A walk and talk with Blake Lewis

LOS ANGELES - A new car for mom. Maybe a Mac or acoustic guitar for himself. And he's not yet quite sure what he'll buy dad.

Win or lose tonight Blake Lewis should be signing a recording contract any minute now. So Tuesday evening, after singing for millions on "American Idol," he told The Seattle Times some of the things that might be on his initial shopping list post-significant first paycheck.

He spoke as he was escorted from one hotel press interview room into an elevator and into the Kodak Theater next door, "American Idol" entourage firmly in tow.

How grinding is it being an "American Idol" finalist?

Tuesday Lewis fielded some 50 media interviews back to back, without even a minute to sit down and eat a slice from California Pizza Kitchen. The pizza trailed Blake as well.

"Sleep? What sleep?" Blake laughed. (It's a young person's game.)

Any worries about faux "friends" suddenly trying to snag a part of him: Nah. "I don't hang out with fronters or haters. I have amazing friends."

And on Simon Cowell finally admitting how wrong he was, having described the singing talent during the Seattle auditions "atrocious."

"Hah."

Florangela Davila: fdavila@seattletimes.com