American Idol sixth-season runner-up Blake Lewis didn't pull any punches in his recent criticism of fellow finalist Sanjaya Malakar.
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"I was never a fan of Sanjaya," said Lewis during an interview with Jacksonville, FL radio station WAPE-FM. "I didn't think he should have been on the show at all. At all. Period. It's just bad for television -- terrible television."
Not surprisingly, Lewis said he isn't the only former sixth-season finalist who felt that way about Malakar.
"Everyone there was like, 'Why is this little kid who's just annoying on this television show?'" said Lewis. "It's television. It's television... But it takes the validation out of people who have been working their ass off for years."
While Lewis said he was never concerned Malakar would end up winning Idol's sixth-season crown, he was apparently peeved that the contestant known more for his coifs than his vocal abilities made it as far as he did.
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"I got pissed every week because my buddies that are super-talented are going home and he's [still there]," vented Lewis. "America's very ignorant in some things and voted for Sanjaya to stay on American Idol. That's ridiculous."
Malakar auditioned for Idol's sixth season in Seattle with his older sister Shyamali, whom Lewis said Sanjaya has to thank for getting his Hollywood Round ticket.
"See, the thing is, people don't know he got cut and the only reason why he made it is because his sister made it through," explained Lewis. "Then his sister got cut in Hollywood Week."
In addition, Lewis offered a conspiracy theory of sorts on how Malakar eventually made it through to the Top 24.
"So he had already gotten cut. They're like, 'You suck. You shouldn't be on the show,'" explained Lewis. "Then the producer [Nigel Lythgoe] put him back on."
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio