Updated

NRI Sanjaya Malakar stays, but Phil will go- Jennifer Lopez “loves” him
After all, he is headliner in every city's news paper

Washington, April 11, 2007
Abrar Alvi

On Tuesday’s Latin-themed night, Sanjaya’s performance in Spanish came as a fitting finale. After Sanjaya's slow performance in last night's show, Randy and Paula gave Sanjaya 'props' for a great performance.

After anxiously awaiting for Simon's always-negative comments, Sanjaya batted his eyes for the cameras, and the biggest surprise of the night was Cowell's reaction. Simon Cowell raved:

• "I'm gonna hate myself for this, but it wasn't horrible."

Few weeks back, Simon Cowell said he would leave the show forever if Sanjaya wins. This comment may prompt people to vote for Sanjaya Malakar because so many people hate Simon Cowell!

Jennifer Lopez

It was bound to happen: Tonight was Sanjaya’s night on “American Idol”!

The theme was Latin sounds and the guest mentor Jennifer Lopez was enamored with Sanjaya, finishing the song “Besame Mucho” while he was practicing, as if she were singing a duet with him.

“I love Sanjaya,” she said excitedly after she gave him advice.

Even before he sang one note Tuesday night, Malakar was getting a rave review from megastar Jennifer Lopez.

"I have to tell you he really, really impressed me," she said.

Pat Wright, Malakar's pastor and choir director

"I hope people know I'm so proud of this young man," said Pat Wright, Malakar's pastor and choir director. "He's a perfect example of what our young people are made of these days."

Wright had her own advice for Malakar: "My thing to Sanjaya is to take it all with a grain of salt and laugh all the way to the bank."

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More than 30 million Americans addicted to "American Idol," Sanjaya Malakar is this season's man of mystery. With just eight contestants left from the thousands who auditioned, this minimally talented singer is still in the running and seems to be on safer ground each week. Lately, Malakar hasn't even been among the fewest vote-getters in the show's much-hyped bottom three.

Today, most of the News paper head lines are:

• “American Idol” stunner: Sanjaya Malakar steals the show
• American Idol Latin Night Recap
• American Idol Judges Praise Sanjaya Malakar as Not ‘Horrible’
• Have 'Idol' fans voted judges off the show?

He was actually pretty good and maybe this is his genre. Sang it in Spanish and when the English part came out....not the best. He sounds best in Spanish.