Vote-for-worst buzz keeps ‘Idol’ contestant alive

Will Sanjaya kill “American Idol”?

The Indian-American teen from Federal Way, Wash., says he’ll win, but judge Simon Cowell says if that happens, he’ll quit.

Even Paula Abdul, usually the kindest judge, says the buzz surrounding this unlikely contender has “run amok.”

It started with the Web site votefortheworst.com, which encourages voters to keep 17-year-old Sanjaya Malakar on the Fox show because his performances – marked by a weak singing voice that often veers off-key and flowing hair that has been arranged in increasingly bizarre styles – are just so bad.

Radio shock jock Howard Stern picked up on the movement and urged listeners to vote for Sanjaya. Then came the newspaper articles, blog posts and mentions by David Letterman and deejay David Lee Roth.

And it appears to be working.

Despite cool reviews from judges – and his most outrageous hairdo yet, seven small ponytails swept into a mock Mohawk – Sanjaya survived Wednesday night’s contestant pool pruning on the megapopular reality show. Chubby Chris Sligh was booted instead.

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s results, Vote for the Worst displayed a caricature of a smiling Sanjaya and the words:

“The ponytail Mohawk can only mean one thing: Sanjaya loves us! Sanjaya, you’re awesome! If we keep him in, he can only pick a new hair style that’s even BETTER next week. Nice work, buddy!”

Show producer Nigel Lythgoe scoffs at the idea that the Vote for the Worst site has affected voters.

“When you’re getting 30 million votes, whatever that Web site can do is just not enough,” Lythgoe insists.

“Idol” contestants seem to be taking notice. At one point, Sligh seemingly sought to glom the mantle of worst by saying, “Hi, Dave” on the air – an apparent reference to Dave Della Terza, the creator of Vote for the Worst.

The British show “Pop Idol,” the inspiration for “American Idol,” was ditched when Cowell decided viewers had spiraled out of control in picking winners. It was replaced by “X Factor,” where contestants advance solely on the judges’ calls.

Della Terza agrees that “Sanjaya winning would change the show dramatically.” But he points out that singing talent isn’t the only thing that makes a performance.

“It makes the show infinitely more entertaining when Sanjaya comes out with a new hairdo than when LaKisha (Jones) sings another boring ballad,” he says.