Even if you are not a regular viewer of American Idol and have not watched it in years, chances are you might remember a contestant named Sanjaya Malakar. You know, the guy with hardly any talent that lots of websites encouraged people to vote for. Still nothing? The guy who had a sister who worked at Hooters. Yeah, him. Anyway, Sanjaya has a new career now. After finishing seventh on Season 6 of American Idol, Sanjaya went on the tour with the rest of the top finalists and is now making a living singing in NYC subways. OK< well probably not a living, but he does it and obviously someone spotted him and took this photo but did not want to get too close and disturb his musical genius.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. I miss his braid hawk.
ReplyDeleteHis hair made me so sad...
ReplyDelete@Christopher- his hair still makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteThey showed this on the news last night and labeled it "Sanjaya Slumming"
I don't know if I should be happy or sad.
ReplyDeleteStreet artists can make a good living. I have a friend who quit his job in digital advertising to become a street magician full time. He performs in New Orleans, Paris, and New York. All on street corners. He makes as much as he did trafficking ads, and is a helluva lot happier. Kudos to anyone who is true to their passion.
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DeletePeople who work in the subways of NYC are awesome. Esp the lady who sells churros, she saved my life one night.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me more. You have intrigued me, madam!!
DeleteWell I was in NYC last february and I got super hammered and had to take the subway to Brooklyn from Manhattan and I could barely stand up. I didn't eat much before I decided to bar hop around midtown. I'm stumbling down the stairs to the platform and there was this beautiful angel selling churros, 2 for a buck! I bought 6 of them, sat on the floor of the subway and devoured them. I wouldn't have made it without those churros. Bless you subway angel!!
DeleteSorry if it wasn't that good of a story but when people give me food, I consider them life savers.
That's an awesome story. I feel the same way about food, if I share my grub with you or you with me we are life long buddies.
DeleteI love you RCB! This is the best story. We all have one. My liver won't let me drink like that any more, but I remember those days with a gleeful smile. I was usually on the way home from dancing, so drunk and hungry and a sweaty mess! I miss dancing more than the booze :)
DeleteDidn't he write a book?!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, a quick check on Amazon tells me that he did. It's called DANCING TO THE MUSIC IN MY HEAD. No joke.
Whatever pays the bills, as long as he's not hurting anyone. Good for him.
ReplyDeleteHe was the kid with the Mohawk ponytails.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what his regular stations are, I could stop by!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if his career was slowed down by how close his name was to "vajayjay"?
ReplyDeleteI can't even believe Enty didn't mention the hair. I have never watched American Idol. But I remember Sanjaya from all the coverage of his hair!
ReplyDeleteI remember him well. Remember that little blonde girl who cried at his performances? And the graphic The Soup had for awhile, a whispery, "Sanjayaaa."
ReplyDeleteI kind of imagine this is what happens to the majority of contestants on AI, after awhile.
I wouldn't know Sanjaya if its wasn't for The Soup.
ReplyDeleteThat said, meh, good for him. If he were ashamed, he wouldn't be doing this publicly.
I want to know what became of that hot sister of his. Of all the people not to capitalize on her 15 minutes... that girl was gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteBwahahaha! I TOTALLY forgot about "The Soup" and the little blond girl. Good times, good times...
ReplyDelete...back when I watched "AI." No Paula and no Simon, and I quit. Even Celebrity Boyfriend #9 Keith Urban couldn't bring me back.
I actually watched a little of AI last night and I guess Jimmy Iovine is giving career tips to the contestants.
ReplyDeleteI don't think following your passion, even if it's on a street corner, is wrong. He should do it as long as he can because he's young, it'll develop his talent and it pays his bills...Good for him.
the churros ladyyyyy !
ReplyDeletetheres one everyday at broadway junction on the c/a line in brooklyn
theres also some good musicans/singers at the carroll st station f/g in brooklyn too
I was going to say the same thing as Seachica, good buskers can make a lot of money, tax free, in Toronto there was a big commotion because a supposed homeless woman was beggin in the same spot every day but one day someone saw her driving away in a Cadillac at the end of her begging day and she apparently made over $100,000 a year from begging 9 - 5.
ReplyDeleteWow, good for him. And yeah, you don't make it too long on the subway busk if you suck. Too much competition.
ReplyDeleteAnytime I see a busker now, I think of the movie Once. Incredible music!
Maybe he's copying Casey Abrams.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/american-idol-casey-abrams-not-421773
I don't see any shame in this. Singer's gotta sing. Better than thinking you're too good for it.
ReplyDeleteI was top 44 on Idol waaaay back and I'm a street singer for a living. Obviously, I like it better when I book gigs with guaranteed income. But I get by on street tips. Some of my other performer friends seem to imply they think it's low, but I'm doing something I enjoy for a living.
Whaaatttt I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy, had no idea who he was.
ReplyDeleteThis is Clay Aiken's future.
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