Is Sanjaya a deliberate "goof" by the producers that's backfired?

[Mike Daniels]

Given that people tune into the rehearsals to see the deluded and tone-deaf make fools of themselves, could the producers have decided what's the harm in advancing a few "marginals" towards the actual competition?

The thinking is that the viewers get the entertainment of watching a potential trainwreck and by the time it gets to the "touring ten" all of the "goofs" have been eliminated.

Could the producers have thought there's no way this guy is getting past the first phone vote and decided to keep him through that point for entertainment value only now to see him advancing against people who on the whole are better (if only slightly) than him.

[terrya]

1. I think Sanjaya is going to win.

Seriously. You're looking at the next American Idol here.

[maveric]

2. Howard Stern show(Sirius), has been plugging him too.

Stern's followers have been voting for Sanjaya by the tens of thousands.

[ronnykmarshall]

3. I think so too.

And then the whole show will implode!

[terrya]

5. And Simon Cowell will quit.

As he promised he would do if Sanjaya won.

[MsKandice01]

4. I'm beginning to think so too...

He's becoming a friggin phenomenom. Sanjaya has more notoriety than any AI contestant to date and people who don't usually watch are now tuning in and voting JUST to keep him in the competition.

As childish (and cruel to Sanjaya) as I think this whole thing is, I think you may be right.

[Mike Daniels]

15. The funny thing is by now Sanjaya has to be aware of the "buzz"

and it appears that he's now along for the ride whereever it may lead him.

I think you only have to look at his performances of "You Really Got Me" and "Bathwater" to believe that he's laughing at everything at this point.

The say the best revenge is living well and right not it appears that Sanjay is living large at the head of the buffett table.

[slj0101]

6. No matter what happens, the producers will lose.

If he wins, all hell will break loose. If he gets voted off on a technicality, then it will prove that someone tampered with the voting process. This could be a most satisfying end to American Idol. :evilgrin:

[Zavulon]

7. Sanjaya might eventually be responsible for killing off American Idol.

If he does, I'll become his biggest fan, even though the goofy-looking little fuck can't sing worth a shit.

[slj0101]

8. Like I was saying in the above response,

it's damned if they do, damned if they don't. :D

[Zavulon]

14. Damned if that doesn't make me happy.

I'm so sick of American Idol that even the commercials piss me off. I'm usually "if you don't like it, don't watch it" and am almost never call for a show to be removed from the air, but c'mon - this glorified karaoke contest has been shoved down our throats and up our asses for too fucking long. I can't go anywhere in my office without hearing some co-worker or another talking about it, either.

I wish nothing but disaster on American Idol. If Sanjaya is responsible for killing off the show, he will become MY idol. Seriously.

[Heidi]

9. He's genuine.

Hell, we don't even _get_ American Idol here, and I like the kid. He's genuine.

[ronnykmarshall]

13. I think he's gettin in on the joke.

That hair-DON'T last week proved it.

G'on Sanjy!

[Redneck Socialist]

10. I've never watched a single episode of the show and...

even I know who the dude is. He's managed to generate some serious buzz. I hope he wins if only to point out how ridiculous the show is.

[KG]

11. heck yes. they brought him along, so that at some point the could mock and

embarrass him on nat. tv. i find the whole concept of this show slightly sickening and rather unseemly.

[skygazer]

12. I haven't watched any of it

But I get the impression that Sanjaya is the William Hung who made it. :scared:

[undeterred]

18. William Hung was really bad

It was not unbelievable that Sanjaya got sent to Hollywood. But it is unbelievable that the last 2 or 3 people were cut before him.

[undeterred]

16. I think at some point he's going to start feeling pressured by the

other contestants to drop out. He isn't sure if he is a joke or not at this point. He's bad, but he's not that bad. The longer this goes on the worse he seems.

His biggest problem is a lack of confidence. If the others in the group turn on him, his confidence will plummet and he won't even be able to get through a performance. I predict he will crumble onstage and withdraw from the competition.

[Mike Daniels]

17. I think if that happens it will do more damage to AI than if Sanjaya won it all

There's no way in hell that something like your scenario could happen and it not become a PR disaster for AI.

The only think AI could feasibly do if it got to that point is to come out and release something along the lines of:

"due to a deliberate campaign by certain parties who are not casting votes in good faith it is our belief that the results of this year's contest are not a true reflection of the talent of the contestants."

What they do from there, whether they call a mulligan and bring back all the original finalists and revamp the voting procedure or just deal with the results and revamp for next year would be anyone's guess.