Behind the scenes scoop on Anoop and Elmo

It was a busy week around WRAL and instead of doing a traditional “top stories this week” blog, I decided to give you the inside scoop on my interview with “American Idol” finalist Anoop Desai.

Here is a rundown of the highlights (just in case you didn’t watch all of the interviews):

• He hopes to make an album similar to Ne-Yo.

• Idol did allow him to keep the clothing he wore. He had so much of it that some is still in Los Angeles.

• Ryan Seacrest is about as tall as Kris Allen.

• He loves his fans and still enjoys signing autographs and posing for photos.

• Attention aggressive fans: He doesn’t like it when people grab him.

• He gave a few hints about the songs on tour. He will be doing two songs from Idol and one he has not sung on the Idol stage before. (For more on this, check out part 2 of “Idol Chitchat” this week)

• He didn’t watch the episode he shot of “Larry King Live.” He checked out the NBA playoffs instead.

• He has been watching WRAL since he was a child. While here he met just about everyone, including Tom Suiter and Greg Fishel.

• He said America got it right by picking Kris Allen, but he added that America couldn't have gotten it wrong because they had two great people to choose from.

• Anoop signed autographs and took photos during his extended visit with us. In total he was here about two hours chatting it up.
• In part 2 of "Idol Chitchat" he addresses the Megan rumor and pokes fun at his friend Matt Giraud.

And for those of you who watched my interview with Elmo and Cookie Monster, I have a few notes to share:

• Elmo is not as short as I thought he would be.

• Cookie Monster’s eyes really do roll around a lot.

• They make a great news anchor team!