America's Got Talent 2008 - 08/26/2008

BTW: Here are the Season Three Highlights (see many that I've mentioned before, and, I assume, a day or so after a show, you can see the videos from IT) http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/categories/season-3-highlights/35415/

NOTE: Videos were taking a LONG time to DL tonight after the show. I included all those of the specific acts I could find, tonight, by their name. It appears they're all from the first set of shows... Not the Top 40 choices shows.

I think in this one, I got all the spellings of the names of the acts correct! (Sorry, if I misspelled them, before!)

**

Top 40 Finalists, 10 at a time. We will vote on the Top 20.

Tonight, we will see Extreme Dance FX, The James Gang, Derrick Barry, Elite, Ronny B, The Cadence, Jessica Price, Shimshi, DC Cowboy, and Neal E Boyd. And NOW, WE choose.

Live from Los Angeles.

Tomorrow, we'll see the top 5 chosen tonight, and the next 10. America Voted on a replacement contestant for one injured. At the end of the show, we'll find out, who.

Now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

**

Extreme Dance FX
Nine young people (14-26) - 8 girls and a guy. Cloggers (kinda tap dancing). From West Covina, CA. Piers: Wasn't a big fan to start with. "That was terrific." Put a lot of work into it. Great team. Great dynamic performance. Gotta come back "Better, faster, tighter". Great for tonight. Sharon: "You were smoking... You were on fire." Great energy. Loves the combo of traditional clogging w/contemporary dance. David: Thought they MIGHT have been too young, but they'd come back and proved them all wrong. (I thought they were good.)

Commercials

The James Gang http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/the-james-gang/273700/ from first show
Combine Hip-hop and 1920 music (dance and sing). "I'm a Hoofer". They tossed in a little magic, and missed a bit. Piers: Thinks they're terrific. From the ghetto of NY to this stage. First half was great, and second half kinda lost the way. Don't try to be too complicated. Sharon: So unique, from look and music. But they tried to give too much too soon. Establish the style first, then add on. David: You are exactly what this show is about. Bringing back swing, bringing back Cab Calloway. They're right... Don't need the birds... Tighten up the act. (They LOVE to entertain. It was NOT a way to get out of the ghetto.) (Not bad. I thought the misses were funny, and COULD have been part of the show.)

Commercials

Derrick Barry http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/derrick-barry-as-britney-spears/266101/ from first show
Britney Spears impersonator (male). (He's just damn scary... He's CLOSE to looking like Britney... But looks REALLY good as a girl!) From Modesto, CA. "Hit Me Baby One More Time". Piers: Buzzed in the middle of the song. Nothing personal and sure the audience won't agree. He doesn't think grown men should be wearing school-girl outfits and pretending to be Britney. Sharon: Boring, Piers. She LOVES him. Thinks there's room for two Britneys. David: Questioning his sexuality. Likes the coreography, likes the look, etc. David bent over and raised his shirt... His pants were embroidered with "Back Hoff"... Said it was for Piers. (Derrick started five years ago on Halloween - Makes sense!) David pointed out that there's a show in Las Vegas, La Cage a Folles(sp?) and there IS an audience for Derrick. He's fine. (Interesting, and scary, as I said!)

Commercials

Elite (10yo) http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/elite/273674/ from first show
The Coreographed Kung-Fu fighting little girl - Alec or Alex?. Risky start for this round. Someone could go to hospital, if they really got hit. From Dallas, VA. Pirate scene. Piers: Very glad he's not her father. Fabulous energy. Every woman in America is watching her kick seven guys butts, and going "Way to go!" Sharon: Sees so many opportunities. Loved the way she whacked her dad's head on the bottle. David: Looks at her and sees her smiling. She could open for Treasure Island or Pirates of the Carribean. (Apparently, she wants to be a stunt person.) (Needs a bit tighter coreography, but otherwise, she's great!)

Commericals

Ronny B. http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/ronny-b/278438/ from first show
Latin singer/Dancer. (Strange dancer/singer - Not everyone likes what he does. Performs at LA bus stops). Wants to shock, tonight. David: Stand by for a nightmare! (Doesn't like him.) "She Bang". David buzzed in the middle of the show. Piers: Don't know WHY David buzzed him, he sings and dances better than HIM! Brings fun and entertainment and enthusiasm. Sharon: He has an absurd confidence about him. Compared him to Jiminy Cricket, and said he was an absurd little man. David: Weird. There's SOMETHING he likes about him. Piers didn't think he'd go through, but enjoys him. If Ronnie B makes it all the way, Piers will leave the country! (LOL) (Ronnie B's LOVING the attention and prep.) (He's compelling, in a strange sorta way. I, personally, think they voted him through to give people a person to vote OFF in the first show.)

