While Jason didn’t make it all the way to the end (and David Cook did? WTF?), Idol wasn’t the end of the road for this songster (I think I just made that word up…). Jason’s spent the last two years working on his own music and is finally releasing his self-titled debut album tomorrow (Tuesday, April 13th)! Lucky for me, I got a little preview.

The album is poppy yet soulful, upbeat yet heartwarming. It’s perfect for background music while you’re studying, or giving you some much needed energy at the gym. It’s exactly what you’d expect from Jason Castro (like that sexy voice) and so much more. And if finally having new music from my favorite Idol wasn’t awesome enough, I also got the chance to have a little chat with the dreamboat behind the music. What’s his secret? Girl’s jeans.

The 5 Questions We Ask Everybody:

1. What’s your favorite college memory/most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
The most trouble I’ve gotten into…wow, I really don’t think I can say that here. Yeah, I’d rather not say the most trouble I’ve gotten into. (Laughs.) In college especially. (Laughs again.)

Yeah, I know how that goes. What about when you were a kid?
I was a pretty good kid; I don’t know. I got in trouble a lot – I was always in the principal’s office.  But I was a good kid and the principal loved me. You know, I wasn’t trying to be bad I just had too much energy going on there and that’s still true today at times. Though I’ve mellowed out a little.

2. What are five things you cannot live without?
Well, I think I could just pull it off with one: if I just had a laptop and Internet. That is one thing I couldn’t live without. Probably my Kindle. I really love to read so as long as I can have books I could learn anything I ever needed to know.  Let’s see, you know it would be nice to have a bed. And I really couldn’t live without my family, especially with what I do – traveling all the time.  If I didn’t have somebody that was stable and solid I think I would be a very lonely person. Hmmmm, what else? Probably these jeans that I’m wearing.

Actually, these are a college memory! I got these jeans at the end of my freshman year in this big room where [everyone was] throwing stuff out that they didn’t want to take home. I went and looked through the junk and there were these jeans. I thought they looked awesome so I tried them on – perfect fit! It was like meant to be. But they were girl jeans – first pair I ever got. 

3. What is your motto/advice you live by?
You know it would have to be something that Jesus said. There’s always good ones but something like, “do unto others like you would like done unto you.”  Something like that is a good one to live by.

4. What is your favorite song to belt out at the bar/car/karaoke?
I’m too shy for karaoke (Editor’s Note: WHAT?! How is that possible??) but I will definitely try to sing in the car. Probably something Journey-esque, like ‘Don’t Stop Believin’.’

5. Ten years from now you will be…
I will be most likely be on the road – 85% chance. Hopefully I’ll be in a bus by then (right now we’re in a van). I’ll probably have a kid or two running around.

5 Questions Just for Jason Castro

1. If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted, what would it be?
Oh that’s a good one. I think I’d go camping or something, or ride dirt bikes. Do a bunch of motor vehicle things. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but never done.

2. What did you like best/worst about competing on American Idol?
Best? I mean we did unreal things. Flying on private jets, it was all just so unreal. Being on live TV was awesome; that was an experience of its own. The worst thing? There really isn’t a bad thing. Maybe not getting a whole lot of sleep one night. That would be as bad as it got. Otherwise we were fed well… I have no complaints.

3. What did you learn about yourself by going through the American Idol process?
You know I think the biggest thing was I realized I could actually do this. Before then, I had barely been singing about a year -I only sang in public like five times and I tried out really unsure of myself. As each week went by it was more clear: this is what I’m supposed to do. It’s really what I took away from it, the confidence I needed to do this.

4. Who is your favorite American Idol contestant ever?
My favorite idol contestant would have to be me. (Laughs.)

5. What we expect from your new album Let’s Just Fall in Love Again?
This is a continuation of what was started there [on American Idol] and that’s a little bit of what I like to do. And it’s really getting to know me a little better. I have some songs that are a little more personal to me, but you know, translate to everybody. That’s the beautiful thing about music. As far as the sound, it is very much a continuation of what was going on Idol. It’s all led by the acoustic guitar. Some people may be surprised by some of the more upbeat songs, but we have the intimate goodies like Hallelujah, too.

