Boy Wonder

By RAAKHEE MIRCHANDANI for The New York Post, March 18, 2007

(via 'Boy Blunder' from Sonia Faleiro's blog)

EXPLAINING SANJAYA'S UNLIKELY 'IDOL' SUCCESS

...MOST "American Idol" fans - and pretty much anyone who has ears - will agree that Sanjaya Malakar is the worst finalist ever. He's so awful that every week you can see the shock on the judges' faces when he survives. Even Paula Abdul expresses disbelief.

Sanjaya can't carry a tune, has awkward stage presence, makes Carlton Banks-like dance moves and flaunts insane follicle fluctuations. Yet the first South Asian contestant to appear on "Idol" returns week after week.

So how does the 17-year-old do it?...

...To test the theory that Indian-Americans are part of his voting bloc, we headed to Jackson Heights, where we met 17-year-old Anil Singh, who says he watches "Idol" and votes for Sanjaya because he feels he's just like him.

"I like him because he's desi [an Indian person who lives in America] and isn't afraid to pursue his dreams," says Singh. "Plus, it would be cool to have a famous singer who's Indian who sings [American] pop music."...