The second post-Beatles elimination night on American Idol began with the usual name-dropping, as host Ryan Seacrest named such megastars as Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Neil Diamond - all of whom are slated to be mentors during the upcoming weeks. The song-writing contest was touted again, where anyone and everyone can submit a tune to be sung during the season finale. The Top 11 Idols then launched into a Beatles medley, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Here, There and Everywhere” in the mishmash.

The show got down to business shortly thereafter, and ballad-only Brooke White was called on stage first. Likewise, she was the first to make it to the Top 10. This is a rather momentous Idol feat, as the Top 10 performers are guaranteed a spot on the American Idol summer tour.

Carly Smithson quickly followed Brooke, and I immediately discounted the possibility that she might be even remotely close to elimination. Naturally, my jaw hit the floor when Ryan Seacrest told her she was in the bottom 3 for the evening. Carly was forced to slink off to the side of the stage while David Archuleta was called front and center. Like Michael Johns, who followed Archuleta, he was sent to the safety of the Top 10.

The Ford video followed, a truly horrible event shot in black and white. Singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” the Idols paraded around in brand-new SUVs and 50s-style clothing…for some odd reason. It was all completely weird and I breathed a sigh of relief when it -finally- ended.

David Cook was called on stage next and summarily dismissed to the Top 10. He was followed by Kristy Lee Cook, whom I’ve considered a lock for elimination since week 1. Unsurprisingly she made it (again) to the bottom 3. Next, Jason Castro and Ramiele Malubay were both ushered to the safety of the Top 10 seats.

Ryan Seacrest then took more phone calls from fans, a new addition to the show that I was quite sick of the very first night it happened. The first question was for Simon Cowell, some smarmy fan who asked why he spends so much money on cars and so little on clothes. Seriously, have you really scoped out this man’s sweaters? Do you have any idea what cashmere costs? “That’s a very rude question,” Cowell told her, then answered, “because, unlike some of the other people on this show, I don’t have an ego.” A fan of Paula Abdul’s called next - seriously, she has fans? I smell a plant - to talk about her music video or some such thing. The next caller wanted to know what the last song Ramiele Malubay downloaded onto her iPod was - officially becoming the most inane and useless question ever asked on the Idol stage. If you care about the answer, it was R. Kelly “I’m a Flirt.” I’ve never heard the song and probably couldn’t pick R. Kelly out of a line-up. Another ridiculous question followed, this one for Michael Johns. The caller wanted to know if Idol is everything he thought it would be. “Everything and more,” he answered with customary charm. How flipping boring is this segment on the show? It’s almost as bad as dead air - which, I suspect, might actually be more entertaining.

Idol alum Kelly Pickler appeared on stage next to sing - of course - “Red High Heels.” With a little tongue-in-cheek humor, Ryan Seacrest again alluded to Pickler’s cosmetically enhanced chest, calling her a contestant who has “grown in so many ways since leaving us.” This is just tacky. Last year, it was funny. This year, he’s just being smarmy. Looking adorable in her cute new short ‘do and bright red outfit, Pickler did her southern heritage proud and sang in a country lilt so thick she put Kristy Lee Cook’s attempts to shame. It was even hard for me to decipher, and I’m southern. Overall, the performance was quite good, with Pickler even singing directly to Simon Cowell at one point.

But she was quickly pulled off stage so Seacrest could drop more names - comedians Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Dane Cook - in relation to the Idol Gives Back spectacular. With all the nonsense out of the way, it was finally time to get back to learning the fate of those who remained.

Syesha Mercado, who sang her heart out Tuesday, was sent to safety. This left Amanda Overmyer and Chikezie standing on stage, her looking wooden and he looking rather touchy-feely. Chikezie was proclaimed safe, leaving Overmyer in the bottom 3. Simon declared that “two weeks running,” the bottom 3 was correctly chosen by votes (or rather, lack thereof).

As Carly, Kristy and Amanda stood shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder, Carly was sent to safety after a few tension-building pauses. No surprise here - I’m still shocked she even made it in to the bottom group.

I sat up a little straighter and held my pen at the ready, thinking “finally, this is it. Now, Kristy Lee Cook will at last be eliminated.” Color me shocked when it was Amanda - not Cook - who was booted. This is a horrible Idol moment. I could walk down the street and meet ten blondes exactly like Kristy Lee Cook (who can, as it were, sing better), but Overmyer’s voice and style are both truly unique and interesting. Is it possible she can get eliminated while the chick Simon Cowell called “musical wallpaper” gets to go on tour? Rue the day.

As Amanda Overmyer sang her last Idol song (with customary panache, I might add), the Top 10 contestants gave her a standing O and Carly Smithson cried. Of her Idol experience, Overmyer said “it’s been a run.”

And that’s how it all shook out Wednesday night, quite shockingly for me. There is, at least, one bright spot on the horizon: with the Beatles weeks over, at least we can be certain we won’t have to listen to Kristy Lee destroy another Lennon-McCartney tune.