Двое меня! И не разделяйте!
читать дальшеFriday, August 10, 2007John SoederPlain Dealer Pop Music Critic
He
may not have won "American Idol," but Sanjaya Malakar won our hearts
just the same. Along the way, he taught us so much about life. About
the possibilities of a can of hairspray and a little desperation. About
how not to sing "You Really Got Me."
On the designated day, at the designated hour, a publicist called with the happy news: "I've got Sanjaya for you."
Then
came a familiar voice from beyond -- OK, more like San Jose, Calif.,
where the "American Idols Live!" Tour stopped last month:
In the beginning, there was Pop Idol.'
Producers
saw the British television show was good. It begot spinoffs around the
world, including "American Idol," which premiered in 2002. The latest
season averaged 30 million viewers per episode.
Thus spoke
Sanjaya: "It's a genius idea for people to choose who gets famous. The
fans are the people who are going to buy your record and make you
famous. So why not let them choose? America loves to have control over
something in the entertainment business."
Believe in yourself.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "I think I got as far as I did partly because of my singing. I think I can hold a tune pretty well."
On second thought, believe in yourself -- to a point.
Thus hastened to add Sanjaya: "I would definitely not say I'm the best singer."
Do unto Jordin, Blake, Melinda and the rest of your fellow travelers on the journey as you would have done unto you.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "On the show, we formed quick bonds. We all were going through the same thing.
"We knew we weren't in control of what happened. We went out there and did our best, then it was up to America.
"The people on the show were -- are -- awesome."
Thou shalt not dis the ponyhawk.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "I wanted to do a mohawk. But I didn't want to do a
classic mohawk, because I know there's a certain kind of attitude that
goes with that, and I didn't necessarily have that attitude. I wanted
to make it original. I went to the hair guy and he brought the ponyhawk
to my attention. I was like, OK, let's do it.' It was kind of a pain in
the butt to get all the hairspray out of it. But it was fun."
Do or do not; there is no try.
Actually, Yoda said that. Just making sure you're still paying attention, grasshopper.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "Um, sometimes the judges got a little carried away. But
for the most part, they were pretty fair. Simon was the most honest,
and obviously the most brutal. But I feel he was like that because he
really wanted to let people know exactly how he felt."
Sanjaya is love!
So
proclaimed Diana Ross. We have no clue what the high priestess of
Motown meant. So we turned to He Who Is Love, seeking enlightenment.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "I think what she felt was my spirit. My entire life,
I've been surrounded by love. My family is very close, and everyone in
my family is very full of love. I just try to spread it. I try to show
people they can also be loved and they can also have love in their
souls.
"I view spirituality as your own thing. You can go to
church or to a temple and have spirituality. But you don't necessarily
have to. It's in your soul.
"If I can feel the spirituality in
music, then that can make me happy. That can make me content. So . . .
I just . . I don't know, I mean . . I don't really know how to explain
it."
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
So was it written --
in capital letters -- on Sanjaya's T-shirt, when the speed-dialing
infidels banished him from "Idol" and exiled him to the realm of the
also-rans.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "Life is something to enjoy. I
mean, I don't know. I kind of had a feeling I was going home, so I was
kind of putting out a message: OK, I'm going home. But it's OK.' "
There is life after death -- er, Idol.'
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "Of course there's life after Idol,' no matter what
happens. For me, nothing is firm yet, except that I'm definitely going
to pursue music. That's why I'm here. That's why I got into this whole
thing. But nothing's carved in stone yet. I guess we'll see."
He
may not have won "American Idol," but Sanjaya Malakar won our hearts
just the same. Along the way, he taught us so much about life. About
the possibilities of a can of hairspray and a little desperation. About
how not to sing "You Really Got Me."
On the designated day, at the designated hour, a publicist called with the happy news: "I've got Sanjaya for you."
Then
came a familiar voice from beyond -- OK, more like San Jose, Calif.,
where the "American Idols Live!" Tour stopped last month:
In the beginning, there was Pop Idol.'
Producers
saw the British television show was good. It begot spinoffs around the
world, including "American Idol," which premiered in 2002. The latest
season averaged 30 million viewers per episode.
Thus spoke
Sanjaya: "It's a genius idea for people to choose who gets famous. The
fans are the people who are going to buy your record and make you
famous. So why not let them choose? America loves to have control over
something in the entertainment business."
Believe in yourself.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "I think I got as far as I did partly because of my singing. I think I can hold a tune pretty well."
On second thought, believe in yourself -- to a point.
Thus hastened to add Sanjaya: "I would definitely not say I'm the best singer."
Do unto Jordin, Blake, Melinda and the rest of your fellow travelers on the journey as you would have done unto you.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "On the show, we formed quick bonds. We all were going through the same thing.
"We knew we weren't in control of what happened. We went out there and did our best, then it was up to America.
"The people on the show were -- are -- awesome."
Thou shalt not dis the ponyhawk.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "I wanted to do a mohawk. But I didn't want to do a
classic mohawk, because I know there's a certain kind of attitude that
goes with that, and I didn't necessarily have that attitude. I wanted
to make it original. I went to the hair guy and he brought the ponyhawk
to my attention. I was like, OK, let's do it.' It was kind of a pain in
the butt to get all the hairspray out of it. But it was fun."
Do or do not; there is no try.
Actually, Yoda said that. Just making sure you're still paying attention, grasshopper.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "Um, sometimes the judges got a little carried away. But
for the most part, they were pretty fair. Simon was the most honest,
and obviously the most brutal. But I feel he was like that because he
really wanted to let people know exactly how he felt."
Sanjaya is love!
So
proclaimed Diana Ross. We have no clue what the high priestess of
Motown meant. So we turned to He Who Is Love, seeking enlightenment.
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "I think what she felt was my spirit. My entire life,
I've been surrounded by love. My family is very close, and everyone in
my family is very full of love. I just try to spread it. I try to show
people they can also be loved and they can also have love in their
souls.
"I view spirituality as your own thing. You can go to
church or to a temple and have spirituality. But you don't necessarily
have to. It's in your soul.
"If I can feel the spirituality in
music, then that can make me happy. That can make me content. So . . .
I just . . I don't know, I mean . . I don't really know how to explain
it."
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
So was it written --
in capital letters -- on Sanjaya's T-shirt, when the speed-dialing
infidels banished him from "Idol" and exiled him to the realm of the
also-rans.
Thus spoke Sanjaya: "Life is something to enjoy. I
mean, I don't know. I kind of had a feeling I was going home, so I was
kind of putting out a message: OK, I'm going home. But it's OK.' "
There is life after death -- er, Idol.'
Thus
spoke Sanjaya: "Of course there's life after Idol,' no matter what
happens. For me, nothing is firm yet, except that I'm definitely going
to pursue music. That's why I'm here. That's why I got into this whole
thing. But nothing's carved in stone yet. I guess we'll see."