Last night it happened. Sanjaya Malakar was eliminated from the American Idol competition. Even Simon Cowell couldn’t hold back a smile as the much-maligned contestant was giving his walking papers.

I certainly am not shedding tears over the fact that the young man with the wonderful hair and so-so vocals has left the AI stage. However, I will say that he handled himself very well. Sanjaya dealt with all of the media coverage, much of it negative, with grace and humor. He is headed for a long career in the entertainment industry of this I am sure.

Joining Sanjaya in the bottom two were Blake Lewis and Lakisha Jones. DialIdol had it right. I, obviously, didn’t. Oh well! I never said I was psychic. Blake was the first sent to safety after a ton of filler. Why the heck have they expanded the results show to an hour? So we can see Antonio Banderas’ daughter and pillow-lipped wife?

Was it take your daughter to work today yesterday? ‘Cuz Martina McBride’s spawn also hit the stage for an oh-so-awkward interview with Ryan Seacrest.

It was also fantastic to see, during Sanjaya’s exit video, all the stupid signage that sprung up around him. What the heck does “Sanjaya is My Papaya” even mean? Is it a compliment? Actually, it seems more like an insult to me. Would you want to be compared to a tropical fruit, even if it rhymed somewhat with your name?

Lakisha looked scared standing next to Sanjaya. She must’ve read the press that Sanjaya had the “King of All Media”, legend in his own mind, Howard Stern and the idiots at votefortheworst.com behind him. Perhaps she was mad at herself for singing a “Jesus Take the Wheel”. I know I would’ve been.

Personally, the competition has lost a ton of personality if not talent with Sanjaya’s departure. No one is going to step in to fill his larger-than-life shoes. So, I’m not sure if the season is really worth watching anymore.

Isn’t that sad? I mean we’ve all spent so much time focusing on and, in a way, secretly enjoying the young Mr. Malakar, that there’s no one left in the show to tug at our heart strings for good or for ill in quite the same way. Even Simon called the contestants ‘lackluster’…and he would know.

What do y’all think? Share with me below.

As a fitting way to say adios to Sanjaya, check out "Besame Mucho" una vez mas (one more time):