Well, he's out!

The most uncelebrated Person of Indian Origin (PIO) for eons, at least in the Indian media, which is more concerned about the human racketeering exploits of a Member of Parliament, Sanjaya Malakar has finally been knocked out of American Idol. Of course, with the diaspora viewers dropping out, as well as Sanjaya's fans, the impact on the ratings might mean we could see more Indians on US television screens, never a bad thing! If the makers of Indian Idol have any sense, they should invite Sanjaya to be a guest judge on the show, because Indian Idol has possibly the worst bunch of judges possible.
Anyway, this is understandably a sad moment for this blog, which only started writing about Sanjaya yesterday, and a few weeks too late it must admit. Sorry, Sanjaya you got voted out before I accused Americans of being more tone-deaf than the Himesh fan-club.
Now, with Richard Gere effigies being burnt across the streets of India, because he dared to chew Shilpa Shetty's ear, there are now a bunch outraged lawyers, who don't mind sleeping with call-girls of course, but do mind that a white man could do such horrible things to Vijay Mallya's squeeze. To those lawyers, please sue Richard Gere for being a bad kisser, not because your 'country' was defamed. For heavens sake, aren't there better things to fight cases on - or are you guys desperate to be on Aaj Tak, where, according to sources, some men are 'Sabse Tez' as well!
In case, you haven't seen the kiss, which was the only news item a few days ago, who cares about police brutality and loadshedding - much like the Ass-Shake wedding is going to be the only news event of the coming few days (even though I find that wedding gross, but I cannot elaborate without being accused of slander!), thanks to the wonders of the internets, we bring you this...

Me want News TV Channel too! (plus Sanjaya!)

Should have figured something was up when the TV Today scrip moved opposite to the market sometimes during the previous month, I knew there was some activity happening with the scrip and someone was interested. A voice in passing mentioned Reliance Capital a few weeks ago, but I was so snowed under with worked I really didn't pay attention. But, now the news has come out that ADA wants a big bite of TV Today - a network with for channels - none of them actually watchable. Well, actually they have three and a quarter channels, because the English channel is a combination of junket journalism and news facts that can only amaze you in their banality. Even though I disagree with the moral stance taken by the Hindi channels on the network, surprising since producers at the network are known to be frisky in elevators and toilets, but I'm not in this game of exposing hypocrisy.
No wait, what am I am saying?
Anyway, so what is ADA's motivation for taking such a big bite? Well, and here I have to applaud him for his openness, I guess this has to do, at least partially with someone else funding another channel (rather network) indirectly. When that network recently launched, they specifically mentioned that 'bada bhai' had nothing to do with the channel and funding came from 'Funds'. If you know how some 'Funds' work, it is a glorious 'benami' system. Anyway, mine not to reason why. Even though some friends have joined Inky, I am still doubtful of its proposition, though, that said I was a bit unsure about RajdeepTV as well, and despite the occasional story pandering to left-wing interests (oh well, most stories at both RajdeepTV and UndieTV pander to these interests, but I mean the occasional, 'Lets sleep together' story) RajdeepTV has been fairly decent, overstaffed, which leads to too much duplication f'sure, but decent.
Anyway, I wonder why the Indian media, especially the newspapers haven't caught on to the Sanjaya bug as yet - and we have been carrying about Sunita Williams. Make no mistakes, Sanjaya Malakar is currently the most important Person of Indian Origin (PIO) in the world. Heck, the Tourism Ministry should use him to promote the country, instead of those arty 'Incredible India' adverts, Sanjaya is the greatest thing to happen to the diaspora since... well, a long time, which is why almost every (female) cousin I know in the US is voting for the guy. The American Press is ga-ga about this guy, so what if he can't sing, he is bigger than Simon Cowell right now. So what if he can't sing, Sanjaya is living proof that America is both the greatest and dumbest country (though, with people like Priya Ranjan Das Munshi and Suresh Kalmadi in power we come a close second) in the world all at the same time. How they manage to do it, I have no clue.