Bonus: How long does it take you to get your locks perfect?
Actually, there’s not too much of a process. You can actually look it up on dreadheadhq.com.  It’s kind of like a teasing process – you just back comb it. And then you just kind of leave it, wax it. [During the] first six months you have to take care of it, but after that it is pretty much maintenance free. I haven’t done anything to it in years.

Don’t get me wrong, I used to be the biggest A.C. Slater fan ever. My 8-year-old self was madly in love with his chiseled abs, buff arms, and trouble-making personality. I never did understand what he saw in that goody-two-shoes, Jessie Spano. I knew he could do better than her. People magazine agreed. Mario Lopez has been named People Magazine’s Hottest Bachelor of 2008.

People got a few things horribly wrong on their list. It is obvious that someone (or everyone) in the office was on the hippie hash when this list was being made. I mean, what ever happened to the good old days of George Clooney and Justin Timberlake? Not on the list this year. No, my friends. 2008′s list included these people:

Mario Lopez: Really though, what is the guy doing? Sure, he hosts Extra and I think he’s recently come out with some sort of workout videos, but has he ever reached the star-power he had as a member of the Saved By the Bell cast? Is he even good at anything besides showing off his muscles? I think he’s paying somebody off…with really good weed.

Bryan Spears: What? Britney has a brother? And he’s sexy and single? Um, fabulous. But you know what? I think I’ll stay as far away from this family as possible. I don’t care how sexy you are, Bryan Spears, your sister is still a trainwreck and would probably try beating me with an umbrella if I dated you. Not to mention, we’d probably be stuck babysitting for Sean Preston and James Jayden constantly.

Bret Michaels: Seriously, I’m speechless here. Do women still think this man is sexy? And furthermore, how is he still single after all those girlfriend-searching reality shows he’s been a part of? In the People article, he claims his long hair helps him get the girls. Right Bret, it’s working out so well for you; you have to appear on multiple reality shows to find the trashy woman of your dreams. Rock on.

But, People got a few things right when they were choosing their sexy bachelors. The top 3 bachelors People chose after they came down from their drug high (and ate all the chips in the office):

David Cook: I like this one because he’s not the conventionally sexy guy. But he does something that makes him extremely sexy (as opposed to Mario Lopez…which is, oh, nothing). David Cook’s awesome voice and extreme modesty made me swoon after him week after week on American Idol, and clearly I’m not the only one. This man will not be single for long.

Adam Levine: Oh Adam, it’s about time people started to recognize you for the pure sex that you are. Too often overlooked, the Maroon 5 frontman knows how to move his hips in a way that no one else can. Adam, If I Never See Your Face Again, it will be a sad, sad day. But if I never get to see the rest of your luscious body, life might not even be worth living.

The Gossip Guys: Featuring, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, and Pen Badgley. If I’m going to be completely honest, I have to admit that I’ve never even seen the show. But I know a sexy man when I see a sexy man, and these guys are it. And with all these hotties in one TV show, I might just have to start watching.

[All images from People.com]

Gossip Girl: I’m proud of the writers of this show for making some sort of reasonable denouement to the ridiculous things they put their characters through this season: Georgina got conveniently sent off to a reform school, everyone broke up, and they not-so-subtly planted the seeds for new couples.

I spent the hour deciding who I would rather want to be: Blair or Vanessa. Once Blair got on the plane with a smoking hot corporate flacky, my doubts were crushed.

How I Met Your Mother: Was anyone else a little disappointed by this episode? I mean, come on people, it’s the season finale, and I laughed out loud maybe twice. Proposal blah blah blah, car accident, whatever. The only thing that made me happy was Barney’s epiphany in full body cast. Robin and Barney as a couple would be the best combination ever.

American Idol: Some guy named David Cook won. Good for him. I didn’t watch a minute of this season, other than the clips of Andrew Lloyd Webber creepily coaching the male contestants.

