AGT The Champions: All Episode Discussion

[Swenson]

I'm completely ok with the acts that advanced through this last prelim.....First off, it's probably a good thing that the lady of Sandau Trio Russian Bar feels she earned their redemption largely because as has already been stated....it would be difficult to really do much more ....unless she did it over a live gator pit or something but I don't want to give them any ideas....."Don't try it at home".   Anyway I like seeing the earlier AGT acts get their due.

Look....we didn't need two choirs last summer and we don't really need two violin acts in the semi here.....though Brian is the much more creative and truly talented one....if he and TBF switch shows....we see Brian and not Tyler in the semi.

Of all the creepy contortionist I've ever seen on this show ...Strauss Serpent of "Africa's Got Talent" is the capital "C" in Creepy.  When he turned his head around something in my stomach churned for real ...and his cracking bones made me squirm....he could actually give V Unbeatable a run for the honor.

I learned a new term.....instead of "catchy", Alesha described Bars and Melody's new original song as "hooky".   I agree....good song ..likely could chart....performance looked like two high school guys performing in the cafeteria.   But dammit Howie ...why'd you buzz them?   Because Simon stole your Buzzer?

Silhouettes was another season six act that I was glad to see again....and it was a typical golden buzzer choice for Alesha....though I wonder if it really wouldn't be better if they waited for the end of the performances after the vote when Terry calls them forward to award the golden buzzer.  Sure would make for good suspense at least.  And I had the feeling Alesha might've chosen someone else.

Ok it may be difficult to dance in high heels let alone walk around in them but that doesn't mean I'm gonna heap special praise on this Romania's Got Talent winner any more than that troupe of male cloggers that made me sick on season 12 of AGT I believe.  So it's really no criticism of Romanian talent.

Connie Talbot blossomed into a beautiful young woman with a good voice....good luck to her for her future.

And doesn't it figure that on the last judges pick....they all vote for someone different.....and the ultimate decision comes down to guess who?   You only need one guess.

 

 

[ams1001]

10 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Ooh, cliffhamger! 🙄

It's the next morning and I just noticed my typo but I'm gonna leave it because it made me think of AGT as reviewed by Mayapolarbear. (If you don't know Maya, she's a dog. She's adorable. Google her.) Now I want her human to make that video.

[Whimsy]

10 hours ago, ams1001 said:

• Silhouettes...dammit, I don't watch this show to cry. (I was so sure the dog was gonna die in the end, so at least they didn't do that to me.) The "dog" was impressive, though. I'm okay with them for the GB.

I immediately started tearing up when it started with a young child and dog, and then her graduating, etc.  My daughter, who ADORES our yellow lab, recently graduated college and is off in the world doing her thing.  We recently got a cancer diagnosis for our dog and my daughter's struggling with making sure she can come see our dog before she passes.  I thought the story was going to go through the life-cycle of the dog.  I have to admit, as cold-hearted as it sounds, I stopped tearing up and started FF after the girl got injured in the military and was in a wheelchair.  Only because then I felt like I was being pandered to.  Do you notice how ALL of these silhouette groups bring in a patriotic element with a huge flag waving- at least once?  Don't get me wrong.  I am very patriotic.  I am a Coast Guard veteran.  I (still) love my country.  I just hate being pandered to and this is what it felt like to me. 

[ams1001]

 Internet Tough Guy said:

Quote

I do wonder if he was the only person watching who considered his performance a danger act

I consider it a danger act because of the heels. I would break an ankle just strying to stand up in those things.

Quote

proves that Landau Eugene Murphy is a real person

lol...I thought of you when they showed him.

-----

  

5 hours ago, Swenson said:

Of all the creepy contortionist I've ever seen on this show ...Strauss Serpent of "Africa's Got Talent" is the capital "C" in Creepy.  When he turned his head around something in my stomach churned for real ...and his cracking bones made me squirm....he could actually give V Unbeatable a run for the honor.

Maybe he should join Percy's Creepshow with Christian.

5 hours ago, Swenson said:

And doesn't it figure that on the last judges pick....they all vote for someone different.....and the ultimate decision comes down to guess who?   You only need one guess.

Are you suggesting there are shenanigans afoot among the judges?! On AGT?!?! 

