'American Idol': Lee DeWyze, Nigel Lythgoe Feud Heats Up

8:26 PM PDT 5/26/2011 by Kimberly Nordyke, Shirley Halperin

0
0
0
0
0
Email
Print
Comments

After the producer tweets he's "upset" DeWyze wouldn't take part in the finale, the singer fires back that he wasn't asked to be involved until just moments before Scotty McCreery was named the winner.

Getty Images

Lee DeWyze, left, and Nigel Lythgoe

Seems there was actually more drama happening off the stage at American Idol's finale Wednesday night.

After the taping of the show -- which saw Scotty McCreery crowned the Season 10 champ -- executive producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted that he wasn't happy with last season's winner, Lee DeWyze.

"I was so upset Lee DeWyze wouldn't present the winners trophy to Scotty," he wrote. "Especially as he'd been on the show this season. I guess he was shy."

But DeWyze on Thursday claimed that he wasn't asked to be a part of the finale until moments before the winner was announced.

VIDEO: 'American Idol' Finale: The 10 Best Performances

"I was not asked to be involved in the finale," he tweeted. "It wasn't until about two minutes before they announced that Nigel had approached me and asked if he could 'borrow' me for a second. I didn't feel a last-second jump on stage was appropriate. It was Scotty's moment." Incidentally, Lythgoe wasn't involved with the show during DeWyze's season. He took a two-year break from being executive producer during Seasons 8 and 9.

Among the previous Idol winners taking part in this week's two-night finale were Season 4's Carrie Underwood, who performed with Lauren Alaina on Wednesday, and Season 7's David Cook, who performed on Tuesday's show.

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, Season 8's winner and runner-up, respectively, attended Wednesday's taping but didn't appear onstage.

For his part, DeWyze wrote that he's not holding any grudges.

"I appreciate American Idol and the opportunity it has given me," he tweeted. "And the people who have made that show possible. I am not angry or bitter etc. It was an amazing finale, and I would have loved to be a part of it. I just wasn't asked."

We've reached out to Lythgoe for comment.