Let me start by saying that I wasn't one of the "as soon as I saw him I knew he was the one to win it all" fans. In fact, at first, believe it or not, I didn't really like him! You see, Bon Jovi is one of my all-time favorite bands. I had the sort of "nobody can sing Bon Jovi except Bon Jovi" mentality upon first seeing his audition in Omaha. Consequently, I had an apathetic attitude towards David's success all through Hollywood Week and the semis (yes, believe it or not, he did not "have me at 'Hello'"...I don't know how that heck of a performance slipped under the radar for me, since it's one of my absolute favorite performances from him now, but...let’s just say that the mind works in mysterious ways…hey! Like the U2 song! Like ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’! Alas, another sign of obsession…you can relate anything and everything to the object of the obsession. ) Top 12 week was the first time that I really noticed him. I bought his rocked-out 'Eleanor Rigby' from iTunes, my first David purchase. The more I listened to it, the more I liked his voice--but, Jason Castro and Brooke White were still my favorites. I knew that he was very talented when he sang 'Billie Jean', and finally, Top 9 week, I conceded that David Cook may have been becoming my favorite (as per the archives on another forum that I post on. ) The rest, as they say, is history.

So now you know the root reason for my original interest in David...his performance of 'Eleanor Rigby'. However, there are other musicians I like as well. A repertoire of insanely good songs had never made me an obsessed fan before, so why should David be any different? Well, the fact is, David isn't just another musician. There are plenty of rotten apples out there in the limelight...I don't think that I need to list them for you. One of the most potent things that made me a fan of David's was my perception that he wouldn't degrade into your average selfish, drunk-driving, self-absorbed, megalomaniac celebrity--that he wouldn't be just a "name or a face in the crowd," even among other celebrities. I've always been a fan of celebrities like Bono who make a pronounced effort to use their fame for good causes, and I saw that aspect in David Cook with everything from the "Give Back" on his hand to dealing with his brother's illness to supporting Luke Menard to wearing the orange bracelet for Lindsey Rose. With all the money that celebrities make nowadays, their community as a whole has the potential to do all kinds of things for humanity. Sadly, though many celebrities do participate in humanitarian efforts, there are plenty of other celebrities who do nothing but party and count their millions a la Mr. Scrooge. The fact that David is looking forward to doing charity work proves that he will not just be adding more scum to the celebrity pond...and is a testament to his credibility as an admirable celebrity.

Speaking of things that are sorely lacking in the microcosm of Hollywood...intelligence. We've all seen the videos of certain celebrities making fools of themselves...we all know that Chicken of the Sea isn't really chicken, right? As you've probably already noticed, I tend to be a bit of a 'word nerd' myself. Hence, my appreciation for people who know how to express themselves articulately...to put it bluntly, stupid people bug me if they have the means to act intelligently and they choose not to. He's an excellent interviewee, and can even speak well under stress and sleep deprivation. He does crosswords for fun, for goodness sakes! Though we may have heard that he didn't necessarily "apply" himself in school, it's obvious that he's just one of those people who has a natural intelligence...and hey, if he had given his all into his schooling, he might not be where he is, musically, today. I'm sure that he isn't regretting that too much now. Which brings me to my next point...it's all about the music!

For some years now, I've been disillusioned by the current music scene. Being a teenager, it's tough to avoid all the fluffy, superficial, heavily processed, glossed-over music that dominates the airwaves and my peers' iPods. I've always appreciated older music...Bon Jovi, Queen, Aerosmith, The Beatles, many 80's acts...as opposed to the hip-hop poppy stuff (some of which I absolutely refuse to acknowledge as music) that is popular right now. I like ROCK music. That's what I want to hear when I turn on the radio. This also accounts for the reason why I though David Archuleta had it in the bag until the middle of Season 7...people like pop and R&B. It is promising that, instead of going for the obviously marketable choice, people chose to vote for DC. (Nothing but the best to Archie, by the way...just not exactly my cup of tea. He's grown a lot on me since the season ended, and his talent is undeniable. ) Gives me some hope for the future of popular music. David dared to be different on the show, and it payed off...he managed to pull off every song that he attempted, garnering more and more fans every week. I also love the fact that he's not just a singer...he's an artist--a musician, a songwriter, an arranger, a performer, AND a kick-butt singer. From musical theater to hard rock, he can sing it all...and every genre he's experimented in seems to fit him to a T. He can emote, and he hits every note, so he's got my vote! (Note to self: rhyming = NO.) I love his pre-Idol music, and I can't wait to hear more. He can do no wrong, musically, in my book.

All in all, David's got the whole package. He's a genuinely nice person, he's intelligent, he's got immense talent and musicality...and, though I tend not to dote on celebrities, or really anybody, for that matter, I will concede that he's not bad to look at. He gives an AWESOME live performance (though, unfortunately, I can't even remember the Idol concert clearly...I don't know if it was because I was too focused on taking pictures or if I was just kind of overwhelmed...well, I suppose there's always the solo tour...as long as it's on a weekend...ack, too early to think about that now), has a natural charisma on the stage, and knows how to keep true to himself. He's not in it for the fame and fortune, unlike so many other celebrities...he's truly devoted to his craft and, in my opinion, that makes for a better recording artist. A lot of people can relate to him, myself included, and he just seems so...normal, especially for a celebrity. All of these aspects combine to form the one and only David Cook...a genius among imbeciles, a brilliant star in a dark void, a Mozart among Paris Hiltons...oh...um...well, dramatics aside, I guess you get the point.

Oh, and by the way...David's performance of 'Livin' on a Prayer' at Taste for a Cure is one of my absolute favorites from him...just goes to show what can happen with three-odd months and an abundance of talent.