40 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

I have to admit, as cold-hearted as it sounds, I stopped tearing up and started FF after the girl got injured in the military and was in a wheelchair.  Only because then I felt like I was being pandered to.  Do you notice how ALL of these silhouette groups bring in a patriotic element with a huge flag waving- at least once?  Don't get me wrong.  I am very patriotic.  I am a Coast Guard veteran.  I (still) love my country.  I just hate being pandered to and this is what it felt like to me. 

Yeah, I was tearing up more because I was expecting it to end with the dog dying. I hate that all these groups seem to do war stories of some kind. Even if it didn't feel like pandering, it's like, "come up with something different, already."

[saber5055]

I only saw the first hour since Prodigal Son called me to watch him, and I didn't care enough to turn back to AGT during the PS commercials.

I liked the balancing guy and dog, but what was up with the editing. The man is doing a handstand, the dog is sitting up on top of his feet that are in the air. Cut to the judges ... cut back to act and the man is standing holding the dog. I want to know how that dog got down, or did he flip off the man's feet onto his back and was crippled, hence end of act. Inquiring minds want to know.

Voices of Service. Eh. I wasn't crazy about them first time, turned the channel during their act this time. Take away the hook of they are vets and ... there is no hook. Just some okay singers.

Brian King Joseph has beautiful blue eyes.

The Silhouettes. Sure, they were the first in that genre but now they are just one of 60 thousand acts all the same. I, too, thought the dog was going to die so got teary. Then when I realized I was suckered, I got over them pronto.

I can't get over how rude the judges are to winners from obscure tiny countries like Romania, where people can barely scrape out a living much less afford a television set. Of course, Simon and Howie would X a Cirque cross dresser/trans person so there's that. Nothing like letting your phobias show, fellas.

No Xs from either for the woman in the slinky skin-tight suit bouncing on the bar though. Gee, surprise. I saw that CLIFFHANGER! DID SHE FALL AND DIE clip multiple times during the day, so it was pretty clear to me she did not. Geesh, show. Get over yourself.

The little kid comedian was more funny times a zillion than that Ryan short arm guy. I could have done without his screeching his lines though. That was a little OTT. Still, he was channeling Ricky Gervais, which I got a kick out of.

Prodigal Son called so I left AGT. I might catch the rerun to see what I missed, but probably not.

OH! I did pay attention to the beginning, and no, Terry does not intro the judges, he just says "There are our judges." Maybe because Simon will be kicking Heidi and Alisha to the curb after this show and doesn't want their names made public. That pile of fired women judges is getting pretty deep.

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, saber5055 said:

I can't get over how rude the judges are to winners from obscure tiny countries like Romania, where people can barely scrape out a living much less afford a television set. 

I'm slightly amused? confused? that half of Europe seems to have a country-specific Got Talent while Asia and Africa apparently only get one per continent.

(This occurred to me last night when they introduced the contortionist and said he was from Africa's Got Talent, which I did not actually know existed.)

[Swenson]

This group of judges would be good for the summer season.   I think they stay.    orrrr.....they can put Paula Abdul and Kelly Clarkson on.....who knows?

[Swenson]

You people who have complained about singers on this show must be thrilled with these superfans.....unless I overlooked one......isn't Marcelito the only one to advance?

[bluepiano]

Agree with others who said this was easily the best night so far, despite some really bad acts. (Romanian dancer - I guess he won RGT because enough Romanians wanted to make a social statement, but the actual dancing was pretty boring. Even in high heels. And the anonymous background dancers did all the exact same moves! UK rappers were like some act you'd see in the mall atrium. You have to be pretty bad as teen boy music act if even Simon doesn't like you).

But despite it being a mostly entertaining night, in the end I was  disappointed by who went through.

Silhouettes - yet another "storytelling" act designed to tug at your heartstrings, and for me they all run together.

The little kid "comic" made me cringe. Like being at someone's house for dinner when they trot out their precocious child to entertain and you have to grit your teeth and smile. (Though I admit would rather watch him then Ryan Neimier.) BKJ made a great WTF face when Howie gave him his vote. Sorry BKJ, you had no chance with Cancer Violin Kid already in the semis.

I get that what the Russian Barre act does takes skill, but you know it's going to be the exact same thing every time.

