Return of the Papaya!

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Papaya!.jpg

Yay for reader Pallavi, who alerted me to this life-altering news: Sanjaya is back! How’s THAT for some Friday fluff? Via Page Six(sixsix):

No this isn’t a game of: “one of these things is not like the other.” PageSix.com has learned that Sanjaya Malakar and his sister Shyamali are in talks to headline their own variety TV series called The Sanjaya and Shyamali Show! The program plans to showcase a special blend of singing, dancing, comedy and, naturally, their lush manes of hair.

I am glad Shyamali is part of this project. I didn’t really see much of her because she was eliminated from AI and then her brother became this cultural sensation. It’ll be interesting to get to know her better, so that people are aware of more than her occupation.

Sanjaya, who was spotted outside The Groundlings Theater on Melrose Ave over the weekend, was actually at the comedy mecca to cast improv actors for the show, his manager Suzy Sachs tells PageSix.com. “He has a huge following and a background in musical theater,” she says, adding that the duo is currently in negotiations with MTV and plans to film a pilot in early spring.

The Groundlings = teh awesome. Peep their alums and see for yourself, if you haven’t heard of them.

But it gets better Fan-jaya’s! The formerly faux-hawked wonder, who is either the most loved or loathed contestant in the history of American Idol depending on your opinion…

We interrupt this blockquote to declare, loved! Loved! Loved!

…is also prepping to release his first CD. “He’s in rehearsals for a new album,” Sachs tells PageSix.com. Sanjaya is studying with famous vocal coach Seth Riggs (who has worked with artists like Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Ray Charles and Ricky Martin) and is heading into the studio this weekend to begin laying down some preliminary tracks. “He did very well,” Riggs tells PageSix.com of their sessions. “I wish I could have done what he’s doing at 18-years-old.”

In her email to me, Pallavi asked:

Is this the 1st potential live variety show in America featuring Indian-Americans?

I don’t know mutineers, is it? 🙂 Oh, I must prepare! I’ll need puns, and anecdotes and wacky terms of endearment, oh my. This is Sanjaya we’re discussing! That screen-filling smile. That highly-ductile, malleable hair. That bizarre ability to only make one pale, pigtailed-girl cry uncontrollably for the camera…it’s all so…bloggable.

21 thoughts on “Return of the Papaya!”

  1. “Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Ray Charles and Ricky Martin”

    them an ol’ papaya singing mmm’ bop would be somthing, not saying good, just somthing. 😉

  2. Raghav Mathur..the other Canadian desi pop star (OK ..semi pop star) is apparently working with Sanjaya and writing a single for him for his new album. Sanjaya’s picture is also in Jan 18th issue of People magazine. I must admit, that I am sort of looking forward to his album…as much as I hate teeny bopper pop culture. But .. This is SANJAYA (similar to ‘This is Sparta’ )

  3. Oh, I must prepare! I’ll need puns, and anecdotes

    There was a lad named Sanjaya Who tried to sing the song “Hallelujah“. Said Simon Cowell, “It scares me to my bowel. I’d hate to hear your Kalinka Moya“.

    Sanjaya walked into a bar, for imbibin’. “Gimme a pint of Guinness!”, he said, all shinin’. He took a sip and spat: “This beer is really flat!”. “Well, so’s yer voice, but that don’t set yer whinin’.”

    For Super Bowl 43 in 2009, Sanjaya sang during half time. Girls openly cried. Some did confide: “For wardrobe malfunctions we pine”.

  8. There was this comedian named J. Anthony Brown, from the Tom Joyner Morning Show, who does crazy parodies of hit songs, like his recent one, “Michael [Vick], Leave Them Dogs Alone” sung to the tune of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” I remember last year he did a parody called “Sanjaya, Go Home,” sung to the tune of “Volare.”

    I think the URL is http://www.janthonybrown.com

  9. Those Saying that Sanjaya has zippo talent. Come on, boy was 17. How many 17 year old males (girls are different, as their voices do not crack at puberty) do you know that can perform on stage as well as he did in spite of all the criticism. He’s no worse than Brittney madonna, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston live. Yes I said Whitney and Mariah, because I have seen both of them in live concert, and both sang more way out of tune than in tune.

  10. PageSix.com has learned that Sanjaya Malakar and his sister Shyamali are in talks to headline their own variety TV series called The Sanjaya and Shyamali Show! The program plans to showcase a special blend of singing, dancing, comedy and, naturally, their lush manes of hair.

    I think they should play up the desi angle and their long hair for what it’s worth, and hit the road as The Spice Girls. Maybe they should also hire Simon Fuller to see if he can do for these two what he did for that other bunch.

  11. Those Saying that Sanjaya has zippo talent. Come on, boy was 17. How many 17 year old males (girls are different, as their voices do not crack at puberty) do you know that can perform on stage as well as he did in spite of all the criticism. He’s no worse than Brittney madonna, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston live. Yes I said Whitney and Mariah, because I have seen both of them in live concert, and both sang more way out of tune than in tune.

    And that makes him talented? Perhaps you should also see Norah Jones and Celine Dion in live concert and then decide who is talented and who is not.

    Talent does show whether at 17 or 27. Apart from the hairdo, there was not much to talk about.

  12. Norah jones is not a great vocalist. She may write well and compose nice bluesy stuff, but her vocals are very soft and lack power. Anyways…I never said that sanjaya was a great vocalist, but just not any worse than some of the ‘so called talent’ out there.

  14. woohoo! maybe his show and the russell peters show will both be on fox, ha! an american version of the kumars at no. 42 would be faboo! i don’t know if sanjaya could do it, but it’d be great to see what they do come up with.

  15. Papaya IS cute. He’s a triple threat – singing, dancing, and acting like he can do those 2 things well.

    Just kidding.

    Seriously, his style and sound is pretty good. He has star quality and talent. Same thing with his sister. I wonder if he will do any desi or desi influenced music since it was once mentioned he studied Indian music briefly. Not sure if it is true or not, though.

  16. If Sanjaya and his sister start a network show, they can be the new Desi version of Donnie and Marie.

  17. 16 · gm said

    If Sanjaya and his sister start a network show, they can be the new Desi version of Donnie and Marie.

    You were obviously not there when my brother and I sang in our church no less than 8 million times, much to the joy of my mother. We were crowned the Malayalee D & M, (minus the whole creepy plastered-on grins).

  19. 2 · Vic said

    Raghav Mathur..the other Canadian desi pop star (OK ..semi pop star) is apparently working with Sanjaya and writing a single for him for his new album.

    Vic, where did you read this? Last I saw were references on a forum in April or May, referenced later in a German Wiki and questioned at the Daze fansite. Anything more current than May ? Thanks for any info.

  20. an american version of the kumars at no. 42 would be faboo!

    I heart that show! If the Malakar Hour is anything like that, then I will totally watch.

  21. Papaya….whos seen this ad for a movie coming out which spoofs everthing from pop culture in ’07. It shows that character from movie 300, This.IS.Sparta, kick Sanjaya in the “pitofdeath”. HILARIOUS!!!!!