S11.E02: AGT Auditions Week 2

[Drogo]

The auditions continue. 

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Shut it down. AGT has all the drones. That was awesome.

I really liked the harmonies from the family band, Edgar...and I actually did vaguely remember her CCM CD cover...

The contortionist guy was another one from out of left field that was welcome. That opening move he did was captivating. Asian Studies major ftw.

Couldn't make it through golden ticket girl's audition. Those were some next level vocal affectations. Nails on a chalkboard.

I think the Musicality school choir, Maleva (the group from Argentina) and the senior citizen hand balancer all have a very good chance to make Top 40 in their respective lanes. Even the old nu-metal karaoke guy might get one of the one or two WTF inclusion spots they usually have each season.

Edited June 8, 2016 by PhD-Purgatory15

[Juneau Gal]

Hate, hate, hated the Golden Ticket girl's voice. I despise that twee, affected way of singing. I truly thought we were done with that sound and had moved on to something else. 

[pnina]

I wasn't all that impressed with the Golden Ticket girl's voice. Frankly, I couldn't understand the words to the song.  It surprised me a bit when she said her friends didn't know she sang.  if she's as talented as they're making her out to be, I would think that friends would know she liked  and played music.  oh well, good luck!

Edited June 8, 2016 by pnina
correct spelling

[marketdoctor]

I was surprised the drones weren't golden-ticketed.  That could have been this year's CGI-assisted dancer act.

It might have been the editing, but putting the hearing-impaired comic on TV after the unsuccessful comic was tougher than following (for instance) a dancer or singer.  It sounded like there was one other act between them for the live audience.  I thought the hearing-impaired comic was really funny, but did his best stuff during the interaction with the judges, not his original set (a clever way to extend his set, but maybe he could bring a little more into his act.)  Part of the show is that you'll probably have to follow a terrible act on stage, though someone also has to follow the Golden-ticketers.

The karaoke metal guy was mentioned on CNN Headline News.  This week's Golden Ticket girl was not.  She seemed like the person you could say "good luck with the therapy" to, and she'd take it to understand that fame is stressful.

I'm still processing the opening act with the kid dancer and his mother.  They were both really good dancers; I think I'll just leave it there.

The Argentinian drummer act was really good, though I think they'd be more impressive live. 

The high-school-in-a-rough-neighborhood choir was good, but Glee might have raised the bar there.  They didn't overload their soloists, though.

Did anyone else think the mom-singer from Edgar had just a little Janis Joplin in her (in a good way)?  Not a lot--at most, maybe 200 milliJoplins, but a little.  The family harmonized well.

[LadyMustang65]

Looks like I may be the contrarian here.  I really liked Grace.  I liked her voice, I liked her song and thought it was terrific for only being 12.  I'm not sure I wold have used the golden buzzer on her, but I really liked her.  And I did NOT like the dancers with the drones.  The drone idea was mildly interesting, but since the drones really didn't do all that much, and the dancers were not doing anything except very basic and uninspired moves, the whole thing left me cold.  I don't get what the judges saw in that act.  I liked the deaf comedian very much as well as the high school choir.  The boy dancer and his mom were good, but not an act I would vote for.  The Argentinian guys were good but I worry that they won't be able to switch it up much and it will end up feeling repetitive?  The Edgar Family Band was very good as well, and yeah, I can see a bit of Joplin.  :)  The contortionist was different - did not expect that from a guy in a suit.  <lol>  The rest of the acts they put through were okay, but none of them really grabbed me.  But it was fun to see the 82-year-old heavy metal guy.  I hate that kind of music, but coming from such a wildly unexpected source, it was fun.  I probably would never vote for that act, but it was fun . . . once.

[TaraS1]

I was dying for one of the judges to ask golden ticket girl where the hell that bizarre accent came from when she sang, but I guess that wouldn't have fit the precious narrative they've set up for her.  I hate precious.

I liked the hearing impaired comic.  I agreed with Heidi that he started off slow but did a great job at the end.  And I thought the high school choir kids were fine overall, but the soloists didn't seem to have very strong voices.

Also, good for Heidi, trying to be the voice of reason on the old karaoke guy.  That was unpleasant on the ears.

[Lady Iris]

I just love Simon to pieces. I'll take him on my tv anyway I can get but the cynic in me can only picture the wheels spinning in his head as to what act he can make the most money from.

Chair guy was amazing. I don't like stepping on a single step footstool never mind what he could do. I was afraid during the bumpers when the judges were cringing we were getting another nose hook guy which I just cannot watch.

