Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts and Entertainment

How Sanjaya is Winning

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

()

American Idol should be thanking their lucky stars. Here they are turning the corner and there are no super hot chicks, no super fantastic singers - except for maybe LaKisha Jones - and the only remaining dudes are boyband rejects.

If it wasn't for Sanjaya this would be the worst American Idol ever.

And Simon can smirk and squirm every time the 17 year old doesn't suck, but the truth is Fox fucked up in trusting that the mob would simply deliver them another Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, or Katharine McPhee, but instead the madding crowds sent up another William Hung. Garbage in, Seacrest out.

Support for LAist comes from

Which is fine because the sad truth is someone like LaKisha Jones is ten times the singer as someone like Clay Aiken, but even if she won, do you think Idol would promote her as a champ the same way they promoted Clay as a loser? Don't hold your breath. How much have you seen Reuben or Fantasia lately?

Their record deals and therefore their careers are tied with American Idol who are partners in their futures. If I was LaKisha I'd be voting for Sanjaya too because Jennifer Hudson showed that the best thing that can happen to real singers post-Idol is to get out of the Idol-machine. And as Clay can tell you, the only way out is to lose.

Sanjaya is precisely the Frankenstein this show has been waiting for. A program that has nothing to do with music, or singing, but instead about money and lowest common denominator.

America wants its hot chick, and today Maxim fills that void. Perfectly.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist