Brothers In Blog

I wanted Sanjaya gone from the moment he made the top 24. Unfortunately, week after week he managed to sneak past the low vote only to return and torture me again. With each new week came a new hairdo and another terrible performance. I started to get the feeling he was almost daring people to vote him off. Did he know something about the voting mechanism that I didn’t? Probably not because how America votes and how the votes are counted is one of Idol’s best kept secrets, and for good reason: the show is fixed.

Idol could have let the rain fall on Sanjaya’s parade any moment they wanted. The show’s producers keep the voting cards close to their chest so no one knows whether the right person went home or not. Oh sure, the votes have been “certified” in the past but that only happens on the season finale. During the rest of the season the votes are a complete mystery. When no one knows how the votes are controlled, anything is possible which is the perfect explanation for Sanjaya’s longevity. Yes, VFTW and Howard Stern like to think they actually controlled the vote, but let’s be realistic. If they actually had that kind of influence, then Sanjaya would still be on the Idol.

Sorry Idol fans (of which I am one) but the show is all about making money, which I’m sure comes as no surprise to anyone; however, when money is priority number one, everything revolves around maximizing the bottom line. From emotionally compelling stories about the contestants to highly restrictive contracts for the contestants, American Idol controls and manipulates. They need to keep you watching so you can dial those numbers and send those text messages each week, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you do just that. But alas, Sanjaya’s contribution to the bottom line has run its course. Now, the wild hair 17 year old has become a liability. Too many people have started to scrutinize Idol’s voting mechanism all because of Sanjaya. The risk of exposure was too great and the show did what it had to do — let Sanjaya go.

If you love Sanjaya, fear not. We have not heard the last of him. His fame will outlast all but the actual season winner in the end. Not because he’s a great singer, but because he’s infamous. Sanjaya has now joined the ranks of Omarosa from The Apprentice and Rob Amber from Survivor and The Amazing Race — Sanjaya is a bonofided reality television celebrity because when you’ve been spoofed on Saturday Night Light, you know you have arrived.

Barry’s 2-Cents:

As I commented in your earlier post, I gave up on Idol after Fantasia’s screeching won her first place. I did catch enough of Idol while changing channels to see that Sanjaya was in the final 3 and knew that the whole Sanjaya controversy was probably keeping viewers tuned in and thumbing those cell phone keys.

With Sanjaya now voted off, Idol can coast to the end of another season with the usual peak audience tuning in to see who will win. However, if Idol returns next season I don’t think it will capture as big an audience share as it has done in the past. The Sanjaya event has shed new light on how the voting is rigged and damaged the show’s credibility. While the audition lines will grow even longer with Idol hopefuls, former Idol viewers will be channel surfing and dropping in elsewhere.

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