[needschocolate]

Oh, the odd things that bug me sometimes...I DVR the show and skip all the commercials, but I watch the back stories and listen to the judges comments, so I am not totally hung up on watching this show as fast as I can.  However, having to watch each judge and say yes bugs me - such a repetitious waste of time. It is okay if the judge has made a negative comment and there is a chance that judge will vote no.  Most of the time, we have heard each judge gush over the act "I have never seen anything like this!"  "It was amazing!" "This is the best this kind of act all season!"  blah blah blah - it is obvious that they will all say yes, but we still have to hear them ask each one how they are voting and then most of the judges will also make a comment with their vote. Just have them each  hold up a green card for yes, if it is important that they vote is official.  

I thought this was a good episode.  Felt bad for the comedian that bombed.  I really liked the deaf comedian - liked how he highlighted how people start wondering as soon as they hear "partner" - most of us do it, even though, for most of us, someone else's sexual orientation shouldn't matter at all (the exception is if you are looking for romance).  I didn't think she was golden ticket worthy, but I liked Grace, thought the song was catchy, and her voice doesn't bug me, although she seemed to have a British accent occasionally.  I hope she is really successful really soon, because I don't think her vocal chords are going to survive until she is an adult.  

I am kinda intrigued to find out if every episode will end with a girl singer getting a golden ticket.

Edited June 8, 2016 by needschocolate
changed "bad" to "okay" because it makes a difference

[pnina]

I'm so glad  to find out those were drones in that "act"  I sat there and wondered what the heck I was (barely) seeing.  I didn't think the dancers did anything that set them apart.  Just didn't get it.

Edited June 8, 2016 by pnina
correct first sentence.

[zxy556575]

I liked Grace and figure the affectation/accent she puts on when she's singing can be trained out of her. It mostly went away when she started belting. Overall she seems to have a lot of innate musicality and could have an interesting career once her songwriting skills become more developed.

1 hour ago, LadyMustang65 said:

The drone idea was mildly interesting, but since the drones really didn't do all that much, and the dancers were not doing anything except very basic and uninspired moves, the whole thing left me cold.

Fortunately the drones pulled attention away from the dancing, because that was laughable on its own. I may have liked the act better if it was just the drones doing more complicated patterns. I imagine that's difficult to get synchronized.

[Wings]

9 hours ago, Juneau Gal said:

Hate, hate, hated the Golden Ticket girl's voice. I despise that twee, affected way of singing. I truly thought we were done with that sound and had moved on to something else. 

I didn't like her either.   She needs coaching and voice lessons.  The singers who affect that style never make it big.  Melanie had one hit,  I Have Brand New Pair of Roller Skates.  Many have followed her into oblivion.   Unfortunately the golden ticket is not going to do her any favors.  I think she needs to do more performances and hear feedback.  

43 minutes ago, needschocolate said:

However, having to watch each judge and say yes bugs me - such a repetitious waste of time. It is bad if the judge has made a negative comment and there is a chance that judge will vote no.  Most of the time, we have heard each judge gush over the act "I have never seen anything like this!"  "It was amazing!" "This is the best this kind of act all season!"  blah blah blah - it is obvious that they will all say yes, but we still have to hear them ask each one how they are voting and then most of the judges will also make a comment with their vote. Just have them each  hold up a green card for yes, if it is important that they vote is official.  

OMG yes!  This has always bugged me.  Every once in awhile they all say yes in unison.  Why can't they see this is the way to go with all of the obvious favorites.  Do they really think they are creating suspense? 

The drone act did not strike me as all that fabulous.  

I loved the choir.  First time I have ever loved a choir!  Very well done.  I don't often watch the back stories but I saw theirs and was moved.  

I would like to see more comedians.  Tom Cotter on season 7 was excellent; I had heard him before.  He was fairly well known and damn good.  He was the runner up to Olate dogs, a hard act to beat.  

Edited June 8, 2016 by wings707

[friendperidot]

I was just coming in to say the golden ticket girl made me think of Melanie. I rather liked Melanie, but it was the 70s and I was young. I didn't care for it last night, she was cute, she's 12, she needs to work on her voice, she should get it, then we'll see. But then I don't get the Taylor Swift thing either. 

I liked the hearing aid comedian. My father wore hearing aids most of his life, he lost his his hearing when he was 4. Hearing aids are normal for me, I see no more stigma than wearing glasses. I also have a blind uncle, it was the 1930s, it was the depression, it was poverty and it was rural Arkansas, it's just the way it was. But I did learn at a very young age how to get things over on my dad, as all kids do. Turn your head, talk to him from behind, mumble, did them all. But I liked the comedian sidestepping of questions and non answers or answers with a joke. I was just amused by him. I felt terrible for the first comedian, he really needs more work in front of crowds, needs to hone his skills. I think Howie gave him good advice. 

