"Hello America.  Thank you for stopping by, taking the time to look and listen.  My name is Matt Buckstein, and those avid [singing reality show] fans out there will remember me.  I've been a contestant for two years running now.  Last year you may remember me as one of the Brokenote Cowboys.  We had a fairly heartwarming story that we were fortunate enough to have air during Hollywood week and the piece did so well that they brought us back to perform in the Finale.  That was one of the biggest highlights of my life.  Making it to the finale was… beyond words but in the end, I knew I made it there for the wrong reasons.  So I came back this year to prove myself.  I auditioned in LA.  And after a fairly tough audition I made it to Hollywood.  Now, coming back after last year I was scared as hell, but I put the nerves aside and left everything I had on that stage.  And it paid off.  I made it.  I made it to the Top 40 of [that show].  One step from my ultimate goal of making the Top 24 and having America decide from then on; that's all I ever really wanted, was for you to decide, not them.  But… when it came time for me to walk the mile and sit in front of [male judge], [female judge] and [British male judge]… I shook their hands for the last time.  I was cut.  And here's the reason I was given:  [Female judge] spoke on everyone's behalf and she told me that "sometimes you need to stand out in more ways than just singing…"… … Now I don't know a lot… but… I'm a 6'4", bass-baritone, country singer who wears a cowboy hat most of the time.  I don't know what else I've gotta do to stand out in this competiton.  Maybe I needed to juggle knives or something.  Anyway, as much as I try to understand, this reason just seemed a little far fetched.  But that's all I got, and that's probably all I'll ever have.  And I just have to respect it.  Last year I knew why I was sent home, this year…  I have no idea.  I may never know and I just have to accept that.  It was done… and there was nothing left for me to do but walk and figure my career out without [the show].

I got back home and I read all the messages on my myspace and e-mail from fans from last year and this year telling me how disappointed they were that I didn't make it and how they were rooting for me, making t-shirts and posters, and that hurt.  It hurt because there was nothing I could do, just say "thank you" and "I'm sorry, I won't be performing this year"  … Then it hit me.  It hit me thanks to all of you out there who have been supporting me.  There is something I can do.  Which is why I'm here.

This is where I start to sound crazy, but hear me out.  I've decided to [sing]… as the lost contestant.  "The Lost [Country Singer]" is what I'm calling it.  Now, I wanna be clear that what I'm about to propose is in no way an attack on [the show] or a means of retaliation.  I owe [the show] so much for the opportunities they've given me and the doors they've opened for me. But, as much as [the show] has given me, it hasn't yet been enough to launch a career.  Also, the main reason for this that I really feel that the [the show's] audience has been done an injustice this year because there is not a single country singer left in the competition. That's right… not a one… I was the only one left and they booted me.  So I'm gonna keep on [singing].

Here's how it's gonna break down: Every week, I'm going to flim myself singing down at the same Karaoke bar I've been going to for the past seven years; Denver's Old Hole down on Leetsdale and Oneida.  I'll choose a song in accordance with the rules for that week and I'll have one shot at it just like my once fellow contestants.  No second takes, no fancy editing and even though it's Karaoke, no words on the screen.  If I screw it up, you get to see… just like it was live.  You'll be able to see the video on YouTube and myspace video, and with your help, you can plaster is all over the web.  But the voting… the voting will take place on my myspace music page at www.myspace.com/mattbuckstein.  Every Tuesday after the live performance show of [the show] airs, I will put up my performance for that week up, along with a vote counter.  All you have to do is click on the link to vote.  Now just like [the show], you can vote as many times as you like.  And just like [the show], I'll leave the counter up for two hours after the show airs in each city.  Vote as many times as you want until the counter comes down.  Now, I won't have any judges to critique me so I'm going to rely on all of you for your feedback.  I want you to leave comments on my myspace page about that week's performance.  HONEST OPINONS; good and bad.  I wanna here them all (just please keep it clean, this is a family show).  I'm sorry, but you're going to have to belong to myspace to leave comments (not to vote, but to leave comments).  If you don't have a myspace account (welcome to the year 2007), it's really easy to sign up for one.  If the voting results and the feedback are good in comparison with [the show], I'll perform the next week.  The first week the results aren't sufficient… then I'm out.  Simple. 

And there you have it.  That's my idea. …  This is for all of you out there who wanted to hear more from me in [the show].  For those of you wanted me, or just a country singer, in this competition.  This is an experiment, and a pretty crazy one at that… so I hope you'll come along for the ride.  I can't pretend to know how it'll work out, so we'll just have to see.  And I certainly don't plan on taking it unnecessarily far or dragging it out to make it look like I would've won [the show].  I never thought I'd win the thing (though I was gonna try… for all of you), but I think I could've done something great.  I think I could've gotten father than… well a lot farther than I got anyway. 

Look, I know there are some people who aren't gonna get this.  Who may call it a "desperate attempt" or "just plain nuts," but I'll be the first one to admit it, I don't really know what I'm doing.  I don't know why I was kicked out of the competition when I was.  I don't know why I didn't get my shot.  And I guess I don't have to.  But I do know… that I did make it to the Top 40 out of 110,000 people.  I worked really hard to get that. And I'm not ready to call it a complete waste of time.  Sometimes, you just have to take things into your own hands.  If I would've made the Top 24, just like everyone else, my shot would've come a lot easier… but now… now I gotta make my own shot.  I wanted America to have the chance to tell me what they think and now I get to make that happen for myself.  For those of you that support me, I can't thank you enough.  I plan on trying my hardest to make music and albums for you for years to come.  For those of you that don't… I hope to change your mind… at least a little bit.  And at the end of all this, I may still be sitting here in my father's basement… but at least I will have tried.  Right?

So thanks for listening. And I'll be seeing ya… week after week… I hope… I guess that's up to you.

Take 'er easy, America."

-Matt Buckstein