I can't believe I'm saying this, because I am usually anti-singer on AGT, but I enjoyed listening to the British girl and would've been happy to hear her again. I was really surprised she wasn't even in the top 6 "Superfan" voting. They do seem to like singers a lot less than the regular voting public. Pretty, good voice, plays piano, former child contestant - I thought she was a shoo in.

I was pleasantly surprised that the contortionist went through. Back stories usually make me groan, but getting arrested 13 times while hiking through the jungle to Cameroon is definitely a first. People from other parts of the world do have to overcome obstacles that it's hard for us to imagine. As opposed to the usual AGT sob story of "my parents got divorced" or "I was bullied in middle school." (Like half the population).

Edited January 28, 2020 by bluepiano

[DaphneCat]

44 minutes ago, bluepiano said:

The little kid "comic" made me cringe. Like being at someone's house for dinner when they trot out their precocious child to entertain and you have to grit your teeth and smile. (Though I admit would rather watch him then Ryan Neimier.) BKJ made a great WTF face when Howie gave him his vote. Sorry BKJ, you had no chance with Cancer Violin Kid already in the semis.

This!  You said it better than I did.  I admit I don't get the "cute kid" factor in general - and I really don't want to see one win a talent show just because people think they are good FOR THEIR AGE - if an adult told those exact same jokes you might chuckle but I don't see any genuine laughter over any of them.  And yes, BKJ had disease.  Cancer Violin Kid had disease AND cute - no way was BKJ going to advance.

[CrystalBlue]

I am in love with Percy.

Christian and Percy for the win!

Of course not.

Everyone else was OK for what they did, except Aussie Boy Comedian and Romania's Answer to Hans.  They can return to their countries of origin.

[helenamonster]

Such bullshit that neither Christian & Percy nor Brian got through. Ugh.

Brian looked pissed when Howie picked JJ. Can't blame him--that kid is the worst. Like I'm somebody who wants to have kids some day but all through his act I thought "What if they turn out like that???" I guess he's here to stay but condolences to the other passengers on his flight when he finally heads back to Australia.

21 hours ago, DaphneCat said:

Russian bar trio is definitely skilled at what they do, but this is an act that has no way to "step it up."  All she can really do is jump, twist and land.  This reminds me of competitive diving.  Yes, they are far more skilled than most people, but the only thing that makes it interesting is the comparison with the other divers.  You probably wouldn't go several times to watch someone dive in to a pool over and over - this is kind of the same thing.

Maybe they can "step it up" the way that professional diving does--synchronize it. I never get tired of watching two people do the exact same extremely difficult thing in sync with one another...that could work here as well.

[foxfreakinmulder]

5 hours ago, bluepiano said:

But despite it being a mostly entertaining night, in the end I was  disappointed by who went through.

Silhouettes - yet another "storytelling" act designed to tug at your heartstrings, and for me they all run together.

The little kid "comic" made me cringe. Like being at someone's house for dinner when they trot out their precocious child to entertain and you have to grit your teeth and smile. (Though I admit would rather watch him then Ryan Neimier.) BKJ made a great WTF face when Howie gave him his vote. Sorry BKJ, you had no chance with Cancer Violin Kid already in the semis.

I get that what the Russian Barre act does takes skill, but you know it's going to be the exact same thing every time.

I can't believe I'm saying this, because I am usually anti-singer on AGT, but I enjoyed listening to the British girl and would've been happy to hear her again. I was really surprised she wasn't even in the top 6 "Superfan" voting. They do seem to like singers a lot less than the regular voting public. Pretty, good voice, plays piano, former child contestant - I thought she was a shoo in.

I was pleasantly surprised that the contortionist went through. Back stories usually make me groan, but getting arrested 13 times while hiking through the jungle to Cameroon is definitely a first. People from other parts of the world do have to overcome obstacles that it's hard for us to imagine. As opposed to the usual AGT sob story of "my parents got divorced" or "I was bullied in middle school." (Like half the population).

I agree with all of this^^ and you said it better than I could've :-)

I really liked the British girl singer too and thought she grew up to be a beautiful young girl. She should try out for the voice, I think she would do really good over there.

I was hoping for BKJ to make it but since they put the less talented cancer boy in the semi-finals they don't need him. I will miss his beautiful blue eyes but not his tongue hanging out or his mouth wide open while he's playing, lol.

If I was a judge I would've buzzed the guy that was letting his rat dog lick him on his mouth, probably in his mouth too just because he was letting the dog do it. Soooooo gross! 

