Posted Apr 26th 2007 1:33PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Celebrity, Music, News, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
PEOPLE magazine will tear down stereotypes when the new issue hits newsstands in the morning. In an interview with 'American Idol' Sanjaya Malakar, the young waif comes out ...
... As straight.
Yes, Sanjaya likes the ladies. And apparently the ladies like him:"I've always gotten along with girls better because I was raised by women," he says. As a result, "I got teased in school because people figured I must be gay because I understand women. But it's not true. I think that's why guys didn't like me-because I got along with girls so well. When I went up to girls they would give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek like I was their gay friend. But I was the straight guy that understood them."
About dating: "I had a girlfriend but she became clingy, and I didn't want to get into a really serious relationship because I was 16," he says. "I just wanted to date and have fun."
On his fashion sense: "In first grade I would wear cut-off shorts, long underwear, rain boots, a T-shirt and carry a double umbrella-that was my fashion statement."
As QueerSighted blogger Nicky wrote earlier this week in 'Five and Five' and 'Dressing the Part,' the rules about stereotypes, what's gay, what's straight, don't always hold true. If Sanjaya is a GASM* -- and I've met more than a few in my day -- it will only help to blur the lines of gay stereotypes.
On the other hand, if he's a GIFFY**, which my friend James has bet me $100 that he is, then we will certainly welcome him to the club and he'll get his toaster oven, no questions asked.
What do you think?
*GASM: gay acting straight man
**GIFFY: gay in five f-@#*-ing years
Posted Apr 23rd 2007 6:20PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Celebrity, Music, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
Readers: A couple of weeks ago, you got to go behind the 'Idol' ropes with the two gayest reporters ever. They admitted to stalking and meeting the Idols in their Hollywood parking lot, only to be invited back where they got front row seats and did their best to have the TV cameras include them in almost every shot of the night (media whores!).
Following is the wrap-up of their report, including what happened at the VIP receiving line after the show plus these exclusive photos of our guys kissing up to Jordin, Blake and all the gang.
Wind It Up-alicious
Exclusive QueerSighted Report by Shayne and Chuck
It's sad but true: Our adventure in HOLLYWOOD is officially over (unlike our hangovers). Let us just say that this was the most fun eight days of our lives. Our WIND IT UP TOUR was truly successful beyond our wildest dreams. In total, we met and/or saw 21 (!) celebs, and they in turn saw us in all of our Hollywood fabulousness. Here's the final installment of what happened at the end of our glamorous outing.
Having learned the ropes from the previous week, we came back to 'AI' armed and fabulous. With mobile phones and a pocket digital we were ready to "make love to the camera." Following the show the night we were there, we whisked ourselves past the security guards and entered familiar territory, heading for the same exit area where we stormed the SUVs the previous week. Posted Apr 18th 2007 5:00PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Music, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
Note: See Update on Saying Goodbye to Sanjaya at Bottom of Post
Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit: 'American Idol' brought out a lil' bit o' country in each of the lucky seven last night. Guided by the always lovely Martina McBride, contestants were put to the test of yet another genre of music outside of what they generally are used to; for the most part, they pulled it off.
Not only that, but like a gay bar full of two-steppin' cowboys, 'Idol' also delivered on the requisite gay moments we look for. The Texas-size of these was, of course, the handkerchief tied neatly 'round Sanjaya's head. Now, for those of you whose first time this is at the rodeo, you may not be aware of the special significance of colored hankies amongst the gays. Way before 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'Will and Grace,' some guys would put bandanas in their back pockets to signal to other gays. The color hanky you wore, and the left- or right-placement, all had special meaning. (You can read all about it here, but be warned that this is some pretty adult content, so ask your mom or your wife if it's OK to click that link.)
Now, let's examine Sanjaya's hanky: I'm ignoring the color of his kerchief because I don't think Sanjaya would ever do *that*, but focusing instead on the paisley markings, this indicates an interest in boxer shorts according to the code. If worn in the left pocket, it would mean he wears boxer shorts. Right would indicate he likes others in boxer shorts. To my way of admittedly twisted thinking, wearing the paisley as a head-kerchief could only mean he likes boxer shorts worn on the head (his or the other person's). This kind of makes sense if you really think about it.
There were a couple of other gay moments, but do you really care after learning about the hanky? Didn't think so. So let's move on to winners, losers and scoring the performances: Posted Apr 11th 2007 3:15PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Music, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
Dios mío, what an 'Idol' week. There was mucho excitement, not because there were loads of the caliente performances -- there really weren't -- but because we saw how each week can make or break a contestant's hold onto the top or bottom spot. In other words, 'Idol' proves that pretty much everyone is versatile. I'm speaking about the ability to deliver a singing performance that excels (or not), of course, not my fantasies about Blake.
The big news of the night: Sanjaya can sing. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. My little gay-acting elf wins this week as 'most-improved,' and I rank him even higher than Melinda (see scores below). Truthfully, he finally showed us the Sanjaya we met at his audition, and that person happens to be an adorable waif who actually can hold a tune. He just needs to find his vocal confidence (he's already proven he otherwise has cojones grandes). Last night certainly didn't hurt him and although all the Sanjaya-haters probably still hate him, his fans adore him all the more now. Based on his quite beautiful delivery of 'Besame Mucho,' they have reason to. Brava, Sanjaya! Brava!
