Farewell to the Unwell

For weeks, music enthusiasts and entertainment followers have been enamored by a guy named Sanjaya Malakar. The guy, despite the average voice, looks, and personality managed to survive several weeks before being eliminated. During the elimination show last night, Simon was sensing that something will happen after the bottom 3 was announced. His smile suggests that better days are ahead and he was right on target after Sanjaya was booted. With mediocrity written all over him, here is how Sanjaya managed to stay afloat.

10. The only way to be eliminated in the competition is to have the least number of votes. It favors contestants that get more attention from the judges.

9. Voting is usually decided based on favorites and not on who is the best singer. Definitely, contestants who have more following will succeed.

8. Performing several music genres can also provide some advantages. Even the best singers stink when out of their comfort zone.

7. A competition becomes more exciting when a mediocre remains in the hunt. It provides suspense which is important for the show's ratings.

6. Because Sanjaya regularly performed bad, the judging was shifted to some other aspects. Randy, for instance, looks at Sanjaya's hair than listen to the song.

5. Perhaps Sanjaya realized that his voice will never make him win American Idol. He compensated such weakness with other noticeable strengths.

4. Simon Cowell made Sanjaya famous. Allowing Sanjaya to stay will provide more interest to viewers as to what Simon will say after Sanjaya performs.

3. The tirades on Sanjaya over the media created an air of sympathy. Voters not particularly adept with judging good music based their votes on emotions.

2. Howard Stern publicly pushed for Sanjaya to win the American Idol. Stern was successful at first but ran out of support eventually.

1. American Idol is a competition. In any contest, underdogs can riseand take away the price from the expected winners.