The New American Idol, Lee DeWyze

Soon after Lee DeWyze won the title of American Idol, he opened up on a press call. The Mount Prospect, Illinois native talked about his new album, meeting other Idols, and more.

Lee never compromised who he was throughout the grueling competition. “Whether it is on the show or on camera or off the camera, I stay true to myself,” Lee stated.

“I really wanted my experience on the show to be about me and my performing and my music. I think I can connect with an audience because I know what it's like to be on the other side of it and I really remember all of that. I know what it's like to be starting, trying to do something and have a goal and trying to reach it…For me, it's just about that moment when I was up there and I put my emotions in every song. I connect with every song, as best I can, and the audience.”

The winner signed a deal with 19 Recordings/RCA Records, and is beginning to think about his album. Lee said, “I'm really looking forward to the new album I'll be making now…I'm about being as original as I can and to stay true to myself. This experience has given me a platform. It's really on a major scale, making an unbelievable album. That's really what I'm looking forward to right now…I get to take time on it. The show is interesting because you go each week and you have a song, and you're given this much amount of time. I'm the kind of person that when I'm on stage I like to build up to something. But, you know, we get a minute and a half and that's the game. That was the challenging part of it all. So, for me, I'm just excited to get on the big stage and really put on a performance, put on a show without time limits, without judging and going through the process that I did really helped because those are like the scariest conditions to be under, being judged by people in front of national television. It's a rough thing to do. But I'm psyched to make a new album, and I'm really looking forward to it.”

Throughout his run on the show and at the finale, Lee was able to talk to some of the past American Idol Finalists and he said, “They've been really amazing. Like, Adam Lambert was awesome on the show because he's a real genuine guy. He's original and I like him. He's got a good attitude and everything. I think he's real and he says it how it is. I like that about him. I got to talk to David Cook a little bit. He's one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met in my life. I've noticed a trend throughout all the Idols – that they're very genuine people and they all know what it's like to be on the other side of it, like where I was at. I got to talk to Kris Allen, Ruben, I actually saw Carrie for a little bit at the Idol party. She was so supportive…I just look to them for inspiration. They've been through the same process and they've been able to make their marks on music the same way I want to make my mark on music. So, talking was really helpful because it kind of gave you the sense of direction and how it's all going to go from here. So to see that they've been successful is really awesome. I met Chris Daughtry too and he is just a cool guy. Again, just down-to-earth and original and I can relate to that. So I'm just looking forward to working with all these guys and talking to them and hopefully forming some cool relationships.”

What’s next for the American Idol? The American Idols LIVE! 2010 Tour, of course! “I'm going to be doing the tour and also recording at the same time, which is going to be intense but it's going to be fun. The fans, not just at home – everywhere – they've been just so awesome and if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here….I’ll be all over the place. I'm definitely going to make my rounds in Chicago as often and as much as I can.”

I'm very appreciative of this whole experience and American Idol and what it's done for me and what opportunities it's given me. Thank you to my fans that voted, fans of the show, my friends, my family, the production staff on American Idol, all the people at 19 that have been helping me and the people that were behind the scenes – no one that I would ever get to see and meet. It's just that they have done so much that the producers, the production and everybody, and to Crystal, because it could have been her up there. It could have been either one of us and she is just an amazing person, an amazing mom, a great artist. I know she'll be successful and I wish her the best and all the other contestants on the show. I'm really close to all of them. I really hope the best for all of them and I know they hope the best for me. The tour's going to be fun. Thank you to everybody…I appreciate it.”

Catch Lee as he headlines the American Idol tour all summer long. Click here for dates, venues, and links to buy tickets.

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Top 10 American Idol Fansites

If you listen to the doomsayers and the Nielsen reports, American Idol is circling the drain. It may still handily win the night when it’s on and end-of-year reports always have it at the top of the rankings, but it can’t be denied viewership has dropped for several years. However, while there may be fewer people tuning in, those who do are as passionate about the show as they were when Kelly Clarkson won the hearts of America or watercoolers buzzed with the Clay vs. Ruben debate. These passionate, opinionated, and creative devotees can be found at one or more of these top 10 American Idol fansites.

