America Gives Back

Celebrities appealed, singers performed, heartrending film clips were shown and no one was eliminated. IdolGivesBackPalooza was filled with tears and compassion, giving and understanding.

• Ryan Seacrest announced that the show received a record 70 million votes Tuesday night, so NewsCorp donated their maximum $5 million pledge.
  
  
  
  
• Ellen DeGeneres co-hosted the show from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, where most the night's musical numbers occurred.
  
  
  
  
  
• Earth Wind and Fire performed a medley of their hits (watch video).
  
  
  
  
  
• There were celebrity appeals by the likes of Forest Whitaker, Dr. Phil McGraw, Hugh Laurie, Eric McCormack and Teri Hatcher.
  
  
• A film clip of Randy Jackson's trip to his home state of Louisiana and his visit to a FEMA park still filled with the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
  
  
• The six finalists, all dressed in white outfits the entire evening, performed "Time to Care" (watch video)written by Quincy Jones, who appeared in a film clip with them.
  
  
• A running joke satellite link up with Ben Stiller, who threatens to continuously sing "Reminiscing" by the Little River Band until $200 billion is raised. The joke dies as soon as he begins to sing and becomes less and less funny as it continues throughout the night.
  
  
• A particularly touching clip of Ryan and Simon Cowell in Africa with Grauman, a 12-year-old orphan raising his sister alone without help. If your heart didn't break, you were made of stone.
  
  
• Melinda Doolittle was the first of all six Idols to be pronounced safe. During the course of the night, we'll learn, in this order, that Blake Lewis, Phil Stacey, LaKisha Jones, Chris Richardson and Jordin Sparks (who is given about 15 seconds to think she's been eliminated) are safe as well.
  
  
• A clip of Paula Abdul visiting a Boys and Girls Club in Hollywood.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Il Divo sings "Somewhere" (watch video).
  
  
  
  
  
• Jack Black does a skit as a random person chosen from the audience to come onstage. He demands to sing and be judged, breaking into Seal's "Kiss From a Rose," (watch video) while his partner, Kyle, cries holding a rose in the audience. It wasn't happening for Randy, who tells him maybe the stretchy pants would have helped. Paula says "The School of Rock called, they want their diploma back." And Simon calls him better than Sanjaya (who the camera pans to sitting in the audience and laughing beside his sister). Seal, sitting behind Randy, calls it the best rendition of "Kiss from a Rose" he's ever heard. Not hilarious, but cute.
  
  
• A clip of Carrie Underwood in Africa singing "I'll Stand By You" (watch video) with a group of children.
  
  
  
  
• Back at the Disney Concert Hall, Rascal Flatts performs "My Wish" (watch video).
  
  
• A film clip of why education is important to the children of Appalachia.
  
  
• Paula, wearing something from the Kellie Pickler Collection, joins Ryan on stage where he teases her about her height while the home audience stares at her cleavage.
  
  
• The finalists do the Ford commercial to "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (watch video) going to a drive-in in a Mustang convertible, where they watch a video of "Stayin' Alive" featuring Good Charlotte, Dr. Phil, Keira Knightley, Lebron James, Hugh Grant, Hugh Laurie, Helen Mirren, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Harvey Weinstein, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Blue Man Group, Miss Piggy, Marc Anthony, Shaquille ONeal, and Kevin Bacon, among others.
  
  
• A clip of Ryan and Simon visiting AIDS patients and homes of AIDS orphans in Africa.
  
  
• Back to the Disney Concert Hall, where Ellen DeGeneres donates $100,000 before introducing Josh Groban singing "You Raise Me Up," (watch video), backed by the African Children's Choir.
  
  
• A clip of celebrities discussing how many funerals they've attended, followed by an African who has been to 280 funerals. There is a discussion about how malaria, a treatable disease, is deadly in Africa.
  
  
• Again in the Disney Concert Hall, Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol, sings Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain" (watch video) accompanied by Jeff Beck.
  
