S10.E04: AGT Extreme Audition 4

[Tara Ariano]

Extreme acts are featured in auditions outside the theater.

[marketdoctor]

That's nice.  No doubt the producers took a long look at what needed improving, and instead of fixing the camera angles or the sob stories or the Goran Buzzer or the child acts, they gave us this.

[theabsolution]

I don't very much like outside acts, for one reason and one reason only.

They never make it past the 1st round of cuts on the live shows. Mainly because they only really benefit from the editing process, live kills a lot of the hype.

The ladder guy was pretty cool.

I don't really remember anyone else.

[friendperidot]

I lost the satellite while the guy was jumping out of the helicopter - it went in and out, and I saw that he landed. Anything worthwhile happen after that? I don't care much for the outdoor and the extreme acts either. I'm just not sure how jumping out of a helicopter, free falling and pulling a rip cord is a talent. I understand people are adrenaline addicts, but I see no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane or helicopter. and why would that be a million dollar act? 

[Commando Cody]

That's sort of the problem with extreme acts.  They more or less one note.  Kind of like the high diver from a couple of years back.  He can only get his platform so high.  After that you have to start setting yourself on fire or have to time things so you evade the flaming arrows.  Or have to start catching things on the way down. 

 

Some guys ran a school bus into two school buses.  gosh.  I have to wonder how one gets knocked out crossing railroad tracks.  Was the guy really wasted at the time and tripped?  It seemed like an odd story that brought up more questions.

 

I don't really see it as talent to cover oneself in firecrackers either.  

 

I admit I did like the water board.  I thought the water patterns it made were kind of cool.  I've never heard of that before.  I can deal with stuff like that.  

 

The only memorable inside act was the Ladder Guy.  

[friendperidot]

thank you Cody, sounds like I didn't miss much

[Lonesome Rhodes]

She wasn't that good, but I loved Hinoka's deeply-felt audition.  I was deeply offended for Heidi and Mel as Stern was messing with his pseudo-jingoistic opprobrium for them.  Not for a nano-second did he really believe his shtick.  The problem is he was hurting their brand.  He took it waaaaay too far and never let it go.  I hope they slapped him.

 

How on earth is hula hoops girl a million dollar act and how the heck is she gonna keep from boring us half to death doing it again?  Maybe TPTB will cut her with a bunch of others without another appearance.  I hope so.

 

Hmmmm.  No Golden Buzzer was seen at the outdoor jidges table.  You tellin' me the dirt biker fellas didn't deserve it?  It wasn't even a possibility.  Horrible lack of continuity and/or blatant shenanigans.

 

What was not to like about the stunt fireworks guy?  If that were in a movie, it would be hailed as a great F/X moment.  I will say this about that segment - Heidi has never looked better in this show than with her minimalist/natural look, as opposed to the typical sophisticated/glamour look she almost always presents.  A pretty, pretty, lady she is.

 

It would have cost some serious quid, but I'd have loved Aerosmith's Livin on the Edge tracked under the bus crash.  Alice's School's Out as the finale was darn great, though.

 

Memo to Mel...Would it kill you to not chew gum on air?  

[Panopticon]

Ladder guy was good. I also liked the first group of dancers who opened the show and was mildly amused by Howard's routine about who hated whom. And the magician who had done time for being a con man was worth watching.

Count me in as being confused as to how running school buses into each other is a talent.

[tominboston]

 

I'm just not sure how jumping out of a helicopter, free falling and pulling a rip cord is a talent.

 

My reaction exactly. Army paratroopers do that sort of thing every day and it's not played up as a stunt act for a TV show. Same for crashing school buses... just demolition derby on a bigger scale. I found the first hour last night much more interesting than the second.

[marketdoctor]

 

I'm just not sure how jumping out of a helicopter, free falling and pulling a rip cord is a talent.

 

Ah, but you forget he also had smoke coming out of his shoes.  If he played it for laughs, it might have been better.  (Real paratroopers who jump out of higher airplanes get up to 130 mph, a wind speed where it's very difficult to breathe (which is almost never presented in evolution debates, because it's a coincidence), though there is more danger from a base/low altitude jump.)

 

The ladder guy, although less of an "extreme danger" act than some of the others (he could still break a bone, but he'd have to land *really* wrong to actually die), was still my favorite, because that was both skill and a talent.

 

The card trick was a GREAT twist on "name a card"; I thought he was going to get the golden buzzer.

