Sustain LAist today!

Your monthly gift during our June member drive powers our local newsroom.
1,485 sustainers of 2,500 goal
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

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 & Entertainment

Tony Bennett Stung by the Curse of Sanjaya?

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

As AI contestants drop off one-by-one the show thanks to the Sanjaya Effect, senior citizen crooner Tony Bennett has become the latest casualty and it makes us wonder if it might have something to do with Mr. Malakar.

Bennett has lived 80 full, rich years, he even served in the military. But days after "working with" Sanjaya, he became too ill to perform, and in fact will not return to the American Idol stage as planned for tonight's show.

Access Hollywood has the details:

According to a spokesperson for the star, he has a cold. With just hours left until tonight's live show, producers from "American Idol" are working hard to find a stand in. A source close to the show told Access Hollywood they are trying to get Canadian singer Michael Buble to fill in.

. A cold? Michael Buble? In all of Hollywood THE ONLY PERSON THE MOST POPULAR TV SHOW OF ALL TIME CAN GET TO REPLACE TONY BENNET IS MICHAEL WTF BUBLE?WTF as in Who the Fuck.

Thanks, Sanjaya... for nothing!

photo via AmericanIdol.com

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today