I didn't see most of the drone act, but wasn't impressed by what I did see. I don't like contortionists, so I couldn't watch most of his act. Liked the choir, they won't go all the way, but I hope this is a fun experience and helps some of them find ways to improve their lives. I didn't like the 82 yr old Karaoke guy, he's had a great life, should continue to enjoy his Karaoke and his cruises and his retirement.

I did like the hand balancer, He does need a wardrobe update.  

[Ohwell]

I got scared for old rocker dude because I thought he was going to have a heart attack on stage.

Loved, loved the Argentinian dancers.  I'm interested to see what they do next. 

[LadyMustang65]

2 hours ago, lordonia said:

Fortunately the drones pulled attention away from the dancing, because that was laughable on its own. I may have liked the act better if it was just the drones doing more complicated patterns. I imagine that's difficult to get synchronized.

Yes!!  I had the same thought last night - it would have been much more interesting to make the drones "dance."  But as you say, I have no doubt it would have been much harder.

[Panopticon]

I felt like it was worth having the old rocker on just for that line about AGT being more important than the Hubble Telescope.

I did not make the guy in a suit as a contortionist until he started contorting. That was a far above average misdirect.

The contrast between the successful comedian and the unsuccessful comedian was so pointed that I wondered if the unsuccessful guy was brought in just to pimp the successful one and he was scripted to fail.

I'm always here for balancing/acrobats.

[SandyToes]

Sometimes I miss the trainwrecks....  Kinda' liked the fighting ballerinas.  The looks on the judges' faces was worth the price of admission.  I missed the intro to mom and son dancing and was creeping out big time, but once I caught on, thought it was kind of neat. He was really good!  His cute little 6-year old voice surprised me.  Thought the Argentinian group was great - nice mix of drums, flamenco, river dance and whips!  What's next?  I love any act that isn't someone singing.  As others have said numerous times, we've got too many singing shows for them to choose from. 

I also have trouble with gigantic singing and dancing groups. That said, the choir last night was very good.  Nice to see kids working for a common goal and proud to be doing so. And talented!

My son says he's seen hearing impaired comedian before; he recognized some of the jokes. "I love this guy!"  Agree that the judge's banter was as good, if not better, than the prepared material.

And I also am loving Simon.  Nice blend of compassion and straight-shooting.  Camera work seems to be better this season, although, too many audience reaction shots. Love this show!

[SnarkyTart]

Still watching, though with increasing disinterest.  Two golden tickets to little girl singers who, well, cannot sing very well. Meh.

I rather enjoyed the Argentinian dancers and the drone act, mostly because both were something a little different. I do agree with others who have posted that the girls in the drone act lack talent or training, and they were superfluous .  I didn't mind the contortionist guy, as he was such a surprise, not only with the act he was doing, but his age. 

Simon and Heidi continued to demonstrate that they are the only two judges needed, still making Howie and Mel B seem like static set design.  Nick didn't get to do much on this night either, so that was a bit disappointing.  I don't like his backstage mugging during the performances, but I always like it when he comes on-stage and participates with the acts.  Oh, and I don't like his naked ankles ensemble.  It looks outdated and try hard, and Nick's much better than that.

Other than these observations, I was bored.  Still haven't seen anything approaching a million dollar headlining act, not even close. 

[Songbird]

Like I told my husband last night - Simon has really softened around the edges since becoming a father.

So far AGT looks interesting, somewhat entertaining and fun to me this season. While I liked Howard Stern, it's really great to have Simon as his replacement...

[zxy556575]

Eh, looks like synchronized drone shows are already a thing, so I take it back about these guys being good. Seems like the big shows are computerized anyway.

I enjoyed the Argentine gaucho act but very much wanted to give them a good scrubbing. I kept imagining how bad their leather costumes must smell.

Speaking of personal grooming -- please shave, Simon. Gray stubble is never a good look.

[All Lies]

I CALL BULLSHIT! Just how many times do these performers get to perform? I was watching the second episode of America's Got Talent showed 'Musicality' singing. If you watch the second soloist (the one with the ring) his ring passes from his ring finger to his pointer finger on his left hand at least 6 times! I was under the impression - as I'm sure most of America is - that you get to perform ONCE, ONLY ONCE for your chance to move on. They have failed. Production has failed. They are a sham. 

[theatremouse]

10 hours ago, TaraS1 said:

I was dying for one of the judges to ask golden ticket girl where the hell that bizarre accent came from when she sang, but I guess that wouldn't have fit the precious narrative they've set up for her.  I hate precious.

I thought she was doing a thinly veiled Bjork impression.