10. David-Cook.org: Last year’s winner has a plethora of fansites devoted to him but none are as eye-catching and thorough as David-Cook.org, which bills itself as the official fansite for David Cook . With its grungy, dark blue-accented design, it appeals to the “rawker” side in all the fans who propelled Cook to the winner’s stage. The forums are the meat and potatoes of the site, offering fans an active, organized and well-moderated place to post their thoughts on Cook, American Idol, and many other topics. David-Cook.org also offers an extensive multimedia collection, most notably their large photo gallery, as well as sections for fan fiction, polls, and a charity and volunteer drive. David Cook would be proud of what this site and his dedicated fans have accomplished in his honor.

9. Masterclass Lady: Masterclass Lady, aka Rosanne Simunovic, is a singer, pianist and vocal coach who offers a unique and experienced take on the performances we watch. Her commentary on vocal technique may not be as succinct as Randy Jackson’s “that was a little pitchy, dawg” but her site is the place fans visit when they want to learn exactly why a singer blew them away or made them want to cover their ears. Masterclass Lady is a must-visit for any Idol fan wanting to experience the show on a deeper level.

8. Television Without Pity: TWOP prides itself on its hypercritical snark and it truly holds no punches when discussing the contestants and powers that be involved in American Idol. The recaps and forums are not for the faint of heart but beneath the sarcasm and pitiless commentary lies thoughtful analysis on what makes the Idol machine tick.

7. DialIdol.com: The wait between the Tuesday performance episode and the Wednesday elimination episode can be maddening. Dial Idol makes the wait a little easier with its weekly prediction of who will be going home, based on those who use their dialing software. The sample data is limited since it relies on those who still use a dial-up internet connection but Dial Idol has accurately predicted every winner since it began measuring call data and it had a 97% overall success rate in season 7.

6. What Not To Sing: WNTS is an exhaustive catalogue of American Idol data, including but not limited to contestants, songs, artists, episodes, and themes. It also provides news, rankings, and collects reviews and analysis in order to advise future contestants on what to sing or not to sing based on what has or hasn’t worked for past contestants. A statistics geek could happily spend hours browsing this thorough site, even if they’re not an American Idol fan.

5. Rickey.org: Every Idol fan worth his or her salt knows that if an episode is missed, Rickey’s blog is the place to go for high quality video and audio clips that go up seemingly as soon as they’re first aired on FOX. Rickey also provides an arena for good-natured battles between fans of different contestants. You haven’t lived through Idol fandom until you’ve seen the David Cook Word Nerds and David Archuleta Archey Angels throw down.

4. Vote For The Worst: The denizens at VFTW would probably vehemently deny that they’re a fansite but even an investment of negative energy demonstrates how much VFTWers care about American Idol. Dedicated to thwarting the perceived desires of Idol’s producers, they organize mass voting for those contestants who they feel would provide the highest entertainment factor for them and highest annoyance factor for the average Idol viewer. It’s hard to say for sure how much impact VFTW has had, although they claim season 5 winner Taylor Hicks as one of their successes. They take a tongue-in-cheek approach to the whole Idol madness and are always a fun place to visit for any fan who doesn’t take the show very seriously.

3. MJ’s Big Blog: Don’t let MJ’s simple, low key design fool you; this site is jam-packed with news, reviews, spoilers, pictures, videos, appearances, and chart information about the show and every contestant past and present. It should be a daily visit for every American Idol fan even during the off season, and when Idol’s on the air the chat and blog comments are the place to be. MJ’s Big Blog would be at the top of this list except the server frequently goes down on spoiler days (usually Tuesday afternoon right after the performance dress rehearsals) during the height of the season, frustrating many devoted fans.

2. IdolForums.com: IDF is a direct reflection of the size and passion of the Idol fanbase. As of the time this article was written, it boasted over 85,000 members and 18 million posts. The forums may be enormous but their user-friendly organization, simple registration process, customizable features, and helpful and welcoming members keep them from being intimidating. And unlike many other Idol fan forums, this one doesn’t grind to a halt during the off season. Their forums dedicated to Idol favorites and other shows that appeal to their membership keep IDF an active place all year long.

1. AmericanIdol.com: No list of top American Idol fansites would be complete without including the official site, and this superb one deserves to be at the top. It offers contestant information, behind-the-scenes exclusives, episode clips, photos, games, polls, contests, mobile content for AT&T wireless users, a store, and an active and fun social network that allows enthusiastic fans to post blogs and interact with each other on groups and discussion forums.

