S10.E05: Auditions 5

[LadyMustang65]

I hope it was okay to start this.  I didn't see one already.  I just wanted to say that I wasn't too impressed with too many of the acts last night.  I did think the opera girl was good, but I'm not sure Heidi did her any favors by putting her through to the live rounds.  The girl was clearly nervous and hit more than a few really bad notes.  She might have been better served by having to go through the intervening rounds to have time to get a handle on her nervousness.

 

Felt bad for the guy whose knee popped out.  I thought his partners did a good job of changing gears on the fly.  Those street salsa dancers always look a bit frantic to me, but given some of the other acts that have gone through, I guess they deserved to go through as well.  I was glad they gave that girl a second chance.  I liked her voice.  She is another one who needs to get control of her nerves.  I also liked the mentalist.  I never know how they can do that. 

 

Lastly, no . . . just no . . . to the guy with the apple and the chainsaw.

[camom]

I would be a terrible judge on AGT.  I would say NO to any act that made me fear for someone's life, like the chainsaw guy last night.  (And it looks like there is a lot of that next week.)  None of the acts blew me away last night.  I also felt bad for the dancer who got hurt.  So did just the two who danced go through or all four of them? I actually thought they were better with just two of them.

[tobysmom]

I have to say the only act I really liked, believe it or not, were the two young brothers, The Gentlemen, who danced first.  I thought they were very good and very professional so I'm glad they got through.  The other acts were meh, actually when I think back I can't remember most of them; except for the poor girl who sang and played the keyboard and screwed up and started over again...really didn't think she was that good.  I'm glad they gave her a second chance, but she wasn't really good.

[SFoster21]

I have to say the only act I really liked, believe it or not, were the two young brothers, The Gentlemen, who danced first. I thought they were very good and very professional so I'm glad they got through. The other acts were meh, actually when I think back I can't remember most of them; except for the poor girl who sang and played the keyboard and screwed up and started over again...really didn't think she was that good. I'm glad they gave her a second chance, but she wasn't really good.

They were cute, but one of them isn't focussed.

[Commando Cody]

I was impressed with Opera Girl, but I didn't quite get who her brother was or why he was training her.  Was he a professional singer?  I thought she was great for an eleven year old girl with developing talent. She needs a regular schedule with a professional voice coach - if she isn't already.  I think she could be wonderful someday.  Right now she just has extraordinary potential talent.  I agree about not getting the golden buzzer. She was nervous and going through the extra rounds may have been helpful for her.  I actually thought that Heidi would give the four dancers the golden buzzer just so the act would have time to regroup since the one guy was injured. 

 

I had more to say last night while the show was still fresh in my mind, but there wasn't a topic for it.  I guess it probably only shows that there wasn't much to comment on in terms of talent in last night's show anyway.  

[bluepiano]

I thought she was great for an eleven year old girl with developing talent. She needs a regular schedule with a professional voice coach - if she isn't already.  I think she could be wonderful someday.  Right now she just has extraordinary potential talent.  

 

Exactly why if they want to exploit kids they should have a separate show ("AGT Junior") and not have them competing against grown-ups. Because I agree that she has talent and potential, but if I was judging her by the same standards I would use for an adult, there were a lot of problems with that performance. But the judges won't say that, because it would sound mean. Kids are always "graded on a curve," which is not fair to the adult performers. Who, after spending years practicing and developing their talents, could lose out to a kid based on audience sympathy and the cuteness factor.

 

I felt the same way about the brother dancers. They were cute and good for their age, but if judged by the standards of an adult dance act, nothing special.

 

The mentalist was great, and I'm totally baffled. I can understand palming and passing off a playing card, but how do you have an already prepared handwritten note? I will be really interested to see what he comes up with next. He's set himself a high bar.

 

The chainsaw guy was boring and cheesy. Howard always goes nuts for these danger acts, but for me this one didn't even have danger. All it takes is a little spatial sense (which you get from practicing) to know exactly where the chainsaw is in relation to your face. And that's if it was a real blindfold, and not the trick kind that looks black from the outside but which you can see through. Since he did not bring a job up to verify it was a real blindfold, I'm very skeptical.

 

The hand balancer dancing with the manikin was also sort of cheesy, but in an entertaining way. I was glad they put him through, and curious about what he'll do next. Two manikins?

Edited June 24, 2015 by bluepiano

[backformore]

I wish the judges would just make up their own minds, and not talk each other into letting acts through. Howie and Howard liked the chainsaw act. It was a stupid act. Heidi wanted to say no, but was too easily swayed. There were instances of the same thing last season. The female judges need to go with their gut. When they think an act is bad, don't be talked into voting it through.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Metalachi for the win!  :)

 

Good on Howard for refusing to accept the screw-up from the singer.  If only one more jidge had agreed.  Salsa dance injury was a different thing.  I'm a curmudgeon, so I would not have allowed them that second chance.  They would certainly be welcome to return next year, though.

