JB- I noticed during the American Idol group performance and also on the Canadian Idol performances notably the Cyndi Lauper show where you have a song, like on American Idol was "Nine to Five," Canadian Idol was "Time after Time." It's really interesting, because you have all these contestants who have different sounds trying to sing the same song and you almost think, 'It's just awkward.'

CD- Those types of shows also push people outside of their element, which they kind of do purposefully. I know what you mean when a straight-up rock singer would sing "Nine to Five," then obviously it would sound a little bit weird. But I think more than anything they're just trying to push it. That's kind of the machine of Idol. You gotta do what you gotta do, and the reward at the end of the road is definitely worth it.

JB- Would you ever do a cover of "Nine to five"?

CD- Laughs. Sure, it's an awesome song. I'd probably do an indie rock acoustic version of it.

JB- I'm going to put you on the spot. Give me a few lines of the song.

CD- I don't even know. Hmm. I'm trying to think of the best arrangement for you, because I've done covers of "Crabuckkit" by k-os. I do a lot of "Billie Jean," a lot of Michael Jackson. I can't even remember the words to that song. I just heard it last night and I was slightly grooving out to it. Start me off and maybe I'll get it. How does the verse melody go?

JB- "Tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen. Pour myself a cup of ambition…" C'mon, Chad.

CD- (singing) "Workin' nine-to-five. What a way to make a livin.' Barely gettin' by. It's all takin' and no givin'. They just use your mind." I kind of forgot it. Not bad. (laughing)

JB- I'll call Dolly.

CD- Get the publishing rights for that, eh?

JB- We're going to pay for that one I'm sure.

JB- Every season I've covered there's always talk between contestants of either forming a group, obviously not the winner, but the people forming the group once the show is over. Did that happen with anybody on your season?

CD- Not that I'm aware of. I mean, I'm still really good friends with them. I actually am roommates with Brandon Jones, the guy who finished eighth. So we're both living up here in Toronto. I dated Eva (Avila) for a little while, and I'm really good friends with Tyler. Me and Tyler discussed possibly doing stuff together. Everybody wants to take their own path after Idol, I think. I know past seasons there was that group - three of the girls from season three, I think it was.

JB- And they've done well, hey?

CD- I'm not positive, but they're nice girls. They're really nice girls. But I mean, it's one way to go about it. I personally wouldn't want to put that on anyone else's shoulders. If I completely flop and people hate my music I wouldn't want to put that on anyone else. I want that to be all on my shoulders, and if I choose to improve it it's all under my control. If people love it definitely I want to be the person responsible for that.

JB- So now then on about American Idol. What do you think of the contestants this season? Because it seems like the judges and critics have been ranting and raving that this year's contestants are the best of the bunch so far. What do you think?

CD- I've been fairly impressed. I think David Cook's amazing. I'm going to be a little bit biased because I'm a little bit of a rockhead as well. I mean, just as far as his creativity and what he does with all these songs. Even that song by Dolly Parton. He made it cool. That's pretty awesome. I think he's great and he personally has my vote to win. David Archuleta is really good and he's really good for this show.

JB- Do you think you look like David Archuleta? We had that discussion this morning in our production meeting. There's mention that you look like David Archuleta? Yes? No? Probably not any more.

CD- Definitely not now. Maybe during my Idol days, a bit. He's a little more happy. He's always smiling, so I don't know if I was quite that . . .

JB- Well, now wait a second. You had that big smile, though. Wait a second, Mr. grown-up. You had quite the big smile.

CD- Did I?

JB- (Editor) Bonnie Winters didn't have the right picture of the blond thing, but we did see the smiling pictures.

CD- I am a happy guy, so I wouldn't put it past me. I was probably pretty happy to be on television.

JB- You do the whole sort of rock thing. Was it just me or was Amanda on American Idol quite scary?

CD- Amanda? The one that got voted off a couple weeks ago? Yeah, she was pretty intimidating. I personally didn't mind her vocally, but she was a little scary. It was a little weird to watch, but I personally would have chosen her to go a little further than some of the people that are still on. But I mean, that's the way that Idol goes. You never really know who to expect to get eliminated. But she was a little over the top for me, but I think she was being very, like, straight up who she is, though. She looked the part. She didn't look like she was a faker at all. She was always good.

JB- Would you be frightened if you're in the hospital and all of a sudden she's your nurse?

CD- I didn't know she was a nurse. Yeah, that'd be a little awkward. Hopefully I'd have some pills and I'd already be out.

JB- Well, it's a good thing that we're in Canada.

CD- (laughing)

JB- Now when you were on Canadian Idol you were mentored by some pretty big names. We were talking about Cyndi Lauper. In the United States they had Dolly (Parton) a few weeks ago. Who do you think was the most influential to you?

CD- Most influential? Actually, part of it happened afterward. We had Roger Hodgson and Dennis DeYoung during Idol. It was actually on my birthday when we had our workshops with them, which was pretty cool. But so I worked with Roger Hodgson and after Idol he was doing a show back in Nova Scotia and he asked me to come along with him and to do a couple songs with him on stage. So I did about three songs with him, just doing different parts. I actually got to spend the whole day with him and we rehearsed, and he told me stories and he gave me words of wisdom. It was really, really cool. The whole time I wasn't thinking about who he was. He just felt like this really nice down-to-earth guy who just wanted to help someone try to come up in the business. He's probably done the most for me as far as just what I've learned.

JB- Well, that's cool. Did you ever go grocery shopping with him?

CD- I did not. I could've showed him a thing or two, I'm sure.

JB- What do you think he buys?

CD- I think he's a pretty organic-type guy. He seems like he's a very roots-y, down-to-earth guy, but also with his eating type thing. I'd say maybe the organic vegetables. He might even be a vegetarian for all I know. I'm not sure. Maybe some fish, if anything.

JB- If you could slip one thing into his cart that you know that he would just definitely not eat, what would it be?

CD- Something really fattening, because he's probably in really good shape. I'd say, like, hmm . . . what would be the worst thing? Probably like a bag of chips. I bet he doesn't eat many . . . a thing of Pringles. Someone told me that chips are probably the second-worst food. They're behind doughnuts.

JB- There are doughnuts behind me right now. Do you think that he would eat a Delissio, though?

CD- Probably the vegetarian one, I'd say. But I think I'd eat it. We'd have to get two.

JB- Can you eat one of those whole pizzas by yourself?

CD- For sure. Who couldn't? Even the people who choose not to, they could.