I don't understand how the contortionist could be a Vegas act, I wouldn't pay to watch that or the trio with the lady that jumps and flips and lands on a bar held by two guys.

 

 

[DaphneCat]

13 minutes ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

I don't understand how the contortionist could be a Vegas act, I wouldn't pay to watch that or the trio with the lady that jumps and flips and lands on a bar held by two guys.

That's kind of the problem with acts like that.  There are only so many things they can physically do.  Cirque du Soleil is a hit because it has storytelling, costumes, make-up and a LOT of people all doing something.  The bar act only has one person who jumps twists and lands.  There really isn't anything else she can do to add to her act.  Yes, it's impressive but after the 3rd or 4th jump it starts to get repetitive.  I couldn't watch the contortionist - once he started cracking I had to ff - too creepy for me.  At least the guy from a few seasons ago who would kind of walk like a spider was able to do it without sound effects.

[foxfreakinmulder]

2 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

I couldn't watch the contortionist - once he started cracking I had to ff - too creepy for me.

I couldn't watch him either, I had to put my fingers over my eyes.

[marketdoctor]

Although this last one was the best, it's still a reminder that the "Champions" edition should be held less often than once a year.  I liked seeing acts from other countries that didn't audition for AGT, but it seems like half the finalists from last year would have won this season.  There were a lot of good acts, and a lot of backstories that I fast-forwarded through, but I might be out for the rest of this round.

That said, the competitors tried hard, and I appreciate the effort, and if they're visiting America, I hope they enjoy their stay.

[Swenson]

AGT Champions is still the number one program on Monday Night with a audience of 7.32 million viewers, but in that cherished 18-49 demographic that advertisers cherish....it comes in second to the Bachelor????

However, the total audience for Champions is down from last season but I would expect NBC to sign on for next winter.

 

 

[saber5055]

18 hours ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

If I was a judge I would've buzzed the guy that was letting his rat dog lick him on his mouth

Guessin' you've never had a puppy.

That is odd that Africa only has one Africa's Got Talent. But the winner could brag he won AGT! Now I need to look up where it's held, like did an act from Liberia have to walk all the way to Johannesburg. Inquiring minds want to know.

Okay, I looked it up and here's what I found:

"East Africa's Got Talent is a talent show competition that is part of the Got Talent franchise owned by Simon Cowell. It broadcasts simultaneously across four countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda."

Then there's this: "More than 5,000 young people from Central and West Africa showcased their talent for a chance to win a place on the new upcoming television show, Africa’s Got Talent." There also is a separate South Africa's Got Talent. All Simon's.

[Vermicious Knid]

Don't cry for Christian; Inside the NBA's favorite halftime act.

Whhhhyyy did these 'superfans' vote through the kid comic? He wasn't very funny. Silhouettes I understand and don't dislike (except the pandering, I agree on that). Was pretty surprised the contortionist went through but at least he's a different kind of act, and I can't hate on a guy who got the responsibility to support his entire family dumped on him as a teenager.

I keep expecting to see the Korea's Got Talent finalist that gets compared to Susan Boyle one of these seasons.

[SG11]

Well, I haven’t commented on AGT for awhile since I got sick of Gabby’s SJW whining after her justified dumpage.

On the judges, it’s nice to have Heidi back... except, she’s looking a little rough around the edges. I’ve always thought she defied age but I guess it catches up to all of us.

I like Alysha a lot. She is 100,000 times better that Gabby and Mel, but that’s not hard. I’d like to see her stay but is that possible given her home base? She’s sharp, calm, intelligent and well, not Mel or Gabby.

Im kinda over Howie. He’s not funny, original or particularly insightful. I like judges that have the ability to actually judge more often. Oh, and must he Howiexplain everything to Alysha like she’s a 5 year old?

Tonights acts... the guy with the dog was cute but no. The Romanian was awful. Tough to dance in high heels but no more talent than 100 people at the club.

The kid was annoying. The grown up girl singer was OK. I love the military, but I’m tired of Voices.

I loved Silhouettes and was thrilled the dog didn’t die. I also agree that that shtick is played out but they were the first ones and everyone is copying THEM. So, good for them tonight. Fair point on the pandering in those acts now though.

Also good for the acrobats after their horrifying piano choice last time out. I remember wondering WTF were they thinking? The Congo guy was great, too.

