American Morning

Sanjaya from 'Idol' defends Bristol Palin, 'DWTS' voting

Remember Sanjaya Malakar from "American Idol"?

He was that season six finalist who advanced all the way to seventh place with the public’s vote, despite having a singing voice poorly received by the show’s judges. Sanjaya gained popularity from the website Vote for the Worst, which encouraged Idol viewers to vote for the worst singer as a diversion from the competition.

So, is Bristol Palin like a "Dancing With the Stars" Sanjaya? She has not been the judges’ favorite, yet is a finalist in tonight’s finale. Some fans and bloggers question viewers’ voting intentions and are asking if the reason she’s a finalist is due to her dancing abilities or her mother’s politics.

Today on American Morning, we ask Sanjaya about the Bristol controversy and his thoughts on how audience vote-in shows are tallied.