One thing we learned this week is that no está easy to become a Latino. The Latin rhythm proved to be a huge challenge for the 'Idol' gang, despite the warm and jovial coaching by Latina diva Jennifer Lopez. Most of the performances were okay, but that was the problem: They were just okay. Everyone I've talked to about this in the last 12 hours has said the same thing.
In terms of gayest moments, there weren't a whole lot, I mean, aside from Sanjaya just walking onto the stage. Not-gays Simon and Ryan lobbed a stupid little gay comment back and forth having to do Ms. Seacrest wishing he could see Ms. Cowell shake his booty to 'Conga', but the joke fell flat as per usual.
Here then are scores based on this week only, with 5.0 being Celia Cruz and 1.0 Tom Cruise:
Posted Apr 4th 2007 1:15PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Music, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
Tony Bennett, arguably the reigning living-godfather of American standards, set a suave, swingin' mood for 'American Idol' this week. For the most part, the contestants lived up to the task of showcasing the genre.
As a coach, Bennett's advice remained somewhat superficial compared to that of Gwen Stefani last week who was more incisive and present, but Bennett's a warm and kindly grandfather figure for these kids and they seemed to honor his place in the history of popular music. Or at least they knew of and honored his place as an octegenarian who has managed to stay musically relevant in the 21st century.
This week's show delivered the requisite Three Gayest Moments, and here they are:
Posted Mar 29th 2007 3:40PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Celebrity, Gossip, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
Two fabulous friends of QueerSighted, Shayne and Chuck, were lucky enough to snag tickets to yesterday's 'American Idol' results show in L.A. Dears that they are, they sent in this first-hand account late last night of what it was like to experience the magic of 'Idol' in the flesh. While they ran into a snafu actually getting seats in the auditorium even though they had tickets and instead were shuffled into standing-room-only, Shayne and Chuck more than made up for it in the parking lot after the show where they insinuated themselves into the paths of the contestants and made fast friends -- and got invited back for a Tuesday night show.
Here is the account of what happens when two huge queens 'Wind It Up,' head off to Hollywood and end up as the gayest embedded reporters ever.
'Wind It Up!'
A QueerSighted Exclusive Report by Shayne and Chuck
'Idol' fans, it was a night to remember. The evening surely had it's ups and downs but by the end of it all, we, Shayne and Chuck, had a real 'Idol' experience.
After waking up at 4am Eastern time (that's 1am Pacific for those time zone challenged ladies), we were off to our date with destiny to meet Gwen Stefani and the cast of 'American Idol' ... 'Cause everybody wants to go to HOLLYWOOD'! Armed with Sharpie pens and a pink 'Wind It Up' poster (no larger than 24 x 36 - as per 'American Idol' rules), we landed in LA and immediately went to the 'Idol' waiting line. Posted Mar 28th 2007 2:08AM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Humor, Music, Television, American Idol, Sanjaya
As sure as daffodils come up in spring, this is the point of the 'American Idol' season when the gay stuff starts oozing out all over. It's heaven. With that, I give you this week's three gayest moments:
1) I'm tempted to say my dear little Sanjaya owns all three of them. Call me crazy, but I actually love this kid. Why? Well, there's no real polite way to say this: he's got balls. He's a sissy with the hugest testicles ever -- as most sissies are. If you think sissies are cowards, you're mistaken, very mistaken.
For Sanjaya to walk out on stage wearing seven ponytails to create the most sissy-fabu faux-hawk in the history of mankind, he sets himself apart as a brave soul indeed. At 17, he may be one of the most ridiculed people on the planet right now (George Bush, notwithstanding), and yet he cares not. He marches to the beat of a different drummer and smiles while 'American Snide-l' teases him. So he gets the top spot for gayest moment this week which, in case you didn't know, is the hugest compliment I can pay.
2) Gwen Stefani. You do know that Gwen is a mega gay icon. Three years ago, The Stranger called her "the new homo hero." Gwen was the cover girl on the gay magazine, Instinct, a few issues ago and told its editors how crazy in love she is with the gays and their music. She even dreams of doing gay cabaret: "My act would cover a wide range of styles, from early ska/reggae classics to Broadway classics and a couple 80s dance tunes. (I'd have) the red lipstick and the platinum blonde hair! Oh, and great backlighting, always great backlighting."
I would so be in the front row, too, sipping on Lillet, channeling Noel Coward and wishing some of her backlighting would backlight me. L-O-V-E her.
3) Gay Song Alert! Both Lakisha and Haley paid tribute to Posted Mar 26th 2007 2:49PM by Kenneth Hill
Filed under: Humor, Television, Homophobia, American Idol, Sanjaya
This image of 'American Idol' controversy-contestant Sanjaya Malakar is making it's way around the Web. It was created by an artist, Fastu; TMZ posted it, catapulting it into viral stardom.
I laughed. It's clever. But riddle me this: Is Sanjaya as Katharine McPhee just a play on his fascinatingly varied hair styles? Or is there also an element of gender-bashing and/or gay-bashing going on here?
Sanjaya's got an army of 'Idol' viewers who decry his lack of talent, and it seems to be that his sissy demeanor is what people zero in on as the best way to make fun of him.
Just wondering.
Update 3-28-07
See this week's show reviewed: No Doubt: 'Idol' Winners, Losers and Gayest Moments
Renee Gannon
Prince Gomolvilas
Arlan Hamilton
Sanford Marcus
Susan Norfleet
Most Commented