Prognosticating America's Got Talent

The America's Got Talent Season Finale show is well over... America's votes are in, but only the network and producers (I assume) know who won. America's Got Talent's first season is done. A new one is in the works beginning in January. I hope it "catches on", like some of the other reality shows. We were well-entertained on Wednesday (the main show) and Thursdays (results show, after the prelims were over) for a few weeks.

I miss the Prime Time "variety" shows. They had comedy, singing, dancing, and skits. Carol Burnett was one of the best. Sunny and Cher, Smother's Brothers, etc. But I even remember Dean Martin's, Ed Sullivan, Mac Davis, Glenn Campbell, hell, even Hee Haw was good (if you went in for that type of country). Late-Night, Johnny Carson was the best. He almost always had good people on, as does Jay. I hope Conan "tones it down" when he replaces Jay. (Anyone remember Joey Bishop (with his side-kick, Regis?) Dave, I like, but his humor is kinda like Conan's - a little too off-the-wall for me, I guess. And, for those that missed it Mike Douglas died last week. He was one of those afternoon variety-type shows, a la the late-night shows (except he didn't "hide" behind a desk! And if you don't know it, Merv Griffen, Dick Cavett were on in the afternoons, too (and before Merv was off, he created Wheel Of Fortune, bought Jeopardy and they've become staples for evening fare).

So, I hope America's Got Talent comes back as big, or better, than it was this time around. (I also hope they don't change it too much... They have a pretty winning formula, even with Piers playing the a--hole! (I haven't watched American Idol... Anyone see both? Is Simon that nasty on the show? I mean, I know he's an ass, but Piers could be downright mean.)

Last Friday, I sent the following in my LYAO Joke-Letter:

America's Got Talent

If you haven't seen it (NBC), check out the video clips at

http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/index.shtml#main

Some of my favorites (ALL are in the finals ... Actually, there are a BUNCH, but I had problems getting the links for you (see below). In fact, all of these will pull up an introduction screen. Click (or double-click) the link and watch. Each movie is 2-3 minutes in length, performances were about 90 seconds.

WARNING - There are commercials on some of these videos ... [and it looks like the "bulleting" isn't working inside a blockquote]

• The Millers (20yo & 12yo - the 12yo is the best harmonica player I've EVER seen) are from Lafayette, Indiana(!)
  
  
  
  • The Millers - Week 3 - First Appearance on show
  • The Millers - Week 4 Semifinals - Judge's Choice


• Bianca Ryan was JUST SO GOOD (and she's only 11yo!)
  
  • Bianca Ryan - Week 2 - First Appearance on show, was Viewer's Choice in Semifinal show she was on


• All That are very cool (they're gonna bring "clogging," though I might call it "tap dancing," back)
  
  
  • All That - Week 4 Semifinals
  • All That - Wildcard Show - Judge's Choice


• Quick Change - (How does she do that? You will NEVER believe your girlfriend/wife/daughter from now on when she says it takes her an hour to change clothes! LOL ... They didn't really change much of the act but the wig and last dress for the other shows, which pissed off Piers, but the guy made the point that singers sing, they don't all dance, dancers dance, they don't do much else, and QC is the ONLY act in the competition that does what they do. (and no one has yet figured out how!) Made it to finals as Viewer's Choice on Wild-Card show - and promise changes for Finale))
  
• Quick Change - Week 3 - First Appearance on show

When the NBC video screen is displayed, there's a link to the right above all the little pictures called "highlight" (the whole screen is flash, so I can't include the links - I HATE flash). Some I'd recommend (Would have included the links like above, but can't get the damn thing to email them to me ... Must be a limit of some type) [REMEMBER - "bulleting" isn't working inside a blockquote]:

