Keep an eye out for Rani Karnik, a NYC lawyer auditioning for the new season of American Idol who saves some money by reusing her Halloween costume:
In law school, she was president of an org which bears the best name ever:
I’m a lawyer by day, actor by night. [Link]
My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law: President, South Asian Law Students Association (“SALSA”)… Prior Education: 2000, B.A. in English… Columbia University… [Link]
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p>She also does voiceover work, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the photo, in which she’s apparently advertising an ottoman. She’s a disciple of Vanna White’s Path of the Open Hand, horizontal variation.
Related post: American Idol bhangra remix, South Asian crooners belt it out on ‘Idol’, Devika Mathur — one Righteous sister, Can an American Idol save a Bombay dream
Is that Rainbow Brite?
she’s got a nice figure, but what’s up with the costume? why.
I love that the SA law students get to be called SALSA. The same group in med school is called SAMSA, and we kept trying to find a way to make it “SAMoSA” but it never worked out.
It IS Rainbow Brite! Scroll down on qatamala’s link. For some inexplicable reason (ok it was her legs) I googled Rani Karnik as I’m sure Manish did whilst writing this. Halfway down the page was this gem:
“I’ll f*ck Rani Karnik [fair enough, you think at this point] since she grew up in the town next to mine.”
Nice logic. Katrina Kaif and Shivani Kapur grew up in London. I guess I’ll have to do what I must.
Dude, nothing says classy like some Lucite shoes!
When can i see her on American Idol? this week?
Warning: I’m about to be super catty. So if you are a nice person you can stop reading. But if you really want to see “classy” go check out her friendster profile…..You’re a bad person like me and you did? If you feel dirty after that go look at all the pretty new Sepia Mutiny banners.
Not sure when or even if. She may only have auditioned.
She’s sporting a dominatrix slut look……I suddenly feel very dirty.
Oh, well I googled her and apparently she suffers from ADHD. That explains everything. Now I’m having a weird little feeling, which I think is a twinge of compassion for making fun of her.
Wow, makes her American Idol pic look so sweet and charming.
Ah, yes. This is what we need. More American wannabe Indians. I am trying to see if I can find the tricolor in there somewhere.
oh wow. this chick is a trip. how did she get through the interview for law school? by “acting” i suppose. the captions tacked on to her pics on her friendster profile are hilarious. and her favorite movies? “anything you have to be 18 or over to watch — or be in.” i wonder if she was sheltered as a child….
South Asian Federation of Residents or Non-Residents — SAFRON
Great, another bisexual indian wannabe. Her wonderful friend robin says:
“kind, smart, and beautiful…one of the sweetest kissers in the world…ask her about the two mirrors she had in her dorm room sophomore year of college IF YOU DARE!”
What’s with all these indian chicks acting bisexual? If you’re really bi that’s cool, but please stop flaunting it like it’s some badge of coolness.
Sheesh.
Will everybody stop roasting this poor gal. She is a beautiful and unique snowflake.
and to think i just tried to objectify punjabi women on my blog!
i feel like a failure.
http://eteraz.wordpress.com/2006/01/30/curvy-punjabi-women-do-dirty-things-with-a-white-girl/
this might not be the most constructive comment and/or tangential, but i don’t see why to care about what she wears and her college activities. i doubt we would care about her proclivities if she was polish. the only way i can see that it does affect me is if i think i’m connected to all indian people. thats a slippery road bc then you start needing to care who does what, esp, annoyingly, dates who, ect, ect. i think thats half the reason for the nosiness and frankly cattiness displayed by some people against others, not that i mean people in this thread, because i don’t. it can get more catty and petty in real life, we all’ve probably seen it. does it matter to me that the guy dating liz hurley is indian, or that parmi nagra is dating an irish guy? why get puffed up by one or feel some minor resentment about the other? y’all know what i mean i hope
“What’s with all these indian chicks acting bisexual? If you’re really bi that’s cool, but please stop flaunting it like it’s some badge of coolness.”
Ahh, nothing like a guy who is frustrated that the Indian girls he knows won’t act bisexual Hey, if it’s cool, you should be able to flaunt it as a badge of coolness!
🙂
Most law schools don’t require an interview as part of the admissions process.
Come on people, why you got to hate? She’s a pretty girl who is obviously very intelligent and decided to take a chance by embarassing herself on national TV on purpose. I say rather than hate let’s give her a “hells yeah.”
