On Season 7's American Idol during top 20 week, the contestants were asked in their pre-package interview to tell us something about themselves that people didn't know or might be surprised know. David Cook's revelation to America was that he is "a huge Word Nerd" that loves crossword puzzles, word searches and is kind of a "geek for vocab." His clip then continued on to show various snippets of him using a bunch of words that most could only hope to properly use in a sentence.

Then after an amazingly energetic and fun performance of Free's "All Right Now" (which to this day does NOT get the credit it deserves I might add *wink*) we got to hear what the judges thought. Randy loved that David was throwing picks out into the crowd like a real rock show, loved the Marshall (amp) and Les Paul (guitar) and called David the "real rocker from the boys this year." Paula told David he was "the real deal" and followed up calling it smart, fun, relevant to who he was and stated that she'd loved it (as did we.) Then we have Simon...

Oh Simon, it's a love/hate relationship where he is concerned and this week.. many of us weren't feeling the love as much, but it's cool "it's just an opinion" and all is forgiven *hehe*. Simon began saying it was solid, sort of believable.. and then the world spun off it's axis and he completely lost his mind. Oh wait, nevermind, this is supposed to be factual isn't it, my bad. He then continued to say that David's "film" was boring, didn't help him and that he didn't "have a lot of charisma." To which David rightly (in my opinion) and in a somewhat humorous way stated that it was a good thing he didn't have to win Simon over with his charisma, but his audience. Cuz well, he's no dummy. So, Simon said the bit didn't do him any favors, Randy piped up calling David a "smart kid" and Paula ended it saying that "women like smart men." Well Paula was right.


Due to this exchange, a group of David Cook's fans decided to make a statement by adopting David's self-professed love of words. And taking the words right out of his pre-performance interview, they began calling themselves the "Word Nerds." In one sense it was kind of a kick in the pants to Simon, to show him just how wrong he was with his statement. And on the other hand, it was a way to say to David, give us the dorkiest thing about yourself and it doesn't even matter. We love to hear you sing, love to watch you perform and we're behind you all the way.

Soon after this, the 'fan listing' where people would show up asking to be numbered and added to the list, became 'Word Nerd Numbers'. What began as a small list of a few hundred people on the American Idol Forums and maintained by Stacy aka RealiTVlover, has grown to the list you see here on the 'Home of the Word Nerds' today, which contains the usernames of literally thousands of David Cook fans from all over the WORLD.

A few weeks later, after our very own, Jody aka Jodie76, was named the 'Fashion Word Nerd' (for her very precise advice/prediction of David's performance outfit during top 12 week), we took it yet another step further, handing out 'Word Nerd Titles'. Titles which range from a few short words to describe our personalities, location, favorite songs, favorite words, to each member's general love for David Cook, anything goes. As for where they come from, Word Nerds can either choose their own title or tell a little bit about themselves in the thread and ask for one to be assigned to them from another creative member. One thing is for sure, if you take a look around the forum at the various Titles and posts of the people on the board, the Word Nerds are definitely not short on charisma, creativity, or love for David Cook.

Then finally, came the signal. It started as a way for David to let his us, his fans, know that not only did he know about us, but appreciated all of the support that we'd sent his way. Initially the signal was kind of a mish mash of different requests ranging from blowing a kiss, chest/fist thump, hand over the heart, doing a little happy dance, peace sign, thumbs up, along with a whole variety of different actions. And each week, one of those various requests was performed... but did he really? It was then decided, you know what David has enough going on from week to week, why make things more difficult than they have to be? So after his performance of "Eleanor Rigby" a consensus was taken and the official 'signal' began. A simple gesture, the placement of his hand over his heart. Beginning with "Day Tripper" and continuing from then on, there it was, following every performance. That simple gesture became to mean so much more than hello and a thank you, but an acknowledgment of all of the love and support that had been sent his way from the fans that called themselves the Word Nerds.


It was at this time that the 'Signal & Sentiment thread for David Cook' was born and has been continually maintained by Monica aka lovincook. A thread in which anyone can leave positive messages for David. Out of this a project was started to put them together in a book which would be given to him on one of the stops of the tour. Within it's many pages there are heartfelt words of encouragement, expressions of unyielding support, life changing moments that he had unknowingly had a hand in, appreciation for the inspiration and creative spark that he had ignited and of course abundant praise for bringing back that something special into the lives of so many that had been missing for years... music. This is the one thread that you don't dare enter without a box of tissues nearby. And while some of those sentiments may have remained behind, posted on the American Idol Forums, as we begin a new chapter for the Word Nerds here, the sentiments within them are ones that will remain with many of us forever. Because he is after all, our American Idol... David Cook.

---

Now... with all that official business over and done with, here's your chance to tell the world your story Word Nerds. What exactly does it mean to YOU to be a Word Nerd? And what exactly is it about David Cook and his music that made you want to become one? The obvious answer is well.. He IS the American Idol and all *wink*. But digging a little deeper, what is it really about him that makes us all strive to support him and his music career in any way possible? What is it about this group of people you've acquainted yourselves with? And WHY is it that we're all so willing to be called nerds?

So.. How about it Word Nerds. What does it mean to YOU to be a Word Nerd? And how did you come to be one?

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?

Well to me, being a Word Nerd is not just a way or name to show that you support David Cook. I mean, there's a lot of people out there who don't even have a word nerd number or name (which I recommend in getting! ) that still love David Cook and his music. A Word Nerd is some one who's dedicated. Someone who's willing to take another step in the realm of David Cook. Maybe to some obsession point, but for some others, just enough to stay updated with him, even after he won American Idol. Word Nerds are smart, goofy, cool, and best of all, loyal to our 'idol'. We believe in the best for him, and we absolutely do not bash him for his actions, for we believe that every choice that he's made, is for the best out of him and his fans.

Us Word Nerds are one BIG and HAPPY family. We're all unique from around the world, but we do have one thing in common interest: David!


How did I become one?