 

Overall I thought the inside acts were more likely to go forward, though the motocross guys were cool (and made me think of Ghost Rider).  They definitely got the friendly edit with the freeze-frame--which made for good TV, so well played, editors.  I liked the water guy, but like many stunt acts, I'm not sure how you follow that up (maybe he's hoping, as a backup, for a job with Marvel/Disney, which would fit.  He'd be good in a "superheroes live" show.)

 

 

 

Heidi has never looked better in this show than with her minimalist/natural look

 

It's true; she and Mel B both looked even better than usual--and I'm glad for once the show didn't focus on that.

[Porkchop]

Howard and Howie re-enacting the sexy dancers' act made me laugh out loud.

[camom]

I'm with the others who don't like the extreme danger routines.  Liked the motocross guys and the kid on the water flying thing, but the rest left me cold.  Indoors I liked the Charlie Chaplin ladder guy.  I had to wonder just how drunk the fellow was who fell on the train tracks and woke up when the train was running over him.  At least he has a sense of humor about it.

[Primetimer]

After the usual hour of business in the studio, AGT goes outside to watch some 'extreme' acts with an extremely remote shot at winning.

Read the story

[friendperidot]

love that line in your story, "an activity is not an act". exactly what I think.

[barbedwire]

I agree!  None of the outside acts were worth a million, especially drunk school bus drivers.

 

I too enjoyed the ladder man and the ex-con magician.  Howard choosing to call his mom - lol!

[ketchuplover]

I want to see singing and or dancing skydivers

[ratgirlagogo]

The "activities" are in fact acts - they just aren't "stand-alone" acts. But very few of the acts on this show ARE stand-alone acts. Most circus acts are appallingly difficult and yet don't carry the whole show. They are intended to be part of a bigger show, like, you know, a CIRCUS. What Uzbeyer did is NOT something you could "learn in a week at circus school. " Jesus christ on a cracker, are you KIDDING? This is what is great about AGT, that unlike any other show on US TV today it displays circus-type acts. I wish they had even more of these kinds of acts and got rid of all the child acts and all of the singers other than the opera/popera ones (i.e., the singers that don't qualify for the gazillion other singing shows).

[UsernameGoesHere]

That was 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.

 

Uzeyer was the only act worth watching. I thought he was going to be a joke but he was actually great. I don't know how much more he can do with that ladder though.

 

Any outdoor/extreme act is zzzzz, though the motocross guys did have some impressive stunts.

 

Fireworks guy and bus crashing people? Really? Why did they make it through?

 

What happened to Howie's "Call 911!" in all the promos? Did I miss that in the actual episode?

[Zuleikha]

Uzeyer was the only act worth watching. I thought he was going to be a joke but he was actually great. I don't know how much more he can do with that ladder though.

Yeah, he was great. I've seen circus pros do ladder balance acts before but not one as nicely executed and as beautiful as Uzeyar's. Marawa, the hooper, is also very good. Her version of the slinky is one of the most interesting that I've seen. Unfortunately, circus acts just don't seem to translate on this show. I don't know if it's the distancing effect of TV or the obvious professionalism, but even the ones that are basically dance (like Andrey Moraru, the hand balancer, and Nina Burri, the contortionist) don't get votes. I feel like the singers and certain styles of dancers can just come out and do different songs/choreographies, but if the circus artists don't change apparatuses, people think they're doing the same thing over and over even if they're doing completely different tricks. 

[needschocolate]

I don't know if outside acs require any talent or not, and I have no idea how they would be put to use full-time in Vegas, except as a one of those "watch the volcano erupt every hour on the hour" in front of some casino, but some of them seem to take up too much space for that.

 

I just find these sort of acts boring - they take so much time getting to the actual even and the event usually takes less than a minute to perform.  Initially, I was only going to fast-froward through the set-up and watch the actual event, but it was so easy to miss it because it was so short a that I ended up fast forwarding through the whole outside part.

 

Perhaps AGT is different, but based on daredevil acts I have seen on TV before, if the inside acts would have been like the outside acts, ladder guy's act would have been like this - he walks out on stage with some wood, nails, and a hammer.  He builds a ladder.  He stands the ladder on the stage, looking over it very carefully and testing it's balance.  He makes an adjustment, and tests it again.  Then he climbs up it.  As he is about to take his first step down, cut to commercials or to the anxious faces in the audience.  Then show the guy as he quickly climbs down it.  Crowd cheers.  Show the same video of him climbing up and going down, but in slow motion.  Show it again from a different angle. Talk to the guy about how he felt right before coming down.  Act is over.  

[ratgirlagogo]

 

Unfortunately, circus acts just don't seem to translate on this show.

