Brace Yourselves, Ladies: Sanjaya. Is. Back!

American Idol also-ran exclusively dishes on life after watercooler fame

Where are they now? Why, right here at E!

With American Idol winding down, we continue our look back at past personalities from the show. Today's installment: Sanjaya Malakar, the coif-challenged former contestant with the power to reduce a little girl to tears.

Now, first thing's first...

...you'll be pleased to know that he's still rocking the 'do.

"I signed with a modeling agency in Seattle," Malakar tells E! News.

"I have been a spokesmodel in different ads, but I'm not necessarily an underwear model at this point," he said. "My body isn't quite there yet!"

A full three years removed from his Simon Cowell-barbed heyday, Malakar isn't relying on his looks alone to get him by—he's also enrolled in Seattle's performing arts-heavy Cornish College.

"It's fun," he says of his modeling extracurriculars. "I enjoy going out there and being able to have fun in front of a camera and capture moments."

Of course, not all moments deserve to be captured on tape (unicorn hairdos excepted). Take Malakar's recent need for speed, when he was slapped with a $411 ticket after getting caught pushing 110 mph on the freeway.

"I was irresponsible and I will never do it again," he says. "The only reason I was going that fast is because there was no one else on the road. It was bad luck and I was stupid, it may seem fun when you start, but it's really not worth it."

Though, rest assured, one measly ticket isn't going to rain on his post-Idol parade.

"With the notoriety and the exposure I got with Idol, there's been a lot of really good stuff that happens. But there is also a lot of stresses that happen, decisions you have to make."

Like which scrunchie to use on what days. Hey, not every also-ran gets to be Adam Lambert. It's a dog-eat-dog world. Dawg.