  
• A clip of "The Simpsons" has Simon, singing the Pussycat Dolls' "Don'tcha," auditioning for Lisa, Homer and Marge, who keeps saying "dawg." Lisa, as Paula, wants to know, "Where's the dog? I like dogs!" The best part? After Homer tells Simon he's going to Hollywood and drops him through a trap door, Bart says, "Lions haven't eaten this well since Dunkleman" (watch video).
  
  
• Next, the long-awaited (dreaded) duo of Celine Dion performing "If I Can Dream" with a phantom technology-produced Elvis Presley ( watch video).
  
  
  
  
• Madonna appears in a filmed message (watch video) from Malawai, where many people are HIV Positive. Honestly, she and Celine Dion look gaunter and deader than Presley.
  
  
• Seacrest announces that they've received $30 million in corporate donations, followed by the "what color is the sky" Idol Trivia Challenge.
  
  
• At the Disney Music Hall, DeGeneres introduces Annie Lennox singing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (watch video).
  
  
  
  
• The Idols "discover" they're all safe. No one seems surprised, though minutes later Jordin's eyes are full of tears ... crocodile tears.
  
  
• In a final brief clip, Bono mentors the finalists, telling them they can end brutal, stupid poverty, before they perform "American Prayer" (watch video).
  

No one can argue with raising money so that starving children are fed, educated and cared for. Not only in Africa (where the need is probably the greatest) and in the United States (where it hits home the most), but anywhere in the world. Does a country exist where some child does not go hungry or uneducated? And, certainly, most anyone comfortable enough to be watching "American Idol" can afford to give a dollar to the cause.

But on a very un-PC note, it must also be said that IdolGivesBackPalooza was contrived, manipulative and, unfortunately, boring for most of its 2 hours. Americans watch "Idol" for escapism and entertainment, and, for the most part, last night was neither.

It's wonderful that tens of millions of dollars were raised for the right reasons. But our cynical side knows that every dollar of the $5 million that NewsCorp donated was made back last night alone during the Idol's commercial breaks, that AT&T made a small fortune off Tuesday night's text-messaging votes, and that the high ratings won't hurt Fox Television either.

We also don't need to be told by the likes of Teri Hatcher and Madonna and a bunch of other celebrities what we should believe in and contribute to, no more than we'd vote for a candidate they're endorsing. Let's not forget, celebs are not the great thinkers of the world. Most should be visiting the Wizard and asking for a brain.

Finally, the true spirit of giving is selflessness, not self-promotion and endorsements for Ford, AT&T, Coca-Cola, ConAgra and every other Idol corporate sponsor. Give from your heart, not because you expect some form of payback. So forgive us if we seem a bit disillusioned by it all.

For those who do wish to donate for all the right reasons, here is a link you can use.

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© 2007

Mr. Malakar Goes to Washington

The Washington Post reports that Sanjaya Malakar could meet President Bush today when Malakar attends the White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington as a guest of People magazine. Bush will be attending the annual dinner. Malakar will share a table with People magazine's other guests, Valerie Bertinelli, Zac Efron of "High School Musical," comedian Eddie Izzard and Robert Kennedy Jr.

SANJAYA EXIT INTERVIEWS

When the Sanjaya Malakar phenomenon ended on Wednesday, everyone wanted a piece of him. On Thursday, first came the press conference call and later Jay Leno. On Leno's show, Sanjaya first did one of those Geico-Little Richard things with Donny Osmond. Later, when he earned a seat of the couch, he came off as very shy and somewhat unsure of himself. After all the camera time he's had, he acted as if it was his first time. Seated next to him was actor Jack Black, who said he was rooting for him (after the chubby guy) and that if he had voted, he would have voted for him.

