I interviewed David Bloomberg of foxesonidol.com, “Idol” vocal coach Debra Byrd, Tamyra Gray confidante Jerry Friday, season one contestant R.J. Helton and Catherine Dunne, hairstylist Richie Arpino and vocal coach to season five semifinalist Kinnik Sky.
well....interesting article. Speaking seriously about the issue, I'd call the Sanjaya issue a social phenomenon that exists in AI....a microcosm in a way, of what our society has become. Sanjaya himself is an anti-stereotype. He is mixed racially, appears to not favor a gender much although we know he is male biologically, or at least think so. He benefits greatly from the political correctness mentality our society conforms to. He is pretty much undefinable and I think will last longer in the competition due to a generation of voters brought up on Dells, HP's, and Apples.......a generation that due to the world-wide web, socializes in a new manner.
Or since he's half Italian, he could just be today's version of a castrati??? Whatever, I just hope he's gone soon.
funny, if you look up "sterno" you get that it's a "chafing fuel" ... now i know the chafing referred to is a different kind of chafing, but chafing is also "irritating, like a rash" isn't it? how appropriate!
Tell me how Sanjaya is turning this into a circus when no one reins in his decisions? Ryan Seacrest(a grown 30+ year old man) mimicks Sanjaya and not the other way around. AI wants people to tune in so whatever will cause that to happen is fine by them. AT this point i hope he wins, then how will they market him. Next year they wil hopefully spend less time showing us the worst and show us the really good singers. And keep in my Sanjaya actually sings better than John stevens and he made it to the final 5 (?) without the help of VFTW or Howard Stern. So let Sanjaya win and maybe AI will look for talent next year and not just characters for a tv show.
That Sterno was not a very nice example of humanity huh? Loves Howard Sterne, bad attitude, critical of people he dosent know, must be one of those New Yawk thangs. SHHHH everyone dont let him know we have moved on.
well.....is it true that the three judges pick the final 24? Who among them was a proponent of Sanjaya?
Sanjay is the reason I feel AI should consider a format change and somehow give the majority of voters a chance to rid the show of something like Sanjaya.
Thanks Rodney -- well lunch is delayed, and i'm simply waiting on some files, so .... here i am! (i know, big deal!)
I think one point that a lot of people miss, or skim over, about AI, is the simple fact of **exposure**
Stephanie could sing her heart out in Savannah, but without some exposure beyond southeast georgia, where could she go? not everyone can afford to pull up roots, move to NYC or LA or whatever and live off of virtually nothing while they hope and pray and sweat that some*ONE* will see them and snatch them off of that soda fountain stool and put them in front of the world.
AI *is* the someone that at least gives people a CHANCE to be seen. After that, it's up to the person to work hard for what they want. And to be willing to take the criticism with the praise, the hard knocks with the soft cushions... and there will ALWAYS be the quirk factor. This season on AI it's Sanjaya.
And too, not everyone likes the same thing (how BORING that would be!) so there will always be disagreement about what style, what singer, what movie, what tv show, what journalist, etc etc ad nauseum, is **successful**
and to that i go back to my former response. Success is not necessarily being No. 1, or even 2 or 3 or 4. It's doing well in your chosen field, well enough to continue to DO what it is you are doing, well enough to live, well enough to be invited back to do it again, whatever it is.
You know, in this country we have equal rights, right? well to me that means we all have an equal right to TRY to get to the top of the heap; however not everyone CAN reach the top.... we aren't all equal. If we were, I'd sing like grace slick and would NOT, i repeat, N*O*T be working in an office!!!
I just read an article on NYDailynews that the addition of Fantasia has boosted ticket sales for the Color Purple to $6 million dollars. Go Tasia!!!!! Rodney, can you get some more info on that?
I personally dont think they picked the Top 24, they were just the messenger. They were too criical of him from the beginning to actually think he was worthy of a 24 spot over some of the talent they sent home. no way will anyone ever convince me that Sanjaya was given this shot to be no more than entertainment, watercooler conversation, and someone to complain about for this season. Like seasons past, he is just entertainment. He was never actaullay a true candidate to win it all.
I just saw the sanjaya bit on SNL. No offense to this guy, but he did as horrible of a job being Sanjaya as Sanjaya does of being a true singer. This Andy guy was not good at all. If i was sanjaya, even i would sue for such a bad imitation.
LOL, Diane, but isn't that sort of the point? SNL has always been good at "badly imitating" bad performers/people/whatever... part of their charm, i guess, tho i lost interest in SNL too many years ago to count. Guess I was spoilt by the Belushi, Akroyd et al. years!
I watched Dr. Phil a couple of days ago and i saw the interview with how the cowboy hat guy from the Apprentice feels now that he had his shot at his 15 minutes of fame. It was a good interview. He seems a bit bitter but i dont think the lure of tv is totally gone out of him. I really hope Sanjaya can do something postive for himself once his 15 minutes is over. Too be the butt of sooooooooooo many jokes has to be hard on anyone, even staunch comic figures. I am not sure if Sanjaya is really ready to deal with it. I hope they have help ready for him once this is over. Cuz he probably wont win so this will end for him.
I know its been said before but Sanjaya is the best example so far that AI should change the format from voting for your favorite to voting off your least favorite. I have also read that they have thought about this format but are afraid it would put the viewers in a negative frame of mind but I dont think that would happen and the ratings would most likely go up dont ya think?