I have to be honest and say that I didn't exactly fall in love with the 'punkish' boy at the Omaha audition. But this is true for most, and I can definitely say that he had me at 'Hello' 'Hello' was one performance that blew me away. I KNEW right then, that he could do pretty much ANY song that came his way, and he proved me right when he went on doing 'Billie Jean', 'Always Be My Baby', 'Eleanor Rigby', and much more! But it was at 'Hello' that convinced me to visit the AI forums, and instantly get hooked with the Word Nerd frenzy!
I didn't exactly get a number or name right away, but after I realized that I spent most of my day online, was when I knew that I should get one officially.
So yes, this is how I became a Word Nerd.

Thank you Mr. David Cook Maybe for one of the most exciting months I've ever had!

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?
Being a Word Nerd means being a loyal fan to David Cook. It means accepting him for who he is and always supporting him, his music, and his career. Not only do Word Nerds support David, they also support each other. We are one big family. Thanks to David, I now talk to people from all over the world on a daily basis who I never would have known otherwise. I love David Cook and I love the Word Nerds!

How did I become one?
Like many others, he had me at Hello. I can't really remember my reaction to his initial audition. I definitely didn't dislike him, but I don't think he really stood out to me as someone who was worth investing inordinate amounts of time in lol. By the time the top 24 rolled around, my memory of him was "that guy with the red hair, who told Ryan that Simon was hatin' on his hair". He sang Happy Together and I liked it, but wasn't hooked yet. Same for All Right Now. Then Came Hello. This performance completely blew me away and he was now officially my favorite. Each week after that I grew to love him a little bit more, until probably around Little Sparrow/Innocent when I was full out in love with everything about him.
I joined the facebook group first and for a while that was my only hang out place, and that led me to discover other places online and I finally discovered the AI forums. On May 2nd I joined and asked for my Word Nerd number, and the rest is history!

First of all Becca, thanks for compiling that spiel! Awesome...and...*sniff*...

Quote:

What exactly does it mean to YOU to be a Word Nerd?

Wow this is an interesting question, because it has so many answers...and means a great deal to me...I think a lot of people, possibly even DC (nice guy that he is), may very well come on here and wonder why this is all so important to us and why we embrace the cheese of it all...but if you had been a part of it all along, you would understand that all of these little silly numbers and silly titles and "the signal" have become a very special part of our lives...for several months we spent way more time online than we knew we should and waited patiently every week for our Cookie to come into our living rooms via the television show, American Idol, and wow us with everything he had to give...we drooled, we cried, we danced, we peed, we shook, we laughed, we got angry, we SCREAMED...and we did it together...before and after every show...and on the days we waited in between...we shared this whole experience together...we literally made lifelong memories together...so however odd it may seem to some, that Word Nerds of all ages would want to come together in a special place online to talk and talk and talk about David Cook...all I can say is....you'd had to have been there...and if you had been there, you would see that Cookieland is a GREAT place to be...not just because of David Cook, but because the Word Nerds are all an incredibly amazing, supportive, talented and entertaining group of people who all, as Becca likes to say, "ROCK MY FACE OFF"!!!!! That is what makes me a Word Nerd...

Quote:

And how did you become one?

Hmmm...well...I have always been mildly entertained by American Idol, but as a musician myself, have pretty much always carried the notion that it was not the best way to get into the music industry and personally I never understood why people would want the fame that inevitably comes from being on a show like AI...I would much rather sing to 10 people in a smoky bar and not make a whole lot of money, than have to deal with having a life completely restrained by the inevitable onslot of paparazzi and fans waiting to pounce on my every move...so although I have watched the show for it's entertainment value, the hypnosis that is AI's attempt to make me invested in the performer enough to continue to buy their albums and tickets to see them perform has only ever worked twice...the first one was Constantine Maroulis, whom I have been a big fan of since 2005...and most recently has been David Cook...he just has IT...what is IT to me?...he has what it takes to make me invested...to make it simple...he moves me...but to me the biggest thing I want from a performer that I invest enough in to votes for thousands of times every week and actually buy their albums....is for them to inspire me to be an even better person than I already am...and David Cook does that like no one else...but before I knew that this Houston born, amazingly talented guy was on AI, I was still nursing my wounds from what all Constantine fans went through when he shockingly went home early...so when this season of American Idol began, I wasn't all that interested in watching it....and consequently missed the auditions completely...the whole, "how big of an idiot can I be just to get 3 minutes of face time on AI" thing never appealed to me...so when Hollywood week came, I thought, "Eh...I guess I will take a look to see what kind of talent we are looking at this year"...plus I had heard they were going to get to play instruments and seemed intriguing...but little did I know when David Cook walked out on that stage, guitar in hands, sweating nervously and drawing a breath to center himself, what kind of journey I was about to embark upon...but it took all of two notes out of his mouth for "the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck" and I haven't been able to get enough since...so it was only natural for me to want to get back online and find all the other Cookie fans so that we could get sooo much more out of the experience than all of the people who think getting on chat boards is stupid do...lol...we have truly had a blast and I can not wait to see where this ride goes next!

Quote:

And what exactly is it about David Cook and his music that made you want to become one?

So yeah to elaborate on what I have already said....lol...at length......while I am refraining from putting him on any sort of pedestal, as he will inevitable falter, since *shock* he's only human, I am going to say that, although I will never be able to know for certain what I would have thought of him before seeing him on AI, I am a huge fan of "unknown" talented artists and I can't help but think that anyone who walked into a bar and heard Cookie singing would go nuts over him (best run on sentence evah!)...I mean when I heard his CREEP...OMG...had I ever heard that from anyone on a stage I would have become his, regardless of possibly being unwanted....hahaha...groupie in a heartbeat!!! And honestly he could be the ugliest guy on the planet and with that voice I would melt...just melt I tell ya...and I, in all honesty, am pretty into looks when it comes to guys...not that I want them all to look like Brad Pitt...ewww...but they do have to fall into that visual category that my twisted mind has created over the years for me to be interested in them...without being hardcore pursued and convinced that they are a "good" guy...but a voice like that...puts a guy at a nine in my book...and then the "good" guy personality adds the extra one point! lol His voice simply...well..."you have no idea what you do to me when I listen to your music alone!" Dude, I am never going to stop saying that now!!! *g* I just can't help myself...

