A week after his [article id="1632112"]unexpected disqualification from "American Idol,"[/article] Chris Golightly couldn't bring himself to watch the first live performance by the [article id="1632629"]top 12 men[/article] on Wednesday night.

"All I can say is, that's why I should have been there," the dejected singer said when asked for a reaction to the drubbing handed out to Tim Urban, the Texas singer who replaced Golightly in the top 24. "I met Tim, he's wonderful, he's awesome as well, but we're two different people. That's my spot. [Simon Cowell] wouldn't have said that to me."

Golightly wasn't interested in trashing Urban, but instead said he still just wanted to give America a chance to see him shine on "Idol" after producers booted him over a previous contract. "That's where I belong," he said. "It was just taken. A swimmer belongs in the pool, and I belong on that stage entertaining."

Though he hasn't heard from "Idol" brass since the DQ went down, Golightly said he doesn't hold a grudge and would gladly return to the show if they called. "I know if you're in the top 10 you make some money," said Golightly, whose story about bouncing around between dozens of foster homes as a child was featured in the lead-up to the Hollywood rounds. "For me, as long as I have a bed, as long as I have food, I would do it for free. I don't care for the money. I would give every dime I made from the show to orphanages and charity. I know what it's like to have nothing."

Since his ouster, Golightly said he's received a flood of messages from others who've been abused and shuffled around in the foster-care system, and he's disappointed because he feels like now they've been let down as well.

[article id="1632463"]Golightly held a press conference[/article] Tuesday, at which he strongly denied that the contract he signed with Dream Projects Entertainment was still in place when he auditioned for "Idol." On Wednesday, the singer's former manager, Lawrence Franklin, told the Los Angeles Times that [article id="1632463"]Golightly was in fact under contract[/article] when he made the "Idol" top 24.

One of the things Golightly vehemently denied were reports that the contract release he displayed at his event on Tuesday were forgeries, saying he hasn't even spoken to Franklin in 10 months. At that time, he asked to be released from the band Dream 5 after tensions in the band rose following an altercation between Golightly and another member.

"Being on 'American Idol' was so fun," said Golightly, who was joined on the call by Sharon Nash, an entertainment consultant who said she's working for the singer pro bono. "The experience of singing in front of the judges was so awesome. My whole life, I gained nothing. I didn't have a mom and dad to say they would help me out. I did everything on my own. When can I have some mercy and prosperity?"

Golightly is still holding out hope that he could be called back to the show, though a spokesperson for "Idol" did not return requests for comment on whether that is a possibility.

Nash urged Golightly's fans to write in to the show and ask "Idol" to give the singer another chance. "This is a mix-up, and it's not Chris' fault," she said. "Chris has been through a lot of stuff, and he's been disappointed over and over again."

The worst part for Golightly, she said, is that he's under contract to "Idol" for the next year thanks to making the top 24, so he can't pursue his musical dreams until 2011 at the earliest. (An "Idol" spokesperson could not be reached to verify the status of Golightly's contract.) "I don't know what I'm gonna do for work now," said Golightly, who was a part-time shoe salesman before his journey on "Idol" began. "It just seems like I got got."

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