“American Idol” contestant Michael “Big Mike” Lynche has been winning fans over with his performances and his family back story – but there’s one family member who isn’t welcome. According to sources, Mike’s dad, Marque Lynche Sr. has been estranged from his children for about five years. Of course, this didn’t stop him from blabbing to the media about his son making the top 24 – violating the show’s confidentiality agreement and almost getting Mike booted from the show. In an interview with The Enquirer, Lynche Sr. tries to sound like a victim, and even tries to take credit for his son’s musical career. He sounds like a jerk to me.

American Idol finalist Michael “Big Mike” Lynche hasn’t spoken to his dad in five years – and in an exclusive Enquirer interview, his heartbroken dad says he’s closely following his son’s success from afar.

The dramatic reason behind the father and son split, say sources, is that Big Mike’s divorced mom Michele convinced her kids not to have anything to do with their dad, Marque Lynche Sr., before her death.

Marque, who nearly got his son booted from “Idol” by revealing ahead of time that he’d made the top 24, claims he nurtured his son’s musical career before the family split up.

“You know how some families go bowling together? Well, we sang together as a group,” Marque, 62, told The Enquirer in an exclusive interview.

“In fact, I still sing. I sing contemporary gospel, jazz, R&B. My favorite singer is Luther Vandross. All of the people Michael mentioned that he likes, I like too. We listened to all those people.”

Marque has another son, Marque Jr., who made the top 32 on “Idol” in 2004, but the closest he gets to his extranged son Big Mike is watching him on TV.

“I’m watching Michael every week and voting for him,” Marque said from his home in Sarasota, Fla. Big Mike, 5-foot-11 and 305 pounds, grew up in St. Petersburg, Fla. and excelled in both football and musical theater at Gibbs High School, said Marque.

Marque said he would often go to high school events, but stayed out of his son’s sight so as to avoid upsetting his ex-wife.

“Mike may believe I was out of his life, but I was never far away from him. I was always at his football games, his musical shows. He just never knew it. I went to see him when he was in a show called ‘Once Upon An Island,’ and he was great,” recalled his dad.

After graduating from high school, Mike played defensive tackle for the University of Central Floriad for two seasons. He left college in 2003 to take care of his cancer-stricken mother Michele.

“Michele was a columnist for the St. Petersburg Times,” said Marque, who is now married to Sharon Scott-Lynche. “She passed away six years ago. It was very difficult for Mile.”

Marque nearly got Big Mike kicked off “Idol” when he inadvertently passed along Internet rumors about his son’s success to the St. Petersburg Times.

Big Mike has said he doesn’t blame his dad, and Marque insists, “It was never my intention to do antying that would ever hurt Mike. Never!”

Marque suffers from a chronic illness that prevents him from traveling to California to see his son perform on TV.

“When I go to the hospital, the nurses always say, ‘Hey! Big Mike’s dad is here!’ That just makes me so proud.”

[From The National Enquirer print version, March 29, 2010]

While we can’t possibly know what went on this family, it sure sounds like Lynche Sr. is trying to get some attention, doesn’t it? I also find it odd that the man doesn’t even mention his son’s new baby – his granddaughter. Instead, all he wants to talk about is himself. And as a parent, I have to ask: what good is going to your kid’s games, plays and other events if he doesn’t even know you’re there? It all sounds a little off to me. There’s definitely something more going on here. I find it rather distasteful that the father feels the need to share this with The Enquirer instead of working things out privately with his son. It reminds me of some other more infamous stage dads – Jon Voight, Michael Lohan?