CHEATING on American Idol !!!

United States
March 25, 2007 4:27pm CST
I had wondered why Howard Stern was getting his listeners to vote for Sanjana now I know - What is your opinion on this? American Idol: Buffoon Sanjaya Malaker Has Howard Stern Eliminating Him written March 25, 2007 The Internet site Votefortheworst.com has decided to press a campaign to get mass votes for "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar. The unusual following for the singer judged as the show's weakest contestant decided to back Malakar this season. Votefortheworst has been around since 2004, but did not gain fame until radio shock jock Howard Stern jumped on the bandwagon, the New York Daily News reported. After Stern's interview with Web site founder Dave Della Terza, the Sanjaya movement skyrocketed and is still constantly being picked up by Blogs, other radio shows and newspapers across the country. Every new Idol season, Terza and others pick one contestant that they think is bad and urge everyone to call in and vote for that contestant, for the sole purpose of keeping someone bad in the running. They deliberately skew the "Idol" call-in vote, keeping people in the running long after it was expected that they would be voted off the show. http://www.eog.com/news/full-article.aspx?id=19784
8 people like this
24 responses
@greengal (4286)
• United States
26 Mar 07
Hmm I knew this way happening and in fact, the most number of votes for Sanjaya are from the Indian population in the USA. I'm an Indian too but I wouldn't vote for Sanjaya simply because he doesn't deserve it. Him being from my country is one thing and him deserving it, another. I can't believe that he has come this far! His singing really sucks and wish he gets off soon. I wonder why they support such contestants, someone who sings better could have got a chance.
2 people like this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
26 Mar 07
Exactly, being cute is no reason to stay on a singing show, cute matters elsewhere..lol
• United States
26 Mar 07
I have to admit he is a cute little guy but what a shame for him to know that he is only kept on because he is the worst.
@judyt00 (3497)
• Canada
25 Mar 07
Who cares, the whole thing is fake anyway, Look what happened to Rubin Studdard and Clay Aiken. Even though Rubin won, Clay got thebig contracts, and all the publicity. The producers pick who they want to win, and then decide how to make that person be the most popular. Like mostreality shows, its all fake, and its time it ended and some good television was put back on.
2 people like this
@jsae29 (1120)
• Philippines
26 Mar 07
You are right. Reality show producers are just foolin' us all. They still build up and give more attention to the contestant they like most. They don't give a damn to whoever America likes.
• United States
26 Mar 07
I think you are both wrong. As the topic of this discussion points out the voters do have input on the show otherwise Sanjaya would have been long gone.
@lonewolfnan (4366)
• Canada
26 Mar 07
An American show possibly being connected to cheating??Many people have always wondered about the legitamacy of these so-called reality shows or "popularity-based" shows whereby people call/email a vote.I wonder how this will effect the ratings of the show?Or do people really worry about the the rigging of a so-called competition?
@matlgal (1686)
• United States
26 Mar 07
It's just so maddening! Take a show that is "for the good" for the people, and allows young people to achieve a goal and a dream from their peers and some JERK has to "beat the system for "hits on the web"! it really really gets to me when for every good thing someone has to spoil it? Nothing is safe. Not TV, not your Identity, not your children, not your dreams or anything! There is always someone looking to make it bad, steal it, hurt it, cheat it. How does Sanjaya feel about it I wonder? Bet he doesn't feel to proud? How must his folks feel? Why is this site allowed? Why are people to anxious to do the WRONG things? Howard Stern for Gosh sakes!!! a real shining example of what America stands for right? !! Ugggh Disgusting Man this just gets to me!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and Damn!
2 people like this
• United States
26 Mar 07
Thank You! Well Said!
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I don't think its cheating per say-- Every american has the right to vote for who they choose- I think it's silly! I think the judges should never have put him through to Hollywood-- I have popped onto Votetheworst a couple of times--- Its quite comical! It wouldn't get me to vote for him-- But if you aren't a fan of the show- or are mad because the person you wanted to win was already ousted-- why not jump on the badwagon and vote him in!
• United States
26 Mar 07
I don't find it anything but cheating the system. A fan votes for the best that is what fan means. So if someone I thought was good gets booted out in politics I should vote for the worst person to be the next presidential winner? I think you have things a$$ backwards.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Mar 07
That really makes me angry. i wonder if that is why Chris Daughtry was voted off last time, because he was by far the best contestant they had. i met him at Weenie ROast 2006. He gave my mother and i a hug. It was interesting to see him there and he was there to see AFI, just like i was. It was pretty cool. Anyhow, back to Sanjaya...i think he gets a lot of votes because he is a likeable guy. He is very sweet and had pretty hair. The girls see this and instantly swoon, despite his lack of talent. Sanjaya showed much more potential before he actually ended up on a stage. If Howard Stern is getting people to vote for Sanjaya simply because he is the worst, that is just WRONG! i wish there was some way of taking those votes out of cinsideration and just tally up the REAL votes. American Idol has another problem, too...they allow you to vote too many times. You can vote until the polls are closed! What they should do is give you 3 votes, then block your phone. i know it would be more work on their part, butit would be a much more accurate running.