• -Week 3 - Taylor Ware - About 11 years old - Yodeling - Made it to the finals (Learned yodeling from a book!)
• -Week 4 Semifinals - Judges React to the Millers (Piers makes the kid cry ... Sometimes Piers made Simon look "nice!")
• -Week 4 Semifinals - Kevin Johnson (Ventriloquist) - Didn't make it, but he's GOOD
• -Week 4 Results - The Millers (Sweet Home, again, but DAMN!)
• -Week 5 Semifinals - At Last (Asian a cappella group - fantastic!)
• -Week 5 Semifinals - Leonid the Magnificent (Russian - very tall and wears heels, too - He cried on the first one, and they brought him back ... He's very strange (you'll see later), but played it fairly "straight" for this one.)
• -Week 5 Semifinals - Realis (gymnastic dance) - I liked their first showing better, but it's not here. Judge's Choice
• -Week 5 Results - Realis (Judge's Choice)
• -Week 5 Results - At Last (Viewer's Choice - HATE that the mics weren't working right. I've NEVER understood how PROFESSIONALS can screw up for so long, like they did here!)
• -Week 6 Semifinals - Bianca Ryan (heard this and thought "She could bring this song back!" and she's only 11!!!)
• -Week 6 Semifinals - Nathan Burton (Magician - Kept "upping the ante" and surprised EVERYONE!)
• -Week 6 Semifinals - Rappin' Granny (70+ years old and rappin' - Judge's Choice - Think they STILL could have worked the mics better!)
• -Week 6 Results - Bianca Ryan moves on (Viewer's Choice - Does the first song again, but as a WINNER!)
• -Week 6 Results - Mayling Garcia - one of 13 people in the WORLD to play "Benjamin Franklin's Glass Harmonica" (Interesting ... )
• -Week 7 Semifinals - Celtic Spring (Viewer's Choice, on Results show - Piers made the little ones cry in this one, too ... Asshole!)
• -Week 7 Passing Zone (Jugglers - Juggling people! Most jugglers failed miserably, but these guys made it to the finals as Judge's Choice!)
• -Week 7 Semifinals - Quick Change - See what I meant about their not changing much. (1st wig and last outfit and song. Piers was right, but, if they change things up for the finale ... )
• -Week 7 Semifinals - Michelle L'Amour (burlesque dancer - Using KITT and David Hasselhoff's voice samples and the Knight Rider theme - KEWL! Oh ... The clip ends just as Brandy will reply "It's not the right size" and "X"s her.)
• -Week 7 Semifinals - Dave Smith (One-Man Sideshow - Does Tom Lehrer's "The Masochism Tango" in a ... "sideshow" way.
• -Week 7 Results - Hasselhoff Sings (OMG ... Michael Knight or Mitch (from Baywatch) SINGS IN AMERICA! Think this was one of his really big hits overseas. He's never "crossed the pond" that I know of."
• -Week 7 Results - Passing Zone Encore
• -Wildcard Show - Leonid (You'll get just a LITTLE idea of why he's liked and disliked at the same time ... He's just ... ... ... strange. And at 6'6" or so, he's wearing 6"+ HEELS? OMG!)
• -Wildcard Show - Nathan Burton (magician - It SNOWS inside!)
• -Wildcard Show - Quick Change (just so you can see it was the same show THREE TIMES (1st appearance, Semifinals and Wildcard. They DO promise to do something different in the finals - Made it by Viewer's Choice.)

----------

Ok... So who won the Finale Show? Well, first, here's a list of those who were in it (in alpha order from voting page at http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/vote/register.shtml (I'm sure this link will change, quickly):

• All That (Cloggers - Great... Wore uniform clothes, added drums, fireworks, and confetti, this time - Opened the show well!)
• At Last (Acappella Group - Added drums they didn't need.)
• Bianca Ryan (11yo with "the VOICE" - Fantastic)
• Celtic Spring (Family of Fiddlers/Irish Dancers a la "Riverdance" only correctly - Kewl. Little bro danced again, and it's cute (a la The Osmonds and Jacksons when little bro/sis worked with the group), but I don't think "cute" will win...)
• The Millers (Big bro sang "Hard to Handle" and it fit his voice better than the other songs, LD played harmonica on the guitar parts - Personally, I liked it, but I wanted MORE harmonica!)
• The Passing Zone (Jugglers - Put spinning plates and a spinning, flaming hat on Hasselhoff and juggled short-handled scythes around him - They are funny, too)
• Rappin' Granny ("It's GRANNY Time" - Pretty good for an old lady! Too much dance, not enough hip-hop rap, I guess... )
• Realis (Gymnastic Dancers - VERY interesting... I like it and they are GOOD, but...)
• Quick Change (Magician/Quick Change Artists - Pretty much the same show, except they brought Brandi out at the end and she made a "quick change" on stage - He's right that singers sing and dancers dance, but they do DIFFERENT songs, especially in competitions! Doing a touch of magic in the beginning, a different starting dress/wig, HIM changing into a different outfit, a different ending dress, and adding Brandi wasn't enough "change" for me. The lady IS a FOX, though!)
• Tayler Ware (Yodeller - Cute and Country - She's good, but I didn't like song choice. She sang too much and yodelled too little.)

My favorites: Bianca Ryan, The Millers, Passing Zone, All That.

Winners: Personally, I'd be happy if any of those four (4) won... I'm rooting for The Millers (I lived in Lafayette for 25 years, between 1962 and 1987, and I think they're (especially LD) FANTASTIC). All That really "upped the ante" as did Passing Zone. But think it will be Bianca. She's just that damn good, and had a good song for the finale.

Check out the videos... Who do YOU think will win? (And it doesn't count if you answer AFTER the Results Show on Thursday!)

-Bill