If you really feel that way then maybe you won’t appreciate the fact that I am now considering making HER into an SM banner. 😉
Ahh, nothing like a guy who is frustrated that the Indian girls he knows won’t act bisexual Hey, if it’s cool, you should be able to flaunt it as a badge of coolness!
Lol, spoken like a guy.
I’m offended for the bi population that straight girls act bi to put on a show. If you’re really bi, then go ahead and flaunt, I’m all for it. But pretending to be something you aren’t just isn’t cool. But I guess this issue is irrelevant here since it isn’t limited to the desi population.
i think whats off limits (or would be if i had druthers) is a certain kind of frustration that other desis are off doing things that are not approved of. its a scent of frustration that smells like…something not pleasant smelling
She’s sporting a dominatrix slut look……I suddenly feel very dirty.
^^ yeah, what’s with the excuse the lang, whore shoes? :/
well, at least you’re a fast learner. gotta stick up for the ladies after this…….i keed.
“Come on people, why you got to hate? She’s a pretty girl who is obviously very intelligent and decided to take a chance by embarassing herself on national TV on purpose. I say rather than hate let’s give her a “hells yeah.””
I would give her “go to hell” instead. Pretty? no, rat. Intelligent? what the hell is she doing on American Idol? Embarrasing herself? Yes, and us Indians too.
Why does this have to be about embarassing Indians? For heaven’s sake, can’t brown people anywhere in the world do something without it having to affect/impress/embarass/ the other one billion of us, not to mention the diaspora…Geez. Sure, she has a ridiculous costume on, but this is her choice, I hardly think it reflects badly on Indians, I certainly don’t take her actions to be reflective of me in any shape or form (and I’m Indian)! Reminds me of that whole Khushboo/Sania Mirza rubbish…to each her own.
Um, no. I’m not “frustrated that other desis are off doing things that are not approved of.” That’s like the standard ABCD cop-out for excusing crazy behavior. I could easily do any of that, it’s not that hard inspite of what you think. Obviously I’m not as sheltered as Miss Karnik once was.
However, the point is I’d make the same comments for anyone, whatever race. But for some reason if a desi acts a little cuckoo I’m supposed to excuse it, because hating on them means I’m repressed, right? Whatever.
On that note, Rhonetta incurs my wrath much more than this chick.
Agreed!
This whole thread is pathetic. Does anyone know this woman based on anything more than a Friendster profile? Why does the anonymity of the internet make people feel like the have the right to speculate – let alone comment – on someone’s sexuality?
Bah!
boogalooga/cosmicbrownie, you have stopped making all sense. I would venture to guess that many more people are frustrated by desis like you. At this point I’d consider your wrath to be a badge of honor.
she be hot
Me too! Whatever one might say about her, this is a woman of many talents 🙂 Gotta give her credit for that! I like her direct approach (Is this your child?—> see poster)…In fact, I think more women should have the guts to do crazy random stuff like her – Kudos.
“Why does the anonymity of the internet make people feel like the have the right to speculate – let alone comment – on someone’s sexuality?”
What anonymity? She chose to appear on national TV. Once she made that choice any criticism (be it sensible or not) is fair. She is fair game. And if she chooses to act like an idiot, being part of a nationality, who while abroad are very close knitted, then she shouldn’t expect just praises to come her way. If an Indian terrorist hijacked an American plane, wouldn’t that reflect bad on the Indian community as a whole?
I’m not saying she isnt fair game. I’m saying that her gameness should be irrelevant to her being brown/Indian. I’m sure a lot of SM readers’ interests would be piqued by someone in a rainbow brite costume. the fact that she’s a brown rainbow brite makes her a lot more interesting 🙂
Hmmm…as before, wearing a rainbow brite suit and those icky transparent stilettoes is HARDLY equivalent to hijacking a plane – ahaha. Besides, I don’t see the entire Jewish community going up in arms (to use the example of a closely-knit diasporic community) because a person who happens to be Jewish does slightly ridiculous things and has dodgy pictures of him/herself on his/her own friendster site.
I must say there is something about the fact that Indians tend to get all wrapped up when a brown person tends to stray from the pack…if its a good thing, then its either lauded or excuses are found. If its a silly thing, the individual is an embarrassment to the entire brown community, if its a downright horrible thing, instant disownment is the response.