[rr2911]

When looking at these acts I always ask myself if I would pay to see an act and if they are worthy a million dollars and a stand alone at a casino. Whether I like an act is not the point because so many times I like an act but I feel that it's not worth the price of admission. I also don't think group singers, dance teams, acrobatic couples routines or motorcycle type acts will ever win AGT. There are other acts that are "dead end acts" but these are the main ones.

I think Simon needs to regain his American Idol mojo back! He's lost some of that and has gotten softer. That's not a good thing.

I agree the golden buzzer for the 12 yr. old girl was a waste. She didn't sing good at all! I think Simon's reference to Taylor Swift was kind of funny. TW does not have a good voice at all either. I think her songs are full auto tune to the max!

The old man rocker was another awful performance. Did they pass him through because of his age? YES! Does he have a chance to win AGT? NO!

The hearing impaired comedian wasn't very funny either. He was better than the other one but that's about it. He probably won't go far. I said "probably" because stranger things have happened before.

The best of the night was the drum and dance group from Argentina. I know I said that a dance group will never win but I feel with the added element which are the drums, this group might make some noise moving forward.

I really wish AGT would replace MelB as a judge. It seems she has trouble with her words, ....pronouncing her words? It seems she's trying to be careful in pronouncing that she ends up speaking too slow which bugs the heck out of me.

This for Heidi and MeB. How the hell can they judge an act if they're not watching the performance?

Until next time... 

[helenamonster]

The hand balancer guy was awesome. He didn't actually do much hand balancing but just climbing up that high on those chairs without falling to his death was hella impressive. But yes, he needs a wardrobe upgrade. It was distracting.

Also loved the Argentinian gaucho guys. Drums, dancing, and whips? Damn, they had it all, and it was tight.

I liked the drone act. I agree that the dancing wasn't spectacular, but I think acts like that you have to take all the different factors into account. I thought the dancers were very well coordinated with the drone movements, which takes skill on both sides of the operation. Maybe they can focus more on that and less with the dancing? I bet they could come up with some awesome stuff.

I'm always annoyed at the sob stories, and I was about to get really annoyed at the deaf comedian's (the son of a close family friend uses hearing aids, and he's able to go through pretty much all aspects of his life without trouble), but it helped provide context to his act, which I thought was pretty good. It's not the best comedy act I've seen on this show but he's very charming and had great banter with the judges, and I think there's room for potential.

The old guy sing-screaming metal was entertaining, but it's one of those acts that the judges have to learn is only entertaining once. It's great as a novelty sort of thing in the audition rounds, but that's it. Blergh.

I kind of liked the fighting ballerinas? It got a little out of control but it could have been a hilarious comedy bit if they'd kept the nice balance of dancing/fighting instead of just devolving into fighting.

Another week, another Golden Buzzer to a mediocre girl child singer. I think this girl has potential (though I took comparing her to Taylor Swift to be an insult because I cannot stand that self-pitying attention hog), but I couldn't understand a word she was saying. The Golden Buzzer, if we must have one, should be for acts that are absolutely at the top of their game, that deserve their own Vegas show based on their audition alone. She was not, and I predict disaster come the live rounds. She clearly still has a ton of nerves to work out.

2 hours ago, rr2911 said:

I really wish AGT would replace MelB as a judge. It seems she has trouble with her words, ....pronouncing her words? It seems she's trying to be careful in pronouncing that she ends up speaking too slow which bugs the heck out of me.

I wonder if it's because of her accent? I can understand her but I wouldn't be surprised if the show was getting a lot of notes about people having trouble figuring out what she's saying.

[Vermicious Knid]

Drowning Pool wants John Hetlinger to perform with them, even if they have to kidnap him.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7400336/drowning-pool-cj-pierce-americas-got-talent-bodies

[needschocolate]

17 hours ago, SnarkyTart said:

Simon and Heidi continued to demonstrate that they are the only two judges needed, still making Howie and Mel B seem like static set design. 

I agree, and if you told me last year that I would think Heidi was a good judge, I would have thought you got the names mixed up.  I certainly didn't think Heidi was a good judge last year - she seemed to vote No because she personally wasn't into that sort of act even though they did a good job of it and the audience was wowed (I can't remember any specific examples, but she would say sometime like - "I have no idea how you did that magic trick, it is mind boggling, but I don't like to watch gross things so I am giving you a No").  But now Heidi seems to be the only one willing to vote No to the acts that could never headline a show.  Simon seems to be very objective and rational in his voting and isn't the "I don't mean to be cruel but you are the worst act I have ever seen and you are ugly too" judge I thought he would be.  

Meanwhile, Howie seems to have short term memory issues because every act seem to be the best one he has ever seen and Mel B keeps finding reasons why she can't watch an act but she is still such a fan of them. 

