Remember back in the late 90s and early 2000s when you couldn’t flip open a lifestyle section or magazine without seeing at least one article about outrageous Bar and Bat Mitvahs? The progenitor of the MTV “My Super Sweet Sixteen”-style shindig, these “Bash Mitzvahs,” as New York Magazine dubbed them in 1998, involved extravagant themes, hot performers like 50 Cent, and could cost a quarter of a million dollars easily.
So when I read that former “American Idol” contestant Sanjaya Malakar appeared at the Bat Mitzvah party for Long Island resident Rachael Lader, I saw a glimmer of hope that the Bash Mitzvah may have jumped the shark, so to speak.

TMZ.com reports that Malakar wasn’t paid for his performance of “Isn’t She Lovely” and “You Really Got Me,” but the formerly faux-hawked performer is old news. There’s a new season of idle Idolers hanging about that would make for far hipper Horah hotties; how about the shaggy Leif Garrett-look alike Garrett Haley?
Maybe, just maybe, Malakar’s appearance signals that the bottom of the celebrity barrel has been scraped and we’ll return to the days when a really nice watch and a party with a DJ at the local country club would have been considered an ultra-swank Bar/Bat Mitzvah party, or Sweet Sixteen, or Quinceanera, or any other type of coming of age party.
Ok, so I’m not so naive as to believe that, and understand that his appearance was an excellently orchestrated media opportunity for both parties. But, still, I can’t help but think while celebrating with Sanjaya, arguably last season’s most panned “Idol” contestant, would bring plenty of attention, that it wouldn’t exactly make you the envy of your peers.