 

I haaaaated all the child dancers seeming to get through.  Enough!  Then again, I am in no way the desired audience for this production.  I get it.

 

Is it just me, or have they cut way back on the pre-audition interactions with Nick?  I do know there's been a lot more time devoted to post-voting hijinks.  I like it.

[A Boston Gal]

You know, I'd like to say which act i enjoyed most this week, but if I can't even remember the name of it, then it wasn't so impressive, was it? It was the group who did "Shake It Off": I thought it was an instance where "a little bit of everything" seemed to work, rather than just look like a mish-mash. 

 

"Mentalists" annoy me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I suppose it's just that they should call themselves magicians and be done with it. I don't mind the trick aspect of a performance, especially if it's done well,  I just mind suspending my disbelief over psychic ability.  So, you can read minds, eh? Tell me what I had for breakfast. It shouldn't be too hard, it's the same damn thing every morning. ;)

 

I must end this post now, since it seems I've used up my daily allowance of quotation marks.

Edited June 25, 2015 by A Boston Gal

[needschocolate]

"Mentalists" annoy me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I suppose it's just that they should call themselves magicians and be done with it. I don't mind the trick aspect of a performance, especially if it's done well,  I just mind suspending my disbelief over psychic ability.  So, you can read minds, eh? Tell me what I had for breakfast. It shouldn't be too hard, it's the same damn thing every morning. ;)

 

I have never called myself a mentalist, and I am not even a magician, but I am going to say --- A bowl of cereal.

[A Boston Gal]

Ooooh, almost....grains WERE involved. ;)

[PepperMonkey]

LadyMustang, I *almost* started a topic when there wasn't one for hours, but I was thinking there was so little interest, so why bother? Thanks for starting one.

 

I'm the Lone Ranger, I guess: I thought opera girl was mostly terrible. I see she has raw talent and I think she's a cute kid, but there were so many sour notes and her facial expressions were making me a nervous wreck. The judges acting like they've NEVER seen anything like this was ridiculous, especially since Howie was judge when Jackie Evancho almost won a few seasons ago.

 

Man, I hope the guy who popped out his knee is okay. That said, I didn't think that was an act that necessarily deserved to go through. I liked the brother dancers and I am usually violently opposed to kid acts; they were super cute and extremely professional, especially considering their ages.

 

It's time for them to replace Howie and Heidi, imho. They can keep Mel B, but they could get rid of her, too, idc. I wish they'd keep Howard and get 2 new judges. Hold it at three; there's no need for four.

[Tara1665]

I heard Howard is leaving after this season and Simon Cowell wants to judge in his place. At least that's what the Today Show said this morning.

[Panopticon]

I liked the balancer with the mannequin because I always like those strength/balancing acts. It's certainly not something that can win, though. I can't watch one of those acts without wishing the KrisStef brothers had competed in a regular year rather than one with an obvious unique/superior winner. They were the ones who managed to change it up every week by adding comedy and all.

I also liked the Shake It Off band. Don't take the fact that I don't remember the act name as a sign that I wasn't thoroughly entertained. He/they have a good shot to go far.

[Taeolas]

The Shake it off Band is Alex Boye. Just watched on AGT and checked Youtube and he's even better. He's very energetic and expressive; his Shake it Off cover is probably beating The Rock's lip sync version for my fav take now. And I really liked his take on Happy: 

 While I normally pass on Singers, he managed to sell to me; he's one of my top fav acts now I think for this season. 

 

The Mentalist is the other act that impressed me. Not sure how he got the note into the stapled envelope, but he was smooth, and entertaining, so I'm happy to be baffled by him.

 

The Salsa dancers, I'm glad they went on as a duo. They were doing good as a quartet, so I'm fine with seeing them move on and going forward. 

 

The rest of the acts, didn't leave much of an impression on me. Course I did skip the kid and most of the singing acts in general. 

[UsernameGoesHere]

LOL at the doggy strip show. WTF? Terrible. And I just felt bad for the "hyperactive" tortoise.

 

The balloon animal guys... again, WTF? Of course they made it through.

 

I felt so bad for the guy who got injured. Glad they got a second chance and made it through.

 

I wanted to see more of that guy on the unicycle balancing the acrobat girl. That looked cool.

 

I love handbalancing and the guy was good, but the mannequin thing was odd.

