Sanjaya Malakar says 'Good-bye'

April 20, 01:57 PM

Critics, reporters and bloggers (yes, they're all still different things, barely) have said some mean things about Sanjaya Malakar. They've mocked him for his voice, for his smile, for his hair, for his attitude. They've said he was destroying American Idol, destroying music and destroying America. Yup. Some mean things. While other Idol contestants have taken the head-in-the-sand approach to outside commentary, Sanjaya took the bad words in.

"Well I read the online blogs more to balance myself because it was kind of impossible not to hear stuff and oftentimes it was negative," Sanjaya told reporters on Thursday (April 19), the day after his improbably Idol run ended. "So I kind of balanced the negatives and the positives just to keep myself grounded."

Thus, Sanjaya knows that you've said bad things about him for his ethnicity, masculinity and vocal prowess, but he doesn't think that those negatives were the reason he made it into the season's Magnificent Seven.

"I mean that's fine," he says. "I don't think that VotefortheWorst.com or Howard Stern really had enough people voting for me enough times to make a dent in anything. So I think that the reason why I'm here is solely because of my support from my fans."

Mostly, Sanjaya says that he's just been Sanjaya all season, which has included masterminding his much-discussed coiffure, singing in Spanish on Latin Night and being able to find humor in his situation.

"When Saturday Night Live did that skit on me and they said, 'I don't know if he's scared or happy,' that was hilarious," Sanjaya swears. "I had to laugh on that one. Because I love to poke fun at myself because if you can't do that then I don't know what's going to happen in your life. I think it's really important to be able to make fun of yourself and just have fun."

Some other highlights from Sanjaya's American Idol exit interview:

On how much awareness he's had of the nation's Sanjayamania: "I think it just kind of trickled in, because I didn't really realize it, like it's been kind of surreal for me. I mean we're in a bubble. I'm sure you've heard that a lot, but we truly are. We don't have like the slightest idea the capacity of this show and the impact it has. So I mean I got inklings every once in awhile of something different, something like going on, that was I guess a cultural phenomenon, but it didn't really... I don't think it really has hit me yet, exactly how big it is."

On whether he'd felt animosity from fellow singers about his longevity: "Not at all. We were - like everyone is a family, and we really truly are and we're really close. So I think that was actually the hardest part of leaving, was leaving this extended part of my family."

On his occasionally acrimonious relationship with judge Simon Cowell: "Well, from the beginning I think that Simon saw potential in me. When I didn't fulfill that potential, he was kind of disappointed. So I just want to say to him that he is an amazing person and what he does is awesome. Like he's very opinionated, but I learned more from him than from anyone else while I was on the show."

On his future plans: "I'm definitely looking at a music career, but I also want to venture into acting and modeling and possibly Broadway or something, because I just really want to get full entertainment like business and the full entertainment like career. I guess."

On how making the right choices will prevent his becoming another William Hung: "I think that my main thing that I'm going to look for when I choose endorsements and stuff like that is something that I really feel strongly about. I'm not going to do something just for money, because I know that it's not about money. It's about having an image and really putting your true self out there. I'm not going to - I mean I feel like if I do that, money will come. It's paper and it's not really important. The most important thing that I can do is stay true to me."

Bye, Sanjaya...

in Reality TV

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Comments (13)

Comments

Ha!

Sanjaya.

Please keep us posted.

Mehtoole | Apr 20, 2007 2:33:58 PM | #

Sanjaya reminds me of a quiet kid trying to find the path from shyness to boldness, and trying out a few new roads along the way: reminds me of me at that age. But I don't sing that well. When he sings, I think his technical accuracy is quite good, and his interpretaion of the song is also good. I just wish he would give it more power! The only two times his work had impact, in my opinion, were when he rocked "You Really Got Me Now" (he finally stopped whispering and kicked some ass!) and during Latin week (when his whispering actually worked for the song). But hey, if he can do what he's already done at 17, imagine what he can do in the coming years as he grows as a performer.

Rick | Apr 20, 2007 4:18:31 PM | #

Yeah, well, we'll see....

Mehtoole | Apr 21, 2007 4:54:22 AM | #

Who gives a rat's grass?? The kid has rocks for even thinking he has some kind of talent. But he is just wrong if he thinks he deserves anything more than a 9-5. Leave the limelielight to those who have some talent, worked hard to refine it, and paid their dues.

Emilio | Apr 21, 2007 7:38:43 PM | #

i thought it was messed up that the other two guys (Lakisha) didnt hold Sanjayas hand on stage.

R Jacinto | Apr 23, 2007 12:48:00 AM | #

I think I agree this time with Simons. Enough is enough. Sandjaya is not funny anymore. It become redicoulous. He has a horrible voice...unfortunately. I was kind of disappointed with him on the Extra interview by saying he is a Well know person so he needs the bodyguard. what a snob. he is not even famous for his talent...sorry to say this.

zipzap | Apr 23, 2007 6:07:50 AM | #

He's seems like a good kid, and he's smart enough to realize that his voice isn't nearly as marketable as his 'personality'. I think he'll do well going forward. I wonder how his sister would have done in the competition.

Siansonea | Apr 23, 2007 8:10:23 AM | #

Sanjaya ROCKS.....

Merissa | Apr 24, 2007 1:57:53 AM | #

SANJAYA ROCKS.....NO NEED TO HATE BECAUSE HE BECAME POPULAR FOR JUST BEING HIMSELF......HE IS A TRUE AMERICAN IDOL BECAUSE HE STAYS HIMSELF AND DOESNT CHANGE FOR ANYONE....HE LOVES LIFE AND JUST AHVING FUN.....HE KNOW HOW TO TALK THE GOOD AND THE BAD......AND FOR THAT I AM A TRUE FAN OF HIS....AND HOPE HE STAYS IN THE SPOTLIGHT......LOVE YA SANJAYA...KEEP YOUR HEAD AND AND STAY THE WAY YOU R ..."LET NO ONE BRING YOU DOWN" BECAUSE IF THEY HATE YOU AND TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE SOMETHING AND SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOU ...THEY STILL GOT YOUR NAME IN THEIR MOUTH .....

LOVE ALWAYS...MERISSA

MERISSA | Apr 24, 2007 2:02:41 AM | #

i think sanjaya malakar is the most best singer ever but looks a little gay with that girly voice and long girly hair.

Denise | Aug 9, 2007 4:09:03 AM | #

17 year old boys "have rocks" almost by definition, so let's be a little forgiving. We used to be that age, ourselves.

Joseph Dunphy | Sep 2, 2007 12:52:39 PM | #

HI
SANJAY I THINK YOU LOOK REALEY SWEET & YOU HAVE A LOT OF SIMELA THINGS LIKE MINE & I AM ONLEY 15.

NAJATH | Oct 7, 2007 6:11:10 AM | #

Don't let the haters bring you down. I believe you can make to the top. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Julia | Jan 4, 2008 8:17:09 PM | #