[...] Update- Uberdesi responds; My contention is that Sanjaya does not possess the intangiables that make an American Idol. His performances are monotonous. He cannot dance to save his life, hit different notes, move and entertain the audience like a pop star is supposed to. He will be voted off at some stage but all this does not translate to “he is not talented”. He is just not American Idol talented. And as much as we would like to think that Indians or people of desi origin in general are making a significant difference in American Idol voting, that premise may not hold much water. [...]

[...] Uber Desi who was one of the earlier bloggers to have promoted Sanjaya responds appropriately: My contention is that Sanjaya does not possess the intangiables that make an American Idol. His performances are monotonous. He cannot dance to save his life, hit different notes, move and entertain the audience like a pop star is supposed to. He will be voted off at some stage but all this does not translate to “he is not talented”. He is just not American Idol talented. [...]

Sanjaya has a good voice. It is not true that only “Desi” people are voting for him.

Sanjaya does have an excellent voice. I watch American Idol so much and once i saw there was a brown guy…i was very excited. When i watched his audition, i knew he would make it far. Then when it came to top 24 time… i wouldn’t say he completely sucked or he was perfect…he was so-so. Its really odd because all the judges are so negative to him EVERY week. I totally think it’s a matter of how he is brown. The judges should be atleast a bit nicer to him. But NO! They are si used 2 white ppl on the show. Its so true that only desi ppl are voting for him. Im not indian here, im Bengali but still, seriously not many ppl vote for him anyways!

who make suggestions like spamming his My Space page with negative comments, will have him make a therapist very rich once this is over. Here are a couple of articles on this subject: Exclusive! Are voters in India keeping Sanjaya on American Idol? Supporting Sanjaya = Racism? Diverse Reality

shut your shit whole boy. whats your problem? on your fricken retarded poll more than 66% said that he was still on my 11-16 yr old girls, so your little theory is lame and retarded. You are the racist. Indians are not racist, if anyone you are so shut up and get a fricken life.

Dude, pipe down. It’s hard to tell from the garbage you wrote but I think you’re suggesting that 11-16 year old girls voted for him and my post was making the same point. Agreement or disagreement, next time you or anyone else posts garbage like you did, we will ban you.

[...] (The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. This is spoof and only a spoof. People without a sense of humor may experience rage and a strong urge to leave nasty comments. Reader discretion advised.)The story so far.Sanjaya Malakar is an American Idol (AI) contestant who sings as badly as Cacofonix in Asterix comics. You can sample his off-key butchering of the song “you really got me” here . But that has not stopped him from being in the top 11 of this season’s AI. Don’t give a damn yet? Me neither. But apparently there were a few arguments about the intentions of Sanjaya’s supporters. Fight fight fight! (Popcorn kaha hai bhayya?).O3 takes the stage.O3: Yakshimas. My name is O3 son of O2 and O1. My hobby is to play kabbadi and fight injustice. You say vavaviva! I say that right. I am onto you desi conspiracy. I know your mentality. You vote for Sanjaya to have a sexy time on idol. It not nice. You Indians is racist. You judge base on color and not what is talent. You are big hippo-crit. I am going to vote for Sanjaya—NOT!Desi readers: Who is this Sanjaya yaar?Uberdesi steps onto the podium: Bhailog aur unki behenlog (wink), don’t listen to the self hater O3. O3 does not know what he is talking about. He is making up shit and for that I am going to make him eat his own words (hence make him eat shit). You see unlike O3 I have done my research and found that statistically it is impossible for desis alone to save Sanjaya.Dazzles readers with fancy diagrams.Uberdesi: Thus after a thorough research I conclude that the American teenagers are the culprits. For those of you who are still not convinced (although I don’t know how that is possible), I have started my own poll to further validate what has already been validated by me. Behold! The milk and water are about to be separated.Reader 1: But how do we know this poll is not rigged like the American idol poll?Uberdesi: Spoken like a true self-hater. I have hard core data and I shall not be proved wrong until I prove me wrong.Desipundit steps in with a banner: “This fight was sponsored by Desipundit”Desipundit: This programming will continue after a few words from our expert on racism. Take it away Patrix .Patrix: What?Desipundit: Just a few words will do.Patrix: India to haar gaya. Ab Tendulkar, Agarkar, Malakar kuch nahi kar saktey. India lost the world cup. Who gives a F*** about Idol? Everybody knows that reality TV has nothing to do with reality. BTW there is an all-american site promoting Malakar. Here is a link . Now leave me alone.Americans: WTF is going on? Sanjaya is still in the race? This is turning into the presidential election. First Bush now Sanjaya! What is America coming to?Howard Stern the misogynist: You bitches make me laugh. You actually think that you have a say in the AI results? I am the Mogul of the media. This is my domain and I have commanded my faithful followers to lead Sanjaya to victory. In doing so, I will prove that I have the biggest penis in the media industry and I can fuck whoever I want, whenever I want and wherever I want.Meanwhile at AI…Sanjaya: Croak croak croakSimon Cowell : Ryan you are gay.Ryan Seacrest : You want me to be gay.Paula Abdul : I believe in you Sanjaya. I believe in your talent. I believe in your voice. In fact I believe I am going to have another drink (hic!).Token black judge, Randy Jackson : Yo yo! Check this out yo! I really think you can do it yo! But I didn’t feel you tonight dawg! I want to feel you. I want to feel you under my skin. You got to give it to me…you know what I am sayin? Yo yo!Ryan Seacrest: Just for the record I am not gay!Keith Olbermann : It has been n+1 days (where n is a ridiculously large number) since the declaration of mission accomplished in Iraq and here are the results of last nights America idol. I am only doing this because my producers are holding me at gunpoint.Oh the drama!!! [...]