Sorry, but the fiddle guy is terribly overrated. Can’t hear his playing over the production and the background distractions. And if he ever explains what is so life threatening about the undifferentiated general diagnosis of “neuropathy,” maybe I won’t roll my eyes every time he plays that card.

One more thing. Actually 2. I still hate the “Superfan” fantasy, but it seems they get the 2 acts right every night. But why do they call this show “Champions?”  Some of them are Champions I guess, although they generally won New Jersey Country’s Got Talent against a total of 7 other acts in 2014. The rest of them are semi finalists, or finalists. Or some total goofs like Simon gave Howie’s Golden Buzzer to.

Not Champions. Stop calling them that.

3 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Whhhhyyy did these 'superfans' vote through the kid comic? He wasn't very funny.

They didn’t. Blame Simon.

Edited January 30, 2020 by SG11

[foxfreakinmulder]

15 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Guessin' you've never had a puppy.

I was given my first dog at the age of 4 or 5 and have had lots of dogs/puppies, cats/kittens in my life since then, and none of them lick me on or in my mouth. I can love my animals without that. I'm sorry but that's just gross to me.

[saber5055]

11 hours ago, SG11 said:

But why do they call this show “Champions?”

Maybe because some act will be called the winner of AGT Champions 2020, so AGT Champion or something similar? It's a more enticing name than AGT Rerun Acts from Around the Globe. Although it would be cool if Simon called in all the winners of all his franchises to compete. Maybe he did, and had to work down the list when the first, second or third places couldn't make it. I wonder if AGT pays for everyone to fly to LA.

[SG11]

40 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

Maybe because some act will be called the winner of AGT Champions 2020, so AGT Champion or something similar? It's a more enticing name than AGT Rerun Acts from Around the Globe. Although it would be cool if Simon called in all the winners of all his franchises to compete. Maybe he did, and had to work down the list when the first, second or third places couldn't make it. I wonder if AGT pays for everyone to fly to LA.

Problem is they constantly call themselves “champions” and Howie especially refers to 90% of them as “champions.” They. Are. Not. All. Champions. They cheapen the word.

Make it the AGT All Stars or something. America’s Got Redemption. I dunno.

Its such a Participation Ribbon sounding thing.

[CrystalBlue]

Let's have an AGT Animal Acts.  Back-to-back dog shows, cat shows, the Rat Lady, maybe get a snake charmer.  I'd watch the hell out of that show, and those who don't like animal acts or think all dog shows are the same, can watch something else.

Sara & Hero (& Loki), Mr. Piffles (Piff the Magic Dragon can come too), Christian & Percy, a return visit from Scooby, the list goes on!

[SG11]

1 hour ago, CrystalBlue said:

Let's have an AGT Animal Acts.  Back-to-back dog shows, cat shows, the Rat Lady, maybe get a snake charmer.  I'd watch the hell out of that show, and those who don't like animal acts or think all dog shows are the same, can watch something else.

Sara & Hero (& Loki), Mr. Piffles (Piff the Magic Dragon can come too), Christian & Percy, a return visit from Scooby, the list goes on!

I’d watch. How about that freak last year in the walrus suit?

Id insist on more cats though. Way more interesting than dogs. Mrowr.

[Swenson]

So how can a contortionist act be a Vegas act?......Well,  if he could sing and contort at the same time ....or if he could rap to the beat of his own bones cracking and if he had a couple of contortionist behind him doing choreographed contorting while he raps....who wouldn't pay to see that?   

When you come to think about it.....what Sandou Trio Russian Bar does looks more like it should be a sport for Tokyo 2020......you do somersaults.... you land....try to stick the landing.....only you have two people catching you rather than performing on a beam.   You can call it "gymnastic threes".....and have it scored like all other gymnastic disciplines.

[saber5055]

Having just watched the rerun, I again wondered just what a "superfan" is, so I googled it. Turns out, those superfans are just regular audience members. From talentrecap.com:

What Is a Superfan on AGT: The Champions? On each episode of America’s Got Talent: The Champions, one of the advancing acts is decided by whichever judge happens to have the power of the Golden Buzzer that week, while the other is decided by a select group of audience members who vote at the taping after all of the acts have performed. These voters are called “superfans” and are selected as representation of whichever U.S. state they most identify with.

