Lee DeWyze, 'Idol' producer feud over finale

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Nigel Lythgoe insisted Lee DeWyze had an advanced invitation to participate in the 'Idol' finale.

Lee DeWyze's on-stage absence from the "American Idol" finale on Wednesday was no accident.

Viewers, many of whom had expected to see the Season 9 champ contribute to the Season 10 finale's festivities, were able to catch brief glimpses of the singer in the audience.

He never made it on stage, however, or even received an acknowledgement from host Ryan Seacrest. And according to executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, that's all DeWyze's fault.

"I was so upset Lee DeWyze wouldn't present the winners trophy to Scotty [McCreery]," Lythgoe tweeted Thursday. "Especially as he'd been on the show this Season."

The producer went on to "guess" that the mild-mannered rocker, who performed on the March 16 results show episode, was "shy."

But DeWyze, who hasn't been as successful as some of the other "Idol" winners, shared a different version of events, writing on Twitter that he "was not asked to be involved in the Finale."

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"It wasn't until about 2 minutes before they announced [the winner] that Nigel had approached me and asked if he could ?borrow' me for a second," DeWyze claimed. "I didnt feel a last second jump on stage was appropriate."

Adding that it was "Scotty's moment," DeWyze said he appreciated "Idol," its team and "the opportunity" the show had given him.

"I am not angry, or bitter etc," he said. "It was an amazing Finale, and I would have loved to be a part of it. I just wasnt asked."

Friday, Lythgoe partially confirmed DeWyze's claims, tweeting, "True, he wasn't asked to sing."

"But Lee knows he was asked to present the trophy a week before," he added.

It remains unclear which party is telling the truth, but Lythgoe made clear he wants the matter to be forgotten.

"I don't wish to continue the @leedewyze story," he wrote.

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/gossip/~3/f6vX6N-tkRc/2011-05-27_former_american_idol_winner_lee_dewyze_and_producer_nigel_lythgoe_feud_over_his_.html

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