In Season 7, 'American Idol's' leading men may just break the diva mold

Despite perhaps all evidence to the contrary thus far in this season of the Chosen One, David Archuleta, I believe that the next American Idol must be female. In fact, to put it more plainly, I believe all "American Idol" winners should be female. The job of the men in the competition should be to serve as gracious sidekicks/also-rans (Justin Guarini, Bo Bice, Blake Lewis) or as comic relief (Sanjaya Malakar, Constantine Maroulis, Scott "The Body" Savol, Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais).

The "American Idol" competition is no place for irony, at least at its upper ranks. This is a singing competition, and what we mean by "singing" is raw, bleeding displays of wide-open emotion that tear the audience's heart inside out. Humility, joy, pain, jubilation and tears are what the public demands of its champion.

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