15 hours ago, All Lies said:

I CALL BULLSHIT! Just how many times do these performers get to perform? I was watching the second episode of America's Got Talent showed 'Musicality' singing. If you watch the second soloist (the one with the ring) his ring passes from his ring finger to his pointer finger on his left hand at least 6 times! I was under the impression - as I'm sure most of America is - that you get to perform ONCE, ONLY ONCE for your chance to move on. They have failed. Production has failed. They are a sham. 

Wow!  I was sure that you must have confused the singers, so I watched it on Youtube so that I could put your mind  at ease and explain your mistake and - Wow! You are totally correct (btw, I am not wowed that you are correct, you are probably correct most of the time, I am floored that there was more than one take).  

I only had to watch the 10-15 seconds after the second soloist starts singing to catch the ring "moving" multiple times - Second soloist starts singing, ring on index finger, cut to Heidi, second soloist has ring on ring finger, cut to Simon, second soloist has ring on index finger, a few more cuts and the ring stays on his index finger, then, in the long shots, it is back on his ring finger.  

I suppose it is possible the they only had two tries and he moved the ring between them, but two tries is twice as many as I thought they got. The only way I am okay with an act getting a second try is if there was some production fail or accidental interference (mic stops working, something crashes backstage, someone in the audience shouts something offensive, etc), but then they should be showing us the second try, not splicing the tries together.  

Wow.

[illini1959]

On ‎6‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 0:31 AM, Juneau Gal said:

Hate, hate, hated the Golden Ticket girl's voice. I despise that twee, affected way of singing. I truly thought we were done with that sound and had moved on to something else. 

I have never been able to verbalize this - I know it when I hear it but could never describe it. Thank you!

I think she could be good, but as someone else said, that affectation will need to go.

And I'm so over Heidi's fake "binoculars" or whatever she's doing :/

[zxy556575]

26 minutes ago, needschocolate said:

I suppose it is possible the they only had two tries and he moved the ring between them, but two tries is twice as many as I thought they got. The only way I am okay with an act getting a second try is if there was some production fail or accidental interference (mic stops working, something crashes backstage, someone in the audience shouts something offensive, etc), but then they should be showing us the second try, not splicing the tries together.  

I can easily imagine that reshoots are done after the original performance, due to improper camera angles or technical issues, or just to get multiple takes as backup, and the various versions are then edited together to make the best looking/sounding performance for the broadcast. I wouldn't think the actual live auditions are stopped and restarted as general practice, though. But anything's possible!

[backformore]

The family singing g group. I am always annoyed when women who have kids young are complimented for being so young looking they could pass as their daughter's sister.  It's a bad message. It's not an accomplishment to look only 13 years older than your daughter when you are, in fact, 13 years older than her.

Has Mel always dressed to show maximum cleavage? 

I enjoyed the fighting ballerinas.  No potential for future acts once you see it, but that was my favorite moment of the show.  They didn't seem to be really competing, though,  just a distraction.

[marketdoctor]

Quote

Has Mel always dressed to show maximum cleavage? 

To varying degrees, they've always tried to portray her as high-fashion, though occasionally she's toned it down.

Quote

If you watch the second soloist (the one with the ring) his ring passes from his ring finger to his pointer finger on his left hand at least 6 times!

Leaving aside the possibility that it's actually Frodo singing--they probably used two edits or takes and forgot.  They probably figured it was OK, since it didn't change the outcome, unless of course you were asking an audience to vote on who they liked best.  If there were camera or sound issues, which would also explain some of the cuts to the crowd during the live show (a crowd mostly just sitting there is easy to keep in focus), that's the fault of the show and I could see them asking for another take.

This year they seem to be lazier about it, since they've dropped the idea of auditions by city, and you can tell that by the way the judges' clothes keep changing.  There's the beginning on an SNL bit there, where the judges change clothes during a performance, and by the time they get to actually judge, they've been replaced by other people.  Also, the act is someone singing the National Anthem as the opening act, and it's the most original thing Howie has ever heard to sing the National Anthem at the beginning of an event.  (If the singer is a 13-year-old girl, she gets the Golden Buzzer before she starts.)

[Babalooie]

I guess that I'm cynical, too.  My immediate thought was that the first comedian who bombed was a staffer just going out there to bomb in order to make the next guy look good.  I pegged him as one of the staff even before I knew what the next act would be. They are not above these kinds of tricks on this show, you know. Some of those bad acts on American Idol's early seasons were staffers.  We know the common denominator here.

[DarkRaichu]

2 hours ago, marketdoctor said:

This year they seem to be lazier about it, since they've dropped the idea of auditions by city, and you can tell that by the way the judges' clothes keep changing.  There's the beginning on an SNL bit there, where the judges change clothes during a performance, and by the time they get to actually judge, they've been replaced by other people.  

