America's Got Talent 2008 - 09/03/2008

Results from last night:

Going on:
Jonathan Burkin http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/jonathan-burkin/568286/
Sarah Lenore http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/sarah-lenore/568247/
Joseph Hall http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/joseph-hall/568288/
The Taubl Family http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/taubl-family/568248/

Going Home: Bruce Block (not there, because of illness), Texas State Strutters, Shequida, Matthew Piazzi

Judge's Vote (between 5 and 6) Michael Strelo-Smith http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/michael-strelo-smith/568321/ and Sickstep http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/sick-step/568287/. Piers: Judge over the whole competition. Michael... I think you're 1/2 as good as you think you are. Sickstep has shown dedication, humility, etc. Sickstep. Sharon: Sickstep - Love the vibe and their youth. Michael - You have a dream... Everyone here has a dream. Sickstep.

Tonight: Dallas Desperado Dancers, Bryan Cheatham, Flamboy, Kaitlyn Maher, Dorea Saunders, Donald Braswell, Indiggo, Tapping Dads, Eli Maston, Nuttin But Stringz

Dallas Desperado Dancers
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/dallas-desperado-dancers/276053/ from earlier show
Doing something different, tonight. Piers and Sharon buzzed early. Piers: Liked the energy in earlier round. Wasn't feeling that tonight. Thought they were thinking about it too much. I think you're in trouble, tonight. Sharon: Fantastic, great dancers, but not good enough. Great at half-time and great behind Justin Timberlake. David: I agree with Piers... I think you lost a little edge. I know you worked real hard... Why he let them go through. (It's a cheerleading squad. I think Sharon's right. Background, but not foreground. Sorry girls.)

[Son, who's computer was fried by lightning last night, called for me to look some things up. I missed some of the show, at least enough to tell you WHAT the judges said. Sorry.]

Bryan Cheatham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atdgnP44v0s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0LTA0959Co from YouTube - earlier shows
R&B singer with muscles (former Chippendale Dancer). Parents weren't proud. Dreaming of this his whole life. Proud his parents are there, smiling. "My First, My Last, My Everything". Judges didn't like him tonight (wife).

Flambeaux
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/flambeaux/273737/ from earlier show
Shoots and Playing with fire. Nope. Judges didn't like him.

Kaitlyn Maher
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/kaitlyn-maher/266081/ from earlier show
The kid - 4yo little girl. "What a Wonderful World". Audience loved her. So did the judges. (Cutie pie. She may go through because others are bad!)

[back]

Dorae Saunders
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/dorae-saunders/276177/ and http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/dorae-saunders/283084/ from earlier shows
Tina Turner Impersonator. "Disco Inferno". He has SOME dance-steps down. Legs are WAY short, and body is long. Piers: You look fabulous. That was undeniably great fun. We've had a lot of tribute acts. Don't think it's fair to put you through with a guy who SINGS like his hero (Salos). [Argument - A lot of actresses have lip-synced. I'm an actor and a dancer.] Sharon: Piers is right. Frank Sinatra is sensational. YOU are sensational, too. I don't CARE that you don't sing. David: ONLY in America can a transexual ... (forget). You did great, tonight. (Strange. Has some of the moves down, but is a bit thicker than Tina. It's weird to see the boobies in a dress like Tina used to wear. I don't think so., We'll see.

Donald Braswell
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/donald-braswell-ii/283856/ and http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/donald-braswell/276035/ from earlier shows
The Wild Card (replaced Russian Bar Trio when the girl was injured and they had to pull out. This is the guy who was in an accident, and hadn't sung on stage for 11 years, until the auditions. And he did great, then!) When they told him he didn't go through in Vegas, he decided he wasn't going to sing again. I'm here because America voted for me, and I'm not going to let them down. "Impossible Dream". Beautiful. Piers: Bet you never ever in your wildest dreams thought you'd be standing on this stage, right now. America said YES. After that performance, America was right to say YES. You've got a great chance, now. Sharon: You sang beautifully, tonight. Is there still room in this industry today for a new Robert Goulet. I don't know if what you do is relevant today. I need to see you smile. Lighten up. David: We all felt really bad when we voted you off. Look at the tape... Look at our faces (Donald: I felt worse). That's a hard song, and you NAILED it, man.

Indiggo
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/indiggo-auditions/266465/ from earlier shows
Sisters. From Bucharest, now New York. Dancing to start with. Piers buzzed early. Audience booed. Piers: I think I speak for the whole of America, when I say the sooner you're shipped back to Bucharest, the better. You're the worst dancers... Sharon: Listen to me. This song... Where did you get this awful song - (from Germany) - Oh, no wonder, it's German. You're like a guilty pleasure. I like watching you. David? David: I LIKE watching you. A very cute song. I don't think you'll make it through, but I liked watching you. (Cute song, but for THIS show? I don't think so.)

Tapping Dads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTohZ5zcra8 (from youtube, earlier show - short one), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5WXnnEvzt8 (from youtube - at end about 1:30), and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z3slD7-rCA (not AGT - longer act)
We're basically like every dad in America. We work too hard and can't spend a lot of time with our daughters. Do NOT underestimate this group of Dads. We love competition. (from CA) "Puttin' on the Ritz". Piers buzzed early. Standing Ovation from the audience. Piers: Would you like me to judge you as good dads or dancers... Ok... You asked for it. If Fred Astaire could watch that he'd turn in his grave. (Sharon higt him with papers, tore them up, and strangled him.) Sharon: What you lack technically (piers: is talent - Sharon BOP) you make up for with heart. David: I find you wildly entertaining. (They're better than many! I like their guts. They also seem to know which Dads are good dancers, and they're usually in the front. We'll see.)

Eli Mattson
http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/clips/eli-mattson/268791/ from earlier show
Pianist/Singer - Only truly comes to life when he's performing. Can barely believe it's happening. Played some small bars. Go from that to singing for the whole country, and they'll decide my fate. From Wisconson. "Nobody Knows It's Me". Audience Standing Ovation. Piers: Eli... I've got one word for you. Sensational. Sharon: No dancers, no fire, no backing track, just Hammond. All you need. You're voice. David: Good to see someone like you, with class, on this show. Two words for you: Top 10. (Great. I'm voting for him.)

Nuttin But Stringz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lyH50okUns from youtube - earlier show
(found song over title card) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLgfj6YrTTY (and found video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZqlZLcmuT4
Mom's our hero. Holding down a job and going to school. A lotta teachers told them they wouldn't amount to anything. They were wrong. We can't wait. From NY. Standing Ovations, audience and judges. Piers: For emotion, intensity, commanding the stage, YOU guys are my favorite act in the competition. You rocked it. Sharon: Most perfect tone from instrument. Crossover. David: You move us with your music. Keep a-comin'. (Great job. They are good.)

End of show.

Choices:
Wife: Bryan Cheatham, Donald Braswell, Kaitlyn Maher, Eli Mattson, Nuttin but Stringz
Me: Bryan Cheatham, Donald Braswell, Tapping Dads, Eli Mattson, Nuttin but Stringz

(Yes... I heard and saw enough of those while on the phone with my son to choose. Kaitlyn is cute, but Bryan, no matter what the judges said (and I didn't hear that, my wife told me), was better. And, the Tapping Dads can sustain an hour-and-a-half show in Vegas. I really don't think she could. Maybe next year, or in a few years, but not right now... Not at 4 years old. Sorry Kaitlyn.)

I, personally, hope that record and play producers are watching these shows. Some of those that won't make it all the way DESERVE to have a chance. And, if America's voted them through to the Top 20 OR the Top 40, obviously, people like them.