How will Sanjaya’s continued success on American Idol impact the show’s credibility?

Question

With all of the controversy surrounding Sanjaya’s survival week-to-week, is it too late for American Idol to regain its fans’ trust?

Answer 1

I think it was the judges responsibility to make sure the singers are of a higher caliber that make it to the top 24, no matter what they look like.

Answer 2

The truth of the matter is that Sanjaya was not a good singer in any aspects. Even his best performance, Besame Mucho, did not compare to some of the frontrunner's worst performances. I think the judges thoguht he did deserve to make the top 24, but that was because there were worse singers, plus he did ok during his auditions. But starting with his weird performance during the second week of the semifinals, the Sanjaya contreversy began. This was the same week that he stayed over AJ Tabaldo, who was one of the best males on the show. The same thing happened the next week with Sundance. In fact, he was the one on the hook with the person being voted off for the first 4 weeks of the live show. (With Rudy, with AJ, with Sundance, and with Brandon, all of them leaving with Sanjaya safe.) After he was in the bottom 2 the top 12 week, Vote For the Worst had huge success, and he was not in the bottom for many weeks, which is when he went home.

The week he went home, I don't know how he did. It could have been that America got sick of him. VFTW could have been slacking. It's possible that he didn't get the lowest votes, but American Idol changed the results (although I doubt it.) I also heard that country fans do not like that song he sang.

I don't know if Idol will regain its fans' trust. Maybe the people who didn't like Sanjaya will say that since he finally got sent home, they will trust Idol again. Or they could say that he was on for too long, and they will no longer trust the show.

The people that did like Sanjaya may say that since he had such a long run they will trust Idol. Or they may say that since they could have ditched their rules to boot Sanjaya, they will not trust Idol.


Overall, this is a great question, and the answer is it depends on the person.

Answer 3

American Idol's trust has been eroding for quite awhile. The popularity is still there, but the trust factor has been on a steady decline for the better part of a year. The quirky panels infighting combined with the voting off of people that definitely were better then the ones kept on. You could see this with the last idol group in the week to week voting. Now the pinnacle of it all with this goofy little no talent guy that should have been eliminated a long time ago (like week one) and it has given the show a shot in the news, but the cred ability factor is gone. It is a joke amongst any adults. It's watch factor is gone. The amusement with this no talent kid while others are eliminated will spell the last stages of a cancerous condition that other shows have met with a broad audience. The teeny boppers will keep this afloat for a mcsecond as that is about their attention span anyway, but in order to get the big numbers they have enjoyed the adults are bailing ship. To bad idol brain trust you had a good thing going but your greed got in the way. Sanjaya is simply the most outrageous example of the direction this show has been going. Like O'my god!

Answer 4

There is a big conflict and hypocrisy plaging the pop/rock/R&B music fans of the modern era and it has certainly gotten worse since the introduction of MTV. We certainly don't see it in Jazz, wouldn't think of it in Classical and even in the stylish gangsta world of Hip Hop, it's not as much of an issue. What is the "it" I'm talking about? Appearance......the way the artist looks.

Pop fans say the music is most important, but the second they find out that the person singing that great melody with that beautiful voice is also a big fat slob, the honeymoon ends and the artist is rejected. And the opposite is true as well. Case in point.........Sanjaya. This kid is so sweet and pretty, he's got every 13 year old girl, as well as, every alpha gay male creaming their you know what. Who cares if the kid can sing!

So what's the problem with these pop music fans? Two things....the first being a lack of ear talent, the second being pure narcasism. Because these people don't have the ear to understand and appreciate good music and good musical talent, the only thing that's left to appreciate is visual. The narcasism comes in to play because these fans are either imagining themselves on stage as that artist, receiving praise from the audience for the way they look and command the stage, or they imagine the artist being their boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. The music and singing become almost a prop or a gimmick for the artist. It only something that lends credibility to that hot looking singer. These fans can feel better about themselves by knowing that the focus of their visual attention actually has a legitmate talent. The only important thing about the music is whether or not it has a hook, not whether it's any good.

If we took away all visual access to today's most popular singers, songwriters and bands and had the public judge them by sound only against a group of unknown but similar artists hand-picked by top musicians, two things would happen. Record sales would plummet because you would remove the fan who mostly cares about the visual and most of the popular artists would fade away in favor of the better unknown talent.

