How come it's never Ladies Night on 'Idol'?

Okay, before I start my rant, let me get one thing out of the way. I’m not buying for a skinny minute that last night’s Elvis theme on American Idol put the show’s sole remaining female contestant, Katharine McPhee, at a disadvantage. Singing The King’s ”Trouble” certainly didn’t hurt a certain Season 4 contestant named Carrie Underwood. And as Howard Cohen astutely points out in today’s Miami Herald, ”Hound Dog” was originally a hit for Big Mama Thornton (back in 1953) several years before Elvis recorded it. So note to Ryan Seacrest: Hop off the McSympathy Wagon!

That said, as a lot of readers have pointed out on EW.com’s TV Watch message boards today, what’s with the estrogen-free lineup of guest vocal coaches and theme nights this season? We’ve seen Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, Andrea Bocelli, Rod Stewart, Queen, David Foster, Tommy Mottola (pictured, with McPhee), Elvis Presley, and Kenny Rogers on the men’s side. And as far as women, there’s… [insert cricket sounds here.] Yep, that’s Rated J…for Jank! Where’s the performance lesson from Bonnie Raitt, or the Carly Simon or Janis Joplin theme nights? You know Elliott would rock on ”Anticipation,” and don’t even get me started on a Chris Daughtry rendition of ”Move Over.” Hot, right? So, c’mon PopWatchers, let’s tell those Fox execs what other chicas we’d like to see as vocal coaches or weekly themes. Holla back!