How Do I Become One A Superfan for AGT: The Champions? Throughout the live shows, the team at the Dolby Theater has been signing audience members up to come back and vote on Champions, but on last night’s results show it was announced that, similar to last year, an online application would be available as well.

From the AGT website:

If you live in the Los Angeles area and consider yourself an AGT superfan, we have an amazing opportunity for you. Simon Cowell wants you to help him judge! The most popular and viral acts from America’s Got Talent and Got Talents around the World will compete in the ultimate competition being taped this fall in Pasadena. We are trying to put together a diverse panel of superfans that will determine who moves on and ultimately wins in the competition. The voting is not open to the public, just to this select panel of fans. To take part in this special opportunity fill out the form below. The tapings will take place at the Pasadena Civic Center between 4pm and 9pm. You must be available for the full taping time. Parking will be provided.

So, any of you in the LA area can be a "superfan" next season. Just pick a state you want to say you represent. Any state. It doesn't matter.

[saber5055]

After seeing all of the acts, I would have put through the hand-balancer guy and dog, and Connie the BGT singer over the Russian bar bouncer and mini-Henny Youngman. That kid, while he's funnier than that Ryan dude (so is my dog), his act is gonna get quickly old. Singer Connie ... while I'm not a fan of singers on this show, I actually listened to her entire song, enjoyed it, and would have sat through a couple more. She was the first AGT singer that I was sad to see go.

[ams1001]

So I had to go to the eye doctor this afternoon and now my eyes look like this:

(PSA: do not be on the road as dusk falls after eye dilation!)

Actually they're about half the size they were when I got home but things are still a little blurry...maybe it'll help this mess.

 

(I don't know why the cat showed up twice. It won't let me delete the extra one.)

Edited February 4, 2020 by ams1001

[Babalooie]

RAMBLINGS:  I just don't understand the yet again advancing of Tyler and his electric violin.I certainly understand his story and illness, but as a musician myself, I don't feel that he is that fantastic.  Maybe I'm being too picky.

I guess that this isn't the year of the comedian.  Although I'm not a fan of dog acts, this one is on another level.  Very well executed.

[ams1001]

 JJ Pantano: 
"Ever since I was little..." Dude, you're seven and driving a toy car.
It's like Romper Room meets the Comedy Central Roast. (Please make it stop.)
Did he apply Heidi's eye makeup (with crayons)?

Tyler Butler Figueroa:
Inspirational. 😐 "You could win this!" Please, no.

I think JJ did Hans's makeup, too...

Ummm....I'm sure I'd have more if I'd been paying more attention...I know there were cards and sad stories, and circus folk and roller skating, and a guy in a bucket...

Hey, did you know Ryan has short arms?

Dogs are cute. Too bad we saw more audience/judge reactions than dogs.

Oooh, fire.

Uhh....yeah, I got distracted again...g'nite.

[DietCokeJunkie]

I thought Hans generated the most energy tonight. Tyler the violin player and Marcelito the singer with 2 voices bored me. Alexa  the dog act was ok.  Duo Transcend’s Greatest Showman routine was interesting, and the Russian Trio on the bouncing board grew tiresome after the first few jumps, even with the fire underneath. 
This should be V. Unbeatable’s to win next week. 

Edited February 4, 2020 by DietCokeJunkie

[InternetToughGuy]

Between this multi-cultural amalgam and last night's halftime show consisting of 90% Spanish, I agree with the Tumblr generation that the only international acts that should appear on American airwaves are scantly dressed Korean girls of questionable age. Anyways, last week's show was actually decent and this week's show was a shit heap. An appropriate metaphor would be seeing that the gorgeous prom queen you dreamed of has ballooned to 300 pounds at your high school reunion, but to say this show has ever been good is just whimsical thinking, as I've been bitching for 9 years.

JJ Pantano - I groaned audibly when I saw he was opening the show, but was pleasantly surprised that he had some decent jokes. A wailing police car drove past my house after I innocuously remarked "I love this kid!", so I respectfully golf clapped for the remainder. The bit about Simon was pretty funny, though the bit about Alesha (how many damn ways are there to spell "Alysha"?) was pretty predictable. Speaking of Alicia Keys, her recent hosting of the Grammys spouting all that hippie shit had me irately swinging the air like I was fighting a poltergeist. So damn annoying. About JJ dating Heidi in 10 years, I thought it'd be a pretty low key get together, since if her current rate of aging stays consistent, he'll be carrying her through the park in an urn. Overall pretty entertaining.

