There's a certain level of pageantry with 'Idol,' and in order to work the show, you kind of have to feed into it.

I'm not scared at all... Of the cracks in the crystal ball.

We don't have a lot of men on stage doing flamboyant or theatrical. We have a lot of female pop stars doing it, but where are the guys? Where's the classic pop-rock showman?

When I was kid, I remember playing 'Vogue' by Madonna over and over and over again. And ah, you know, something about the beat was really cool, and Madonna, visually, was on TV all the time and I thought she was just so beautiful.

There's no regrets for me.

I wanted the focus to be on my ability as a singer and as an entertainer - not on my private life.

My mother was always supportive.