Though 'American Idol' winner Ruben Studdard is a happily married man, the Birmingham, Ala.-bred crooner has a crush on another woman and his wife, Surata Studdard knows all about it!

"I'm in love with Martha Stewart! I have this huge crush on Martha Stewart because I feel that she is the quintessential woman. She can cook, clean, organize and change tires. Have you seen her show? I told her I had a crush on her when I was on the show. She fell out," he disclosed as we sat in the Post Script Lounge at The Madison Hotel in Washington, DC.

Would the season two winner of the Fox reality show ask his wife of just a year for a "one-night pass" for a fling with the domestic goddess?

"If I asked my wife for a pass for one night, it would still have to be for Halle Berry though," he laughed, before acknowledging: "I would never ask my wife anything crazy like that though!"

Witty, forthright and surprisingly engaging, the 30-year-old singer, who has a new CD out called 'Love Is,' was an open book when we sat down to discuss the reports about his troubles with the IRS; online commentary about his post-'Idol' success; weight-loss; and the misconception that he lacks charisma.

Does the notion that you lack personality bother you? Would you say it's a misconception about Ruben Studdard?

I can be shy at times. It took me awhile to understand the importance of opening up. My best friend is probably the reason that I'm so good at doing interviews now. He told me that it pisses him off that people don't think I'm funny. He was like, 'I'm with you everyday and people need to know that.' I'm so used to being like if I don't know you, then I don't know you. That's just how I was. I was always with my brother so when I would meet somebody new it was like what do you want? I had to understand that everybody has a job to do and it's the reporter's job to report what they see and if they see you being melancholy because we don't know each other then that's what the fans are gonna get. Everything is about perception and people can read something and that can be their only view of what they think Ruben Studdard is. I don't want that to be my legacy because I am truly one of the nicest people that you could ever meet. I would give you the shirt off of my back and that's just me. Jonathan, who is my best friend, wanted people to get that about me. It made him mad to see that people would say, 'Ruben sat quietly in the corner as I talked to him.'

I joked with you earlier about asking your wife for a one-night stand with Martha Stewart, but how are you balancing being on the road with married life? You've basically been gone non-step since getting married last year.

My wife understood from the time that we got married what my job is. It's like me being a doctor and having to go to the hospital everyday. She understands that this is how I take care of them. This is my family and as the man of the house I have to do what it takes to go out and take care of them and that's what I do.

Over the last year you've toured the country in the Broadway musical 'Ain't Misbehavin'' with Frenchie Davis and Trenyce. What was that experience like?

The first week or so was different. It was different being on stage and getting notes about things. When you learn the show, you try to do your own little thing. When you're on the play and you do something out of what they want, they'll tell you in your dressing room that you need to be at this point, at this light every single time. It was different, but once I got into the groove of it and realized that it wasn't all about Ruben, it was cool. Our first city was a little disheartening and I feel like we got bad reviews for something that we couldn't change. I think the producers booked the show at a theater that was too large for the show. The sound man was messing up everything. When they got a new sound man and we had venues that worked for the show, we got good reviews every night. It was such a huge market. We were in Atlanta and they put us in the Fox Theatre which holds 5,000 people. And we started out in Atlanta.

But after Atlanta the reviews were stellar and the show was well received. How was it being on the road with the same people for 40-plus weeks?

It was cool, actually. You know what to expect. It's like being around your brothers and sisters. You never have to guess what they're gonna do because you've been together so long. We were together for like a month rehearsing and we pretty much knew each other then. When you get on the road, it was really cool. Theater is such a grown up thing and not like being in high school; it's a job. It made it even easier that I knew Frenchie and Trenyce from 'American Idol,' so we were already cool. I would do another play.

I know you've been working to keep your weight down. How was maintaining that while being on the road?

I am a vegetarian now and I think that's the one thing that saved me from being over the top. I also work out every day and have a trainer on the road with me. I saw pictures of myself at the beginning of 'Ain't Misbehavin' and I look like a whole other person now. I'm down like five or six pants sizes. I've been a vegetarian for about two and a half years now. I probably miss fried chicken the most. I feel better. You can't pay for the way you feel after you start. I'm not saying that people who eat meat don't feel great because I'm sure they do, but it works for me. I don't want people that sell meat to be knocking on my door saying, 'You're still fat. You ain't lost that much wait.'

There have been these reports about you having IRS trouble. Explain what happened.

The thing that bothers me is that nobody ever gets the whole story and it's because I don't think it necessary to continuously bash people in the news. In 2004, my godfather stole about $250,000 from me and he was my business manager. He held me out to believe that he had an accountant for me and that they had paid my taxes. I had to do all of this recovery work and talking to Uncle Sam trying not to have to pay the penalties because I had been stolen from. I had been led to believe by the accountants that I had paid my taxes, only to find out in court that these people haven't paid my taxes. God bless America that people don't really want to hear that story. They only want to hear the bad. I have been trying to fight with that situation for years. We have finally come to an agreement and now it's not even a story anymore. The fact that I have taken care of the situation is not even a story that people want to hear.

Has this changed the way you handle your business now? Are you more hands-on?

I am accountable for every dime now. Nobody wants to hear the positive side, but it's cool. I appreciate the fact that people get online and call Ruben Studdard broke. I'll be that. God is the determining factor in my life and not people. People are always gonna have something to say about you regardless, but as long as you know who you are. I've never seen so many people be so negative. It's the most amazing thing to me that people spend their time on negativity. You have that much time in your day to sit online and call me broke? You need a second job because I'm working!

You have been working and your newest project is 'Love Is.' Tell me about this CD.

'Love Is' is something that I have been trying to make since I won the show. I think the fans have always wanted that kind of music from me, but my record company never wanted me to skew too old. I think it would have been cool to grab onto that "Velvet Teddy Bear" persona from the beginning and now it's like we're trying to build back that brand. Even though 'Change Me' and 'I'm Sorry 2004' were big records, I think it still kind of disconnected me from the core of the 'American Idol' viewing audience. Everybody is coming back around. Every review that I have read online is saying, 'Ruben is back. We're finally getting the record that we want from Ruben.' It was very special working with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. I got a chance to work with some people that I have only dreamed about working with. You can't imagine what it's like. The first few weeks we didn't even talk about music; we just hung out. It was like a wow moment for just to be able to come into the studio every day with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

What happened with your deal at J Records? Because the new CD is on Sony ATV's Hickory Records.

All of the winners from 'American Idol' are signed through 19 Entertainment to other labels. The situation was just different at J Records after they started changing situations. Simon [Fuller] said: 'Either you can stay with me and go to another label and get a better situation or you can stay with J.' Simon has really done so much for me and people don't really get to see behind the scenes and what goes on with everybody that wins the show. Simon has been really, really loyal from the beginning and he's spent a lot of money making and breaking records with me so I decided to go with Sony ATV. I got a chance to make the record I wanted to.

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To read other stories on Ruben Studdard, check out:

'Ruben Studdard's Return: 'American Idol' Winner Lands New Record Deal'

'Idol Wedding: Ruben Studdard Marries Girlfriend'