The 17-year-old smiled alot, fidgeted in his chair and proved he didn't possess the gift of gab. Getting him to say anything, much less anything interesting, was like pulling teeth for Leno. We're sure he was glad when, what felt like an excruciating long 7.5 minutes on air with the San Man, finally came to an end. Indeed, Jack Black and Leno himself spoke much more than Sanjaya did. The one thing we did learn was that Sanjaya's father is from India and his mother of Italian heritage. You can watch it here:



He had more to say during the press conference call. Here are some of the highlights:

Wireless Flash News: Now that you are out of the house and out of the Idol show, are you going to be Web surfing and watching TV to see all the gossip that's been said about you in the last few weeks?

Sanjaya Malakar: I think I'm going to steer clear of that for a little bit just until I can get my mind clear and just focus on what I need to do now, which is just focus on my career and what's coming up ahead.

Wireless Flash News: How surprised are you by all your fans that you've formed over the last few weeks on Idol?

S. Malakar: It's crazy. I mean the show was big but I had no idea how big it really was and how much impact it has.

The Jewish Exponent: Did you see it coming last night, especially in the beginning when Ryan looked at you? I know he does that every week, but what was there something different in his look this week?

S. Malakar: When I saw the show on Tuesday, I kind of had a feeling. Then I was kind of in the dumps all day on Wednesday. I kind of knew, though.

The Jewish Exponent: Are you and your sister are going to form a duo now?

S. Malakar: I think that we're probably going to sing together. I don't know if we're going to become a duo band but I think that we will definitely sing together.

US Weekly: Were you surprised by your staying power week after week? I know that Simon seemed to have it in for you. What were you thinking the whole time?

S. Malakar: I was just focusing on trying to get past each week. I wasn't looking too far into the future because I knew that if I did I'd overwhelm myself.

US Weekly: Was there any animosity from the other Idols that you had that staying power?

S. Malakar: Not at all. We were – like everyone is a family, and we really truly are and we're really close. So I think that was actually the hardest part of leaving, was leaving this extended part of my family.

About.com: You seem to handle the harsh criticism and the negative buzz very well every week but was it hard to deal with?

S. Malakar: It was a little hard but I try to make everything into a positive or try to learn from it. If it's not possible, if it's that negative, then I just let it slip off my back like a duck with water, because I know that if I don't then it will drive me crazy and I'll get overwhelmed.

About.com: Are you more or less confident about your singing talent after this Idol experience?

S. Malakar: I feel like I've grown. Though, I'm more confident because I have had this experience and was able to do this every week. Practice makes perfect, so I'm just ready to go out there and do it some more.

AOL Television: Based on all the criticism you got from the judges and then from some fans, did you ever have a sense in your own head that you weren’t as good as the other contestants?

S. Malakar: I think that every contestant has something going for them. I didn't really think of it that way. Like I didn't think about whether someone was better than the other, because everyone is here for a reason. Everyone is here because they deserve to be here.

AOL Television: Have you fielded any offers from anyone, particularly to any kind of an acting or musical things that you can do after this?

S. Malakar: Well I mean the show just ended. Like I've been doing publicity, so I haven't really gotten the opportunity to get any offers. I'm sure that they'll come and I'm more than willing to go into all kinds of entertainment fields other than music.

TVGuide.com: Did you ever consider quitting or dropping out, out of deference to your fellow singers?

S. Malakar: Not at all, not at all. I was going stay as long as I possibly could and just work every week. Try to learn from everything that happened.

TVGuide.com: With the hats, the hair, and everything, the outfits, was your philosophy at a certain point just to go for broke?

S. Malakar: My philosophy was just to stay true to myself and just try to put my personality out there in my style.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Was Bonnie Raitt's "“Something to Talk About" your first choice this week of her song?

S. Malakar: No, unfortunately my first choice was "Never.... It was "Mercedes Benz," but it was inappropriate because it ... and I understand that.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: What was your favorite personal performance of yours of all the ones you did over the past seven or eight weeks? What was your favorite?

S. Malakar: "Besame mucho" because ... I felt like that was the song.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Why’s that?

S. Malakar: Because I just felt really good about it and I think that I sang the best in that one and put like the most energy and emotion into that one.

