Not Exactly a Ringer – Anoop Desai Has Previous Television Experience

By On 03/25/2009 · 47 Comments · In Uncategorized

Here’s something that wasn’t made part of Anoop Desai’s backstory.

According to the Raleigh area local TV station, WRAL, Anoop appeared in a local award-winning kids’ TV show in the late 90′s called CentralXpress.com.

Described as a precursor to to shows like iCarly on Nickelodeon, Anoop played a character named Raj who, along with a group of fellow students, helped maintain the school’s website.

As a kids progam, so it maintained a serious after-school special vibe, dealing with topics like race relations and death.   It ran from 1997 to 2001.

The show’s producer, David Creech describes Anoop as “A delight to work with” and “Very intelligent.”

 
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  • gina9816

    Are you sure that boy is anoop??? Doesn’t look like him…

  • cheese

    Hmm, interesting. Anoop is apparently aging well, lol.

  • BootStar

    Looks just like him at about 12 or 13! Oh, no! I hope Roger Whatshisname (Friedman?) doesn’t get wind of this story. I smell a scandal! ;-)

    At least he wasn’t on Barney!

  • bean99

    I can’t get the video to load but it had to have been at least 10 or more years ago. He has aged well, Cheese. :laugh_tb:

  • yf7184

    Yeah. This gives me serious hope for my son. :)

  • BootStar

    Yeah. This gives me serious hope for my son. :)

    :lol_tb:

    If only mine could sing!

  • chicksineggz

    OMG. I just heard about this too. I so want to see this video!

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    I smell a scandal! ;-)

    You said scandal, I said F.U.N… I hope MTv and People Magazine is lurcking here today… yay for drama…

  • Qcloud9

    Whether or not it’s the same person as Anoop, what was said is extremely positive:

    “The showà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s producer, David Creech describes Anoop as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A delight to work withà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Very intelligent.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ”

  • lefty

    :laugh_tb:

    I love this! And I love the screencap so much.

    AND I love this:

    Yeah. This gives me serious hope for my son. :)

    heehee!

  • gingerly

    Although very awkward looking (being kind here because I too have a son) at that age….he’d not even get an audition on Idol (or maybe a mean one) looking like that.

  • Natasha

    Is that really Anoop? I can hear Roger Friedman squawking already. lol

  • bean99

    Yeah. This gives me serious hope for my son. :)

    My 18 yr old was a little on the nerdy side at 12 but it’s amazing what contacts, braces, and growing several inches will do.

  • Qcloud9

    Remember Ruben Studdard? He not only got an audition, he won the whole thing baby!

  • Dr. Tracey

    LOL awwww Anoop, i’d recognise those eyebrows anywhere.

  • frogcooke

    Not the most flattering picture….. and facial expression….

  • lefty

    My 18 yr old was very nerdy at 12 but ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s amazing what contacts, braces, and growing several inches will do.

    Mine isn’t there yet but he’s just about to hit the gawky stage.

    Take that, cute middle school boys!

  • gingerly

    Dr. Tracey
    Mar 25th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
    LOL awwww Anoop, ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d recognise those eyebrows anywhere.

    Can you say caterpillar?

  • primeminister

    Looks like he had the same sense of style back then too, heh.

  • gingerly

    Honestly, after all my frivolity, what exactly constitutes a ringer? Is there a formula? I’ve heard from having an album to being on a TV show to being in previous reality contests. I honestly don’t want somebody with absolutely no prior experience. I absolutely loved Ramiele’s voice last year but she was gawd awful on the show. I want my contestants to at least show that they have a modicum of a clue what they are doing.

  • http://myspace.com/susanatfox sumidol

    Oh my gosh, that is Anoop – I tell you I was wondering why he looked so familiar, . Why would this be a scandal or a ringer? I dont think so?

  • http://archulove.wordpress.com vickyvicks0

    bahahhaa!!! so cuteee
    “its a guys thing”
    lol

  • Grammie Kari

    Oh my gosh, that is Anoop – I tell you I was wondering why he looked so familiar, . Why would this be a scandal or a ringer? I dont think so?

    Sumi, I’m with you on this. The shock is that this hasn’t been mentioned sooner. To me, it’s no big deal. He’s still my favorite on the show.

  • rockchalk

    Oh wow. I can’t believe that is him. He REALLY grew into himself. This makes me love him even more.

  • gingerly

    Grammie Kari
    Mar 25th, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Sumi, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m with you on this. The shock is that this hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t been mentioned sooner. To me, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s no big deal. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s still my favorite on the show.

    I’d be reluctant to mention it if I had ever looked like that…

  • abbysee

    Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d be reluctant to mention it if I had ever looked like thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

    :lol_tb:

    I love Lil Anoop. Gives all of the young geeks of America hope. You too can grow up to look like……….

  • Danica_K

    Aww, nerdy little Anoop!

    To see how he’s grown up makes me like him that much more. Take that, popular middle school jocks! Mathletes kick ass!