Quote:

But digging a little deeper, what is it really about him that makes us all strive to support him and his music career in any way possible?

*dons serious cap as momentarily as possible *



Actually it is very simple.......It's American Idol's fault...hahaha...but they couldn't have picked a better guy to make me want to support...and actually...yes they did their whole hypnosis thing on me...and yes it worked, but they were not involved in that exact moment that I heard those first notes out of his mouth...oh that mouth *smacks self*...they could not have convinced me to invest in him, if I thought he couldn't sing...and it isn't even a question...it's not just, "oh yeah sure he can sing"...no it's, "OMG can he ever sing! sheeeeez!" As I said before...he moves me...he speaks to me when he is singing...he puts his heart, his all into it...and I'll just bet, were he ever to read something like this written about him, he would be like, "Uh yeah okay, so I work hard, but I still don't get what is so special about that" and well A: I don't expect him to ever "get" it and B: I hope he never does!

Quote:

What is it about this group of people you've acquainted yourselves with? And WHY is it that we're all so willing to be called nerds?

You know, as corny as this is gonna sound...it's just something I have to say...and I can't imagine that there are all that many of you that were willing to read all the way to this point anyway...hahaha...can we say scroll...*whew* ...My amazingly awesome father told me at a very early age what rule I should use when choosing my friends and it was simple...

Don't judge them based on the money their parents have or how popular they are...don't judge them on whether or not they say the funniest, smartest or most perfect things...instead...choose them based on whether or not they inspire you in some way...

That small amount of guidance in my life has led to my meeting and gaining friendships with some of the most amazing people that walk this earth...and I count the word nerds in that group of people...

This past January, as most of you already know, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Uterine Cancer (peach)...a lot for anyone to cope with not only initially, but also on a continual daily basis...when you are constantly reminded by pain or chemo or the looks in the eyes of your family, there is simply nothing better than a big gigantic distraction from the things in life that you simply can not change...you can be the strongest person in the world, or maybe just stronger than you ever thought you could be, but regardless, if you are going through something like this...you are gonna have the bad days too...and that is where the Word Nerds come into play...most days I hold my head up high and FIGHT...I'm strong, I'm proud and I believe in the power of believing, but some days I need someone to get me out of my own head, so that I stop thinking about what my family is gonna go through if I can't beat this...and on those days especially, coming on here and finding the funny, witty, crazy, awesome posts that are so typical of the Word Nerds, is simply a huge blessing for me...so to answer the second part of the question...there is no question...because it is an HONOR to call myself a Word Nerd...

_________________

Cancer is my guru, because it's not killing me; It's teaching me how to really live!
Keeper of the WHITE BELT...The Glambert Rock...SU2C...siggy by Manz

Becsy, this is a great topic. Thanks!

First I'd like to give a to Jodie in the post above me, because she inspires me and she's just hardcore awesome like that.

Ditto for all the WNS posting here, who've made me cry about a zillion times while reading their posts. It makes me proud to be associated with such sensitive, wise, witty, strong, intelligent women.

Whew.



OK, so about how I became a Word Nerd myself:


The thing is, I think I was born a word nerd, literally. My real name is an unusual one that comes from some obscure literature, I was speaking in long sentences before age 1, read fluently well before kindergarten, was the girl working behind the library counter in elementary school, the high school yearbook editor and AP English geek, the college newspaper reporter ... and I'm now a professional writer and editor, in addition to working as a dancer/singer/actress all my life. Words and music and the way they work together have been my entire life.

My point here is absolutely NOT, in the remotest sense, to brag.

The point is that when that exquisite musician uttered the words, "I'm a huge word nerd ..." — Well! That did me in! Catnip! Kryptonite! Here was someone who was proud to profess on national television his love for the magic that words can do! As if his music had not already captured me completely ... now I was utterly smitten. Paula was right when she said women like smart men. Although I think "like" is an understatement.

Here was a talented, dashing AND intelligent and humble man we could admire for what was both outside and inside of him. And gals who had been raised to keep their smarts hidden suddenly sensed that here stood a man who might likewise value their brains as well as beauty.

Proud to call myself a "word nerd"? Oh, you betcha. I almost cried to hear him utter the phrase.

After laying eyes on arguably the most beautiful countenance on the planet ... and going on to explore all his early work and admire the genius of his songwriting ... and enduring the mind-'ploding, exquisite torture of listening to him howl and whimper and snarl and sigh his way through the likes of such gems as Axium's "Holding Court" and "Leave Behind," or "The Truth" or "Searchlights" on Analog Heart, "All Right Now" or "The World I Know" on AI, until you are practically on your knees, shaking ... how could anyone NOT happily take on the "Word Nerd" title? Shoot, even if David Cook fans were called "The Orange Polka Dotted Imus" or the "Unreasonably Oxidized Tin Cans," I'd still gladly slap that label on myself, just to be counted among the DC faithful.

(I should add that the phrase "Word Nerd," while dorkily amusing, unfortunately has led some of the uninformed public at large to assume DC's fans are all dowdy, pasty bookworms with no life. Some of us, I'd like to think, are actually fairly hot and clean up pretty well. Right, girls? Who's with me?)

And so Becsy has asked, what is it, exactly, that keeps me hypnotized, and certain I'm invested in David for long haul? Oh, it helps that David is extraordinarily easy on the eyes, certainly. His songwriting talent is uncanny, transcendent. The intelligence, insightfulness and sensitivity blow me to giddy little bits. But for me the deal-sealer is ...

The voice.

The one and only voice that has ever made every atom in my being hum and quiver. David sounds the way I feel — even more so when he sings the poetry he has written himself. His voice is animal lust and excruciating tenderness, terrifying fury and bottomless anguish, demon and angel, domination and forgiveness, catharsis and light and flight and freedom. As a dancer, I hear his voice and my soul flies clear away — I surrender and am compelled to move toward his siren. My soul actually vibrates in his frequency.

David has rocked my world figuratively, literally, utterly, to its foundations.

I've never felt this way before, and I'll never be the same.


