I'm a fan (and you should be too) because...I wasn't going to watch American Idol this season. I was disappointed when Chris Daughtry was voted off two years ago when he was clearly the most talented one on the show, wasn't into either Blake Lewis or Jordon Sparks (although I like them both better now than during season 6), so I had just about written American Idol off. I didn't watch much of the audition shows this season and only a few minutes of Hollywood week. But I watched the top 24 week and thought David Cook was really cute. I loved how comfortable he seemed on stage and his flirty little smiles when he sang Happy Together. Plus, who would pick Happy Together??? Who could take that song and make it into something current, fun, and interesting??? I had to know who he was, so top 20 week I tuned in again.

I have to tell you he blew me away with All Right Now. It was like being in a club watching a seasoned performer having a ball on stage. I loved it! From that moment I was hooked on Cook. Then Simon made his nasty little comment about "No Charisma" and I was so surprised because I thought David Cook was so sexy, talented, and likeable. I thought he had charisma in spades. When David kind of talked back to Simon, and was immediately sorry after Simon's reaction, I started to really root for him even more. First, he had the moxie to talk back and second he was smart enough to know immediatelyl it was not the wisest thing to do. So bold and wise. Not a bad combination. Plus, the guy could really sing and play guitar.

The next week was "Hello". Need I say more. When he snarled out "Or is someone loving you" and then caressed "Is it me you're looking for", I jumped up and down and said "Yes!!" Emphatically yes. I have been looking for you in seven seasons of American Idol.

I have never voted more than once a week during any of the previous seasons but beginning with the Top 16 week I voted for David Cook the full hour, getting in as many votes as I could with one phone line and the inability to text message votes on my Verizon phone. Every week he got better and better, more versatile, more personable, hotter. It was like watching him grow as a performer right before our eyes and he was pretty darn good to begin with. As the weeks went on, I got more and more invested. I voted the full two hours when the lines were open that long and the full four hours the final performance night and stayed up to encourage friends from Rocky Mountain time and Pacific time to do the same.

I loved his back stage stories. I loved his Word Nerd story. I loved his baby pictures and talking about his huge head. I am Irish. Big heads run in our family. I already felt related. I loved every little solo line he got in the group numbers and the fact that he was such a good sport about them, never missing a step. I loved the Ford music videos and that he was such a good sport about those. Billie Jean was probably the most amazing performance in seven years of Idol, but it was The World I Know that made me cry it was so beautiful.

Every time he laughed with Ryan Seacrest in interview, I found myself smiling. Every time he listened humbly to the praise from the judges, I found myself cheering. Every time he came on the stage, I found myself glued to the television. I love his voice. I love that it is manly. I love that it is gritty. I love that he can sing love songs and rock songs with equal skill. I love that he is close to his rather large and complex family. I love that he managed to support cancer research without exploiting the fact that his brother has cancer. I love that he can laugh at himself and the absurdity of all that has happened to him since Omaha. I love that he is dating who he wants to and is man enough to basically tell envious fans to get over it. I love that he is loyal to his friends from pre-idol. I love his lips. I love his eyes. I love the way he flirts with the camera and by extension flirts with us. I love the way he owns the stage when he performs in person. I love his big brother attitude towards Archie and that he included him in his winning moment the finale night. I love Mavid.

So, Why am I a fan? It is the voice, the personality, the looks, but at the core of it all it is the heart of the man that comes through in every thing he says and does. He is my American Idol and I am so proud to be his fan.