Technically they never said the audition was done in multiple places or multiple days (unlike the Voice), so it was not lying "per se" ;)   I like SNL skit idea, but are they even allowed to lampoon other show on NBC anymore? 

58 minutes ago, Babalooie said:

I guess that I'm cynical, too.  My immediate thought was that the first comedian who bombed was a staffer just going out there to bomb in order to make the next guy look good.  I pegged him as one of the staff even before I knew what the next act would be. They are not above these kinds of tricks on this show, you know. Some of those bad acts on American Idol's early seasons were staffers.  We know the common denominator here.

Hmm I thought there was another act in between the 2 comedians.  However, that scene where bombed comedian made a phone call close enough for the deaf comedian to hear was completely staged.

Edited June 9, 2016 by DarkRaichu

[UsernameGoesHere]

After 3 seasons (is that how long it's been?), I'm finally liking Heidi. I can't believe she's become the judge who keeps it real and says no to the silly acts like the 82-year-old singer.

The mom and son are good dancers, but that was a little odd to watch.

Not sure how he'll fare but the male contortionist was unexpected and fun. I'm guessing we already saw most of his tricks.

Choir from a rough neighborhood... yawn.

I love watching the bad/bizarre acts like the ballerinas fighting. Not the laughing coach though... she was extremely annoying.

Hearing impaired comic > last year's stuttering comic

I didn't get the drones.

Why in the world did that little girl get a golden buzzer? She was painful to listen to. I don't think I can sit through another performance from her.

[backformore]

5 hours ago, Babalooie said:

I guess that I'm cynical, too.  My immediate thought was that the first comedian who bombed was a staffer just going out there to bomb in order to make the next guy look good.  I pegged him as one of the staff even before I knew what the next act would be. They are not above these kinds of tricks on this show, you know. Some of those bad acts on American Idol's early seasons were staffers.  We know the common denominator here.

I agree that they will use tricks, BUT -  here's Danny Palumbo in a Funniest person in Austin competition -  You might recognize the bit about calling his mom:

It seems that some people found him funny - he won.

Edited June 10, 2016 by backformore

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I am most interested in the by-play/interaction of the jidges.  Howard bent over backwards to be great with the others, to combat his ogre image.  He did an occasional prank or a "dare," but it was clear they all adored him.  There was no edge.  There is one this year and I am loving it.  Simon is not one of them.  He is da BOSS.  His literal standoffishness is such a contrast to the "family" trope that every flippin show in the free world insists on force-feeding us.  So refreshing to see.  

My favorite act this ep, by a country mile, was Malevo, the Malambo group.  I recall watching a similar act, who was performing in Las Vegas, on the Jerry Lewis Telethon several times/years.  He always remarked at their extraordinary muscle coordination.  I marveled at their ability to be synchronous with their bolas (boleadoras) hitting the floor and being whipped around.  Simon was quite right that this could explode a la Riverdance.  Argentinian Riverdance???  As far as I am concerned, give them their first $25K installment right now!

Of the singing acts, I felt the choir the most.  The family trio sound was not all that.  Melanie II?  How boring can you get?  Her lyrics were good.  Calling it now:  Iz Kamakawiw'ole's Over the Rainbow is a comin'.  I'll be sure to have my FF finger in tip-top form when it does.   

Mel's ridiculous guffaws for the gay comedian was probably the most off-putting moment from her I've experienced as an AGT jidge.  It was entirely clear to me that he was an anointed one and was going to go through.  She was playing her role beyond the hilt.  It also did not help that his act was so truncated.  My suspicion is that was done more because he was not funny than any time considerations.

I would never have put him through, but Naval Aviator dude showed us all what a real, gen-u-ine, bad ass is!  I bet he was quite something back in the day.

[Frankenstein123]

I grew up in a bad neighbourhood without one eye and a legless dog and every day I had to break rocks to surv....what?...OH oh sorry there, for a moment I thought I was a contestant on this show, MY BAD, let's start over.

*ahem* So this was another solid episode, while not quite reaching such gems as tape face for me, there was PLENTY to like. A TAD bit crowded with the singers this time but not bad enough to detract too much from the episode. It was also wonderful to see the triumphant return of Heidi's hand binoculars, which as we all know have the magical power to zoom in on pecs. 

A few thoughts on some of the more memorable acts:

John Hetlinger - They should have brought this guy along to space, he would have made for GREAT entertainment once staring at the empty, dark void got old. By all means this is a joke act, but an entertaining and likable enough one. Can't wait for him to do Aqua next.

