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

Top 20 Week - 10 tonight, 10 tomorrow.

NOTE: All videos are from YouTube, tonight. They seem more current. Here's where you can find NBC's. Click on NEWEST: http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/ and Here's the Two-minute replays of this year - http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/video/categories/two-minute-replays/35417/

Tonight: Dallas Desperado Dancers, Bryan Cheatham, Flamboy, Kaitlyn Maher, Dorea Saunders, Donald Braswell, Indiggo, Tapping Dads, Eli Maston, Nuttin But Stringz - Who made it through to the top 20? and 10 new performances - We'll vote on who makes it to the Top 10.

Who made it to the Top 20 `on votes:
Nuttin But Strings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OkWxM12H1I
Kaitlyn Maher http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55YwD44PErE
Eli Mattson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ9-2l4rVCE
Donald Braswell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n45PpO1ZdfY

Who's going home: Indiggo, Flambeaux, Dorea Saunders, Dallas Desperado Dancers

Judge's pick (5th & 6th places in audience voting):
Bryan Cheatham http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbt6DC2nEWI and
Tapping Dads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxw1jzhUUPE
Piers: Tricky one... Cruise Ship Crooner and Fred Astaire's Worst Nightmare - Bryan
Sharon: Without a shadow of doubt, it has to be the Dads
David: I hate this job! Tapping Dads - You're not the best dancers in the world. I think you could sustain in LV. Bryan - You have a major career ahead of you. You've come a long way from Chippendale's. I think you have a way to go (same with Tapping Dads) but it's a competition. My decision: Tapping Dads.

Tonight: The Cadence, Queen Emily, The Wright Kids, The James Gang, Daniel Jens, ZOOperstars, Neal E Boyd, Jessica Price, Extreme Dance FX, and Paul Salos.

The Cadence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRaWtwvIlYE
We need to impress Sharon the most. Started with 5 drums, playing with 90 tonight. Something we've never done before. Bringing the animal out. Springfield, Missouri. Piers: When you guys came to your audition, you were very raw. Tonight we got animals. You guys listen to what we tell you. Tonight, for the first time, I saw an act that could play in Vegas. Sharon: Guys, you have come a long way. You've taken a lot of Schtick from me. More attitude. You're growing every week. Well done. David: I have been your biggest critic. I said, I don't know if you guys can do anything different from the Blue Man Group or others. Tonight, you proved me wrong. (Good job. Gonna be tough, tonight!)

Queen Emily http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfuefCUAi1I
The moment I found I was in the Top 20, I felt like a little girl. Just a few weeks ago, I was in the kitchen, cooking for my kids. Now I'm living my dream. I have to work harder, think harder, perform harder. I'm dreaming big. You can't give up. "A Hero Lies in You". Piers: Not sure you can carry that song. Thing about you, it's like a rocket. When you wail, you wail. Sharon: Enjoyed the way you paced the song. I cannot wait for the finals, so we can hear you sing a whole song. David: I just love this dream. I'm so glad we're on this ride with you, because you're going straight to the top. (Great job. She did it well. Like I said... TOUGH, tonight)

The Wright Kids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As0pUp3ybhs
The stage is really big... We're used to a small stage. Mom and Dad were really proud of us. We usually do Bluegrass, and last time we pushed over the top. Tonight they're doing something different and had to practice really hard. Rocky Mount, Virginia. "Rockin' Robin". Piers: Now YOUR singing tonight was miles better. Each week I see you guys I think it'll be the last time, because it's a grown up competition. You get better each time. Sharon: I honestly thought like Piers. I can see some attitude coming, and can't wait to see what you do next week. David: I totally agree with them. You came out and took the stage like a pro. And you guys wowed us tonight. (Great job. Harder and harder to pick 10!)

The James Gang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBlKpemUW5g
Classic Songs with Cool Style. Last performance, a lot of things didn't work. So close to going home. The fact that the judges chose us is a lot of pressure. Going back to out roots. Going to slow down, and not try to pack everything into the song. "Hit the Road Jack". Piers: Full marks for going back to roots. Tonight, the vocals were a bit off. Gotta be better than that if you wanna keep going. Sharon: You're great musical theater. I don't know what's missing. It' seems you've gone back from when we first saw you. David: It's a tough call, really strange. You brought back swing with hip-hop. If you make it back, you've GOT to do better. I KNOW you've got it in you. (I like them, but with the levels of competition tonight, I think they're out.)

