America's Got Talent - 2008 (08/05/2008)

Vegas, Baby.

113 acts made it though auditions. Thursday, the results show, the Top 40 will be named.

Piers, Sharon and David will be sending some of the 113 home tomorrow, based on their audition tapes. They show some of the decision-making.

Acts separated into four grooups. Judges hit the stage. Group A are staying in the competition. Group B leaves and are sent from the theater. Group C are staying. Group D (nasty - paused and made 'em wait a few, then told them they're staying.)

Commercials

They put similar acts together for the first time, ever.

First, Variety Acts

Magicians and the Russian Bar group, the brick-breaker and sword-swallower. They call the brick-breaker mesmorizing, but Sharon's not sure he's right for the show. The sword-swallower will swallow a curved sword. He proves the straight sword is sharp by slicing a cucumber. Then he swallows the curved sword. Then he's backstage taking Pepto-Bismol.

Next (after the commercials) will be the "Battle of the Divas". (Impersonators only?)

Briteny Spears impersonator (male - two-piece - AMAZING that's a guy!). Tina Turner impoersonator (male - a 1-piece bathing suit-tpe outfit with spangles - danced better, but not as good as before). Elvis impersonator (young Elvis - has some of the moves and the lower-register voice - Feels better with an audience).

Commercials

Magician - Girl in a box. LOOKED like it went wrong, but he said it went right. They show a few more. Then talk to them. (They're slouching across the stage, not being that good, etc.)

Commercials

The kids - The little girl contortionist. 10yo break dancer. Thought there were more kids.

Commercials

Now it's choice time. We didn't see all of them. For 1/3 of these acts, it will be over. Piers calls a few acts forward. The brink-breaker is out. ALl others in that group are in. A number of Dance Troups - All of them, it seems. The tap-dancing Dads - They're in. One of the magicians is out. The little kids we saw are NOT - All other kids are, including the baton-twirling boy. I missed the imitators staying. I think Briteny is in, not sure of any of the others. We'll see. (Sorry... Had to set up the recorder... My wife's got to leave for work.)

Looks like many of the ones we see in this audition are NOT staying. This way, they get to be onstage in Vegas on TV, right? I'm sure we'll see SOME of them, and all of the others, soon. 34 made it... 15 didn't.

Commercials - Time for the second half. - Now for the music acts. Again, similar acts together.

The Opera Group - Michael (a teacher - quitting teaching, because he can't look at the kids and tell them to move forward, when he sits there and says "what if" - Sang "There's a Place for Us". Donald Braswell - The guy who'd come back from a throat injury. Chiquita (A male, dressed as a female, singing as an alto female and adding baratone parts. I don't know the song done - Sorry). Neil (sang "Unchained Melody" in ... Italian?) All are good, but as Sharon said, it's not an Operatic Competition. There are some hard decisions to be made.

Commercials.

Now it's time for the kid singers. A couple of the older kids. Now, a 15yo girl, Mia - a little large (her description). Plays keyboard and sings. Now the two youngest (helping each other backstage). 9yo David (autistic and didn't speak at age 3 - Seemed even more scared). And now, 4yo Katelyn (She practiced hard, sang "When You Wish Upon a Star".) They're not sure about the young kids... Sharon worries about them. (I do TOO!)

Commercials

Male Vocalists - Daniel Jens (34yo Army Specialist - Singing "Home". He messed up - forgot the lyrics.) Judge take a break. Now, two R&B singers. A former Chipendale dancer - "When a Man Loves a Woman" - Relying not only on voice, but muscles.) Wedding singer - Kyle Ripkin sang for tips as a kid to help his family (sings "I'll Make Love to You" - think it was the wrong key... Couldn't hit the high notes).

Commercials

Now for the female singers - They went through a few quickly. Kat (Has been homeless... Sometimes singing pays the bills and sometimes it doesn't - Sings "Let the Good Times Roll" - old blues style). Holly (19yo - Store clerk - She's the one who convinced them to take her to Vegas - Representing a small-town country girl who saw the show last year and thought she'd try. Personality is "adorable"). Queen Emily (gave up singing 20 years ago to raise her children. "I'm Every Woman")

Commercials - Time for "the moment of truth" for the 2nd group.

Kids first - There are six... We didn't see them all. Mia and Caphidia - Not going through - They're the older ones of the group.

Opera group - All are staying.

Women - Queen Emily and Holly going through. Kat's going home.

Holly and Jennilee - No.

Duets - Nothing but strings and Indigo are staying.

Male singers - All are staying.

60 Acts have made it through the Vegas show. Thursday, 20 more go home.

Since we didn't see everyone this time, I assume we'll see some of THOSE next time. I will NOT choose from this group. I described what we saw. We'll see if the judges let some of those who made mistakes go through, or not, Thursday. See you then.