US Weekly Online: I spoke to someone else in season six who mentioned that you had a habit of reading the online blogs to kind of gauge your performance. What kind of effect did that have as you progressed through the competition, either positively or negatively at all?

S. Malakar: Well, I read the online blogs more to balance myself because it was kind of impossible not to hear stuff and oftentimes it was negative. So I kind of balanced the negatives and the positives just to keep myself grounded.

US Weekly Online: What have you learned most as the result of being stressed into fame like this?

S. Malakar: I think I've learned not to let any negativity get you because – I mean just to keep on trucking I guess, and just try to find the positive in everything.

The Virginia Pilot: Did our local boy Chris Richardson, give you any kind of support or help? What do you think of his chances? Also, by the way, are you still in high school?

S. Malakar: I got my GED. Chris Richardson has been a huge support. He's like my big brother. He's just been there to scold me when I was being obnoxious and just really support me when I needed it. So he's been a big help.

The Virginia Pilot: Do you like Chris' chances from this point on?

S. Malakar: I mean this show is completely unpredictable. So I mean I honestly have no idea who's going to get cut next week and who's going to win.

The Associated Press Radio: When you sang your farewell version of "Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About," you ad-libbed in there, "Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About other than hair." Was it frustrating for you that your hair got almost more attention than your singing?

S. Malakar: No, because at a certain point that had kind of become my thing, because I think that everyone – like everyone looks for something to grab onto with each contestant. So I feel like my hair was that for me. So that was just kind of my little joke back-at-you thing. I just wanted to put that out there.

The Associated Press Radio: What’s your reaction – you may not know about this – but what’s your reaction to the fact that you became kind of part of the Presidential debate when Hillary Clinton was asked about you during a news conference once?

S. Malakar: I heard about that very briefly. It's really interesting because, like I said, I had no idea really how much impact this show had. I think it's really interesting that someone like me, a 17-year-old Seattle boy, could have so much impact as to get into the Presidential debate.

OK Magazine: Did you ever allow yourself to dream that you could actually win?

S. Malakar: Well, we all – every one of us wants to win. I was more focused on the learning aspect of this, because I did get my GED after my sophomore year. I basically saw this as my junior and senior year of high school, because this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. This is my way of learning it in a very quick time. I got a lot further than I ever expected to and I'm happy with every moment of it.

OK Magazine: Which was your favorite hairstyle that you wore and why?

S. Malakar: My favorite hairstyle was when I sang "Besame mucho" minus the grease, because I've always wanted my hair to be curly like that. It's a little bit curly naturally but I mean that's like my dream hair. So I really liked it.

The New York Post: You got a lot of respect from people who watched the show, who thought you exhibited a great deal of showmanship for someone so young. How much of all of that was your own decision making?

S. Malakar: Well with my hair, I always had an idea of what I wanted. The hair person would help me to execute it. With the styling of my clothes and stuff, I just wanted to really capture my personality and put it out there. Then the stylist really helped me with that. So I did have a lot of help but the ideas were mainly mine.

The New York Post: If I heard you correctly, you said you weren't necessarily looking at a music career or you are definitely looking at a music career in the future?

S. Malakar: I'm definitely looking at a music career, but I also want to venture into acting and modeling and possibly Broadway or something, because I just really want to get full entertainment like business and the full entertainment like career I guess.

Soap Opera Weekly: Did you have more pressure compared to the other contestants to prove yourself?

S. Malakar: I don't necessarily think more. I think, no, I think that we all have the same amount of pressure, because we all wanted to win. It's just all about making your music and getting people to feel it, because if they don't feel your music they’re not going to vote for you, so yes.

Soap Opera Weekly: Do you have anything you would like to say to Simon?

S. Malakar: Well, from the beginning I think that Simon saw potential in me. When I didn't fulfill that potential, he was kind of disappointed. So I just want to say to him that he is an amazing person and what he does is awesome. Like he’s very opinionated, but I learned more from him than from anyone else while I was on the show.

