Discovery

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Sanjaya fever hit Washington, D.C., Saturday night, as the ousted American Idol star attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner – with celebs (Teri Hatcher) and politicians (New York Governor Eliot Spitzer) all vying for a chance to meet the wild-haired singing sensation.

One female fan even got to rub her hands through his hair.

Malakar, 17, was a guest of PEOPLE, joining fellow celebs Valerie Bertinelli, High School Musical star Zac Efron, Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, comedian Eddie Izzard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Other stars at the event included Sheryl Crow and Laurie David (who had a run-in with Karl Rove), Kerry Washington, and Desperate Housewives stars Hatcher, James Denton and creator Marc Cherry.

Whereas last year’s dinner featured Stephen Colbert viciously skewering President Bush, the atmosphere at this year’s event took on a more somber tone. In the wake of the Virginia Tech Massacre, Bush sidestepped any opportunity to mock himself.

“I was looking forward to doing a little poking myself but in light of this week’s tragedy at Virginia Tech, I decided not to be funny,” he said.

“It’s been really a whirlwind. I’ve just been trying to ride the wave and go one day at a time,” said Malakar, wearing a dark pinstriped suit and highlighted, loose curls.

The swooning fans made him “a little uncomfortable,” he admitted. But it’s attention he may have to get used to as he sets his sights on a future beyond music. “I want to go into acting or modeling, maybe Broadway,” said the former Idol, who thinks doing a hair commercial “Would be awesome!”

People