David Cook not rooting for White Guy With Guitar
He might have started the White Guy With Guitar (WGWG) trend on "American Idol," being the first of the last five AI winners who are male, Caucasian and strummed his way to the top.
But that doesn't mean David Cook is rooting for future hopefuls who fall in the same category.
And he can't be blamed for the ongoing trend that has denied the Idol crown from females and competitors of other ethnicities.
'The power to vote for someone else'
"I don't know. Its comes down to the voters and they have the power to vote someone else," said David when asked if he thinks the trend will continue into the next editions of the show.
The Season 7 winner of "American Idol" took time to talk to Filipino reporters via phone to promote his upcoming solo concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on July 14. Cook was in Manila a few years ago with the other David (Archuleta, of course), who lost to Cook.
Queried if he ever thought of rooting for the latest WGWG Phillip Phillips during the recently concluded AI Season, he noted, "I don't usually look for specifics. I'm watching the show to see amazing talents."
His take on Jessica Sanchez
He said of Jessica Sanchez: "It's good to see her progressing during the show. She really got that much talent."
Sanchez lost to Phillips just as Cook himself bested Archuleta in their 2008. Cook got 56 percent of the votes then, 12 million more than his guitar-less opponent.
After Idol, Cook's debut album went platinum. His follow-up CD, "This Loud Morning," was released last year.
Fond memories of first Manila visit
He recalled having so much fun when he first visited the Philippines. "When we came on stage and heard everybody singing with us, that was probably one of the grandest humble moments of my life. To receive that response after traveling halfway around the world makes this return of mine all the more exciting."
Some of Cook's hits are "The Time of My Life," "Come Back To Me," "Fade Into Me" and "Last Goodbye," which he co-wrote with One Republic's Ryan Tedder.
