Sanjaya — Teen Idol?

What do Donny Osmond, Shaun & David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman and Leif Garrett have in common? Can you guess??

They are the musical peers of Sanjaya Malakar. Let’s see: Great hair, big white smile, average talent. Everything that makes pre-teen and young teen-age girls turn to mush and sob from the sheer emotion of seeing their soulful eyes. Before they even sing a note. While all of the above-mentioned former teen idols have talent – none of them have exceptional talent. Many miracles can occur in the studio, turning an “eh” voice into a great voice. On vinyl.

Curiously, if any of these former teeny-bop idols had auditioned for American Idol, the chances of their making it to Hollywood would have been slim. Randy would call them pitchy, Paula would remark on their outfits and Simon would simply say, “Absolutely horrible.” Yet they have all sold millions of albums, graced the covers of countless teen magazines and sold out numerous concerts, not to mention incurring the total tearful devotion of many. In fact, one teen-age girl actually got into a box and tried to MAIL herself to Donny Osmond.

So, why the hatred for Sanjaya? What has he done that has been so incredibly terrible as to incur the wrath of so many? How is he so different from these former teen idols? He has the hair, good looks and white smile. Also the average talent.

I can understand that his presence in the finals is upsetting to those who feel he ursurped the place of somebody more talented. Do I personally feel – based on talent alone – that he should still be around? NO, I do not. But just because I don’t think Sanjaya should be anywhere near the top 10 does not give me an open invitation to break his spirit and hold him up to public ridicule.  Enough is enough already. Face it: the kid does not suck. He can sing. BUT he just doesn’t measure up to the quality of talent exhibited by the others on the show.  That is becoming more and more evident.  Even to him.

Little Sanjaya just may be following in the teen idol footsteps of the Cassidy’s and the Osmonds.  He’ll put out a CD or two,  turn this generation of pre-teen girls into puddles of mush and maybe move on to host a variety show with his sister.  Then he’ll fade into obscurity until he makes his ‘comeback’ in the year 2040.