* Apologies for the multiple edits; I just feel a need to jump in with an addition or correction every time I think of one. Sorry; it actually is hard to turn off the word nerd in my head. *


POSTCRIPT: I originally made this post back in June. And while it still is largely true, much has happened since then, externally, internally — and with our fave Dave. So there is a Part Deux to this post. Please see the continuation on Page 5 of this thread. ...

I told ya! You're up for a long read guys As Jodie says, if you were his fan from the beginning, it's a long story I wanted to add that it doesn't matter if you are WN# 1 or WN# zillion. All that matters is that YOU are a Word Nerd! Having said that, here I go...

First of all I have to say: Becca, that is an amazing introduction!!! Well said girl!

All the posts that preceded mine and suppose the others to come make me even prouder than I was before of being a Word Nerd!

What it means to be a Word Nerd?
For me, the term "Word Nerd" David used in his interview speaks for itself, in a way, and that's why we adopted it. It defines many of our characteristics as a fanbase: we love words, written and verbal communication, creativity, challenging our intelligence, learning and expanding our knowledge, being curious and explorative. Also, being goofy and funny, sometimes outright silly or naughty in a clever way. These things got us together around our idol 'cause he's just like that too!

Setting aside what an amazing artist David is and how his voice, musical talent and sexyness attracted us to him, I think the kindness, the commitment, the respect, the loyalty and the sensitivity he showed us are also part of what being a WN means. Don’t get me wrong, neither him nor us are saints, lol. But we do have a moral code we abide to.

All of that is the reason why we could accomplish amazing things together: ranging from the WN #, WNs Titles, the S&S, the gifts, the tributes to the donations and charities, comforting other fellow WNs and sharing ours and DC's laughter and tears. Not to mention the hard work and time put into making this forum a reality! Ah, and let's not forget how we rocked the vote every single Tuesday until the finale when David was declared 2008 American Idol winner for a margin of 12 MILLION VOTES!!!

How I Came to be a WN and a little more of the story of how we came to be
I have been a wordnerd and an organizational freak all my life! LOL. Moreover, my mother tongue is Spanish, so I "learned" English.

David caught my eyes/ears since his audition. As I'm a member of the PBP Players at the AI boards, we played-by-played auditions and Hollywood week too. He wasn't given a lot of screen time but the few words/songs I could watch were enticing. So at top 24 when he sang "Happy Together", I was pleasantly surprised to confirm my first intuition about David, not to mention when he said he was a “word nerd” in his 2nd. interview!!!

I have been following AI for 4 years now and have had my favourites before but I wasn't prepared at all to be impacted by a contestant as I was by DC (our Cookie). So I became a woman on a mission to make DC’s folder as organized and active as I possibly could and to literally “work” my butt off to make him the winner. LOL

If you remember, at the beginning we were hanging out in a collective folder and forming a team to organize everything for the time the individual folders were going to be available at top 12. The night that happened, I wasn't around but GuitarIdol (WN #1) managed to get in place many of what would become the "official" threads. The next day, sometime at the beginning of March, when I came back to ask for my WN # there were already 352 people listed! GuitarIdol couldn't keep the thread updated, so I PMd Stacy to take over the project. I sent GuitarIdol a PM asking if it would be OK if we took over the WN Fanlist and she answered that she would be grateful ‘cause she didn’t have the time. Since then, Stacy has kept the WN number thread, lovincook the S&S thread and Jodie the WN Titles. I started making pre-show parties and Gina and others hostessed a zillion parties and play-by-plays ((gigi)). All the pic threads appeared and got poofed,arrrggg. The donations and charity, the gifts, the creative/artsy, the Proverbial Box, the “remember to vote”, the personal and the non-bashing threads started blooming . By then, the Word Nerds were all doing a great job as a community and as a stronghold supporting Cookie all the way!!! And on the other hand, Cookie was rocking the stage every single performance!!!

I was confident all was well at the Word Nerds world, so I went out of the AI Boards bubble and opened a Facebook page and a MySpace page dedicated to David. I made tribute and encouragement-to-vote videos and uploaded them to YouTube, I posted in all polls, magazine comments, even in the moon, hahaha about how talented and wonderful David was and how people should vote for HIM. It was just crazy!!! I almost put my private life on hold!!!

Looking back at all this I’m sharing with you, seeing what an amazing bunch of people the Word Nerds are and how the Home has become a shelter for all of us and hopefully for more fans coming our way as time goes by, makes me, personally, feel accomplished and proud.

Being as old as I am, I must say this has been a one time life experience! Not only I got to know and become a die hard fan of the talented musician and the beautiful person inside and out David Cook is, but also ‘cause I feel I have added lots of people to my real life friends’ list.

GO WORD NERDS! GO DAVID COOK! KEEP ON ROCKIN’!

Finally, I think this video belongs here. I made it having all of you in mind and trying to transmit to David how we felt about our relationship (some of you might have seen it already but some may not). The first song is "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap which David said in an interview he listened to before performing 'cause it calmed him and helped him focus.

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?
First of all, it means that you are a fan of David Cook. It kind of means more to me than that. Although Word Nerd may be a label to describe me as a David Cook fan, to me it means that I will support him through his career as a musician, a person, and any other aspects that he may endeavor. It is also an opportunity to interact with other fellow Word Nerds to share the love we have for him and unite as friends. It is a great feeling to know that there are other people out there who support David as much as I do. I also love how well we mesh together and how we get along so well. It has been an interesting year discovering David Cook's amazing music and how much it has helped me over these past few months. I have evolved from a once insecure person to someone who can stand on her own two feet and emerge as an individual who likes who she is and is not afraid of herself.

