When Did American Idol Become a Sausagefest?

In case you missed it, Pia Toscano got sent home from American Idol tonight. As surprising as that was, it did further this season's trend of sending women home. The only male finalist to be up for elimination has been Casey Abrahms, who was saved by the judges and hasn't been in trouble since. Other men have been in the bottom three, but all have survived.

This is actually part of a larger trend, which has only seen one woman, Crystal Bowersox, make the finale since Jordin Sparks won the whole thing in season six. So what's the problem with the ladies? I have three theories.

1. Too many teen and tween girls voting. It's an assumption - it's not like we get demographic data about the voters - but given the popularity of the show among younger viewers, it's not an unreasonable assumption. It's also an assumption that they'd vote primarily for guys, but I think that's also a safe assumption (you don't hear any of those Twilight fans talking about a Team Bella, do you?).

2. The women are boring. A value judgement, but maybe a good one? The guys have either interesting styles (Jacob's theatrics, Paul's rasp, etc.) or interesting stories/looks (Casey's beard and attitude, James' disabilities, etc.). The women? All fairly normal. I don't even think we have a mom in the group this year. The women also seem more pigeon-holed stylistically, which also limits their appeal. Pia did go out after doing her first up-tempo number, but she ended it with one of those glory notes she'd been tacking onto songs all season, which was getting old.

3. Gender-inappropriate mentoring? - I'm kind of making this one up as I go along, but all of the mentoring this season has been done by men. Jimmy Iovine, Rodney Jerkins, Don Was, and so on, there's not been a women in the house except for Mary J. Blige's walk-on while Jacob Lusk was in the studio. We did get Gwen Stefani to help the women - with their outfits. It's not like the men have never worked with women, but I would think having some women to help out might help, if even just psychologically.

Now as to why the only women left are Lauren and Haley... I don't think I can answer that.