I think they do in a way, but agree that they seem to stall out in the finals voting.   So far the only circus act to win has been Olate Dogs.  I wish the Kristef Brothers had been on in a  different season because I think they might also have had a better shot at winning - because their act involved comedy they had a much better chance than any other hand balance act I've seen on this show, kind of a Penn and Teller of hand-balancing.  I loved them but even I thought Kenichi Ibina kind of had it in the bag.

 

Part of it is the insistence of the show in maintaining this fiction that they are looking for stand-alone acts - in terms of American performance culture that gives a massive advantage to the singers and musicians.  I don't think the audience interest in circus  has diminished, but it is not easy to make a go commercially of circus in the US anymore and probably much of the AGT audience has never gone to one - they certainly haven't seen it on television, other than rodeo and professional wrestling , which likely most people don't quite recognize as the circus events they most assuredly are.

[saber5055]

Heidi has never looked better in this show than with her minimalist/natural look, as opposed to the typical sophisticated/glamour look she almost always presents.

 

 

Yes to this. I didn't even recognize her. She looked beautiful.

 

I can't figure Howie. He hated the fireworks guy, who actually was pretty cool and did something not many other people would even think of trying. Plus, as someone already said, it would make a super part in a movie. So Howie hated him but he loved, loved, loved the bus driving fast, headlong into two other busses? And didn't even knock them down or break them or anything? It just ... ended? So what was the big deal about that? It was the stupidest thing, and they saved it for last like it was some great thing worth waiting for.

 

Color me confused.

[bluepiano]

Glad they grouped all the "extreme" acts into one show (or a portion of a show) as it made it easier to fast forward through. I found all these acts to be different levels of boring or ho hum. And what's what the judges going nuts about the guys jumping off of trampolines and dunking basketballs. Well, I guess they're not big sports fans, because that's a standard half-time show at multiple NBA and college basketball games.

 

Some of these acts may require skill, and training, but that's not the same thing  as "talent," as the term is commonly used. The broad definition AGT uses could be applied to pole-vaulters, deep sea divers, the Air Force pilots in The Blue Angels etc.

 

Besides all of which, I just don't find these "danger" acts to be entertaining television. (But then, I was always bored by Evel Kneivel too. Back in the day I found his live TV specials to be endless build up to something that was over very quickly and seemed like a let down.

 

I don't watch Jackass, but obviously a lot of people do. So many the programming geniuses at Fox should create a spin off "America's Greatest Daredevil" show and get these acts off AGT. Then there would be more time to see 10 year old girls singing "I'd Rather Go Blind." Uh, wait a minute, okay. Guess I'd rather watch bushes crashing than that.

 

Of the acts in the first part of the show, I liked the guy with the unpronounceable name who did the ladder tricks. (I'm a fan of silent comedy). His intro said he lived in Vegas, so I assume he is making his living as part of some variety show and has other cool stuff up his sleeve. (Or else he's a bus boy who does his shtick to entertain co-workers in the kitchen).

Edited June 19, 2015 by bluepiano

[saber5055]

the Air Force pilots in The Blue Angels etc.

 

 

Or rather the Navy and Marine Blue Angels pilots. But I digress.

 

I agree that "America's Greatest Daredevil" would be a good show. Let's go pitch it to Hollywood, Bluepiano!

[ratgirlagogo]

 

I agree that "America's Greatest Daredevil" would be a good show.

It's a show I would watch - but on the other hand any TV exec would rightfully be leary of encouraging a bunch of would-be Jackasses to injure or kill themselves to win the prize.  I'd  rather go with "America's Greatest Circus Act."

Edited June 19, 2015 by ratgirlagogo

[backformore]

I disliked pyro guy. Every year kids get killed or injured by fireworks. Families set off their own fireworks in their backyards just blocks away from huge professional displays. The adults let the kids fool around with the fireworks.

I guess I don't see it as a talent. Or as something pros will pay to see as a stand alone act.

[bluepiano]

Or rather the Navy and Marine Blue Angels pilots. But I digress.

 

I agree that "America's Greatest Daredevil" would be a good show. Let's go pitch it to Hollywood, Bluepiano!

 

Thanks Saber5055 for setting me straight on The Blue Angels. All I know is that every summer they do an air show over Lake Washington, near where I live, and all the cats and dogs in the neighborhood totally freak at the noise.

 

As for our AGD concept, I'm sure it's already been stolen and is "in development."

Edited June 19, 2015 by bluepiano

[saber5055]

As for our AGD concept, I'm sure it's already been stolen and is "in development."

 

 

If it wasn't yesterday, it will be by Monday. You know some PA just stole your (our!) idea. LOL!