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
26 Mar 07
Well that is a terrible shame for all the other contestants and even for Sanjaya. He is probably as bewildered as the rest of the contestants. I think all the kids who go on that show are a winner as soon as they get picked by the judges. I guess we can never have anything that is messed with by someone. I was upset when he was not voted off on the last show a much better contestant was. What can anyone do though other than change the voting system. I voted everytime last year, but I haven't voted any this year. I just hope the real one wins, this is so unfair to all these kids.
2 people like this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
26 Mar 07
sweetie, why do you meddle in things schemed and strategied and bring in insanity in your life and others' thus!!!
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Mar 07
Sweetie???!! Do you know me? Please don't bring your insanity into myLot. You don't seem to be intelligent enough to understand what the verb "meddle" means.
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
25 Mar 07
well thats is always been the issue in every contest like that..lets give the people a chance to vote since without them there will be no celebrities no movies or whatever its always the fans whom the credit should be acknowledged for being rich and famous in hollywood celebrities..
@cwilson26 (2735)
• United States
26 Mar 07
No wonder he is still on the show. I was really surprised to see Chris Richardson in the bottom 2 last week. I was really expecting to see Sanjaya in the bottom 2 or 3. I was glad Stephanie was voted off because I didn't like her but she is certainly better than Sanjaya. He was good at the audition but he really needs to go. I hope he is voted off next week but with Howard Stern doing this I don't see it happening. I do consider this as cheating however and I figured American Idol would have put a stop to this by now. I remember seeing on the Fox 5 New York news a couple of weeks ago where this guy was going around with this shirt on that said something about voting Sanjaya off. He was trying to convince everyone not to call and vote for him. I guess he didn't convince enough people. Do you remember seeing that little girl in the audience crying practically the whole time? She was a Sanjaya fan and cried over everything. Well I am hoping he does get voted off soon but I still don't know who I want to win yet. I have quite a few favorites. :)
2 people like this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I really don't think that this is a big deal. Every season they are keeping someone in who is not the best. If everyone who really cared about the votes actually voted, I don't think this would be an issue. I know for myself, I don't vote and every week I am like....man, Sanjaya is still there. Then I realize, I can't complain, I didn't vote.
2 people like this
@mikawa (30)
• Canada
26 Mar 07
I think the bigs of American Idol have a fairly good idea who's going to win pretty early on the competition. They say fan voting.. but who really knows? They must have some input on who stays and who goes. The only reason why they say they have fan voting is to get the judges off the hook and if someone popular gets voted off or kicked off the show.. they can blame the voting fans and not the judges.
@valerfore (298)
• Singapore
26 Mar 07
It definitely makes a boring overly commercial show like American Idol more watchable :D
• Philippines
26 Mar 07
I'm an american idol fan and I'm feeling bad for those people responsible for votefortheworst. What do they get from doing that? Do they get satisfaction from wasting their money for voting undeserving ones? Anyway, I think all american idol winners are deserving because they are talented and can really sing, so probably that votefortheworst supporters cannot match those fans who are voting for the good ones.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I seen that and it is so wrong. I don't know why they keep it up. It is a shame that people always have to find a way to cheat and screw things up. It is not fair to the others and is not at all funny.
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
1 Apr 07
At the end of the day a lot of the idol winners seem to have vanished. The UK winners have had some success and if my memory is correct, all but one are doing well. The only idol winner that has made it in Europe is Kelly Clarkson. I've heard of Carrie Underwood but don't know where she came out of. Even if Sanjaya wins contracts will still be offered to the best contestants.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I really dont know why they would want to do this dont they think that the people watching and voting know who they like and want to win!? I myself wouldnt be swayed to vote for someone I thought was awful just to keep them in the running it is not fair to the othe contestants
1 person likes this
@ashiflett (1045)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I would not really call it cheating. I mean, people have the right to vote for who they wish. They can choose to vote for the best or for the worse...It is really entertaining to watch.
• United States
26 Mar 07
1. WHO CARES??? I mean really? Do you not have a life outside of your "reality" t.v. shows? 2, You're surprised? I mean, comee on, it's on t.v and they are going for ratings, so OF COARSE there is going to be some "skewing" going on! 3. Turn off the t.v. and get a life! There is so much more in the world than reality t.v. Turn off the boob tube and get out there and enjoy your life instead of wasting it away in front of a screen!
• United States
26 Mar 07
You are too much!!! What kind of screen are YOU sitting in front of making your response. Turn off the COMPUTER and get a life. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!!.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
26 Mar 07
People I know and love are just addicted to this show and talk about it nonstop. I cant stand it, there is a war going on and people can blindly turn their eyes from the news but they can spend so much of their efforts watching this crap and mindless TV.
• United States
26 Mar 07
I think these type of shows are there to try and give people a break from all terrible things going on in the world. I watch and read the news everyday and it makes me so sad at the ways of the world. This show is just a diversion for me.