The Sanjaya Factor

Sanjaya Malakar, the controversial contestant over on AMERICAN IDOL is certainly drawing the range of opinions from the public. Tuesday's goofy "mohawk" hair style was yet another strange episode in this weird phenomenon, in which many believe that he is worst of the contestants, while a few others such as young girls think that he's cute and may have a teen idol appeal. Last week's crying 13 year old girl was cetainly helpful to his chances to stay in the competition.

While many think that he's awful, or ever blame Howard Stern voters for voting for the worst contestant and keeping Sanjaya in the competition, but there is probably still a core of supporters among young girls who genuinely like him. It is possible that he could actually sell millions of CDs and sell out concerts to screaming young girls, even though he is absolutely nothing like a new incarnation of The Beatles.

But stranger things have happened before. Look at the old STIFF Records in the late 1970's, who gathered togethed every strange, pathetic, disturbed, or handicapped personality, such as Ian Dury(Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll), Wreckless Eric, or others, and actually sold a decent number of records back then. STIFF Records began to resemble some sort of disability program in which pathetic personalites were rewarded with recording contracts, and for some bizarre reason, the records actually sold. Beiing crummy appears to be no handicap in the record business. The recording business appears to be the great equalizer for all persons, with talent or not.

In the universe of things, Sanjaya is certainly positioned to actually be a marketable personality. He may be funny to many in public, yet a young teenybopper audience may buy his records. He actually stands a real chance of becoming the next TIGER BEAT type personality, in which quality music does not really count, just good looks that are marketable. Some enterprising record executives should be able to see dollar signs in all of this.