that don't impress me much?

Belter LaKisha's shaky attempt at country got me thinking about the purpose of theme nights on AI.

Yeah, yeah...I get the idea. They're supposed to help the contestants demonstrate versatility, and an ability to spin a unique edge on a contemporary classic. We don't need another carbon copy of an existing rocker or pop star, judges argue, and urge contestants to step out of their element.

But is that really necessary?

Sure, it's entertaining to watch a rocker stumble through a decades-old love song, or see a Whitney Houston wannabe bite the dust on country week. Yet that's not really reflective of the recording industry they seek to immerse themselves in.

Chris Daughtry made a rock album, Katharine McPhee made a pop disc. And if Melinda Doolittle wins, she'll record an R&B-themed CD. Nobody's going to ask her to try her hand at heavy metal just to test her versatility. That's too risky for the music world.

And she most certainly won't be singing songs made 30-40 years ago. She'll do what's popular now, because that's what appeals to AI's desired demographic.

That said, are theme weeks really necessary on 'Idol'? And is it fair to vote contestants off just because they can't handle genres they'd never record in anyway?