  • weareallinnocent

    LOLOLOLOL Couldn’t get the video either, but awwwww, poor kid. It’s one thing to expect mom and dad to burn all the bad pics, but quite another to expect your local tv affiliate to follow suit. :-)

    There’s always hope! What an uplifting story. Teehee…

  • undercooked

    Now that I know Anoop’s been on a television show, he doesn’t seem like such a fish out of water anymore. I think he is a good singer, so it’s not that. But with the information we had been given about him, he just didn’t seem like the type of guy who would want to be a pop star. He seemed more the cool college professor type. This makes me look at him slightly different. He is ambitious when it comes to show biz. It makes more sense.

  • Tony

    Wow. Anoop looks…..different now. :)

  • kiwifan

    Wow, the dawg has definitely got better with age, lol. Good on you Anoop!

    “The show focused on a group of students maintaining the schoolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Web site.”

    Seriously? And it lasted for 4 years? :shock_tb:

  • http://archulove.wordpress.com vickyvicks0

    The show focused on a group of students maintaining the schoolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Web site.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Seriously? And it lasted for 4 years?

    :lol_tb:

  • gingerly

    I actually don’t find much different about him now than then. He may be better looking but I just don’t get that he’s hot or amazing or even good looking. Yup, mileage.

  • OldHag

    Oh, goodness…. He was such a little geeky nerd and look how he has grown. Bet most of his classmates back then would have never guessed he would end up being a heart throb with nationwide groupies. Makes me love him even more.

  • Michelle

    See kids? there’s always hope! ;)

  • Qcloud9

    “As a kids progam, so it maintained a serious after-school special vibe, dealing with topics like race relations and death. It ran from 1997 to 2001″

    Sounds like the show was dealing with serious issues that help kids cope with life. Maybe it was more important to society than AI?

  • kiwifan

    I actually donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t find much different about him now than then. He may be better looking but I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s hot or amazing or even good looking. Yup, mileage.

    omg gingerly, he seems to have shed quite a bit of puppy fat at the least.

    I don’t think he’s “hot” either. I honestly don’t know why, but I just like him and find myself wanting to root him on. He’s definitely one of my favs

  • KinkosMagic

    Here is what someone wrote about Anoop and the other contestants.

    http://www.zimbio.com/AmericanIdol/articles/1442/AmericanIdolSeason8CommerciallyUnMarketable

    I kinda agree

    Here is who they said would be marketable;

    http://www.zimbio.com/AmericanIdol/articles/1441/AmericanIdolSeason8CommerciallyMarketable

  • gingerly

    kiwifan
    Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
    I actually donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t find much different about him now than then. He may be better looking but I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s hot or amazing or even good looking. Yup, mileage.

    omg gingerly, he seems to have shed quite a bit of puppy fat at the least.

    I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“hotà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  either. I honestly donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know why, but I just like him and find myself wanting to root him on. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s definitely one of my favs

    Well obviously he’s not at all pudgy anymore. I just don’t know that he’s an amazing singer. I don’t find him good looking. He’s absolutely not at all nor will ever be able to be sexy to me. I did like his song last week but, honestly, it was the first time this year I’ve liked him.

    I’m not one who looks at all the YouTubes of their previous performances. I want to see what they bring to the Idol stage. Seriously, his a capella group has absolutely nothing to do with who he will be if he gets a contract so I can’t care. Yeah,so he’s had one good performance for me. But still, it wasn’t anything I’d vote for.

  • Qcloud9

    I’ve seen a lot of comments from women in the USA & around the world who think Anoop is hot, as I do. He definitely has the “It” factor, he is swoonworthy.

  • sayxwhat

    Ahh! He was only thirteen here! Gah. Not my fav, but I love his voice =] He has the whole geeky nerdy cute factor thingy going on.

  • gingerly

    I actually find none of them this year swoon-worthy. I find Anoop to be a total nerd. I think Kris is cute but like the little brother who’s toenails you want to paint shocking pink while he’s sleeping. I find Danny to be beyond creepy. I find Adam rather hot but only in a detracted sort of way. I find Michael should consider his heart condition being more serious than the “5th most dangerous job.” I think Scott is much better at playing piano than singing. I think Matt is really kind of ugly and I’m still not forgiving him for his horificly goaty version of the Coldplay song…did I cover them all? In essence, this may be my best season ever because I don’t loe a one of em.

  • gingerly

    Ok so horrifically wasn’t spelled correctly. I’m hoping the grammar/spelling police don’t call me out for this because it won’t let me edit. Honestly, I’ve got a college degree. OMG and I left the v out of love. I’m so very sorry.

  • Deejay

    He certainly got better-looking with age…let’s hope that pattern continues. :innocent1_tb:

  • AnoopFan

    Yep, that’s Anoop
    He decided to lose weight when he became of memeber of the UNC Clef Hangers. He saw how fit the other guys were, and how they all got so much attention from the ladies. He had to have all that, so he started to exercise and changed his clothes! :lol_tb:

  • sue

    I click on your “something” MJ and saw the vid of Anoop. OMG I can’t believe that is him. Yeah it’s like a local after school special kind of show. He look like the typical geeky, awkward middle schooler aka all if my friends back in the days :) . LOL I don’t think it really help with his singing though. Yeah Anoop is 100% better looking now. He is actually really attractive and he has great skin. Now if only he would pick better songs to sing. :)

  • http://www.myspace.com/gwendolyndiane GwendolynD

    Awwww…he was a late bloomer.