By Brandon Garcia, Idol Chat Editor
While I’m happy for my fellow Idol Chat panelist J. Cantu, who after weeks finally gets to change his shirt, I can’t help but feel a little downhearted that I don’t have Sanjaya Malakar to brighten the beginning of my week.
Sanjaya is without doubt the worst singer and performer ever to make it this far on American Idol, and there have been some truly god-awful contestants. As the joke of the season, he unwittingly became the most popular, and the most hated over the years. Sanjaya’s presence made us question the very soul of the show — is it a singing contest or a popularity contest? Will sensationalism win out over true talent?
Fortunately, no.
But I am glad Sanjaya survived over singers such as Stephanie Edwards, Brandon Rogers and Haley Scarnato. While those contestants were trying to win over America with bright smiles and disco standards, Sanjaya gave us little nuggets of Idoliciousness, like his glorious, ever-changing hair and golden catchphrases like “Welcome to the Universe of Sanjaya.” Sanjaya put many of his yawn-inducing opponents in their place, proving every week that it’s better to be awful than merely mediocre — the middle ground is the world’s most barren territory. American Idol needed to be reminded of that this year more than any other.
So hats off to you, Sanjaya. You’re the true winner this year, no matter what the haters may say.
There’s really only one performance that you need to see Sanjaya, and these two minutes are better than anything you’ll see from here until the finale: “You Really Got Me”
The Strange One is gone. Long live the Strange One.
Still, I foresee: a 30-city tour, a Saturday morning kiddie show in the Pee-Wee Herman tradition, and a year’s worth of guest appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Operation Runway” and “What Not to Wear.”
With Sanjayjay’s departure, I feel oddly empty, bereft of that comforting ridicule he gleefully allowed us. Who will we mock now? The others are so … unmockable. At least, they aren’t nearly as much fun to snicker at over the bowl of popcorn.
PREDICTION: This thing is over. Jordin to win, Melinda to place and Who Cares to show. I’m still pulling for LaKisha, but wow, does she need to wake up. Make us cry again, woman. Heck, make us smile, I’ll settle for that.