Home : American Idol : "A.I." Finalists Fuming Over "Sanjaya Situation"

"A.I." Finalists Fuming Over "Sanjaya Situation"

Posted Apr 2nd 2007 11:22AM by TMZ Staff

While most of the country may have fallen in love with "American Idol" wannabe Sanjaya Malakar, there is one group that is finding his growing popularity a tad irritating -- his fellow "A.I." contestants!

An inside source revealed exclusively to TMZ that some of the remaining "Idol" hopefuls are annoyed that the vocally-challenged 17-year-old continues to advance, while other "more talented" singers get sent home. We're told the contestants are not-so-much mad at Sanjaya, but at the situation, which finds websites like votefortheworst.com and satellite radio host Howard Stern urging fans to keep Sanjaya in -- simply as a joke.

We're told the "Idols" don't find it funny, since it's their future being toyed with. Our source adds that the contestants find it troublesome that they all work so hard to pick the right song and rehearse each week, but it appears that all Sanjaya really has to do to move forward is to show up wearing a scrunchie.

TMZ contacted an "Idol" rep, who had no comment.

Comments [707]

SHARE |

Email 4ie6

Reader Comments

(Page 7 of 48) Previous 15 Comments | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

91. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR AMERICAN IDOL!!!!!!
CACKLE CACKLE CACKLE

www.veece.com

Posted at 8:54PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by Fresh Raggedy Anne

92. He is the greatest entertainer of all time !

Posted at 7:32PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by Sanjaya is Talent

93. Please pluck your eyebrows little girl......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Posted at 6:11PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by goodday

94. .....................No One Vote This Week On Idol.................................

Posted at 6:09PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by No One VOTE This Week On IDOL

95. I hope this no talent freak wins it all. Think about it, these Idol producers and judges make a fortune off this show. You get charged .99 every time you vote with a cell. They say that 30 to 40 million votes come in and i guarentee that half of them are cell calls. thats 20 million that these pos get every week. Now they are saying that in an upcomming show they will donate some of it to help kids. that is only a percentage, a small one, of what they make off of young pople who call in. I hope he wins and the show is done after this season. With all of the advertisements they make money off of they shouldnt charge anything to vote.

Posted at 6:32PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by jim

96. I agree with the finalists. Their future is at stake. This is not funny anymore. It's very annoying. Voteforthe worst.com and Howard Stern think they are hurting FOX and AI producers, but they are not. They are hurting the finalists - innocent and very talented victims who are being sacrificed for this bad joke. For some of these people, it's their only chance at success.

Fox and AI producers need to put an end to it - do whatever they have to do to get Sanjaya kicked off. Change the voting rules. Sue Howard Stern. Sue the owner of votefortheworst.com. Get them to stop. Whatever it takes.

Posted at 6:06PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by Janet

97. Maybe the contestants who have been hurt by the joke should sue the person responsible for initiating the mess that has become American Idol.

Posted at 6:08PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by cook

98. Please pluck your eyebrows little girl...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 6:18PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by goodday

99. Hopefully this will take the stupid show off the air. I for 1 am voting for the worst........

Posted at 6:19PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by suzzyq

100. I think Howard Stern needs to get a life. Why should he care whether this show stays on or not? Just because he made money, no one else is allowed to?

Posted at 6:22PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by watcher

101. I think the public should not be voteing till we are down to the top 5. The judges are the professionals & now it's a popularity contest not a talant contest! Grease Your The One That I Want did it right-take a hint A.I. and keep things like this from happening on future shows......if there is a future show. I, along with thousands others, am a hugh A.I. fan and although it's all anyone is talking about, hate to see a 'nice kid' being turned into a joke and it ruining the show!

Posted at 6:29PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by GrammaAIfan

102. This kid.. should do right by himself and walk away.. he is being made a fool of.. His parents should be advising him
to do just that. If he want some real positive publicity.. and win back some pride.. he would take himself out.. and not let this go on any longer.

Posted at 6:27PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by nodoubt

103. The judging should be like they did on "Grease". The judges made the decision on the two lowest contestants up until the two finalists. That way, it would weed out those like Sanjay. Everyone knows it will be either Melinda or LaKeisha but some very talented people have been voted off because a lot of the public (mainly the teeny-boppers) don't understand it is a talent show--not a popularity show. Hopefully, the mature adults will vote more often and get Sanjay off so the rest can go on.

Posted at 6:33PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by Shocked

104. The people that are voting for Sanjaya are dumb or tone deaf. You are supposed to vote for the best singers. By doing this we will end up losing the show, I do enjoy watching this each week and watching the talent get better and better each week, it is like a concert in your own home with a variety of singers. Boo to those who think this is funny and boo to those that are voting for Sanjaya

Posted at 6:39PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by alma

105. I think after this week If he is still on. All the other singers should refuse to sing. This is a singing contest. Not who is the biggest ass. I also think he should step down. He should know by now that he not a good singer. That he is just a joke now.

Posted at 6:51PM on Apr 2nd 2007 by FYI

Previous 15 Comments | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments