In case you missed the comcast chat with Matt. The transcript can be found by clicking more!

Matt Giraud: Hey, everybody, how you doing? I’m glad to be in the live chat world.

Justine: Who inspired you to audition for american idol?
Matt Giraud:My old job inspired me to audition for American Idol. I was a dueling piano player and every night working there I wanted to do something else. Even though I had a good time there. But I’ve still got mad respect for the duelers.

Aimee: I love you and Kris on American Idol. Please let my dreams come true and tell me that you guys are planning a duet on tour!
Matt Giraud: We’re actually not doing a duet on tour, but we will be doing some stuff together. I think I can say that.

Heather: If you could’ve done a duet with anyone in the top four who would you have done it with?
Matt Giraud:I think me and Kris would’ve done something, definitely. On the piano, on the guitar, something like that. We had talked about doing “Heartless,” but I was glad he did it by himself. When we were roommates, we would say we were going to be in a band if it didn’t work out.

Anod: Hi Matt, Can you tell us songs you will be performing on the tour? Matt Giraud: No, I can’t, but I can say I’m doing a couple from the show and some that I have not done on the show.

Justine: What was your reaction when the judges saved you from being eliminated?
Matt Giraud: I was very excited and honored and it felt amazing that the judges saw something in me, so I felt lucky — as anyone would.

Kailee: What was one song you wish you had gotten a chance to perform on the show?
Matt Giraud: I wanted to do “Have a Little Faith in Me” by John Hiatt. It’s a favorite one of mine that I would’ve loved to just sit at the piano and played for everyone.

GiraudSquad: Matt, which contestants were you closest to? Was there anyone you didn’t get along with?
Matt Giraud: Yes, I have major beef with everybody! No, I didn’t not get along with anyone. I remember, at first, I thought I’d have problems with Sarver, just because he’s from Texas and I’m from up north and we disagreed about everything, but in the end we just laughed about our differences and we got along great.

Mobile: Matt, out of the whole Top 10, who would you say you are the closest to?
Matt Giraud: I think me and Danny are pretty close, which I didn’t see coming, but we are. He’s like my wingman and we just kind of experience everything together. It’s a modern-day bromance! Haha

showmeyoursoul: Hey Matt. I love your soulful bluesy-jazzy-R&B vibe and voice and I really think that’s where you excel. I read in some interview that you were thinking of going a Coldplay/Fray route? Why is that? Don’t you think R&B is where you can really shine?
Matt Giraud: Yeah, I think I can shine in R&B because I guess most white guys can’t sing soul like that. But the thing is music like One Republic, The Fray, really moves me, and I’d rather do music that can move me rather than stuff that is showy. I love R&B, too, but I definitely want to mix them both to come up with a more rocky sound.

Poster: Hey Matt. I love your music - I listen to the studio versions of your songs all the time, they’re awesome! How did you start learning the piano? Do you play any other instruments?
Matt Giraud: I’m also a drummer, I’ve been playing drums since I was, like, 10 years old. I started playing piano when I was around 18 or 19. I taught myself and I just loved to play. I’d play for any girl who walked by. I’d say, “Come over here, I’ll play them for you.”

BGSKY: Matt you have some moves where did you learn to dance like that
Matt Giraud: Hahaha… oh, man… well, you know I’m kind of a brother! I learned my move, I don’t know, maybe watching Michael I don’t really think of myself as a good dancer, but I can move. I have rhythm.

Meggie: Where did you audition and what was the process like?
Matt Giraud: In Louisville, Kentucky, and it was a grueling process. I wanted almost 14 hours for my first audition. I remember I was asleep when my first audition came up. Somebody woke me up and said you have to come sing now. but it was a lot of practicing and it was very nerve-wracking. But exciting.

AnaB: I have to ask… the fedoras and the hats sorta became like a trade mark of yours when you were on the show… were all those already yours or did they give them to you just to go with the style?!
Matt Giraud: I have about 30 fedoras, and I got into them on the show — I used to like to wear them back in Michigan, but I couldn’t pull it off because no one wears them in Michigan. There’s certain things I always wanted to do, but you really couldn’t do until Idol. For instance, I always wanted to wear a vintage Mickey Mouse shirt, and now I can!

Kelly Miller: Hi Matt. I heard something on Twitter that we are supposed to wear a fedora to the concert. Is this true?
Matt Giraud: We don’t have to… my tour colors are going to be black and white, for piano keys. If I see anyone wearing a fedora, that’s a definite stand out, so I’ll definitely know who you’re there to see.

Meryl: What was your favorite performance you did on Idol?
Matt Giraud: I liked “Part-Time Lover” and “Staying Alive.” I know “Staying Alive” wasn’t my most popular one, but I always kind of smile when I watch it, because I was having a good time. Not that I watch it a lot, or anything….

BG_KAYLA: The Disco Dance number- cool or embarrassing?
Matt Giraud: It was cool AND embarrassing! We loved it. We watched in and we really worked our butts off on it, so we wanted it to be good. It was more cool than embarrassing.

Megan: How do you feel about the comparisons to Justin Timberlake? Do you think they are fair, or do you think people are trying too hard to label you?
Matt Giraud: On the show, it seems like people have to put you in a box. I’ve been called Justin before, but I’ve also been called a millionj other singers. I don’t think I’m that much like Justin. When I put the fedora on and leather jacket, I get that all the time. But when I’m not wearing that, I don’t, so I don’t want to take it too seriously. I just definitely want to be my own artist.

Jessica:What do you enjoy doing on your free time when you are not singing? By the way, I think you rock! I love your voice and indeed you have an amazing talent!
Matt Giraud: Aww, well, thank you! When I’m not singing I like to play piano a lot. I like to go out to eat with a few of the other Idols, and my biggest addiction would have to be shopping. Not my biggest, but I find myself in malls when I have nothing that I need to buy.

idolbeat: Matt, can you give your fans a nugget at all about possible deals in the works? Are you still in contact with Kara?
Matt Giraud: I’m actually in contact with Paula and Kara and all them. But right now, the only deals that are coming together are shows I’m putting together for after tour, and some things going on with some singing competitions that I might be involved with, but no big record deals right now. But we will see. Right now, I’m focusing on putting my shows together and really getting back to performing and putting that album out.

BGSKY: Do you plan to relocate after the tour for your career
Matt Giraud: I’ve got a couple option. I’ve thought about going back to Michigan for some local shows, or thought about going to L.A. and flying back to Michigan for that. Depends on where the work is, but nothing’s set in stone. All my stuff is still in Kalamazoo

Taylor: What was your favorite performance of another contestant?
Matt Giraud: Hmm, I’ve gotta think about that one. I liked Born to Be Wild by Adam. That was fun. I liked Lil Rounds when she did Mary J. Blige, I thought that was really hot.

LaurenSF: Are you really going to jam with Joel Madden?
Matt Giraud: haha… yeah, I plan on it. Yes. A friend of mine, we’ve been talking about hooking up and making some music. I guess that’s what people doing out here in L.A. They get together and make music a lot. I want to get into that

Mariah:Do you have a girlfriend? Whats her name?
Matt Giraud: I’m actually single now. So her name is “question mark.”

Megannn: Have you thought about setting up a different arrangement for a song in the future like Kris did for “Heartless”?
Matt Giraud: I actually did. I came up with a new arrangement for Part-Time Lover, and almost every song that I did. But, yeah, I’ve thought about it. On tour, we’re doing some new stuff. Whenever you do something on piano, it kind of puts a twist on it. I like putting my own twist on songs, so you’ll definitely see more of that in the future.

Nick: Hey Matt, you’re awesome! I thought you were easily one of the most contemporary, cool and marketable contestants this year. I was usually frustrated when the judges criticized you, so I was wondering if there was ever a time on Idol when you were really frustrated with the judges and wanted to say something in response to one of their comments, but decided to play it cool?
Matt Giraud: I usually kind of couldn’t remember what the judges said after I got off stage. It was a blur. But then I’d go back and watch it and disagree with what they were saying. As an artist, you want to get better and you want help, but I felt like sometimes they just missed the mark with me. Other times, they were a help. I didn’t want to just mouth off on national TV. I just wanted to be respectful, do my thing and get off stage.

Pamela: What was your favorite moment on Idol besides the judges save on live performances? Which guest inspired you more?
Matt Giraud: Smokey Robinson really inspired me a lot. He was just great, almost like your grandpa. He was a very loving guy and really gave us good advice about how to be a good artist and — not just singers — but how to be great people. So he inspired me a lot.

Dana: what city are you most excited to go to on tour
Matt Giraud: I’m excited for Portland, Oregon, which is our first show. I’m also very excited about Grand Rapid, Michigan, and the Palace in Michigan, because I’ve driven by these big places in the past and now I’m one of the performers!

Cindy T: I have been going to sleep every night to “Let’s get it on” and “You Found me”, how are your friends and family reacting to your new stardom?
Matt Giraud: My friends and family… they like it. I think they kind of get a kick out of it, because I’m just Matt to them and nothing too special. They get a kick out of the fans and stuff like that, they’re just having fun with it. I think my parents are living vicariously, which is cool. They’re having a good time.