How did I become one?
It is kind of tricky for me to remember when he first caught my attention. I have always been a fan of American Idol and there were a few people who I enjoyed but not as much as David Cook. I don't exactly remember him auditioning "Livin' On A Prayer," but the first time I noticed him was during Hollywood Week. I thought he sounded great with "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" and for once I was quite appalled at Simon's comment about how David may not be a great performer without his guitar accompanying him. It made me so furious! I do recall him performing "Happy Together" and thinking, 'Wow, he's pretty good.' From that moment on I paid attention to him and there were other contestants (i.e. Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, Brooke White) that I was torn between. I believe it must have been the week when he performed "Eleanor Rigby" when I decided that I was a fan! I was kind of worried because it was not a Beatles song that I liked at all. Once I saw his version of the song, I was blown away. I knew from that moment on that he was a talented musician and someone that I would not ever forget! I added a Facebook page and group on my profile to talk to other people about the show, on Teamdavidcook.com, and also on Hanson.net trying to defend him as much as possible. I finally joined the AI forums after the finale because the groups were kind of quiet after awhile. It was amazing talking to other fans and having the same reactions to him! Then soon after I received my Word Nerd # (2400) and just recently my title (Reese Cup Cookie Word Nerd hehe). It is so exciting and amazing to talk to other fans about him and learn new things that I wouldn't have by myself

It has been quite an interesting journey of being a Word Nerd and supporting such a humble yet talented musician as David Cook. I am not too sure what the future will bring but I know I will not be disappointed

I became an Official Word Nerd, late in the game, I wish I had done it much sooner. But I was one in my heart from the moment David said that he was a word nerd. He wasn't my favorite from the beginning, but I did notice him and recognized that he had talent. But he became a real person to me when they had the little video piece before "All Right Now" where he called himself a word nerd and showed him doing crossword puzzles, and using all of his big words. It was then that I began to realize that he was so much more than just the good singing rocker guy. So I really began to pay more attention to him and became enthralled with him more and more. I think he had me before Hello, but Hello, clinched the deal. And I've been hooked ever since. I lurked around the AI Boards some but not too much. I didn't know about the "Word Nerds" or the signals or the dog tags or anything. In retrospect, I wish I had. I wish I had been a part of all that. I'm not too much of a joiner. After David won Idol, I spent a lot of my time on YouTube watching and re-watching videos of his performances, and any other video I could find. I googled him and read whatever I could find, I stumbled across david-cook.org and registered there. That is where I heard about word nerds and word nerd numbers. Then I went to AI to request my number. When I got the email about this new site, I registered, and found what I had been looking for. A place where I could feel at home and where there were other people that felt about David the same way that I did. Because, believe me, up until that point, I was starting to wonder about my sanity a little bit (lol). After all, I'm 49 years old and really too old for this type of obsession, (or so I thought). But I found all of these people here that love David as much as I do. I realize I am not alone in my obsession. They put words to all the things I've been feeling. Why do I love David Cook? Obviously he is a fantastic singer. He is smart, funny, sincere, sensitive. I like him so much because he had to work so hard to get where he now is and I believe he deserves it so much. He seems to be such a genuine, good-hearted human being. He is the kind of person you would want to be friends with. He is the kind of person that I hope my teenage daughter finds someday. He is good-looking and sexy, not because he has a perfect face, perfect hair or sculpted body, he is sexy because he is real, and in a lot of ways average, if that makes sense. So why do I want to be a word nerd? Because I want to support his career. I want to be a part of this group of people and show him how important he is to us and show the world how wonderful he is. I want to see a nice guy succeed. I want all of the 10 years of work he put into his career to pay off. I want to see him happy.

What it means to me to be a Word Nerd has changed over the course of these months, so I’ll start with how I came to be one. “When I was a little girl,” oh, don’t worry I won’t start that far back, other than to say that even going back to my beginning, I’ve never joined any sort of fan club in my life, and that as one result of this crazy journey, I ended up part of a team organizing one just goes to show that, to me, being a Word Nerd is more than just being a fan. Hmm, that sentence is a bit ironic, no? How word-nerdy of me!

March 4, 2008, the day the world I knew froze a moment then somersaulted, like when a smallish earthquake hits while you’re walking down the street, and it just makes you feel like you lost your balance for a few seconds, and you don’t realize at the time that it was an earthquake, just that something shifted your equilibrium. I was starting to kinda root for this guy – I wasn’t voting or committed to him or anything, but I had my eye on him. But then Ryan said, “When we come back, we’re going to say “hello” to David Cook and he’s going to sing it back to us.” WTF? The rocker is going to sing a cheesy Lionel Richie ballad that I loved when I was 14 but would never listen to now? I started kinda spazzing out a little at the “wrongness” of that – I was actually pretty upset about the song choice, lol!

Then he starts singing, with an electric guitar, that’s interesting… the first part, it’s all quivery, emotive, in tune with the meaning of the song… then the band kicks in, that’s, okay, that kinda rocks, like he finally got out that first move, the “Hello” and it breaks the spell of his reticence… then, instead of whispering the “I love you” line like it’s a secret, as in the original, he belts it out, the way you really want to do when you realize you’re in love – to bellow from the mountaintops, in raw, naked passion. When you hold something like that inside for so long, it doesn’t susserate out, it explodes and cascades, because it is actually an epiphany. And lo and behold, there *I* am, having an epiphany! And then when I get so excited I literally jump out of my seat at his taking the song to 11, even nearly spitting in jealousy in one line, he makes it to “And I want to tell you so much” again, and I’m braced and ready for another yawp… and he reels it back in again, all the way back to the shy and tremulous “Hello” he started with… and I in those 105 seconds I am changed.

What he did with that song, with all of his songs, but just not to that extent before “Hello,” was something truly amazing to me. I keep trying to come up with good metaphors for it, but I’m never satisfied with them so I try a new one every time, and this is no exception: it’s like the song he “covers” is a sculpture, created by another artist. And other contestants take their sculptures and slap a coat of paint on them and present them to us, but other than the color, everything about that sculpture (the shape, texture, materiality, light & shadow, weight, etc.) is just borrowed. But David, he takes one look at the sculpture and sees through everything straight into its core. He dives into its center, stripping off all the material of it then re-builds it, not just of the stuff the song was made of, but of the stuff of himself as well. So the sculpture he gives us, is neither the original nor something entirely David Cook but a fusion of the two into something wholly unique and wonderful, and yet, paradoxically, it is the same song, at its center. Because he cuts to the core of the song, he sees it better than the song’s writers, and in the interviews you can’t help but hear how amazed they all are at his ability to do that. Because it should be impossible for someone to see the heart of a song more clearly than its author, but somehow, he does.

