The Reality Shack Blog

Sanjaya Has Left the Building

Author Carrie | 19.04.2007 | Category American Idol

It was inevitable really. Sanjaya Malakar, subject of much scrutiny and attention, was eliminated on American Idol last night.

Now, I’m going to reserve my comments on whether Sanjaya deserved to get as far as he did or not. I’m not a huge fan of Idol, but I remember his audition clearly and he wowed me then. I really didn’t expect Stevie Wonder to burst forth from his diminutive frame. But I digress.

What is curious to me is the timing of Sanjaya’s exit. Idol’s Executive Producer, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, was quoted in a recent Entertainment Weekly magazine as saying that Sanjaya would NOT win the competition. Simon Cowell has echoed these sentiments, even going so far as to say that he’ll leave the show if Sanjaya won. The past few days have also seen a heavy media presence by Dave Della Terza, the man behind Vote For the Worst. He’s spoken with Howard Stern on air, and made an appearance on Letterman (which was very funny by the way - click the link to watch it on YouTube). With the pressure on to keep Sanjaya in the game, Idol execs must have had a real quandary on their hands.

Today, the final six and Simon will all make an appearance on Oprah, presumably to push their “Idol Gives Back” campaign since Oprah has never taken an interest in the show before. It was time for the folks behind Idol to get serious and think of their public image rather than scare up more controversy and keep Sanjaya around.

No matter if you’re a fan of Sanjaya or not, you’ve got to admit that the timing of his ouster is pretty handy for the Idol franchise. Was Sanjaya actually the guy who ended up with the fewest fan votes, or does something smell fishy in Idol-land? Coincidence or not? You be the judge.

Our very own American Idol guru, LauraBelle, covers the show with wit and wisdom in her weekly recaps. And if you still want more Idol, head on over to SirLinksALot: American Idol. Photo courtesy of FOX.

Tags: american idol, sanjaya malakar, sanjaya, reality tv