 

The juggling act wasn't one of those things that's so bad it's good or funny... it was just bad. Yet it got a whole segment.

 

Disappointed to hear Howard's leaving. He's my favorite judge.

[Rapunzel]

I heard Howard is leaving after this season and Simon Cowell wants to judge in his place. At least that's what the Today Show said this morning.

So if Howard is leaving and being replaced by Simon Cowell, that means there will be no American judges on AGT, which just seems odd. I also never liked the four judges thing and wish they would go back to three.

 

As for the acts this week, agree with much of what was posted above and opera singer girl shouldn't have made it through as she was quite pitchy at times and I'm tired of this show moving nearly every kid act through just to appear "kind" or whatever - I've been saying for several years that there should be an age limit. 18 would be good, but I would settle for 16.  

[xls]

Was not impressed by the mentalist, was that it? He could have googled that shit.

Little opera girl was some of the worst lip-syncing since Brittany Spears.Not buying that was her voice, all you have to do is watch her lips and face and it doesn't fit.

[Commando Cody]

I don't know why anyone would lip synch to a poor singer's recording.  The kid was very impressive for her age, but in general it was not a good performance.  

[helenamonster]

I actually really liked the brother dance duo that started the show. Not that I want them to win or anything, but I wouldn't mind seeing them again.

 

Stuff like the balloon animal guys is why I've decided to start using the time that I watch this show to paint my nails. I need something to keep me from looking up at the screen. Ugh, do not like the gross-out acts at all.

 

The mentalist was cool. And my little Spice Girls-loving heart fluttered at Mel picking a vacation she took with Geri.

 

I don't know anything about opera so I thought the girl was good but I'm not surprised to be wrong. That being said, she was so damn sweet and seemed genuinely surprised and grateful when Heidi pushed the golden buzzer that I can't even be mad about it. However, people need to stop singing "O Mio Babbino Caro" for the rest of forever. I'm still traumatized from when/how Downton Abbey used it.

[Wandering Snark]

I really wish that we could get to a point when operatic music is no longer the wildest, most inconcievable talent evar. They continually blather on and wet themselves over someone who "doesn't look like they should be able to do, of all things, sing OPERA!!" There is one at least, every year.

 

They would never do it as all their "best" sob stories come from it, but I'd rather them say "other shows do singing exclusively, why don't we drop singing acts and give the variety acts more slots/chance to win?" In general they wayyy over-value and over-promote/fawn over singers. OMG they are overcoming their nerves, right here on our stage, they MUST go through!! No, they need more time, practice, and to take some lessons.

 

We had that horrible woman that couldn't play her keyboard OR sing but she goes through. Billions of people can sing passably or else Karaoke wouldn't exist... but it's truly a talent to be, say, a hand-balancer, even a creepy one using a mannequin wearing his wives' wedding dress.

 

I think almost everyone has a friend or friend of a friend who can sing and play guitar or keyboards. It's not some mystical art shrouded in mystery. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by Wandering Snark

[Indy]

 However, people need to stop singing "O Mio Babbino Caro" for the rest of forever. 

 

This times a million.  I want there to be a trap door in the stage and whenever someone sings this song, the door needs to open and boom, bye bye.  There are a bajillion opera songs out there people, pick another one!  

[needschocolate]

Doggy strip show, hyperactive tortoise... this is the real downside to David Letterman retiring - AGT is now the only place for weird pet tricks.  

[PepperMonkey]

I'd rather watch some of these stupid pet tricks on AGT instead of the "same old, same old" kid opera singer, hypersexed old lady, mediocre singer who also plays keyboards, and on and on, redux.

 

I'm so sorry to hear Howard is leaving. I guess I don't really mind that they won't have any American judges. I'd be okay with that if they'd get rid of Heidi. I've wanted Howie gone forever. I'm not that familiar with Simon except for a few YouTube clips I've watched from some of his British stuff and he at least seems to be honest. Howie always seems like he's pandering to be the audience favourite, and Heidi perpetually confuses me with her likes and dislikes. She hosts everything in the known universe as it is. Give someone else a chance.

Edited June 29, 2015 by PepperMonkey

[die Frau]

I'm a week behind the times. Was there even an episode today? Anyway, enough with the opera singers! I don't care if they're children or adults. It's old and tired!

As for the "hyperactive" Tortoise, I have one at home, and he could probably do that same trick, but I know better than to put him on TV. The poor thing looked scared. The trainer did herself no favors. Why was she just holding the strawberry? She should have walked with it and the tortoise might have actually performed. Also, I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to be eating strawberries.

What was the point of the "stripping" dog?

[Commando Cody]

There was a new episode last night.  No one started a new thread.