Sally: Will we see you on drums during the tour? Perhaps you on drums, Kris on guitar, Scott on piano, and the 3 of you singing?
Matt Giraud: I can’t reveal too much about the tour, but you’ll just have to come out and see. It’s going to be a good show. I know that

ontd_Ai: I listened to a little of your Pre-Idol album/songs - how do you feel about them now, looking back?
Matt Giraud: Haha… OH NO! The funny thing is that stuff makes me feel good because I wrote two songs on that one, but I like seeing online when people say, “One-Man Audience” and “Too Many Nights.” I wrote those two. But I was young and we were just trying to make music, but I’ve definitely moved on and I’m interested in different kinds of music now.

Arlene: what’s the craziest or most unusual thing a fan has sent you?
Matt Giraud: I’ve gotten some pretty racy poems. Pretty racy! And nothing too serious. I’ve gotten some cool jerseys and even a tea set. Someone sent me Pinocchio one time, which I thought was funny. Nothing too crazy. I know Adam’s gotten some gifts I probably couldn’t mention!

Stephanie: If you had stayed another week on Idol, what song would you have sung for rock week?
Matt Giraud: I was going to do “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I’m not the biggest Skynyrd fan, but I would’ve liked to do my take on that on piano. That would’ve been fun.

Great:Did you ever have any formal vocal training before Idol?
Matt Giraud: No, not really. I was in a jazz group called Gold Company at Western, which was a great group. I still don’t read music, but I’m learning. I just had my first vocal lesson the other day, which was crazy, because I never knew how much I did wrong.

Allenarose: During the season there’s a lot of speculation about Idol “pimping” certain contestants because the show wants them to advance. Do you feel like any of your fellow contestants ever received unfair treatment or praise?
Matt Giraud: Hmm… no comment. Haha. But yes… actually, definitely some people, I think, are given, obviously, more time than others. I don’t know if that’s just for show purposes or what. All I did was go out there and worry about what I was doing. I didn’t care if they didn’t show my audition, or whatever. I just got out there and tried to become a better singer every week.

Nina Paulo: So who really started the food fight?
Matt Giraud: I think me. Then I ended it. Then I left.

Jen: Whats it like auditioning infront of Simon, Paula and Randy?
Matt Giraud: It was so weird. It was like looking into the TV, and I remember hearing their voices through the other room. It’s incredible how nervous you get the first time in front of them. Even though I sang like a nervous goat, I was still really happy and I couldn’t wait for it… it was one of the happiest times of my life. That’s the coolest part about being on Idol is how genuinely happy you are at certain points.

Kristina: Allison stated in an interview that you were very protective of her. Was Allison like everyone’s little sister?
Matt Giraud: Yes, we were all very protective because Allison would scare us because she acts more mature than her age and sometimes you’d forget she was 16. So if she had a little crush on somebody, we’d be like, ‘How old is he?” We always liked to remind her of how young she really is. She didn’t like that.

Kate: Matt you’re amazing! So heard u like Disney, whats your all time favorite Disney movie?
Matt Giraud: Ummm… I think it’s a tie between “Pinocchio” and “Alice in Wonderland” because it’s so trippy. I like the Mad Hatter

Margaret: What was your favorite week and least favorite week?
Matt Giraud: My favorite week was probably country week, because I thought that was a really cool moment. My least favorite was movie week, because I picked a good song, but I didn’t really do what I wanted with it.

Jeremiah: Was their any performance that you wish you could of done over?
Matt Giraud: Yeah, I wish I could’ve done “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” because I just had a weird feeling in my gut that the judges didn’t like what I was doing. I was really psyched out and I was in a weird mindset. So I wish I could just go out again and give it my best without worrying about that.

BGSUN:What is your biggest dream that you’d like to accomplish going forward?
Matt Giraud: I would love to walk out on a huge stage, you know, like thousands of people, and know that out there are actually die-hard fans that really appreciate me for my music and that’s what I do. That’s a dream of mine. For the last four years of my life, I’ve been playing at lounges and clubs where people are there just to be there and I’m an extra thing. I can’t wait to see fans out there that appreciate what I do and I can’t wait to entertain them.

Matt Giraud: Thank you guys so much for coming out to my first live chat! I can’t wait to get out on the road and meet some of you guys, so check me out on Twitter and I’ll give you the latest updates. You guys rock and you continue to amaze me, so I’ll talk to you soon.