Okay, back to me. I NEVER pick a favorite, or vote, or anything before at least the top 8 or 10 or anything, and never vote for 2 hours, but the moment the show ended, I voted for 2 hours while watching his performance over and over and over on my TiVo. Then, I had to talk to someone about my little epiphany so I got online and found the AI forum. I was truly delighted to hear that David Cook fans had just decided to call themselves “Word Nerds” after his interview the week before and I signed up right away. And got addicted to the boards.

So being a Word Nerd at first meant I supported David Cook on American Idol, and was joining in a community of his supporters…

Part II

What it means to me to be a Word Nerd has evolved. At first it meant loving David Cook’s music. It still does, it’s just that it’s more now. It’s about a community. One I was there at the beginning of and therefore was lucky enought to help shape. It’s a truly unique experience and one I’ll never forget.

It started with the just a few posts. Getting a word nerd number and feeling proud of it, as I never thought I’d be proud to become a number. Then the person giving out the numbers flaked and I took over the number-giving, and being able to give Word Nerds their number, to give them that ethereal but very real connection to David Cook was and still is an amazing feeling.

It started also with getting to know fellow Word Nerds, in the fanthread, and starting my own threads... in the “David Cook is not single” thread where I first got naughty... in one of my finest and funniest creations, the “David Cook is so hot, _____ (fill in the blank)” thread which brought out the clever and hilarous in so many WNs... in the Signal & Sentiments thread, dreamed up by our amazing lovincook, which allowed us all to give back to David, to express to him everything he’s done for us, and bond even more.

It grew and grew and grew and before I knew it, I was part of a team that created and run this place... this amazing place... amazing because of the people who rushed in to populate it and the people who have come since and added their wonderful flavors. 3,600 Word Nerds, 3,300 members of the Word Nerd Home, 580,000 posts since June 11, all about discussing and bonding over one David Cook.

I love the Word Nerds. I love the concept and I love the group and I love the individuals in it. I love what aspects of myself being a part of Word Nerds has brought out. I love having people who understand me and I love using my word nerdiness to give voice to what others are feeling. I love getting emotional all the time again. I love really belonging to the most amazing and unique and beautiful community on this earth (or on the internet as is were, lol). I love even more helping other people feel like they belong.

I will end by quoting myself from the Sentiments thread on June 25th:

[quote="realiTVlover"]David,

I was just thinking today about how amazing all these Word Nerds are, and wondering why we're so lucky. I mean, we're just a bunch of people who gathered to talk about how much we like this American Idol contestant. I don't think a single one of us knew another 4 months ago, and we all come from such different backgrounds and have such different other interests - how is it that we have gotten to this place?

This place - this community. This place is what is it because it is filled with [i]amazing[/i] people. Some of the kindest, sweetest, most affectionate, giving, fun, funny, clever, intelligent, thoughtful, positive, uplifting, spiritual, lovable and loving people I've ever met. I mean, seriously, I hope you have at least some idea of what incredible people your Word Nerds are, what they all would do and have done for you and for each other. Not saying that you owe us anything - the reverse in fact, that we owe you everything.

So I ask myself, how is it that it is people like this who became the Word Nerds? Are we just really lucky? Are all fan groups like this (having never been in one before)? Well, the answer is perfectly obvious! It's because that is the kind of person who is drawn to [b]you[/b]. The kind of person that [b]you[/b] inspire with your music to reach out to each other. People who had no idea they had it in themselves until they heard you sing, and your songs resonated and awakened their souls. A lot of them probably were previously not in practice the amazing people they are now - they always had the potential to be, but needed you to open it up.

I've said it before - you are like the sun, David. You just shine. Just being who you are and doing your thing, you just shine, the way the sun shines because that is its nature to do so. And your Word Nerds are the flowers you have caused to blossom. And I'm sure you do see the countless fields of flowers out there, and I hope you know that it was you caused them to blossom, and I hope some day you have the time to stop and smell a few of the roses, get to know a few of the people whose lives you've changed the course of.

That's a part of what we mean when we send you gifts that say "Forever our Idol". Gee, I'm being all wordy and rambling again. I guess I just wanted to thank you again, David. For everything.


Stacy[/quote]

(I am going to post something here... it's in the works)

Becsy -- Wow, girl! I am so thankful for this thread! I have thought of posting a request for someone somewhere to write down the history of the Word Nerds since the week of the finale. But I just never did b/c first there was the huge celebratory mood, then instead of reflection about what we had all experienced together, there was a period of, shall we say, strangeness before everyone got all fangirly again with the appearance of fake Daves and the round of public appearances. I think the history of our relationship with David is important because I truly believe that he will be a major talent for a looooong time and his early history in the biz will be chronicled. So, I wanted the real story of the Word Nerds to be written by us -- not by some future music biographer -- the real story of what it was like to be there at the beginning of his national/international career (not the very beginning of his hopes of a career, of course, that is the story of his first supporters in Blue Springs and Tulsa before the rest of the world became aware of the amazing Mr. Cook). There is even more that we can add to this history, and I think much that is important will come out in replies to your post -- things that I believe are unique to our community, that I cannot really imagine existing on other forums, such as the intellectual and soulful Proverbial Box group and the huge "un-lurking lurkers" phenomenon.

I will be back to give my answer to your question -- but, in the meantime, THANK YOU!

