….or is this something Rhode Island School of Design Students would be proud to be associated with, if it were true?
Apparently, there’s no truth to the rumor that American Idol’s Sanjaya was an performance art project created by a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. From KDVR-TV (FOX 31 in Colorado)….

The website, TMZ.com has obtained video that shows America Idol’s Sanjaya Malakar explaining that his real name is Bill Vendall, a 25 year-old graduate student at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Sanjaya Malakar/Bill Vendall says he assumed the role of Sanjaya Malakar as part of a “human art project.” He goes on to say that people “haven’t seen the last of him,” and even hints at possibly running for President of the U.S. someday….

….So is Sanjaya’s claim on the video true?
Apparently, no.
After Wednesday’s American Idol finale in which Jordin Sparks was crowned this year’s winner, Sanjaya said of the video “That was just fun, I was just having fun. And I guess people believed me.”

Just heard from Jaime Marland, a spokeswoman at the Rhode Island School of Design, and she tells me that there is no student named Bill Vendell.