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CSI Recap: A Space Oddity (Episode 920)

Ever since Grissom left CSI has ceased being must-see television for me. However, I would shift my devotion in a heartbeat to a CSI: Lab Techs spin-off. One episode focusing on the lab rats each season is simply not enough.

Episode Summary

The geeks have gathered at WhatIfItCon but one exhibitor isn’t having a good time. Jonathan Danson, who was there to unveil his reboot of the classic and beloved Star Astro Trek Quest is found murdered.

Soon the red shirts herrings start piling up. His co-producer, who gets all the rights with Danson dead, has a motive. It’s doubly so when the CSIs learn that Danson was sleeping with her and recording it, along with a bevy of other geek girls at each convention where he appeared. Danson also infuriated and alienated (hee) a lot of congoers with his bleak, dystopian take on the unabashedly campy Astro Quest. Then there’s the bartender who had an altercation with Danson after Danson harrassed a female congoer.

Eventually the investigators find Danson’s hidden sex camera, which reveals his murderer. It’s Dr. Penelope Russell, a sociologist in pop culture and media studies who was filming Danson’s presentation for a documentary. In interrogation, she tells Brass that Danson took her class years ago, where she outlined a deconstruction of Astro Quest. Danson stole all of her ideas for his reboot and dismissed Russell when she confronted him on it. Enraged, she attacked and killed him.

Meanwhile, Hodges and Wendy bond over their shared love of Astro Quest. They’re surprised to see each other at the convention and are the ones to call in Danson’s murder to the lab. While assisting with the investigation, Hodges fantasizes about advancing his relationship with Wendy, in scenarios lifted right from his favorite Astro Quest episodes. He even asks Catherine about the lab procedures for a “hypothetical” relationship between two co-workers.

It looks like he’s got a shot, because Wendy asks him over to her place for an Astro Quest marathon, but he blows it in inimitable Hodges fashion. Despite Wendy’s obvious interest, he gives up on the dream for now ostensibly because his crush is affecting his work, but really because he’s afraid of being rejected.

At the end of the episode, Wendy translates something Hodges said to her in an alien language and is stunned to discover he said, “We were made for each other.” She has her own Astro Quest fantasy about Hodges, with the bittersweet ending that this is not the right time for them.

High Points

EVERYTHING.

Fine, I’ll be more specific. First, the nods to both Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica were hilarious and affectionately mocking. There was also the parade of BSG cameos, from Kate Vernon as Dr. Russell, to Grace Park making an awesome WTF? face at Danson’s presentation, to Ronald D. Moore popping up to yell, “You suck!” at that same presentation. Danson’s reboot got about the same reaction as Moore’s BSG reboot did when it was first presented to a group of original BSG fans, which made the cameo funny on several levels.

SuperDave’s running “I’m a _____, not a _____, dammit!” jokes and Doc Robbins putting the Astro Quest version of a Vulcan nerve pinch had me in stitches.

Nick’s skepticism turning to grudging respect of Astro Quest and its fan culture were nicely done. I particularly loved how he organized a lab viewing party with Riley and Langston, who revealed his secret geekiness at the end.

The cold open with Hodges calling Brass to tell him about the murder was brilliant. I don’t know what made me laugh harder - Brass’ “Who?” or Hodges admitting he cloned Grissom’s phone or Hodges’ “He’s dead, Jim!”

Hodges’ Astro Quest fantasies could easily have come across as creepy. They were charming because of Wallace Langham’s lovely performance, which allowed for Hodges’ physical objectification of Wendy but also captured Hodges’ respect and emotional yearning for her. Langham has always been deft at showing Hodges’ humanity beneath all the bluster and social awkwardness. But credit also goes to Liz Vassey, who kept up with Langham in all their scenes. She manages to make Wendy both whimsical and no-nonsense, which can’t be easy to do. The Hodges/Wendy pairing works so well because of both actors’ skills and their chemistry together.

Low Points

Absolutely nothing. I don’t have a single critical word to say about this episode. Except, as I mentioned at the top of the recap, that there is only one episode like this each season.

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