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America's Got Talent Recap: "I Thought I Was Having a Weird Acid Trip"
Hey everyone it's another week of auditions on AGT. Sorry for the late blog but I was out tonight and didn't get home until the show ended. Yeah for TIVO!
And for what seems like the hundredth time this season we are in NYC. The good news is this is the last time, meaning the auditions should be (hopefully) wrapping up. We see some shots of other auditioners from this year from NYC- I forgot about some of these! And the Ozzy guy! Priceless! And the four-year-old girl that I can't stand! Some great acts mixed in there- I didn't realize how many were from NY.
First up is a guy in a large crown and shiny outfit. His name is Perry Zanett, and he thinks he's a great Shakespeare actor. This is probably going to be really bad. Indeed it is, and David X's him after two words. And there goes Piers. The audience turns on him too, and finally so does Sharon. But he does deliver a great line. Piers tells him he's a complete waste of space, and Perry tells him, "It Takes One to Know One". Despite what others say I love when contestants talk back to the judges. It always makes for great entertainment. However he still is given a unanimous no. And some more parting words to the camera- he says it's a disgrace being buzzed by the Hoff, who has been outacted by a car! Man this guy should tell insults for his talent rather than act because then he might get somewhere!
And for the first time in a while we have a bunch of bad auditions at the top of the show. Inflatable Theater rolls in a giant costume and does jumping jacks. Sweet-Lou Fusco does some really bad dancing and singing. He's actually not bad in his lower register but the dancing and high notes were painful. The Power Team lights things on fire and runs into them. Wait they don't get through but a guy who breaks bricks with his head does? Seed and Feed is a group of what looks like a hundred people in odd costumes attempting to march with instruments. Piers says seeing them was like having a weird acid trip! Anita Aloha does a sexual dance that's not that sexy.
Next is a duo called Fun with Hand Shadows, and, you guessed it, they make hand shadows. This already sounds weird. Hey there's Bill Clinton! And Richard Nixon! And an odd-looking JFK! And what is supposed to be the Pope! I didn't think they were that great (the shadows weren't that close to the people they were supposed to be) but the audience likes it. David loves it too and says yes. And so do the others! Really? I figured they would go through since the audience loved it but I really didn't think it was that good. Oh well hopefully they won't last too long.
After the break we meet Xavier Lewis (aka XL). He has a really cute kid with him (who's not performing)! He wants to do well to make a better life for his family. Out he comes in a stylish hat and shirt. And he has a really smooth R and B voice. I don't get why guys like him don't try out for AI... Anyway I don't really like this song but he definitely has a great voice! The crowd loves him too! Sharon asks him to take his hat off and she likes what she sees! David says he loves his vibe. Piers said he liked his version better than John Legend's (oh that who sings that song- well I never was a fan of his anyway). He is sent off to Vegas!
Now the auditions have moved to LA for the final stop!! Yeah that means the semis will be soon!! And we see some of the great acts from before, including Neal and the Billy Joel-like singer (forget his name).
First up tonight is a group of girls in white from Texas. They are a precision dance team called Texas State Strutters. Not bad although I think I've seen better dancers on this show. The audience loves them though. They should be good enough to get to the next round but I don't know if they'll go farther than that. They do end with a great split! David says it got better as it went along, which it did. Piers says it was little lax (which I agree with). Sharon says it's like the Rockettes but they need a show behind them to be successful. Maybe they won't get through? David votes yes, Sharon votes no. Whenever this happens the act usually gets through (Piers, you old softie!!). And indeed tonight is no exception, and they get to Vegas, but like I said I don't think they'll last long.
Next is a montage of dancers who got through. First is a boy named Ali who hip-hop dances at the age of 10. He's actually pretty good and gets to Vegas. The Awakening is a group of great, fast dancers. Georgia Force Cheerleaders (isn't that an AFL team?) do a lot of shaking, which of course impresses Piers so they get through.
Ronny B. is a singer-dancer hoping to get to Vegas. Since the first bunch of acts have gotten through I'm guessing he won't. He starts stripping to the delight of the women, but his singing is just okay and dancing is a bit odd. The audience turns on him, but the judges stick with it. Then he rubs against the AGT scenery and actually dances a bit better. The audience now loves it but David X's him right before the end. I wasn't a big fan but I have a feeling he'll get through. Ronny says he performs at bus stops. David says it was the worst act he ever saw (I don't think it was that bad). Piers says he wants to hate it but he found it weirdly entertaining. David still says he's a freak and votes no. But Sharon says yes, to the delight of the crowd. Ronny tells Piers he wants to go to Vegas, so Piers lets him go to make his dreams come true. Every year there's a weird novelty act that David (and usually I) hate that gets far. Last year it was that male Shakira impersonator, this year it's Ronny. If he wins then this show should be canceled on the spot!! He's not as bad as David said but he's really not that talented.
