An Idol Tracker's journey ends

Forgive me for interrupting regularly scheduled Idol news with some personal business, but I have an announcement to make to Idol Tracker readers. Tuesday will be my last day with the L.A. Times and thus my stint as the L.A. Times' Idol Tracker comes to an end.

It has been an amazing three years covering the most important spectacle in the history of the world.  Three years ago, when we started the Show Tracker blog, I volunteered to write the occasional review of the occasional episode of "Idol," never imagining my life would disappear down the "Idol" rabbit hole.  But then I came face to face with the incredible stories of these young people, these warriors of song, who every year risked the worst fate any of us can imagine -- public humiliation before tens of millions -- all for a shot at their dreams.  I also got to meet the incredibly talented group of people who put the show together and on so many occasions was allowed to peek backstage at what goes into creating a goliath like "Idol."

So many memories from three years on the "Idol" beat.  Come with me now on a little stroll down Memory Boulevard, as we visit an Idol Tracker's greatest days, with a few of the pictures and videos I've snapped over the years.  Ah, yes, I remember it well ....

Catching up with LaKisha Jones

“American Idol” Season 6 fourth-place finalist LaKisha Jones is releasing her debut album, “So Glad I’m Me,” on Tuesday. It's made up of 12 R&B-style songs with a definite positive vibe, including “Let’s Go Celebrate” (the first single) and “Beautiful Girl,” a song for her 6-year-old daughter, Brionne, as well as a cover of Whitney Houston’s “You Give Good Love.”

Jones says fans “can expect to see a different side of LaKisha than they saw on 'Idol.' Of course, everybody’s used to me singing the ballads. This album is more adult contemporary, more urban. It does have an inspirational song on it also, so they’ll get to see another side.”

The 29-year-old native of Flint, Mich., started singing at age 5, so it’s no surprise that her young daughter also has it in her. “We’ll be in the car sometimes, and I’ll start singing, and she says, ‘Mama, you can’t be everybody.’” Maybe Brionne’s just trying to give her busy mom a break! Tech-savvy Jones (who used a Bluetooth headset for the phone interview) enjoys Twitter, where she directly updates fans (“I’m trying to do my best to kinda keep up with it, and keep the fans posted on what I’m doing and what’s going on”). As far as keeping up with Season 8 of “Idol,” she says she either watches or records it — but admits that though it’s the week before the finale, “I don’t have a favorite as of yet.” She says “Idol” — the platform that let her do what she’s doing now — is something she “won’t ever forget.”

The Houston-based singer had a “Hollywood fantasy wedding” at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in October to financial advisor Larry Davis. Several “Idol” castmates attended, including Melinda Doolittle and Sanjaya Malakar. The newlywed is expecting her second child — another girl — in August. She says she’s “changing every day.”

Jones says she’ll “probably go on tour after I have the baby.” Maybe fall? “Probably so.”

— Leslie Anne Wiggins

Totally normal: Sanjaya Malakar and Rod Blagojevich duke it out in the jungle

Oh, how we've missed him!

"American Idol's" favorite luscious-locked contestant, Sanjaya Malakar, is returning to TV this June, to star on NBC's "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!"

On the show, Sanjaya will head to the wild jungles of Costa Rica to duke it out with a stable of other celebs -- which ought to be easy for the guy. After all, remember how long he defied expectations and survived on "American Idol"?

Also trying to hack it in the jungle will be Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Janice Dickinson, Geraldo Rivera and Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman. And the icing on the cake? Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Reality shows like "The Surreal Life" have long tried to capitalize on the mayhem that ensues when peculiar groupings of D-listers and ex-somebodies are created, but this grouping is really going to be a tough one to top. Let the games begin!

Since his "Idol" days, 19-year-old Sanjaya has been busy pumping out his autobiography and album, both called "Dancing to the Music in My Head."

Do you think our Sanjaya can outlast Dog the Bounty Hunter?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: Wireimage

Related: Return of the Sanjaya

Return of the Sanjaya

Of all the many  paths across the Idol Nation, none has run over rockier terrain than that taken by Season Six anti-hero Sanjaya Malakar.  Initially a not-implausible mid-range contender with a nice voice, when his talents ebbed in the upper reaches his behavior became stranger and often seemed in outward defiance against the machine.  Eventually Sanjaya ended up hijacking Season Six as Idol haters (votefortheworst.com and Howard Stern) rallied around his exotic name and appearance and wacky behavior.

Anti-heroes are part of the Idol magic.  The show would be diminished if it were not for that novelty act each season who stays on board into the upper reaches to the intense irritation of "serious" Idol watchers.  Scott "The Body" Savol and Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais in their time drove critics to madness as they dodged the bullet week after week.  But none has created more of a stir than the legendary Sanjaya. 

At the end of Season Six, when I asked executive producer Nigel Lythgoe what the story of the season had been, he replied unapologetically and without missing a beat, "Sanjaya and three great female singers." (Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, LaKisha Jones).

Sanjaya's post-Idol career has also been the source of much rumor and speculation.  He has been publicly trashed by at least one of his Season Six comrades, mocked himself in an insurance ad and been reported missing by concert organizers wanting to hire him.

Well, now at last the complete Sanjaya story -- or his version of it -- will be told, in word and song!  On Jan. 20 Sanjaya will release both a memoir and an album, both entitled "Dancing to the Music in My Head: Memoirs of the People's Idol."  Amazon has samples of a few tracks up for preview.

If Sanjaya really tells what it was like to be at the center of that maelstrom and drops the "I didn't pay any attention" line he's always answered those questions with, the memoir will be a unique contribution to the field of "American Idol" scholarship.

What questions are you hoping he'll answer, either in book or record?  Please share your thoughts.

-Richard Rushfield