[Mreid]

The danger acts never get the viewer votes anyway. The guys who drove the school bus at the end did nothing for me that was just stupid. I really enjoyed the guy on the ladder and the guy that flipped the jet ski I've seen this done on motor bikes but never a jet ski and I was impressed. Also liked the guys who dunked the basketball over the ice cream truck that was cool. But I doubt the AGT winner will be from this episode

[Shopgirl406]

I liked the opera singer.  I can understand why she didn't go on Idol or The Voice - they don't really cater to her style.  I think she sang beautifully.

[Indy]

What happened to Howie's "Call 911!" in all the promos? Did I miss that in the actual episode?

 

We were wondering that too. But after watching the promos for next weeks episode, it seems that it is still yet to come.  They're making it appear like someone falls/jumps off the edge of the stage in an ensemble act (dance maybe?) and gets really hurt.  

[DrLar]

Some points:

 

- Motocross guys had the huge advantage of slow mo shots, that were repeated 3-4 more times, we never see the whole act live.. (typical bad directing/editing)

- 2 wheel drive, jet skis, water jets, , parachuting, not really much of talents, why they voted them thru?

- Heidi looked awesome, at first I thought she didn't make it and they send some other woman as body double, until we saw some close ups we could confirm it was her!

- Colombian girl: pure eye and ear candy, loved her.. 

- Ladder guy..so funny and good, does he have a better act? 

- Bus crash crew, why the extra bodies? this is a one guy act, the rest were just passengers, another bad "yes" there.

 

If anybody has gone to some Mexican beaches, the water jet thing, yes it's new but offered on most popular beaches (they are next to the paragliding guys) LOL

[karenc3]

 

- Bus crash crew, why the extra bodies? this is a one guy act, the rest were just passengers, another bad "yes" there.

 

 

 

I think they were trying to imitate the Jackass movie commercials.   When they came out of the bus that's what they reminded me of.

[UncleChuck]

When I saw the guy who would drive on two wheels with Nick in the car, my first thought was "I saw an act just like this in the early 1960s".  Every summer a stunt show came to town and I remember the main daredevil was named "Joey Chitwood".  Then Nick interviewed the driver and his name was "Tim Chitwood".  The Chitwoods have been performing that stunt for over 50 years and this old guy must have been one of the youngsters performing with their dad (or granddad).

Back in the 60s they would get a local celebrity or DJ to ride along.  It is a visually appealing stunt, but the fact that Nick was allowed within 50 feet of it was an indication that this was VERY VERY routine and safe.

[helenamonster]

It's been a busy couple weeks and I'm finally just now catching up.

 

I was really prepared to hate the ladder guy, mostly because I wasn't really sure what to expect. My friend reenacted a Charlie Chaplin bit for the fourth grade talent show, and it was...well, it was good--for a fourth grade talent show. So I think I had that on the brain and wasn't expecting much from this guy. But wow, that was awesome! I wonder if he's gonna stick with the ladder for the rest of his run or if he's got other tricks.

 

The hula hoop girl looked cool too, I wish we could have seen more of her.

 

I really liked the dance crew in the beginning.

 

That waterboard thing...I saw someone doing it when I was on vacation in Texas last summer and really want to give it a try one of these days. That being said, Heidi inadvertently hit the nail on the head when she said something like, "Look how much fun he's having!" Yeah, watching a 16-year-old boy have fun on a waterboard is not my idea of talent. And they were all acting like he'd invented it or something. Take a vacation, people, you could do it yourself for what I'm assuming is a pretty steep price.

 

I absolutely hate when votes for acts are divided by gender with the judges. Because if Heidi and Mel don't like an act, they're dumb and don't know what talent is. And if they do like an act, well, they're dumb and don't know what talent is. Tone down the sexism, gentlemen, it's not a good look on anyone and that lady was horrible, 'MURICA or not.

 

My general rule for this show is, if I could do it, it's not a talent (except maybe for the dancing, and most of the groups that make it through are much better than I've ever been anyway). Guess what? I don't even have a driver's license and I could drive a school bus into two other school buses. All it takes is a working right foot and two good arms. Also, the guy who got hit by a train...forget that, did anyone see his tattoos? He had a couple tears going down his one cheek...isn't that prison tattoo code for "people I have murdered"??? Asking the real questions!

 

The guy who became a human firecracker doesn't belong on this show, but someone in Hollywood needs to call him up ASAP to have him help develop practical special effects.

[Happytobehere]

Wish I had checked the comments before watch this episode On Demand where I couldn't even ff. as others noted, most of this extreme stuff is not talent based. The only act from the entire episode was the Charlie Chaplan ladder guy.