Pop Quiz

Chill out, kids; you’re not being graded on this one.

“Pop Quiz” isn’t actually a quiz at all ­— a little misleading, I know — but rather the place where I’ll talk about the latest in everything pop: music, culture and anything else that tickles my fancy.

This week’s target is American Idol. By the time you read this, a new Idol will be crowned, and the race to throw an album together by Christmas will have begun. The question is: Do you care?

Yes; Idol is still dominating the ratings. According to “Variety,” last Tuesday’s performance show easily won all categories for viewers younger than 55, grossing about 19 million viewers in all. Yet when it comes to this year’s talent, things aren’t going so smoothly.

Earlier this season, a few of the judges told media outlets that this season belonged to the ladies. Fast-forwarding to the finals, viewers watched as the first four weeks of top-12 performances sent a woman packing each week, turning the show into a sausage-fest. Thankfully, one woman held out until the very end.

Now, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze are pitted against each other for the title. Since I won’t have to time to fix this before press time, I’ll assume Crystal took the crown, as she rightly should. But again, the question is: Does it matter?

The past few seasons have delivered “Idols” who are never the fan favorite (remember Taylor Hicks) and are sometimes beaten by the runner-up when it comes to sales. Now that we know a number of contestants are offered recording contracts no matter where they place, perhaps winning doesn’t matter anymore.

Gone are the times of powerhouse winners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, and so, it seems, are the times when Idol was good. During Kelly’s run that first season, I dominated the phone for two hours casting votes like crazy after the finale. This season, I’ve probably voted for Crystal about four times.

So, if you’re still reading, you’ve gotten to the meat of the matter. For Idol to regain some relevancy in this new decade — the show celebrates its 10th season next year — it’s going to have to take some risks:

-- Take out the rule for even numbers of men and women. If the girls are better than the boys, so be it.

-- Control the voting. Ten votes per line ought to up the urgency to vote.

-- Clean up the judge’s table. Get rid of Randy, and replace Simon with someone who’s actually relevant to the music industry.

So, dear readers, join me in the quest to save the greatest (reality) show on television. At least humor me.