in small curry rooms smelling of curry trying to contact their brethren in Indian call centers to vote for their kind.".
So, that my friends, is your lesson is stereotyping for today.
From the video: "There are some people who think it would be funny to try and sabotage American Idol by voting for a lesser contestant."
???????
Sabotage American Idol?
All I can say is "it's about time!"
(And yes, it would be funny.)
She is a genius for sure. Its like this, I read Sanjaya's profile and he said that if he cant sing, he would try to be a singer. So he is basically addressing his insecurities in front of the camera. I guess this genius is doing the same - "good for her, no food for her" :)
You should read the hilarious comments for that video too - one guy says:
I love America(n Idol).
Hunger strike ? Man, I'm Tamil, when I hear hunger strike I think back to Jayalalithaa's days in power.. There were water shortages (I think there still are water shortages) and she went on a hunger strike because other states were refusing to give some of there water to tamil nadu..
I don't watch American Idol anymore.. It was fun the first season now it's no longer fun..
OMG I know exactly what you are talking about. Funny thing was she looked almost like the girl in this video. Healthy...
Please vote for Sanjaya so the heavy girl can lose a few pounds. On a more serious note ... a hunger strike over a manufactured pop idol, while real issues of social justice go unnoticed? Things get weirder everyday.
"There were water shortages (I think there still are water shortages) and she went on a hunger strike because other states were refusing to give some of there water to tamil nadu.."
...speaking of...
Ah, to youthful idealism.
But she cannot win. The call centers know no mercy.
LOL, did you notice the similarities in names of the two protogonists? :))
Jaya, Jay...(sanJAYA) all the same! I see a pattern.
that was a little bit too easy.
?
Harsh on who?
Any way you could convince him to perform on American Idol?
Speaking of hunger strikes
May be someone will upload a Slim Jay Fast, Vote for Sanjaya! video/
Funnily, someone asked me about Sanjaya, and actually paused to check if I had any explanation for why he's still on the show. it semed like the exectation was a) there was a concerted effort on the part of desis to keep him on the show and b) as an indian I knew of this plan
Perhaps if there is to be a plan, it should have something to do with the mass distribution of the film American Dreamz to people who carry those expectations. Obviously if it is in fact rigged, the people who are making the concerted effort on Sanjaya's behalf are the producers, as noted by Risible's comment:
here it is
He's cute, he holds a tune, more than can be said for the rest.
I'm not surprised that everyone thinks there's a desi conspiracy to get him on board. Some woman was interviewed on CNN to comment on why Sanjaya has made it, and her first reason was, "Well, he's the first person of his ethnicity to make it to the top 20..." Really? Really? Because last time I checked there were WAY MORE people of other ethnicities than there were desis in the U.S. (even if you divide those groups by the number of contestants). But you know, Indians - always voting for the crappy kid with bad hair.
I actually don't think he's terrible - he just has zero stage presence, and his song selection (oftentimes) sucks.
I think he's hindered by the inexplicable belief that he can channel Stevie Wonder (ok I have seen a little American Idol)
Haha, the truth comes out, Sahej!
I really enjoyed his cover of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" - mostly because he looked SO happy singing it. His little face lit up, and it totally brought out the auntie in me (you just want to pinch his cheeks!). It has been ALL BAD since then. It's not the actually singing, just the energy, sincerity, joy, etc.
What can I say, he's indian and he's on TV....its hard to squelch the old "look come running, there's an indian on TV" habit
but yeah, its been downhill since the first song, looks like he needs more confidence
Sanjaya definitely brings out the Auntie in me too. And i'm a guy.
AH! Sanjaya and La Kisha, together last Wednesday. Under the swirling lights :-)
As tempted as I have been to blog the Sanjaya story, I've so far resisted (not sure how long I can possibly continue) because I don't even know how the kid identifies... so far he hasn't said anything to indicate that he is in any way Indian, South Asian, whatever. It really seems like everyone's sort of pressing this identity on him. Maybe he's benefitting and maybe not - it still seems kinda messed up though.
I take it back - that in itself seems worth a post...
at #16
Sorry, I should've explained myself a bit better. I was just saying that this is just a young impressionable kid. She shouldn't be held accountable for what she said and made fun of on the net. She obviously doesn't know what hunger strike even means. Or even heard of real causes folks like Gandhi went on hunger strikes for.
Do let me know if I am taking a light matter to seriously. But I had read these kinds of comments coming in and thought a bunch of educated Desi folks were bigger thant that.
Does anyone else besides me get the feeling that Jayalalitha could be reading SM?
Maybe it is because Hawaii is also voting for him. He knows to Hula Hoop. Hawaii + Indians(some) + votefortheworst.com, he might even end up in the finals.
"Some woman was interviewed on CNN to comment on why Sanjaya has made it, and her first reason was, "Well, he's the first person of his ethnicity to make it to the top 20..."
isn't he half non-indian or half-white? so how come that half doesn't come into play in these ridiculous conspiracy theories?
Shlok @32
You are right. That comment was uncalled for.
Personally I prefer this blurb from the VFTW site
#35:
Exactly! His mom is of Italian descent, which could mean the folks of Italian origin in the North East could also be voting en-masse for him. Also they show his mother more often than they do his father.
In another fish barrel situation, India is closing in on 400 total.
I might get banned for this comment, but Sanjaya make's Clay Aiken look like a lumberjack.
Please be seeing:
:D
American Idol has become seriously downright loony...a small girl today started crying after seeing Sanjaya on screen, because she loved him so much. They spent some time on her gleaming face. and Sanjaya is sparking a new rocker persona.
The kid part was so cute though and the show was hugely entertaining. My guess: the producers will keep Sanjaya around till he turns boring.
"All too easy" - Darth Vader
I'm not a fan of the show but one of my friends sent me this, it's an older video of one of his performances with a church choir, and the guy has some skills.
I changed my mind, big up Sanjaya Malakar....brown kid takes the punches and rollllled with em
I think after last night's performance and with a help of a little friend's tears our boy might make it through.
What do you guys think? Miss J might lose 20 lbs or waaaaatt!!
I thought this was the prank of a silly teen, but according to her MySpace profile, she's 23. I would've thought at this age, she would have found other, more pressing concerns to fast for.
She's posted a couple of more videos:
http://www.myspace.com/starvationforsanjaya
Sorry, I mean she has a couple of blog entries, not videos.