Actually it is not racism that people are voting for Sanjaya, he just not the best singer. The Vote for the Worst has backed Scott Savol, Antonella Barba, Kellie Pickler, Kevin Corvais, and Taylor Hicks. These people are not Indian-American.

[...] The 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores may convert a number of franchises into Kwik-E-Marts in time for the release of the Simpsons movie (Richmond Times-Dispatch). UberDesi points us to this blog, where we got a rendering of an altered franchise with its owner, our beloved Apu Nahasapeemapetilon: "The Simpsons Movie" is being released July 27. According to his official bio, Apu once worked a 96-hour shift. But he also manages to "party hearty with his brother Sanjay, family, and friends each and every year for a most enjoyable 5 minutes." "Apu himself, in keeping with his Hindu beliefs, is a vegan, eating no meat, eggs, or dairy products. His attempt to bridge the gap between East and West with tofu dogs, curry crullers, and Chutney Squishees met with resounding disinterest, though his shrine to the elephant god Ganesha attracted a peanut or two, much to his displeasure." Apu has been the most consistent desi presence in American pop culture, surviving hold-ups, insults and outrage from insecure South Asians in the early years - thankfully that’s a bygone era. [...]

shit most pop music is today! Although I think if I watched the show, I’d probably like it!” [IMG ]The story was based on a wave of Internet chatter on Indian and Desi blog and news sites. Since it’s been picked up around the world, new suspicions and theories have emerged. But the potential scandal has picked up even more traction and debate in the UK, where anti-Asian bias is more of a problem, and became a national scandal amid charges of racism on their

[...] Desi blogsite Uber Desi addresses concerns that “support for Sanjaya equals racism” because of the claim that most of those [...]

While I can understand the desire, I would have to say supporting someone because his ethnic background (well as least half of his ethnic background) is the same as your own, would indeed be a form of racism.

What would people think of me saying that I want a candidate to win because he is white? What would people call me if I supported a contestant because he reflected my ethnic background?

That said. I really like Sanjaya because he comes from the town I have lived over 30 years in.

Well calling it a town in some ways gives it too much credit. It’s suburbia. It borders the city of Tacoma, Washington and is about an hour (depending on traffic) north of the city of Seattle, Washington, but nothing really distinguishes it much. The history of the place doesn’t reach much beyond the 1950s. Before that sure there were farms and some businesses but not many, and few of those are still standing. If you look very hard you can find out some of its history before then, but that knowledge is fading. Named for the School District that was named for the High School which was named for a local road, searching for an identity for Federal Way is difficult indeed.

