America's Got Talent (AGT) 2012 - 09/04/2012 - 2nd Live Semi-Final

Live from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center

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The twelve remaining acts will perform. Finals next week. Only three of tonight's acts will make it through. (Again, this is going to be a VERY tough night to vote with only THREE going through to the finals.)

Even if an act gets three "X"s, we can still vote for them.

Sharon: Last week we saw so much talent being sent home. Everybody is going to be a winner, but only three are going to go through.

The acts tonight:
All That! (Dance crew - Cloggers)
Sebastian (El Charro De Oro) (10yo Mariachi Singer)
The Magic of Puck (Magician)
Clint Cavallo (Bird act)
Jacob Williams (Young-looking Comedian)
Shanice and Maurice Hayes (Father/Daughter singing duo)
All-Wheel Sports (Action Variety act)
Tim Hockenberry (Singer)
The Untouchables (Latin Dancers - Oldest is 13yo)
Olate Dogs (Dog act)
Lightwire Theater (Entertainers with light)
David Garabaldi and his CMYKs (Entertainer with paint)

So, let's get going...

All That! (Dance crew - Cloggers)
(First they danced with their shoes on fire, then in water.)
Audience Standing Ovation.
Sharon: Well, well, well. You were dancing at such speed that it was a pleasure to see you perform again.
Howie: I find what you do very good, but I find it one-dimensional. I like to see some hip-hop, some acrobats...
Howard: I think you took direction. When you started =with the solo, then added the three. I think you did well, I think some of what Howie said is true, we've been here before... But I think you did a good job.
AT: We can't hang our heads for anything we've done. You don't see hip-hop dancers clogging. We stick to what we do and America seems to love it.
(It's clogging... Tap dancing en masse and in sync... Riverdance-ish. They may be trying to bring it back, but I think they're going to have to have some help from other acts failing tonight. And if tonight is like last week, there just won't BE any/many failures. We'll have to see.)

Commercials
Segment #2

Sebastian (El Charro De Oro) (10yo Mariachi Singer)
Howie and Sharon - Standing Ovation
Howie: Sebastian, you are truly amazing. You stunned me. I don't understand the words to that song, but I was just sitting here smiling.
Howard: I am not the biggest fan of Mariachi music, but you are making me a fan. If I were going to be critical, you need some voice training in the middle range, but you are such a showman at 10 years old...
Sharon: It's like a dream, right? (Yes). And it's reality that you were so fine tonight.
(The kid is obviously good, having gotten this far. He does need a little work on the midrange, but he's a pretty damn good little showman! Tonight's a tough night. We'll have to see.)

Commercials
Segment #3

The Magic of Puck (Magician)
Howard: You  came out here tonight and we said you had to do something bigger, and you did it. Well done.
Sharon: Flawless. You raised the bar. I didn't think you could, but you did it.
Howie: When I can't figure it out, I love it. It was truly magic. If America wants to see a magician win a million dollars, they're going to have to get on the phone and vote.
(Pretty good. I don't know about flawless. It took him too long to cover the girl, and then when they brought out a box, it seemed the 2nd assistant was brushing the front - I think the girl inside bumped it or something. Even so, impressive, and pretty decent ways to cover up some missteps. 90 seconds, though, is not a lot of time to do a good magic act like Howard wants. We'll have to see. Howard said he did good.)

Commercials
Segment #4

Clint Cavallo (Bird act)
Sharon: She's learned a lot in her 30 years.
Howie: I felt like I was in a scene from the Birds. You stepped it up like we told you. But it feels a little like an amusement park show...
Howard: This all feels a little like a kids party. But I wanna give you the respect. To train a bird to do all that. But this is the semi-finals. I don't think you have a million dollar act.
(This is just one-fourth of his act. And he has over 250 birds. But as the judges said, it seems kinda "kid party" act. We'll have to see.)

Jacob Williams (Young-looking Comedian)
Howie: Personally I love you. But you oare in a tough category. You are more you. You'll probably end up with a sitcom. It's not the funniness, it's not the jokes, it's the awkwardness of you.
Sharon: Jacob. it is you. You're just very awkward, but in a funny way. Have you found a girlfriend yet? I was just checking in. You did very awkward tonight.
Howard: I think tonight you stumbled. I think the others were right that it's your awkwardness. But tonight, it was about the material, and it didn't go very well.
(Yeah... The jokes tanked. He did get some applause, and he's not UNfunny, but it just didn't work tonight. The material was a little off, and added to the awkwardness, which is his persona, just didn't fly that well. I think he's over. (Sorry Jacob.))

Commercials
Segment #5

Shanice and Maurice Hayes (Father/Daughter singing duo)
Howard: I'm a big fan of you guys. You've got a good energy between you. You know Maurice, after the first couple of lines, you could have laid back a little, and let your daughter come out front and center. I love your act, I just think you need to tweak it.
Sharon: I have to agree with Howard that your daughter should be bang in the middle of that stage.
Howie: I've been consistently saying the same thing. I think Shanice needs to be a solo artist.
(I hate to say it, because Stern said it, but I think the judges are right. They are decent as a father/daughter act, but she could go a LOT farther without him, or with him as her backup, not as a shared lead. I don't think they'll make it though.)

