Is "American Idol" Carrie a heartbreaker?
agcbli...@yahoo.com
Back in March, then-American Idol hopeful Carrie Underwood told Star
her college boyfriend Drake Clark had been a great support as she
climbed to the top of the competitive reality show. She gushed about
looking forward to a visit from her cleancut college sweetheart -- whom
she met during her senior year at Northeastern State University in
Tahlequah, Okla. -- and who was coming to Los Angeles to celebrate her
22nd birthday. But two months later on May 25, after she won the
American Idol crown, she told Star: "I don't have a boyfriend. I don't
have time now."
What happened? Somewhere on her way to the top, Carrie called Drake and
ended their eight-month romance. "It sucks right now," Drake tells
Star. "But I'm getting over it."
While Carrie's still glowing after beating out 100,000 contestants to
win the American Idol crown, and looking forward to recording her debut
CD -- her first single "Inside Your Heaven" hits stores on June 14 --
her ex back home in Oklahoma is crushed.
According to his mother, Patricia Gesin, Carrie and Drake had a lot in
common: Both are well-liked and popular students who share a love for
music. "They would spend hours and hours singing and playing together,"
she says of Drake, a business administration/ marketing major at NSU
who was introduced to Carrie by one of her sorority sisters. "That's
how their love began to blossom."
But less than a year into their relationship, it ended. "They're still
friends," Drake's mother tells Star. "But he's devastated." Drake
confirms that it is tough to be without her, but tells Star he's happy
for Carrie and is getting over the heartbreak. "I still talk to her,"
he says of the AI winner, who phoned him the day after she won. "I'm so
happy for her, and I knew she was going to win all along. I told her
so."
Despite his heartache, Drake and his family only wish Carrie the best.
"After he gets over his grieving," says Gesin, "Drake will continue to
support her -- no matter what."
Meanwhile, the girl who grew up in Checotah, Okla. (pop. 3,481), is
quickly transforming herself from a down-home darling to a dazzling
diva. The country crooner, who beat out her dear friend Bo Bice, a 29-
year-old rocker from Alabama, is headlining 40 concerts this summer on
the American Idols Live! tour.
When she does get some downtime, she'll have to decide where to take
the private jet she now has access to as an AI winner. "I'm thinking
someplace warm, tropical maybe," she mused. And while she's figuring
out how to make her career happen, her ex is still trying to figure out
his. "I need to focus on my work," Drake tells Star. But he won't
forget about Carrie anytime soon. "I want her back eventually; she was
one of my good friends."
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NATIONAL ENQUIRER/By MICHAEL GLYNN and LEE HANNON
American Idol winner Carrie Underwood was caught in a love triangle
with two fellow finalists -- after dumping her hometown sweetheart.
Blonde Carrie captured the nation's heart by winning the hugely popular
TV star search. But the 22- year-old farm girl from Oklahoma also won
the hearts of rivals Bo Bice and Anthony Fedorov.
And she left student boyfriend Drake Clark "devastated" after breaking
up with him in the middle of the competition.