'American Idol' Exit Q&A: David Hernandez

Entertainment Weekly - USA - American Idol conspiracy, or just a bad song choice? Did David Hernandez go home because of reports that he's a male stripper? Or did he simply botch his performance of ''I Saw Her Standing There''? David's not crying foul — he's too busy asking me to get record producers to call him.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: David, you were the eternal optimist last night. When Ryan told you that you were in the bottom three, you seemed to shrug it off.
DAVID HERNANDEZ: I really thought that I was going to be in the bottom three — I definitely expected that — but I didn't think I was going to go home. After everything the judges said about my having brilliant vocals and having one of the best voices of the season? I don't know. Things happen for a reason.

What reason might this be?
I think there's another door that's going to open. There's something coming up for me that's going to be big. I'd like to have a major record deal and I'd like to have my album out in the next year. I'd like to do something with Alicia Keys and [producer] David Foster. This can't be the end for me.

Did you propose a partnership to David Foster last night after the show?
I went up to him and shook his hand and said, ''You're amazing. I would love one day to work with you.'' He's been one of my biggest idols.

And what did he say?
He was like, ''We'll see what happens.''

So do you regret choosing ''I Saw Her Standing There''?
I'm a balladeer. But I'd like to think I can do fast songs. I did ''Papa Was a Rolling Stone.'' Do I wish I had chosen another song? In retrospect, yeah. But shoulda, coulda, woulda.... What's that really going to do for me? Positive is the only way to be.

Was it between the song you sang and anything else?
Yeah, between that and ''Got To Get You Into My Life'' and ''Let It Be.'' ''I Saw Her Standing There'' was my third choice. But if two contestants pick the same song, we pull out of a hat. That's why I say things work out the way they're supposed to. I didn't get the song I originally wanted to sing. I was meant to sing this.