Publication?: I seemed to notice an attitude change midway through it. In some of the early episodes you seemed kind of sad even when you won, and later on you just really blossomed. Was there some turning point for you in there?

S. Malakar: I think that throughout the competition I grew as a performer and as a person, because I did have a lot of things to learn from. I think that I kind of found myself as I progressed. So I don’t know a specific time when it happened, but I do definitely think that I found myself and I got more comfortable in my own skin.

Publication?: What do your parents do for a living and what was their reaction when you told them you were going to take this kind of extreme step?

S. Malakar: Well, my father is a construction worker and my mother an independent employee. It was actually my mom's idea to get the GED and focus on this, because I had a little bit of trouble in school. Not because I didn't know the material. I just didn't really do my homework, which the horrible habit that I had. I wanted to get my GED so that I could move on and focus on what I really wanted to do, which was music. I do still want to go to college and finish my education. I just really felt like now was the time to focus on my career and I felt like American Idol was a great way to do it.

Fans of Reality TV: Do you have a certain genre of music that you’re most comfortable singing?

S. Malakar: R&B and Jazz.

Fans of Reality TV: Did you at any point on the show think that maybe you were in over your head and you just kind of wanted to turn around and go back home or something?

S. Malakar: I think that the only time that I really felt like that would have been Hollywood Week, because that was like – that was completely intense. It was really kind of scary. I had my sister there, and she really helped me and she supported me. So I think that's what helped me to get through that and then passed that, I just wanted to get passed each week.

The Vancouver Province: When did you get the first inkling that this was sort of becoming a bit of a cultural phenomenon?

S. Malakar: I don't know. I think it just kind of trickled in, because I didn't really realize it, like it’s been kind of surreal for me. I mean we're in a bubble. I’m sure you've heard that a lot, but we truly are. We don't have like the slightest idea the capacity of this show and the impact it has. So I mean I got inklings every once in awhile of something different, something like going on, that was I guess a cultural phenomenon, but it didn't really – I don't think it really has hit me yet, exactly how big it is.

The Vancouver Province: Was there any stuff you heard said about yourself that either completely wrong or made you laugh or a late-night joke about you or anything that sticks out?

S. Malakar: When "Saturday Night Live" did that skit on me and they said, "I don't know if he's scared or happy," that was hilarious. I had to laugh on that one. Because I love to poke fun at myself because if you can't do that then I don't know what's going to happen in your life. I think it's really important to be able to make fun of yourself and just have fun.

The Tacoma Washington News Tribune: Your friends back home are wondering about when they might see you and how you're planning to kind of slide back into family and life with your friends. Are you going to be on the road for awhile or what are your plans?

S. Malakar: Well I'm doing press until – I think I'm coming home on Tuesday. Then I think I'm just going to like rest, because I'm going to have to go back out and do the tour and do a finale. So I'm going to definitely try to get back into as normal of a life as I can for the little bit that I have before the finale. Then just go out and do it again I guess.

The Tacoma Washington News Tribune: What are some of your favorite things you like to do around our area, back home here?

S. Malakar: Well before I went on American Idol, I loved to walk down the street singing really, really loudly. So if you ever saw a little Indian kid walking around the streets singing loudly, it was probably me. I just like to like go see ... and just do like stuff that – I don’t know. I just like to be free, you know? I didn't like to do stuff that was too like – I don’t know. I don't know. I just like to have fun I guess.

The Flint Journal: You and LaKisha had a pretty emotional hug there. I was wondering if you kind of tell us a little bit about it, if she said anything to you or gave you any encouragement?

S. Malakar: Well I mean like I said, we really, truly were a family. So the emotion that came out was, "I'm being torn away from my family." So that was really – I mean she said, "Goodbye and good luck," and encouraged me. Everyone has been so supportive of everyone. It's really great to be able to have that in a competition like this.

The Flint Journal: I had heard too, early on, that when you were catching some flack, that she kind of took under her wing and protected you a little bit. Is that true?

S. Malakar: Yes, she has really been supportive and I'm really glad that I was able to meet her and everyone. They've all been really a good support system.