No. Sorry to burst your bubble but this is actually a moderated board. You can’t say anything you want on here. Comparing her to a terrorist is beyond stupid and comes dangerously close to violating our comment policy. It debases the entire level of civility we try to maintain. Maybe you can go find and then hang out with the “community” you seem so desperate to “defend.”
three things:
1) IMO this is, without a doubt, the most worthless thread i’ve ever read, and i heart this blog more than almost anyone; i think manish and i are the two mutineers who read ALL the comments/always have.
2) if you DO choose to put yourself out there, you have to expect and manage “hate”, ESPECIALLY from the (fellow) brown. i learned that nastiness the hard way and she probably has too. you don’t blog or go on reality television if you are a shy, modest thing. you want attention? oh, you’ll get it. all kinds. that said, putting her/yourself out there does not legitimize stalking or other shitty behavior on the part of haters, as if this even needed to be typed.
3) i’d love it if some of the more passionate people on this thread (both pro- and anti- rainbow karnik) sincerely examined why they are reacting the way they are.
3b) the “you’re just jealous” retort is older than methusaleh. just stop.
ah, fuck it. because “five things” just didn’t look as pretty.
3c) fronting like you are bi- for any reason is disrespectful, insecure, immature, thoughtless and lame. people who genuinely struggle with their sexuality all thank such champions for trivializing their lives.
and no, i’m not jealous nor did i visit her fster profile…yet.
Sorry, did I miss something here? I thought she’s American.
Whether we’re talking about the Indian diaspora or the Pakistani diaspora or the Sri Lankan diaspora or the South Asian diaspora (etc.) in the US, let’s remember that even within these communities there are stark differences – along class, caste, political, and yes – cultural – lines as well. Families and individuals have different aesthetics and the attempt to group all of us under one umbrella to be judged according to the same standard is exactly what so many worthy social movements are fighting against throughout South Asia.
yeah, madurai. that’s what inspired my first point. anyway, i just checked her friendster page and i find her harmless to the community and amusing to me. i will now endorse abhi’s “hells yeah!” reaction. 😉
*my statement regarding bisexuality isn’t directed towards rani karnik. it’s meant for people who think that shit is cute. i don’t know her– she might really be bi-, in which case i’d find some of the comments on this thread really cruel.
Go Anna! I’ve lived in North America 7 years and you’re the first Malayalee girl/woman I’ve come across (I am one of them too) – You’re a rock star.
To provide some literary stuffing to my earlier
, see William Dalrymple, who addresses this issue quite well, albeit in a different context, in The Age of Kali (Finger-Lickin’ Good).
I like her. She’s obviously very very unafraid. Which makes her very very scary to people who need to keep everything vanilla. And to all of you so readily pouring judgement on her happens-to-be-brown head – stop. We have enough issues being a notoriously repressed, model-immigrant, “what will other people think; that looks bad” diasporic group without all your added hate. The only way she really affects the “brown community” is that she’s showing a remarkable amount of guts – which should be an inspiration, not something to slam and get bitchy at her for.
And yes, lots of women pretend like they’re bi (my friends and I disparagingly call them “chicks for dicks”) but since we have nothing but that Friendster profile to go on, let’s take her word on it. It may be a tacky attention grabber – who knows? But remember Britney and Madonna? What the hell was that, Brits? Anyway, this Rani chick is wearing enough PVC to convince me that bi or not – she knows what she likes and she’s not afraid to go after it. Even though her fashion sense isn’t exactly mine and even if she sucks as a performer (on American Idol?? NOOOOOO) I gleefully clap my hands at her audacity. If I could wolf-whistle at her, I would.
Gujudude,
As my fellow SM-Brit BongBreaker would confirm, “roasting a gal” means something very dubious indeed over here in the UK 😉
Anyway, on a more serious note:
Fei,
As has already been mentioned, Rani Karnik’s nationality is American. Her ethnicity is Indian. However, the latter does not necessarily make her an extention of the population of India — not in the way that you seem to think. Furthemore, unless she is doing something deliberately malicious, then beyond a certain point other Indians (whether in the West or in India) do not have the right to verbally tear her to pieces as though they have some kind of ownership over her.
This is the fundamental issue which so many South Asians living in the West seem to forget (it happens more amongst the older generation but 2nd-Generation desis are also sometimes guilty of this); we’re not living in the Indian subcontinent. We don’t have any “rights” or “authority” over each other or, especially, the women. And if any Western-based Indian woman finds such attitudes a little too claustrophobic, she can subsequently just “walk out” of the desi community (metaphorically, although this applies literally too) without it necessarily having a negative impact on her life — especially when you bear in mind that we’re living amongst millions (in fact, almost 300 million in the case of the US) of non-Indians who constitute the wider population and the majority culture/society.