So You Think You Can Dance: I’m so glad my favorite summer show has taken the void left after The Office ended. However, the audition episodes are my least favorite part of the whole thing. The only person that really wowed me last night was this guy. HOLY CRAP. Is he even human?

Ugly Betty: Another season finale. Jeez. Once again, not super impressed. I think I’m going to stop watching this show soon, it’s just getting repetitive and boring. I loved the Naomi Campbell jabs though, and the gayest softball game ever. Wonder if those people actually worked at Elle? Or maybe I just want the sad people in publishing to get their fifteen minutes of glory.

Grey’s Anatomy: Sometimes I think Grey’s Anatomy is ridiculous and over-dramatic and tedious. However, last night I was mollified into watching by a friend. And while the concrete storyline was SO far-fetched, I cried like a little baby when those two teenagers were saying goodbye to each other. That was some good writing right there.

Thoughts about last week’s season finales? Leave ‘em below. And stay tuned next week for a preview of the summer TV schedule.

That said, this season has seen the best talent I have ever seen. Brooke, Jason, and Carly would have been just as deserving of the title. I am so pumped about this season’s show that, as a girl from Hawaii, I am very tempted to fly over to California this summer to check out the American Idol Top 10 Tour.

I can’t wait for Cook’s album and hope that the producers give him space to be just as original as he’s been all season. (Who would have thought this rocker could pull off Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” within six weeks?) Don’t get me wrong, Archuleta is an extremely gifted 17 year old, but America should usher in this summer with a major celebration for getting it right this year!

David Cook, congratulations!!! You rock!

If you were “lucky” enough to catch Tuesday’s American Idol, you know there was an epic performance given by America’s little country belle, Kristy Lee Cook.

Her song choice? GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Please, gag me. I’m all about “America” and whatnot but watching Cook’s whole blonde-cowgirl-in-Acrylic-nailed glory act, complete with cowboy boots and that sparkly All American Girl look, I would have bet a million dollars that the government paid her to do it.

Apparently, the girl isn’t as stupid as she looks, cuz now has every Republican and Religious Righty is gonna be eating sugar from the palm of her hand while wearing their cross necklaces and Nascar t-shirts. Amen.

Cheesy American flag graphics were splattered behind her like a bad Up With People set design (speaking of Up With People, how about little David Archuleta’s performance? I believe there’s also a spot open in Menudo that he could take), and the whole vibe was so bombastic I almost went blind.

The performance was just a pure syrup spectacle, completely overshadowing the fact that there were some great performances. David Cook and Syesha Mercado, the only two REAL talented people, seem to always be thrown aside in favor of bland, boring character “fillers”.

The only thing that would have made Kristy’s crazy performance a wee bit better would have been if she put her Favorite Quote (as listed on the American Idol website) on a t-shirt and worn it proudly, with a Stetson cowboy hat. The Quote: “Rope it, ride it, wrestle it, cowgirl it.”

YEEHAW.

Onto The Bachelor. Which actually, isn’t that much different from American Idol this season since everyone seems to be some type of musician.

Talented chicks must turn him on, I guess.

However, singing a song YOU WROTE for him after knowing him amongst 15 other women for what I’m assuming is less than a week….that a bit creepy. I second the creepy statement when it comes to FLUTE PLAYING. Since when is this f*cking Star Search, girls? That shit went out with the bad hair of the early 90′s.

Get tipsy and and make “bedroom eyes” at your Bachelor like you’re supposed to. Don’t play Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” while sitting on his lap. I want to see faux love flourish — not some twisted “Survivor” where everyone is competing through a series of artistic endeavors while wearing tacky evening wear. Dear GAWD.

And in closing, who was the producer who chose the girl who said (after she didn’t receive “a rose”) she was looking forward to seeing her cat when she gets home — since she’s the love of her life at the moment?!

I believe the quote went something like…”It’ll be great to have her purr again.“

There are so many levels of weird to that statement, I’m not even gonna try.