Commercials
Segment #6

All-Wheel Sports (Action Variety act)
Sharon: Personally, I think you've done so well to perform this in such a confined space. I applaud you because it was very entertaining.
Howard: I'm gonna be a little downer. We said we needed an oh-wow moment. The show opened up, and I felt like I was rock-climbing wall, bikes jumping, etc. I didn't buzz on the mistake.
Howie: I have a question because we are not at home. Not sure what this feels like on television, but live, it's like Cirque du Soleil meets X-Games.
(It's kinda like a three-ring circus... You don't really know where to watch. One guy fell, but was right back up and the show continued from there. As the judges said, it shows how dangerous it is out there. I almost think it's too much going on... too confined space... no one is really a star here... )

Commercials
Segment #7

Tim Hockenberry (Singer)
Howard standing ovation
Howie: There's no denying that you're a fabulous singer, and I could sit and listen to you all night long. But, being a singer tonight is going to be hard. I don't know if your voice is original enough to take it to the next step.
Sharon: What I loved about your act was it's simplicity.
Howard: This was the most moving performance we've had from a singer in a long time. You chose a song that moves everyone. This was great because you went back to sounding like the Tim Hockenberry we liked from the beginning.
(The guy sounds a bit like Joe Cocker and Bob Seger and Tom Waits - Very gravelly voice, but this guy's like Seeger and hits all the notes. He emoted quite well, too. NOT the Season of the Singer or not, I think he'll make it through.)

Commercials
Segment #8

The Untouchables (Latin Dancers - Oldest is 13yo)
Standing Ovation audience
Howard: You guys chose one of the toughest dances, the tango. You guys are so young and so proficient at what you do. Great job. You guys, it's your youth. It's even greater to see people of this age succeed.
Howie: You, young lady, are right (she's crying). You were amazing, athletic, you did a magic trick (Quick Change).
Sharon: What can I say that hasn't already been said. Every time you dance a different style. You're technique is wonderful. Everyone at home vote because these fabulous young people won't get through unless you vote.
(These kids are good. Their choreographer was in the Miami All-Stars, who went home in this round last year. He's done a great job with these kids. Synced when they're supposed to be, acrobatic when they're supposed to be, and they DID do a great quick change (well, the girls did) in the middle of the act. The costumes are wonderful... They should get through easily.)

Commercials
Segment #9

Olate Dogs (Dog act)
Standing ovation by all.
Sharon: I am just begging everyone at home to please please vote. I want to see you again. These animals are not animals, but angels from above.
Howard: What a show tonight. I do not know how America is going to put only three through. You guys have to be in the finals. If you're not it's a crime.
Howie: All over America people are tweeting WOW. That's not good enough. You have to vote. This is the best semi-final EVER in the history of America's Got Talent.
(They are excellent. The dogs are so well-behaved, and do their stuff without question. Someone I've said will go through may not because of these guys. We'll see. They should make it, too.)

Commercials
Segment #10

Lightwire Theater (Entertainers with light)
Howie: Tonight is off the hook because so many acts create something that we've never seen before. It felt like, sitting here, that you createcd a 3-d futuristic movie we've never seen before.
Sharon: I'm sure you're going to have a headline show. I loved everything. I kept thinking oh my goodness, I hope a bulb doesn't go out.
Howard: I'm looking for originality. You guys have it. You guys are captivating. Dance and electronics and somthing fabulous. Let's see who goes through.
(These guys should go through easily. Of course, that means I'm wrong on the others above.

Commercials
Segment #11

David Garabaldi and his CMYKs (Entertainer with paint)
Howard: I'm always amazed by what you do. I do believe that you will be one of the acts that go through to the finals. Sometimes you keep us waiting a little too long. Be careful about that. You're terrific.
Sharon: I love what you do. You are very passionate. You remind me of this fabulous street artist that we've given this stage to. I really hope we'll see you here next week.
Howie: You are not just a painter. You are not just an entertainer. You are an artist. I didn't mind waiting. The best things are worth waiting for. America, stop tweeting me how good people are, and then how mad you are when they don't get through. You have to vote.
(I love this guy's work. Between him, Lightwire Theater and the Sand Guy... I think it's going to be one of them. BOY was I wrong, when I forgot some of the those later in the show that I hadn't remembered and said some earlier in the show would make it.)

All That! (Dance crew)
Sebastian (El Charro De Oro) (10 yo Mariachi Singer)
The Magic of Puck (Magician)
Clint Cavallo (Bird act)
Jacob Williams (Young-looking Comedian)
Shanice and Maurice Hayes (Father/Daughter singing duo)
All-Wheel Sports (Action Variety act)
Tim Hockenberry (Singer)
The Untouchables (Latin Dancers - Oldest is 13yo)
Olate Dogs (Dog act)
Lightwire Theater (Entertainers with light)
David Garabaldi and his CMYKs (Entertainer with paint)

My choices tonight (ONLY THREE?! GEEZE!): Tim Hockenberry, Lightwire Theater, David Garabaldi, though if The Untouchables and/or Olate dogs make it, I wouldn't be sad except for the one or two who DIDN'T. I can't believe we only have three possibles, and really, we only have two, with the judges choosing between the 3rd and 4th vote-getters.

They've "fudged" others through before. Maybe they will this time, too.

Anyway, Results are Thursday, I believe. If not, they'll be tomorrow.

Either way, Cya, then! ;-)