I listen to mostly rock or country. This year really sucks because not all genres are represented. I like the show but I could not care less about who wins, because I will never listen to their music anyway. I think AI has upset alot of people by not having a country type singer or a rocker so I can very much understand why they would want to sabotage the show. I will vote for Haley just because she is nice to look at and if she goes its Sanjaya all the way.
KPH, several reasons have been given as to why that won't work. You would have "vote for the best.com" that would have everyone vote for the best to eliminate them. The first season had voting for the one to eliminate and this is kind of what happened (although it is not talent). Large voting parties were held to vote for who they wanted to leave thus keeping their fav in.
The best thing would be:
1. Limit voting to X amount of votes per phone line which we know they will not do because then they couldn't say "we had over 35 million" votes cast.
2. So You Think You Can Dance & Grease used the format of the bottom 2 vote getters were in a showdown and the judges decided after that who left. Another show used a format similar to this and I remember one time they saved both and booted someone else who was obviously worse but had more votes.
personally i am glad curly is gone. I am in the VA area now and each night i have seen Chris R. mentioned on tv in some fashion. Stephanie was suppose to have called in to the Tom Joyner morning show to talk about sometihng. But i missed it. I hope someone caught it. I really wanted to hear what she had to say about her experience.
Mitch i heard this morning that 2/3 of the teams that win the coin toss in an overtime game, wins the game. Did you hear it? i had the radio on scan, so i missed what came next. If that is accurate, then winning the coin toss is extremely vital.
If anybody is listening, I can sing too!!! Who can I get to promote me? What show can a 40-something year old woman go on? For real,...I can sing my tail off as long as the water is running..Rodney...can you help?
Diane, If that is NFL yes but I actually thought it was higher since they use the sudden death style tiebreaker. All they need to do is drive to field goal range and kick for three points.
I like the college rules for OT. They each get a turn from the 25 yard line. Starting with the 3rd OT, they must go for a 2 point conversion on a TD.
MsAngela, Nashville Star does not have an limit. If you can bring the chops and beat the competition.
In defense of the judges, Sanjaya was good enough during auditions and Hollywood. He didn't start sticking out until the second week of the top 24 performing. I thought the first performance was ok. You could tell he could sing, but he didn't know how to project his voice. For the next couple of weeks I think he tried but figured out he didn't have the chops. So then he came up with a gimmick. The hair. Ever since then that's been the focal point of his performances. And I'm sure he's going to ride it all the way to the bank. It's the American way.
Diane1234, That is what they are being told now except it is 39 million votes were recieved and Melinda you got the fewest so whats the diff.? Yea Mitch they probably would start vote for the best .com but we have VFTW now so there again whats the diff? Maybe the vote off format is not the answere but somehow we need to see more of the talented contestants and less Sanjaya's.
to me the major difference, your fans did vote for you to stay, but you didnt receive enough votes. If we vote for the worst, it is like you got all the votes cuz you were the worst. Fans vote to keep you on rather than non fans voting to get your butt kicked off.
So true Jex. Imagine Ryan asking..... Paula who do you think recieved the most votes to leave the show? She would be talking two hours later. Last night was a classic reason why simon has more fans than Paula and Randy... Simon immediately said... bye bye Curly. Whereas Paula and Randy hemmed and hawed, but never would give an answer.
Voting for the worst would be the end of the show. It is just NOT human nature.
We watch TV to be entertained and to feel positive about something. Voting to kick someone off is NEGATIVE - it makes the show NEGATIVE - it makes the person who voted to kick john Doe off the show FEEL BAD when John Doe cries.
People want something that makes them feel good about themselves, and when your team (or your contestant) wins you feel good about yourself. When the whole point of watching the show is to END SOMEONES DREAM, you no longer feel good about yourself or what you are doing. And when something makes you sad or makes you feel bad you stop watching. And the show ends.
CASE IN POINT : How many people saw UNITED 93 and/or WORLD TRADE CENTER???? How many of you saw it TWICE???? How many of you REFUSED to even watch it because you knew how it would make you feel????
NOW, think of your favorite DISNEY CARTOON, or Wizard of OZ, --now HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU WATCHED IT?????
Posted by: on March 29, 2007 1:30PM EST
Mike, you are so awesome...great points! btw...were you at a gas station this morning in Roanoke? I swear the guy getting gas next to me was you!!!!!!
OK Mike some good points there but honestly it wouldnt make me feel bad to vote against Sanjaya or a lot of other contestants that have been on the show over the years. In essence a vote for someone is a vote against another and I think the contestants realize that fact. Maybe it would put a negative spin on the show for some folks but I guess me being a former athlete and learning to accept a loss makes me realize that losing is a part of the game you chose to chance when you chose to play the game.
Posted by: chris on March 30, 2007 8:44AM EST
Lets face it america, Sanjia doesnt have a chance and the ONLY reason he is still on the show is because some idiots came up with the vote for the worst person. Then Like Simon doesnt have a contract... People honestly think if Sanjia wins Simons gone...COME ON !!! EVEN IF HE WANTED TO ... HE COULDN'T..DUH. Your ruining American Idol if these too top reasons are y you vote for him.
Posted by: Sharon on April 1, 2007 9:24AM EST
The mystery of Sanjaya, solved: http://www.spiritualcommentary.com