Threats of ostracization and “disapproval by the samaaj” therefore may not carry as much weight over here as you may think, especially if the woman concerned has enough backbone, motivation, education and earning power to basically not have to give a damn about such matters if she decides to really start burning her bridges.
Having said that, though, there are some young South Asian women who deliberately engage in, shall we say, “unconventional” behaviours and lifestyles, as a way of a) rebelling against what they perceive as excessive desi conservativism and “control”, and b) as a way of getting “attention”. I’m not saying this necessarily applies to Rani Karnik, but I have encountered this kind of behaviour before amongst other desi girls. Ultimately, it’s up to them, and they have to take responsibility for the consequences (both external and internal) for their actions — we all reap what we sow.
But it still doesn’t mean one should go overboard in the self-righteous condemnation purely because the other party happens to be from the same ethnic background as oneself.
I used to enjoy the American Idol shows where they made fun of the obviously untalented people – William Hung. But these days they are going overboard with making fun of people physical and mental traits and sexual orientation. The dude from Georgia last week who was dressed like Michael Jackson was obviously way out there ….. mentally. Then there is always the easy target – the gay person or the overweight girl. Its getting to be a little bit annoying.
Fuck-ing-hell. I’m with Anna, this is some of the most pathetic shit I’ve read on SM. I’m stunned at some of these comments. I shan’t bother repeating what others have said more eloquently, but I am perplexed at the hatred directed at this girl whom none of us have met (none of the people passing judgement anyway). It is a sad state of affairs when people think that a desi acting a fool reflects badly on the whole community. Had that been the case, I would have murdered Gurinder Chadha with a pick-axe.
Indeed, that raised an eyebrow when I read it too! Although now I have put Gurinder Chadha and roasting in one comment, I have successfully managed to nauseate myself. Intensely.
this shit cracks me up, some people must take television way to seriously… if you’re a normal polite person you will not be on TV…its about ratings. She did what she had to do, and now even the haters are talking about her on this thread. Let her be.
What is wrong with Gurinder Chadha?
I think this lady looks like she is good fun – nice legs. She looks like a sexy oompa-loompa from my kinky Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fantasy 😀
she’s desi that’s why she’s even been featured on this blog right? so her desiness can’t be ignored. folks here talk about/admire/appreciate desi people they think are making a difference in a positive way. that is their perogative. it’s a good thing. it is however tied in with the desi factor right (oh she’s a desi and she landed on the moon? oh my!)?
so now if people have a problem with what she’s doing or how she’s potraying herself or whatever the case may be, why is it wrong to bring in her “desiness” when someone wants to dissaprove or as some would say “hate”?
again, i’m not agreeing with this line of thinking. i do think it’s pathetic to judge or hate on someone you don’t even know. i’m just thinking out aloud here (or in writing). i personally think she is irrelevant (so she auditioned for AI, big yahoo), and if what she’s doing rocks her boat, more power to her.
I’m sorry but in all this ruckus I may have missed this but …… did this even make TV?
What can you say, I’m a Gujarati, and everything I say always has a double meaning.
I concur with the more sensible folks here though. You can’t take this seriously. It’s entertainment. Nobody knows her, and she isn’t here to defend herself. If there were particular comments or statments made by her that were appropriately qouted and sourced, which people were analyzing, it’s fair game.
Hate the costume, hate the show, hate her shoes, but don’t pour hate on her (and her character). People tend to be a bit playful with their friendster profiles, too.
Don’t worry, be happy yaar!
Are you referring to Will He Wank Her in the Chocolate Factory?
Jay, if you didn’t already know, I’m Rohin, formerly HHP from AiM – surely you heard at least one of my anti-Gurinder diatribes at some stage. You’re an erudite fellow, I’m sure you can see why I dislike her when you watch her godawful movies. I shan’t pollute SM with my vitriol – I’ll explain at another juncture.
SALSA is a great acronym…for the South American Law Students Association. A bit silly for the browns. I’ll need more time to come up better suggestions..For now I can offer them.. SALT (South Asian Legal Tamasha). The essential condiment is overused in some desi cooking and has obvious symbolism in throwing off the colonial yoke.
Mad props on raiding Soleil Moon Frye’s closet, tho’.