45 seats remain … still. And we will continue to see some of the craziest talent and the willful manipulation of judge power tonight as Las Vegas Week continues on America’s Got Talent! This season is so good, there’s an entire magic category. Look at all these illusionists! I adore the mind reader/mentalist, Eric Dittelman. He has Sharon write down the name of her first crush, then mix up the letters in her mind. He takes some letters, then writes it down. He did it! I want more.
Then a magician made a helicopter appear, and Justin Riviera did a bad, weird box trick and we could see his foot. Spencer Horsman, young escape artist, is about to attempt the most dangerous escape ever. Just the prep for this escape is making me nervous. Spencer sits in a box full of water, blindfolds himself, and only his hands remain above water and the box. He only has a minute and 25 seconds before they send the medics in, and I am freaking out. Spencer, you’re too young!
“This is crazy,” one of Spencer’s fellow magicians says. Spencer drops the lock-pick, with ten seconds left, and AGT cuts to a commercial. Oh come on, give us that ten seconds! I’m concerned! After the break, with just seconds left, Spencer breaks free. That was insane.
The vocal groups (mostly duos) are up next. Eric & Olivia performed first, with “What a Wonderful World.” Not as exciting as an acoustic, soulful arrangement of “Moves Like Jagger,” but that’s fine. Now I’m agreeing with Howie that it’s too coffeehouse.
Street performers Maurice & Shanice Hayes were cute, but Maurice forgot some words. Howard prefers Shanice, and thinks she should have her own show and bring her dad out for one song. The other father-daughter duo, Jorge & Alexa Narvarez might have the opposite problem. “She’s precious,” Olivia says backstage condescendingly. Howard said it felt like a dress rehearsal.
The comedians are up next. There are six, and not one of them has a chance of winning. It’s just not a good scene for them. But I love them still. Young Jacob Williams is up first and his material/delivery is great, but not as strong as his first audition. Sammy Obeid performed second, and eh, along with you, impressionist Dave Burleigh. Kellen Erskine was fine. But Tom Cotter got the most airtime. Tom Cotter’s material was pretty blue and woman-hating, which is sort of an old school style. I think I prefer Jacob Williams.
The semi-controversial impressionist Frank Roche decided to go with some new non-impression material. He bombs, and asks to start over, then starts over a second time. Nothing is worth than bombing, and drowning in your own flop sweat. The judges brought him back out to tell him how badly he messed up. Frank is eliminated immediately, just for dramatic effect.
Look at all these children doing their homework and singing! Sebastien “El Charro de Oro” are up first, and my favorite little contestant, Issac Brown, is excited to see his friend perform.
“I like Sebastien!” the adorable Issac Brown says backstage. He’s wearing a little leather jacket. Right when he finishes, he asks, “how did I do?” but he thinks he did good/great, so that’s all that matters. Miami All-Stars Jr. were awesome, and Amazing Elizabeth tore it up on the silks/aerial hoop. How can a child be so strong?
Edon did, in my opinion, better than his audition. Better song choice and execution. He reminded Sharon of a young Billy Joel.
The male singers are up next. Ulysses is up first, and to me he might be a novelty group crossover. I’m not sure why he was on that Gondola with Eric & Olivia, but I don’t mind it. He sings “Secret Agent Man” to very little effect. A few singers we didn’t see in the audition weeks performed, and they were good but not particularly remarkable yet. Tim Poe, controversial, lying, stuttering scandal-maker performed and Howie wasn’t sure he could measure up. His name went by before I could see it, but that guy who sounds gravelly and like Joe Cocker sounds so amazing. He should definitely go through, and no one else from this category.
The judges gather and speak vaguely about the performances they just saw. In the end, Jorge & Alexa are eliminated, along with all the comics except Jacob Williams and Tom Cotter (yay and eh, respectively). Issac Brown and Amazing Elizabeth were eliminated, but the young latin ballroom group, Sebastien, and Edon go through. The one good female vocalist from last night made it, and a lot of male vocalists were eliminated. 787 Crew and the All That! cloggers are going to New York. Of the male vocalists, the young guy, Ulysses (what??), and the Joe Cocker guy are going through.
Eric & Olivia are going to New York, along with Shanice & Maurice, despite their wanting to drop Maurice. The escape artist, Spencer Horsman, and mentalist Eric Dittelman will move through, but Eric already knew that.
All Beef Patty, and the light acts are going to New York, along with the sand art guy. Oh my god so many acts. The bayonette group was eliminated, but the BMX groups and the crossbow guy weren’t. Nut Hit Guy and the dog ventriloquist are through because it’s hilarious. The classical singers, after much debate, are eliminated, including early favorite Andrew De Leon because he screwed up so badly and everyone would vote for him anyway.
Tomorrow night, it’s the standby acts! Will any of them be able to compare to Horse, King of Nut Shots?
(images courtesy of NBC)
Writer, BuddyTV
Originally from Seattle, Carla recently took a husband and moved to Austin, Texas, where she is finally using her television “problem” to her advantage. It’s sort of like Dexter, but boring and less murdering. Carla’s favorite shows include 30 Rock, The Amazing Race, Project Runway, Modern Family, anything with murder, and pretty much anything gross and weird (CSI, The Bachelor, Toddlers & Tiaras, etc.). Favorite canceled shows include: Arrested Development, Veronica Mars and Average Joe. In her spare time, Carla leads tours of downtown Austin on a Segway (don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!), blogs about Netflix Instant, and visits elementary schools telling children they don’t need math to succeed (just kidding, stay in school, kids).