Spot saved ... still working on the right words hehehe

Ok well to me, being a Word Nerd is obviously meant to show your love and support for David Cook, but it has grown to be so much more than that. Being a Word Nerd has served as kind of a little community and a distant family where I can talk to other people who have the same problems and obsessions I have. Noone around me feels the same way I do about David and therefore I cant really talk to them about it too much. Being a Word Nerd has made me realize that I am not the only one out there to suffer from OCDCD (otherwise known as obsessive compulsive David Cook disorder lol). Anyway, what drew me into becoming a Word Nerd was David of course! He was my favorite from auditions so of course I followed him throughout hollywood week and when he made the top 24 I was ecstatic. After he performed Happy Together I knew there was something about him that was just so different and edgy. He was so original and so mature for 25. You could tell he was a smart young man who cared alot about his family and friends. David showed from the start that he was just so level headed and really cared about the music and wasnt in it for the fame. He was humble, sweet, goofy, considerate, the nicest guy ever, and downright sexy! lol. How could one man have everything??? He really was the whole package! And man can that boy belt a nice glory note! Davids amazing voice is what originally drew me to him and then on top of that I just fell in love with his whole persona! I've been a Word Nerd from the start and I'll tell you right now, I'm not going anywhere. David has all my love and support and I have yet to see any idol more deserving of the win. He worked so hard to get to where he is today and it just shows how things can pay off. I LOVE DAVID COOK!!!!!!

Oh yea and I would also like to add that being a Word Nerd has had so many advantages. Its more than just admiring David. You develope friendships that will last a lifetime and can honestly just be yourself around everyone. You dont have to worry about being judged or ridiculed for things. You just let loose and theres always somebody there who can relate with you. Whenever you are sad, someone is there to cheer you up. Whenever you are lonely, theres someone here to talk to. Whenever you are feeling happy, ecstatic, hyper etc... theres always someone here to share it with. You bond with everyone and it just becomes an amazing community and experience. I've had the funniest and best memories chatting with others who share a common interest and i will cherish those memories forever. I Love My Word Nerds and I am so proud that I can call myself one and be a part of this amazing group! David you Really DO have the best fans in the world, i wish you could meet every single one of them because you would deffinately LOVE them all!! But as us Word Nerds always say, David, you have the best fans because you give us so much to support, love, and work with! lol Good Luck in the future to both you David and ALL the Word Nerds. I will always be happy to call this group Home! <3 <3

Casey, WN #357! Cupcake WN

*Gathering thoughts*
*Be Back Soon*

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?

Word Nerd means a lot to me. Yes it's an automatic way of saying I'm a David Cook fan. Yet it's not just the name that should represent you. It's by how much you are a fan. Having the title means that you will support him and his decisions any way you can. You'll respect him not just as a musician but as a person. You'll stay loyal whatever happens. You'll do your profound way of being attached to what he is doing even if your half way round the world or on what location you are in. Being a Word Nerd means supporting and respecting each other. Thus it makes me proud to be one. It's an overwhelming feeling to know that you belong to a group/fanbase that has a lot of love and respect for each member. Suddenly being a nerd is the coolest thing ever!


How did I become one?

I'm a David Cook fan since Hollywood Week. Seriously I haven't seen his audition before that, I'm kinda attached to what I call reality that time. My love continues to grow week after week. I began to ache for information, for a way of feeling closer to him. I began my search before idol gives back week and when MJ got voted off, I landed on AI board. I just lurked around for a few days, posted a few then I found out that I should get a number. I am actually sure that if I get a daily dose of Cook, I'll just be a normal fan. Instead it drives me to this addiction wherein, I can't go on being normal. I need more. The love for David Cook grows fervently. As I reach out and ask myself why, a more sensible question is taking over and that's why not. What's not to love about him? He's a great songwriter, an awesome singer, a smart guy, very witty, kindhearted, sincere. You'll see humility and his passion for what he do is just inspiring. If I may add, he's the hottest person on earth. He's taking over my life and I don't have any complain, none at all.

Wow, Becsy, you do ask the tough questions! Gotta put on my thinking cap for this.

I, too, will return with an appropriate, albeit possibly lengthy dissertation on these intriguing thoughts you posited.

*dissertation in progress*

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?

Being a Word Nerd means a lot to me, even though I came into the game late. I was originally a Brooke and Jason fan. Being a Word Nerd means to support David in all the decisions he makes, to support him no matter what. I've never belonged to a fan base like this one. The last time I was this nuts over anybody was N SYNC. I was much younger then. With David, he draws you in with his warm personality and beautiful soul. He's got an old soul. It's nice to be able to communicate with people all over the United States and the world who share a common love for David Cook.

How I Came To Be One

As I said before, I was originally crazy about Brooke and Jason. I had always thought David was incredible. He was in my top 5. When he did Billie Jean, I thought, "This guy is good," but I hadn't yet accepted my fate. It wasn't until he did Always Be My Baby that I realized that I had fallen hard. He quickly shot up to the number 1 spot. Any guy who could cry on television in front of all those people was a real man. Real men cry. When David came home for his Homecoming, I knew I was a goner. I listened to each interview he did in KC when he was here. I was trying to get everybody at work to take an early lunch and walk down to the Power and Light District with me. I ended up missing that. I wasn't feeling well that day, so I did leave early and was at home in time to watch his parade and performance at Blue Springs South. He was so emotional. Later, I found out my sister was a classmate of Andrew's at the University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University) and found out just how great the Cook brothers were. I began lurking at the AI boards at that time. Shortly before the win, I started posting. Everybody was nice and humorous.

Every time I watch David or hear a radio interview, my love grows even more. He epitomizes what an American Idol should be.

ETA: I originally did this when I first signed up at here, but that was back in June, and a lot has happened since then. Being a Word Nerd means so much more to me now than it did three months ago. David means more to me now than he did three months ago! For the last few months, I think we were all spoiled by the American Idols Live! Tour. A lot of people were able to meet David a few times, to attend many shows, and kind of get to see him somewhat outside of the Idol bubble. This was an opportunity for both the fans, to meet the man they made the winner, and the man to meet the fans who put him where he is today. David is truly appreciative of the fact that his fans put him where he is today. He's a gracious, humble, charming man with an undeniable talent.

After seeing him perform live, either on Youtube or at the Sprint Center shows, I came to this conclusion. When David sings, he makes you feel things you've never felt, and he makes you really think about the lyrics of the song. You may even get the occasional intense, inappropriate thought from the way he delivers a line.

When he performed "Hello" during the tour, you got a sense of anger and jealousy. He's in love with a woman who quite possibly is in love with someone else.