It is a place where the idea of the “cookie cutter” house plays out. Not only houses but in recent years (say since 1989) apartments. The truth is it is a community where new people are coming in and out constantly. It has a mall, and a few good parks but that is just about it.

I love Federal Way, for the friendships I have built there, but the truth is that there are only but a few things that really distinguishes it from say Sumner, Normandy Park, Auburn, Kent, or the dozen of other suburban cities no one except those familiar with our region would have heard of. And truthfully that is how mostof us who live here see ourselves as - part of a region not just a town. We might live in Federal Way, but many of us work in another city. Most of us don’t really identify with Federal Way as people in say a small town or a mayor city would. For most of us suburbia is just suburbia, and Federal Way is just a place we go to sleep at night.

Well, I have seemed to have gone far past the point of rambling but the point is that here is Sanajaya who like myself, live in a fundamentally undistinquished city among the cookie cutter homes and apartments and businesses that look like those in other communities in the area, but he was able to rise above the monotony of such a place and distinquish himself. Like him or don’t, but still few can say that he isn’t unique.

It’s the uniqueness of Sanjaya that I believe attracted so many people to his side.

And it was so easy for him to disown Federal Way, as many do when in the few cases they find national (and some cases international) renown. But Sanjaya didn’t even though he had only lived in the community for about a year.

The Desi community in Federal Way has in recent years become quite noticable (especially in the apartments) and I am glad to see that they are finding success, but most of all I am glad to see anyone coming from my little piece of suburbia rising above its monotony to find international acclaim.

So, perhaps it is wrong to support Sanjiya because he is from my hometown but I believe that is far different than supporting him because of his race. His success doesn’t merely encourage a particular segment of my community but encourages all in my community to break free from the “cookie cutter” and aspire to something that may be considered better or even worst by others, but at the very least something unique. And while conformity might be the state of most individuals, it’s unqiueness that breeds innovation.

Sorry, I meant to type about an hour SOUTH of Seattle. Of course that depends on traffic. At peak commuter times it can take as long as 1 and a half hours and during other times perhaps around 45 minutes.

And it borders part of North Tacoma but to get to the city center of Tacoma, it takes about 30 minutes or so.

By the way, this probably really has nothing to do about the subject we are discussing here but Sanyaja’s Mom, I saw her when Sanyaja was at the Mall - boy is she HOT!

If we are looking at it on racial terms I guess fellow Desi Males can take pride in one of their own being able to nab such a catch.

By the way, the people at the mall who came to see him, they were all of different races so I believe that proves that race doesn’t drive the Sanjaya phenomena. The majority of them were though Teenage Girls which of course is to be expected.

Steve,
Obviously you feel strongly about Sanjaya

I do, but I must admit the main reason I do is because he is from where I live.

I don’t know if that is right, but that is why I mostly feel like I do.

Also, I like how he unique. I think he is a good enough singer, and I heard from a person who has the same vocal coach as him that he can even be better.

In the end the show was called “American Idol”. Being an idol means more than being a good singer (which I think he is at least as good as most who are considered pop stars today). It takes the X factor. It takes the almost undefinable quality of charisma which I believe Sanjaya has in spades.

I really believe that Sanjyaya could be the next Michael Jackson. Now, I know such a statement could be taken wrong, so let me clarify. I mean the 1980s’ Michael Jackson when he was putting out hits like Billy Jean and Thriller. I mean before Michael Jackson became Wacko Jacko.

Is Sanjaya really that worst than others who are considered “Pop Stars”? I think not. I quite liked his singing and thought it was unfortunate that he was kicked off American Idol after participating in a genre that really didn’t suit him (Country Western). He is Pop. He is about Teeny Boppers, but there is nothing wrong with that.

But of course my comments are admittedly biased by the fact that he is from my hometown. He (along with Apolo Ohno) helps to give identity to a community sorely lacking any.