"Sanjaya is love"

I am a Sanjaya fan. Are you? I never thought I would be. He won me over slowly. At first I thought he was awful as I thought of most of the male American Idol contestants. Sanjaya's performances were like those endured in high school talent shows and really bad karoake. But then last week, the chorus on his version of "Waiting on the World to Change" just stuck in my head, and now I hear myself singing it along with his honey-sounding and hopeful voice. And then he sang Diana Ross's "Aint No Mountain High Enough" which he got drowned out on, BUT if you listen to it on the American Idol website, you can hear how good he sounds in studio. Or have I just been brainwashed by his long torso, hula hoop moves, goofy smiles, and hair-dos?

Regardless, one thing I am sick of is hearing Paula and Diana Ross and whomever saying how sweet and what a wonderful spirit he has. Ross gushed: "Sanjaya is love" in the latest show. Puh-leeze. I think they're just fetishizing his Asian-ness. Sanjaya is peace and love. Sanjaya is the Dalai Lama. Sanjaya is Gandhi. Maybe Sanjaya is a big goofy fake. Sanjaya is a bad hairstyle. Sanjaya is a shrewd marketeer.

How are they getting all these love vibes off this kid? I just see a really nervous kid with a really nervous smile, and a good hairdresser. I have to admit, I don't watch full episodes and I don't TIVO. I just go to YouTube to get my latest Sanjaya fix. Are the other contestants also saying peaceful and kind words about the 17-year-old? Has he done something I don't know of?

This is my first time ever following AI and it's all because of the Asian American contestants.
I will try to catch next week's live performance though 'cos I'm just waiting.....waiting for a Sanjaya miracle.