Daniel Jens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Y5E70jQYw
If someone told me when I was in Iraq, that I'd be here on America's Got Talent, I'd have laughed. Since my last performance, the Army's asked me to re-enlist. Do I continue with my dream, or go back to what I know, in the Army. Tonight America holds my destiny in their hands. "I'm Already There". Piers buzzed early. Piers: I've liked you personally from the start, no nobler cause than serving the country. From the moment you took the uniform off, I looked at your as a singer. Honestly believe the choice of serving country or singing, serve country. Sharon: Thought you did well without shield of guitar. Not the best singer, but I like you. (fight with Piers and Sharon) David: It's a competition, but there's something to be said about heart. But if you sing from your heart, you affect people. And THAT counts. (Mumbled too much on the first part. Too many other good ones. I think he's out, now, too. Too bad... I like him.)

ZOOperstars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s0HaJVsppM
Everything was going great until I fell off the stage. We're not perfect. We can be better. We WILL be better. "Can't Get Next To You" (They SANG). "Everybody Dance Now". Piers: I don't know what you're still doing in this competition. The time has come with you. American needs to look into it's soul. Are they really ready to let the winner of the show be a bunch of juvinile creatins. Sharon: You were funny. In the beginning you made me laugh. Not any more. One of them "mooned" her. She said, Excuse me... My ass is bigger than yours. David: The kids really love you, but you were all over the place tonight. I think you've reached the end of the road. (I thought they reached the end of their road a few weeks ago. so... No loss. Funny, but I just can't imagine 90 minutes of them in Vegas!)

Neal E Boyd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0J5-NZ30ck&feature=iv
My first performance was amazing for me. The only thing missing was my Mom. We couldn't afford the plane ticket for her. Something amazing happened this week. Their hometown chipped in and bought a plane ticket for her, so she can be here tonight. Missouri. (Song's about moms.) Piers: Where is your mother in the audience tonight. Right over there? I think I'd like to talk to your mother. He's very raw. Each time he comes back, we think we're creating a new talent. When you watch him tonight, singing that well, he's got a brilliant chance of winning AGT. Sharon: You look so handsome, tonight. You look like a superstar. You sang like a superstar. Superstar. David: Wrote down some thoughts. Can you sustain an act in Vegas, being an opera singer. How many will come to see an opera singer. When you came out, and started singing that tonight, I scratched it all out. I'm proud your mother's here tonight. I'm proud MY mother's here tonight to hear your talent. (He's excellent.)

Jessica Price http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDIgQLTN8Uk
From a town of 444 people. My first performance, I was so nervous. After that, everything's changed. The confidence is growing in me. This song is more challenging for me, have to put the audience in my shoes. I want it, and don't really want to go home. Freeport, Michigan. Sharon's buzzer buzzed right at the beginning. Piers buzzed early. Piers: I buzzed, not because you're not talented, I just thought it was a bit cheezy. I thought it was like watching a tv commercial for toothpaste, tonight. I want you to move us. Sharon: Still have a long way to go. This is a huge opportunity. Go for it. David: When I see you on the monitors, I can't take my eyes off you. You have to make me watch you with your song. You tell your story with your song. (Good, but not as good as others. Sorry, Jessica. I liked you. But choosing tonight, you didn't do it.)

Extreme Dance FX http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pseE-niXze8
Normally at this time, most of us are worried about the first week of school. Now the pressure's on. We're doing something in clogging that no one has ever done before. West Covina, California. Clogging to hip-hop. "Let's Get it Started". Piers: I'd like the rest of you to back off, and the one in the front. Every dance group needs a leader, a rockstar. It's beginning to work, and they're coming with you. Sharon: I truly believe you can take them to Vegas. Contemporary version of Riverdance. David: I agree with Piers. It's so cute. It needs an edge. I need to hear your feet hit the floor. Stomp on our face. Make us watch you. (Good. Gonna be tough to see some of these good acts NOT make it.)

Vegas' latest superstar - Terry Fator with an announcement. In Vegas for five years. Winner this year, appearing in Vegas. October 17th at the MGM Grand. And there'll be some surprises. Another, will be back tomorrow night and do a performance.

Paul Salos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNffABQKv-Q
When I saw Piers give me a standing ovation, I knew I'd done my job. Tonight's song is all about flying. 72. Competition makes him feel like a 40yo fighting for his life. "Come Fly With Me". Piers: I'm gonna level with you. Crucial stage in the competition. Honestly, thought it was a weaker performance than I'm used to from you. Wasn't quite connecting as before. Sharon: Lighthearted song, even with technical difficulties (couldn't hear through monitors). Prefer you as Sinatra with Grand Piano. David: Chemistry wasn't there, like before, but the voice was there. (Judges were right... Technical difficulties may have lost the competition for him.)

End of show

Me: The Cadence, Queen Emily, The Wright Kids, Daniel Jens, Neal E Boyd
Wife: The Cadence, Queen Emily, The Wright Kids, Neal E Boyd, Extreme Dance FX

Again, I will say, I hope there are record and Broadway producers and acts from Vegas watching this show. There are going to be a lot of good acts out there that won't make it through this show, some already gone.