Commercials

The Cadence
Percussion group. If they don't make it through, they will be devastated, it's the moment they've all been waiting for. from Springfield, MO. "Beat It". Pretty good! Piers: Great to see they listend to them. Thought they ended the act great (put water on the drums, splashing everywhere). Sharon: You need the animal instinct. David: You brought it tonight. Incredibly talented. Tighten it up. He thinks America will vote them through. They have the talent, just need to step it up. (They're good! Could be a bit "tighter" though.)

Commercials

Jessica Price http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/jessica-price/271764/ from first show
Singer. She's nervous. Wants to overcome her shyness and prove to America she deserves to be here. "Time After Time". Very balladic. David stood to applaud. Sharon was smiling. Piers: How are you feeling. (Good) You should... That was fantastic. You aren't believing, yet, that you are a star. Lighten up and enjoy it. Sharon: You did it. You should be so proud of yourself. If I was you Dad, nothing could stop me from coming to LA... I'd walk. David: You have come so far. You weren't nervous. I think you have a chance to win this competition. (She looked nervous to me, but sang through it... Great job. Hopefully, she'll be voted through, to give her MORE confidence and experience.)

Commercials

Shimshi
Magician that (from Jerry's intro from earlier in the show:) "produces playing cards from places you won't believe." Sounds scary! LOL) Dreams big. 10 years ago, he moved to Las Vegas and tried and tried. Trick he will try is very challenging, and not your ordinary trick. Big cards, tore off a corner, put tape on his foot, she shuffled cards, he hung them above his head and flipped, kicking the deck, and HER card (corner missing) stuck to his foot. Piers: Thinks he blew it. Boring. We gave you this big stage, and you did a card trick. (He wanted to do something that was him and had to do with him, not the stage.) Piers: you blew it. Sharon: Execution and timing was perfect. David: Great card trick. This is a big deal. I know you can bring it. If voted through, bring it! (I liked it, myself.)

Commercials

DC Cowboys http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/dc-cowboys/268852/ from first show
Dance Troup from the Washington DC. ("Brokeback meets Broadway") It's a hobby, right now. They'd all like to quit their 9-5 jobs, and do it professionally. Been together 14 years. They're here to win. Dance to "Footloose". Piers buzzed quickly. Piers: Gentlemen... Welcome back. Quoted from the video, "One misstep and it's all over"... let them get to 20 then buzzed them. Sharon: What you lack with dancing, they have great personality and enthusiasm. David: Loved you from the beginning... Coreography was great, but just a little off. Tighten it up. (They were not as good as before, but coregraphy was not bad... not great, but... The DO need to "tighten it up".)

Commercials

Neal E Boyd http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/neal-e-boyd/266082/ from first show.
Opratic singer. His grandmother died the day after his first appearance. She'd called him and said he'd done good, and the next day, she died. He's dedicating this performance to his grandmother. Says she's looking down saying "Sing pretty for me." "Somewhere" ("There's a place for us" from West Side Story) Standing Ovations from the judges. Piers: Somewhere your grandmother was watching that saying "You sang pretty for me". Only in AMerica can you get a guy that sells insurance that comes to this stage and does that. The Michael Phelps of this. You are the man to beat. Brilliant! Sharon: Wants to give him a great big hug. Superb. David: Loved the song choice. The place for you is right here at the top. Neal: Just trying to make a living. (I think, even if he doesn't win, he's now well-known and a great singer. He'll be hired and produced by someone.)

Commercials

Now we find out which of the group replaces the Russian Bar Trio - http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/russian-bar-trio/268884/ from first show - (the girl got injured). We voted, last time the show was on, remember? From the eight (see last show's description). The judges got it down to that, but couldn't decide from there, leaving it up to America.

And who was voted in? (I voted for Donald Braswell.) ... All eight are there... Donald Braswell! YEA. (http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/donald-braswell-ii/283856/ from highlights of first show.)

I feel sorry for the others, but he's BACK! (Sang "You Raised Me Up" the first night.)

End of show.

My wife's picks: Extreme Dance FX, The James Gang, The Cadence, Jessica Price, and Neal E Boyd. I think she's right. ;-)