Does anyone deny that Elliot would've won American Idol last year if he looked like Brad Pitt? I'm actually amazed he made it as fas as he did, looking the way he did.

I'll end my thoughts by being reasonable about this whole subject. The visual aspect and looks of an artist will always have an impact on all fans, it's when it starts becoming more important than the music itself that bothers me.

And no! Sanjaya will not hurt this big beast called American Idol! Again, most pop fans don't care that much about the music and singing.

So you go Lyle Lovitt, Meat Loaf, Biggy, Patty Austin, John Popper and the rest of you truly talented, but ugly artists!!! We need you more than ever!!

Answer 5

It is not the credibility of the show that is at stake, but rather the credibility of people's voting. Sanjaya is not at all talented, but appeals to some groups...possibly gays, Indians, teenagers...the categories he falls into. Why?...who knows. These people vote in large numbers so he stays on. It is not a long living problem however, as he will be eliminated sometime during the next few weeks. He cannot stand up to the fan base of Lakesha, Melinda and Sparks who will be the final three. Melinda won the contest the first day it began..we are just going through the motions now

Answer 6

Sanjaya's continued "success" either:

Hurts American Idol's credibility
OR
Highlights the very poor judgment of those that can suprisingly dial the phone well enough to vote for him.

I lost interest in watching when Chris Sligh left before Sanjaya. Chris could sing and was entertaining.

Doesn't Sanjaya remind you of Michael Jackson when he's NOT singing? Scary...

Answer 7

So what's the problem with these pop music fans? Two things....the first being a lack of ear talent, the second being pure narcasism. Because these people don't have the ear to understand and appreciate good music and good musical talent, the only thing that's left to appreciate is visual. The narcasism comes in to play because these fans are either imagining themselves on stage as that artist, receiving praise from the audience for the way they look and command the stage, or they imagine the artist being their boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. The music and singing become almost a prop or a gimmick for the artist. It only something that lends credibility to that hot looking singer. These fans can feel better about themselves by knowing that the focus of their visual attention actually has a legitmate talent. The only important thing about the music is whether or not it has a hook, not whether it's any good.

Answer 8

Are you saying the three overweight backup singers ("three tons of fun") who are favorites this year could sell more albums than someone like Sanjaya, who has some charisma and stage presence? On some songs, Sanjaya is off, but so would be most pop performers trying other styles. See Ashlee Simpson's "Saturday Night Live" debacle. At his age, he has a lot of time to improve and is good enough to perhaps win this whole contest. GO SANJAYA!

Answer 9

To tell u the truth when sanjaya can't keep a note at all!!!! I don't think he's an entertainer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think he's halarious at his singing!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the way he dressed is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really liked to watch this show in the past, thinking it was a good place for talented people to compete to become the American idol. This year, it is nothing less than a bad joke. I will not watch it anymore until Fox figures out what it is their show is supposed to be. A big joke for untalented wierdos to flaunt their wierdness and make fun of the show in general or a place where legitimately talented people can come together to entertain the public and gain favor by receiving our votes. As it stands, I don't plan on giving this show any more attention than it deserves... I thought the auditions had a purpose - to weed out wierdos and toss them out with the bath water... Maybe they need to give Simon 2 votes?????

Answer 10

I truly hope that Sanjaya gets voted off. His auditions were actually good but now every show seems a challenge to him on how bad he can be and still get voted back on the show. I think he is offensive. I don't enjoy knowing that he will be on the show again week after week and someone on idol needs to do something about it. Please American Idol take Sanjaya out of our misery !!!!

Answer 11

Well, as we know he was kicked out about a month ago. But, according to intereviews and magazine articles on the Top 12, he wihes to go inot acting, singing, and modeling. He has a lot of fans as we saw during his survival in the Top 12, but obviously he did'nt have enough. Idol contestans do get paied week by week,and they get paied big bucks from what i hear. Anyways, he is a Jounior or Senior in High School, so the kid has got plaenty of time to go to colage and redeem hislef, even though he will probably be just as remembered as William Hung. Also, Idol top 10 goes on tour after the Finals, so he gets paied from that too. He is a lucky kid. Idol fans for sure gained back it's trust, although after the loss of Malinda Doolittle after last weeks eliminations, i think many just gave up. I didn't. Both my favorite contestants are safe!! As for me..lets just say, i wasn't the biggest fan of Sanjya.I thought Shakira Look-alike should have taken his place..but i wont be a hater....