After a recap of some dangerous acts we meet a father and son team. There act is called the "kiss of death" and all I know it is involves cobras! The son has had a few close calls and has a hat covered in venom to prove it! Their names are Daryl and Robert. They will try to get a cobra to stand up, and then Robert the father will kiss it! According to son Daryl the poison could be fatal, although I'm sure if the person did die we would have heard about it by now. They are called The Snake Kissers. Ironically David shushes the crowd... I guess he learned his lesson from when he buzzed the sword swallower a few weeks back. The snake seems a bit uncooperative, but then it grabs the hat. Piers gets impatient and then buzzes them (want them to get killed?). And there goes Robert, who licks the cobra on the head. It's a bit long though, and not that entertaining. Piers agrees and says there's not much point to the act, and adds that if the father died it'd be more entertaining. That's horrible! David enjoyed it but also says it's not good enough to go the next round. Sharon agrees and they are sent back home. Wow I thought for sure they would get through although I'm glad they didn't.
After the break we get more of Terry Fator. The show hasn't bragged about his success in a few weeks, so I guess they thought it was time to do so again. Of course Jerry mentions his large contract, this time adding how he is now the highest paid ventriloquist in the world! I actually hadn't heard that before but good for him!
The reason we see this is the next act is Michael Harrison, another ventriloquist. With Terry's success last year I'm surprised we haven't seen more audition this year. Terry sure will be a tough act to follow though. It turns out Michael's grandfather was a vaudeville ventriloquist, and he hopes to fulfill the dreams his grandfather never got to. Michael says he thinks he has what it takes to be the next Terry. First he calls up a shocked looking guy from the crowd to be a human puppet. He's funny! He says he will put his hand on the volunteer's back, and "the dummy" jokes it will slowly slide down his back before Michael shuts him up! That's one thing about Terry- as talented as he is, I didn't think he was that funny, and I wished that he would be. Indeed the guy becomes a human puppet, and Michael controls both him and the real puppet using different voices for each. He makes fun of the human dummy, saying that he had chicken for every meal. He's certainly talented but the act wasn't as funny as it went along. I feel bad for the audience volunteer though! David thought it was very entertaining. Sharon loved the uniqueness of it. Piers thought he wouldn't like him but he did. He gets through to Vegas. Again I didn't think it was as entertaining as the audience did, but switching voices like he did certainly takes skill and he has potential to be funnier the next time around.
And last but not least is the woman from the commercials this week. Considering I've been disappointed with most of the acts pumped in the previews I'm not expecting too much from her. Her name is Emily David, a single mom who could never pursue her singing because she had to raise her kids. Her kids now look grown and so she is hoping to get back to singing. She tears up talking about how she thought she would never be able to do this. She sounds great! Not the best singer in the world but she certainly has pipes! The audience and judges are on their feet! David says she came out looking sweet but "knocked them out". Sharon wonders where she has been hiding as the audience stands up again. Piers says she shows how she has a great chance of winning. I think it's hard for singers to win this unless they are unique in style or some other way- Bianca Ryan won not just for being a good singer but for being a good singer at such a young age. Emily's older age may give her that advantage in this competition as well. And of course she sails through to Vegas. I still don't think she's as good as the judges said. Don't get me wrong, she was great, but they were acting like she was the best thing since sliced bread, which she's not.
Next week is the final open auditions (Finally!) and we get another Ozzie impersonator! That should surely be amusing! And in two weeks we get the Vegas callbacks to get the top 40!
My favorites tonight were both the singers and the dance troupe The Awakening, even if they were only shown for a few seconds. And like I said I think the ventriloquist has talent but if he gets funnier I will like him more. Thoughts on tonight's show? Post comments below.
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Jul 23, 2008 12:39 AM
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I'm sorry Mel, but what do you think of putting shadow puppets through? To me it's like putting a little kid through. I just don't think they have a chance of going to far and it seems like a waste of time to me. I am going to be glad to have the audition portion done. It's a good thing they do some review because I'm beginning to forget who did get through!!
Great recap as usual!
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Jul 23, 2008 12:46 AM
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Hey CinderAngelkc! Yeah like I said I didn't think the shadow puppet people were that good either but hopefully they won't get too far. I too forgot about a lot of the acts so I'm glad they had those recaps! Can't wait for the callbacks in two weeks!
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Jul 23, 2008 3:49 PM
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Hey MEL......enjoyed your post so much.
Let's talk about Emily David. She is enormously talented. She had one pitchy moment. But.....she gave it all she had and watch her body language. Really great delivery.
And then last week there was Donald, the car salesman who turned the audience around with a key change - another singer who overcame hardship - has a shot, too.
The little kid David (autistic) will not make it. Cute, but just too young.
I could go on and on ad nauseam. Do you all remember the Sinatra guy....I really liked him. The dancers (all of them) not so much.
Talk to you next time. Zia
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Jul 23, 2008 10:49 PM
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Hey aunthill! Yeah I liked Emily and Donald too.. Donald more so than Emily, but that's probably more a matter of taste. It seems like all the singers this year have overcome hardships, but unless they are really unique in age I don't think a singer will win. That's why Emily has a chance since she is somewhat older, though I don't know how old Donald is. I didn't like David much either. The Sinatra guy was good I think, but I don't really like that kind of music nor do I know what he sounded like so I can't really judge how well he did. And I usually don't like dancers but a few have stood out this year.
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Jul 24, 2008 10:39 AM
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