During "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing", you feel like this man is head over heels in love with you and wants to shout it out to the world.

With "My Hero" you feel his energy, and you're pumped up...and extremely turned on by his masterful guitar skills!

Finally, with "Billie Jean", you felt two things: seduced and angry. He really wanted you to know that Billie Jean was just a girl, going around claiming that her son was his son, but it wasn't. This was an intense, inappropriate thought song. He definitely made you feel things with this one.

Someone said that David leaves it on the stage, swallows the song and spits it back out with his heart and soul attached. He isn't afraid to put himself out there, wearing his heart on his sleeve. That is what makes him so incredible.

I look forward to many more years of David Cook. I just know he's going to be one of the greatest musicians of our time.

What Does It Mean To Be A Word Nerd?

The most obvious answer to this question is that a Word Nerd is a David Cook fan. However, I believe that's just the top layer and being a Word Nerd means so much more. Of course we support David, but we also offer support to other fans. I know of a couple instances where Word Nerds helped out another, whether it was to get them a ticket or to console after a tragedy. We behave as if we're old friends, but we just found each other again through David. We've also pitched in on some pretty great gifts like flowers, boots and countless gift baskets. I think the gifts that mean the most, though, are the donations we've made to a variety of charities in David's name. I can't believe all the money we've raised for the ACS...


How Did I Become One?

Like so many others, David had me at "Hello." (Okay, how many times has that phrase been used??) I've always been an 'Idol' fan and I'm a HUGE Kelly Clarkson fan. I guess I tuned in every year in hopes of discovering another Kelly, but that never happened. Nobody was as humble or dorky or talented as her. Well, ALL that changed this past season. I NEVER wanted anyone to win as much as I wanted David to win. I actually voted well over a hundred times as the finalists narrowed down...and I only voted for Kelly for the finale. I think shortly after his "Billie Jean" performance is when I started chatting on the AI Boards, but I never "officially" became a Word Nerd (as in Title and Number) until a couple weeks later. I would have been one sooner had I known where to get said number and title. When I eventually asked for help, I was directed to the link and I finally became a Word Nerd. I still remained a faithful fan to Kelly Clarkson, but then David went and performed that UNBELIEVABLE version of "Always Be My Baby," which pushed me over to the dark side. I was a David Cook fan first and a Kelly Clarkson fan second, which is something that I thought would never happen. Never had I ever wanted anyone to win 'Idol' as much as I wanted David to win. I knew that if he didn't, my seven year relationship with 'Idol' would officially be over...I'm so glad that everyone saw it my way...

...now, if David and Kelly would just sing together! That would be the death of me...

OK guys, you got me crying now but they are proud and happy tears to read about your feelings as a Word Nerd and towards David! ***looking for more paper tissues as more posts are added***



P.S.: Becca, you have to answer the questions too

What does it mean? I'm Alive. It means to give without asking in return. It means helping where help is needed, and doing it with my whole heart. It means having a whole world of friends who feel this same compassion. David is a compassionate person as well as a gifted musician, he's young, but he has a wise soul.

How did I become one? I fell into him and there is no end in sight. That pretty much sums it up. I like to write, but this is the best answer I can give.

What's it mean?

It means being invested. In DC, as a musician, as a human being. In music. In each other. in our common cause as humans trying to use the resources we have to make life better for our fellow humans. It means getting out of our boxes. It means being awake. Open. Alive. It means wanting more than the conventional, packaged, pop culture version of art. And (I hasten to add) it means being delighted by the absurdity of the entire DC/WN phenomenon, which took so many of us by surprise, shook us up, remade our mental/spiritual landscapes, and convinced us to step up to the edge and see if we might fly.

How'd I get here?

Act of God, I think. No, I'm serious. Channel flipping while walking the treadmill (and how metaphorically perfect was THAT?). It was Billie Jean night -- and that was IT. Never had i gotten whomped in the solar plexus like that by anything on reality TV. Went to the AI forums, saw there were like-minded people there, ended up mostly with the Proverbial Box folks. (And we're still over there at www.proverbialbox.com blabbing about DC, life, and all sorts of stuff -- come check us out.)

I'm here because i need more heros, frankly. DC's my musical hero. He's got me racking up big iTunes bills and traipsing through computer geekdom in search of obscure downloads. He's got me listening to Canadian indie bands, non-overtly-Christian Christian bands, his former bandmates, his brother, my old U2 albums, my old Garth Brooks albums, fantastic music recommended by my PB friends -- a wealth, a plethora, an inexorable downpour of music in a life that's been parched for too long. And he's my hero as a human being -- because he's committed to the giveback, and so am I, and he seems determined to take his immense gifts and his advantages and exploit them in the most positive way possible. That soulshine thing he's got going on -- that's the real deal. I need to see that. I need to remember that I can get there, too.

That's why I'm a wordnerd, and why I expect to be following the guy around with my heart and wallet wide open as long as i live.

What does it mean to be a Word Nerd?

To me is being part of this big family that encourage and support David Cook (and each other) in his music and everything he does (of course in the range of reasonable), being there for him at all times.

How I became one?

All started for me the moment he sang Happy Together, from that point he was my favorite, and altough I missed a few of his performances (from Billie Jean to Innocent) due to a death in my family, my interest in find out if he make it to the next round, kept me looking for information on the internet, that is when I found the AI forums and a thread where a bunch of people where commenting live the show, this change my life, because in my country they broadcast the show a week later so here I was glued to my computer waiting for was happening how he do it, the judges comments, and specially your own point of view of everything, (e.g during Rock and Roll week, all of you point out that something was off) that made for a very accurate vision, as I almost could see it in my mind. Further more I felt related because I wasn't the only one waiting anxiously every week to see what he was going to do with the song, reading all your comments I felt like you where reading my mind.

All of this help me to grieve, because it took my mind of the hurt and let me focus in something more joyfull.

So this is how and why a became a WN..........

Made... you callin me out woman? *gasp* Heh, at some point, I'll add my two cents in here, but as you and many others have said, it's a very long story. So... here's to my 'someday' addition that will find it's way back to this very spot.