 Jonathan Nosan - I just imagine an office party during christmas and THIS guy out of nowhere doing this exact same act. His moves weren't that much more impressive then all the other contortionists we've seen on the show, but the fact he looked like he belonged on Wall Street shoveling money into his limo made it a quirky/fun gimmick. 

DJ Demers - I was wondering if Drew Lynch would bring in more comedians taking advantage of their disabilities and he did it PRETTY damn well. The set wasn't long enough to know exactly HOW good he is, but he knew how to work the crowd and had a quick quip ready for the judges, which I think is mandatory in any comedian, coming up with jokes on the spot. Anyways, looking forward to seeing him end up 2nd place. 

Grace VanderWaal - If Joni Mitchell and Tiny Tim had a baby...This was an unexpected golden buzzer (I can't write that word without hearing Mel B's accent in my head now) from Howie, who usually goes for comedic/joke acts but I can't blame him too much as there was something charming about her. Of course by this shows standards that means she is a rising star and the next biggest best most amazingly amazing of the amazingliest thing ever along with Taylor Swift (GOOD LUCK WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, KID).  BUT, If I had to pick between her or the opera girl from last week then I would easily pick her as it's more to my musical liking and IT WASN'T NESSUN BLOODY DORMA AGAIN. 

The Amazing Sladek - I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy in at least half a dozen episodes of the Sopranos. Danger/acrobatic acts continue to be impressive and he had a quirky personality that made the whole thing more fun. It's hard for acts like these to really stay in the competition and face the 6 year long marathon that is a season of AGT since they tend to show their best stuff early, but I'm certainly looking forward to more.

 Eleven Play - I saw something similar in BGT this season, but this was MUCH better and actually well thought out. The potentialk for this is IMMENSE and at times it felt like I was watching a professional opening act during the Olympics. At the same time, it's VERY easy to have this stay as a one trick pony and just be forgotten early on. Time will tell. 

Malevo - Whch Robert Rodriguez movie did these guys jump out  from? I was expecting Banderas to just be twiddling a guitar in the corner somewhere. This was just a BLAST of energy and what I loved most about it was the variety of things happening on stage, it felt like they were changing things up every 10 seconds and bringing in something new. Definitely something I root for. 

BRING ON WEEK 3

[CrashTextDummie]

I thought the gaucho act was simply stellar. A level of quality rarely matched by an AGT show act. Impressive precision and exciting choreography from start to finish. A great looking bunch of people and their simple stage design was just right in adding to the visual appeal without distracting from the performance. Really, the swagger alone was enough to captivate me. Surely they must have made a name for themselves in their native Argentina? Imported acts are often questionable, but I am fully on board with this one. Tough to beat in any season, IMO.

[needschocolate]

12 hours ago, backformore said:

I agree that they will use tricks, BUT -  here's Danny Palumbo in a Funniest person in Austin competition -  You might recognize the bit about calling his mom:

It seems that some people found him funny - he won.

I think this highlights the difference between an audience that has been drinking (probably has a 2 drink minimum), has come there to hear comedy, and has been laughing all evening, and an audience hasn't done any of those things. 

[Whimsy]

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 11:54 AM, needschocolate said:

I suppose it is possible the they only had two tries and he moved the ring between them, but two tries is twice as many as I thought they got. The only way I am okay with an act getting a second try is if there was some production fail or accidental interference (mic stops working, something crashes backstage, someone in the audience shouts something offensive, etc), but then they should be showing us the second try, not splicing the tries together.

 

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 0:26 PM, lordonia said:

I can easily imagine that reshoots are done after the original performance, due to improper camera angles or technical issues, or just to get multiple takes as backup, and the various versions are then edited together to make the best looking/sounding performance for the broadcast. I wouldn't think the actual live auditions are stopped and restarted as general practice, though. But anything's possible!

I came to say that I think that maybe some of the edits come from dress rehearsal, but I think @lordonia is probably more likely right.  I actually don't think that each act gets to perform in front of the judges multiple times as that would take sooooo much time! 

 

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 0:00 PM, illini1959 said:

And I'm so over Heidi's fake "binoculars" or whatever she's doing :/

OMG yes.  I haven't watched this show in several years so I don't know if this is a new or old thing, but when she first did it I was like "the hell??"

As far as the actual acts- I was VERY impressed with the Argentinian act (whatever their actual name is).  I also thought of Riverdance, but thought it was much more compelling since they have so many elements.  I also fear they may have already showed us everything, but I'm willing to wait and find out.  That is the type of act I would pay to go see.