The Houston Chronicle: What's been your state of mind since first hearing your eliminated and coming into today and having to go through all these interviews.

S. Malakar: Well I was kind of content with the fact that I was going to go home at some point, because everyone has to go home except for one. So I was kind of to a point in my mind where I was like, "Okay, I'm good with this. I just need to focus now. This is the end of my high school career," as I call it, "And now I've graduated and I'm going into my life and starting my life at the beginning." So I was just really focusing on, and I still am, focusing on working hard and just going out and doing my thing.

Starry Constellation Magazine: The judges really seem to be unable to give feedback at times. How did you adjust your performances week-to-week?

S. Malakar: When they did give me feedback I tried to take their feedback and find something to learn out of it. If their feedback wasn't helpful, which sometimes it wasn't, I would watch the show back. If I couldn't watch the show that night, I'd go on YouTube and try to find it. I'd just try to see everything that I did that I could improve.

Starry Constellation Magazine: Did you really expect such an amazing amount of support for you?

S. Malakar: I had no idea. I mean it seems kind of unnatural, because like I said, I'm just Sanjaya from Federal Way ... and I mean it's crazy. I don’t know.

The Edmonton Journal: Simon made it pretty clear this week that he wanted you off the show. What do you think about that?

S. Malakar: I don't think that – I mean, I don't know. I think that he just had gotten to a point where I hadn't fulfilled my potential for long enough to where he didn't think I deserved to be there. Which is fine because everyone has their opinion and there's always going to be haters, there's always going to be support. So I mean – I don't know.

The Edmonton Journal: What do you think about that a lot of your support came from Vote for the Worst.com, that they supported you and what they were doing?

S. Malakar: I mean that's fine. I don’t think that Vote for the Worst.com or Howard Stern really had enough people voting for me enough times to make a dent in anything. So I think that the reason why I'm here is solely because of my support from my fans.

Access Hollywood: I've heard that since the Top 24 week, that you were one of the top four vote getters every single week. What do you think turned the tide for you on Tuesday night, where you could have gone for maybe 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th to the bottom?

S. Malakar: Honestly, I'm not a country singer. I think that that really took a toll on me. I didn't have enough really strong performances to have that – let me like have people forgive you for that. Because like, for example, LaKisha, she's not necessarily a country singer either but she had enough really strong performances to get her through, and I don't think I did. So I think that might have been what got me this week. I mean take out of this an amazing amount of education that I would never have gotten anywhere else.

Access Hollywood: Will you go to college at all? Do you have any thoughts?

S. Malakar: Of course. Yes, I mean my dream would be to go to The Berklee School of Music. I mean I definitely want to go to college. I definitely want to finish my education, because I think that's the most important thing that I can do. I know that everything happens for a reason. So I know that as long as I work hard I will be able to finish my education and also pursue my career.

The Birmingham News: I'd like to know how you feel about making good decisions with your career in the future. I am assuming you're going to get lots of offers, some of which are going to be there for the wrong reasons. How do you feel about all that? You're 17.

S. Malakar: Well I have a lot of support. My mother is an amazingly smart woman and I know that she will help me in that. Also I have awesome support from the ... I think that my main thing that I'm going to look for when I choose endorsements and stuff like that is something that I really feel strongly about. I'm not going to do something just for money, because I know that it's not about money. It's about having an image and really putting your true self out there. I'm not going to – I mean I feel like if I do that, money will come. It's paper and it's not really important. The most important thing that I can do is stay true to me.

The Birmingham News: So you're aiming to have a classy real music career – not, forgive me, I mean this nicely, not something like William Hung, where it's sort of on the edge.

S. Malakar: Exactly.

The Birmingham News: Okay, and are you ready to hire a bodyguard, because I'm assuming that you won't be able to walk down the street without people saying stuff pro and con?

S. Malakar: Yes, I'm definitely ready to hire a bodyguard. I'm actually looking into that right now.

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© 2007