I really liked Grace.  I was surprised by all the negativity here.  I didn't realize I was going to be in the minority of this one.  First, I have to admit I kind of like that affected singing as long as every song doesn't sound like that.  I still listen to the Melanie song, so....  I really liked when she started belting.  But, for me, what I found most compelling was that she wrote the song herself.  Is it the bestest song ever?  No, but I thought she showed real potential.  As far as winning this show- I don't think she should.  But, hopefully this will get her started in her career. 

[mustbekarma]

On 6/8/2016 at 0:53 AM, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

I really liked the harmonies from the family band, Edgar...and I actually did vaguely remember her CCM CD cover.

They were awesome. I am a sucker for harmony, and they all had great voices individually. I really want them to go far because they have talent. I also have to admit I want to see the mother succeed because when she made an all too human mistake, the "Christian" hypocrites dumped her instead of supporting her. Ironically, I think her fans would have forgiven her, but the powers that be couldn't have that.

Talent and the idea of the best revenge is living well-I can get behind that.

I'm rooting for the chair balancing guy, though. That took guts, training, and more guts. I only wonder what he's going to do to top that.

Edited June 11, 2016 by mustbekarma

[Vermicious Knid]

I actually thought the husband sounded the best out of the three.

[Wandering Snark]

My thought  during the drone dance was "Its all cool dancing with dtones until one of these ladies gets scalped when their hair gets too close to those whirring blades." Also yes the drones out danced the women which made it less awesome than it could have been.

I'm not sure if I can handle another season of 'my disability is funny' jokes no matter how clever or well delivered.

The designed to not wobble chairs were another deduction for me they just looked too sturdy and designed just for stacking. I have seen it done to a higher degree of difficulty while better dressed.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Wandering Snark

[Ohwell]

I'm still fanning myself from watching the Argentinian gaucho act.  Plus, they were absolutely entertaining.  I could definitely see them with an act in Vegas.

That crazy laughing lady creeped me the fuck out.  I was glad when Nick took her ass off the stage.

[marketdoctor]

That reminds me--does anyone know what actual support the younger performers get?  Most states require them to get tutoring if it's during the school year, but are they getting balanced meals and enough rest? (For adults--it's show business.  For kids, the damage might be more serious than anyone realizes before it's too late.)  OTOH, there's a limit; a young person with serious issues might be too far from the scope of what the show is trying to do for them to give useful help--but it's probably worth trying.

[Indy]

On 6/8/2016 at 8:28 PM, theatremouse said:

I thought she was doing a thinly veiled Bjork impression.

To me she sounded like she was trying to sound like Birdie (a young British indie-ish singer). She's 12 so she's probably mimicking how her favorite singers sound.  She's got a fine voice but needs to be channeled into herself and not someone else.  Definitely not golden buzzer worthy though, IMO.

I LOVED the Argentinian group.  That was fun and different.  They're my favorite act so far. 

Hand balancing guy was great (he was so high up there!!) but those acts always scare me because they get the "go bigger!!! do more!!! add fire!!!" instructions and it never goes well.  

Death Metal Old Dude cracked me up.  I know it was a bit of a ridiculous act, but he absolutely made me smile.  They need to pair him with that tiny girl who sang metal songs with her brother from a few seasons back. I made my husband promise me that when he is in in his 80s, he'll sing songs like that while wearing old-man pleated front pants - maybe not on national TV, but at the very least to freak out the grandchildren :)

[Commando Cody]

I never liked the kind of singing Golden Ticket Girl does. 

I'm not in favor of the Golden Ticket pass. I don't think it does anyone any favors. Some of these acts need practice in front of live audiences. They are just way too nervous otherwise. 

[candall]

I'm not a fan of percussion music.*  I never met a drum solo that didn't irritate and I thought Stomp was boring after the second number.  But Maleva, YEAH!

 

(*Once at a Womyn's Festival I saw a taiko drummer that made me forget to breathe.)

[Totale]

4 hours ago, candall said:

I never met a drum solo that didn't irritate and I thought Stomp was boring after the second number. 

I remember Beavis and Butthead watching a Stomp video and after 30 seconds saying, "Yeah, OK, what else do they do?"  Out of the mouths of cartoon teenagers...

[Jordan27]

Grace was outstanding.  You critics are ridiculous.  Average?  You guys need to look up the word.  And she was 12.  Most 12-year-olds couldn't speak on that stage.  And this is an audition, not a tour.  She doesn't have to perfect or have the ability to sell a million records.  And her singing different than she talked is done by a lot of singers.   She had well over a million hits on you tube.  I guess the country liked her more than some of you.

The comic, the country group family, and hood group were all good.

I'm enjoying this show, the only reality show I have watched other than Idol, and I quit watching that years ago.

[Jordan27]

The drone act was mesmerizing and I loved it.  Getting the dancers and the drones to act in unison takes a lot of practice.  Again, we have critics who have no idea.