Tyler Butler-Figueroa - I'm surprised he doesn't come out wearing a soccer jersey with the sponsor logos of the various big pharma companies that at this point have to be behind him. I understand that if it weren't for the cancer, the average turmoil for a 12 year old boy is not being invited to a birthday party or having a laugh with his friends over how easy it was to kick my ass, but just get on with the act already. Actually, having seen another one of his acts, I'm cheering for him to get kicked to the curb. I am wondering if he is just relying on the fact that most people don't choose the violin when learning an instrument and thus his relatively low skill level won't get exposed. Obviously guitar and violin are different, since I doubt Tyler also plays his instrument with his tongue, but I'd assume how little he's actually doing is probably more obvious to me than someone who doesn't play anything, since before I started, I thought someone who could play 4 chords was a virtuoso. I do have to commend Tyler on figuring out the Earth is flat so early on in his life; he is a wise young man.

Mark Spellman/X - "X" sounds more like what you do when Forte utters a single note, but that aside, I don't know what the point of wearing a mask and altering his voice is when he's already given his name and has taken the mask off. Knowing the degeneracy of American TV, I wouldn't rule out that this character dichotomy is him (or "it?") using his platform to experiment with his gender expression before a highly impressionable audience. Then again, I am known for seeing things that aren't there. The kinds of acts where you know Terry was rehearsing his surprise for this hours prior when he was being told exactly what to do, so I don't care. It's odd how despite being married to an (annoyingly) muscular man, Terry's wife's hair still appears to be made of cotton candy.

Duo Destiny - I hate these acts, not just because they are so devoid of entertainment value, but that means there's never anything to say about them. Acts like these are always described as "sexy", which makes me wonder if the guy ever gets bored handling the same woman for the many hours of practice, so you could assume the "passionate gaze" he has during the performance is put on, especially when these acts are usually married, so that also means going home together and the allure will get killed even further as he'll likely get bitched at for not washing the dishes - in my lonely bachelor life, I insist that the man is right no matter what, which may be why I have no one in the first place. Anyways, this act bored me to tears.

Hans - There must be a framed photo of this guy in every endocrinologist's office, as he proves men can be tall and wide framed without an ounce of testosterone. If I were to get mine checked, I wouldn't be surprised to be told that I've just made "bitch" a medical term related to overwhelming deficiency. Anyways, this guy has zero entertainment value, as it seems to have little difference from a night out in a city's gay village, as in a gay guy poorly singing cover songs after having too many mimosas, disregarding the several thousand dollars spent on props that don't add anything. Seeing how many attractive women surrounded him in the performance, it reminded me of several Buddhist quotes about desire, as it seems like you can only get girls when you don't want them. Hearing that the song being sung was "Bang Bang" made me have a panic attack and tearfully post gun control related statuses on Facebook. I'm an embarrassment.

Dania Díaz - With this show featuring so many obese and deformed women, as well as "women?" (yes, some of them are that unsightly), her being hot is almost enough to advance to the next round, though the mention of a significant other who is not me would quickly make the sound of buzzers echo throughout the venue. Anyways, she manages to cry yet again over the Mother thing. Somehow I forgot if her Mom abandoned her or died because I don't pay enough attention. The act is once again centered around depressing storytelling with the "but you can come back from adversity" which made me empty my pockets into the swear jar - this show causes so many vocal outbursts, only a few more episodes til there's enough money to get the height surgery in Beijing. Her initials may be double D, but I pay more attention to "Di-az". Thank you.

Duo Transcend - I find it odd how they keep talking about the future of their act, as if they haven't been on here for 10 years already, unless everyone who does this boring act just fuses into one big faceless nothing. I don't think this is much of a true to life circus act, since I don't think a real circus would play ill fitting pop music in the background, but then again I think most circus acts last longer than 90 seconds, though Einstein's quotes about time relativity come to mind, as every episode makes it seem as though snow is falling outside, melts, leaves change color, etc. Even if I don't like the act, I would at least marvel at the physique of the guy if I haven't deluded myself into believing the camera adds 100 pounds of muscle.

Strauss Serpent - NBC's budget must be smaller than anyone could've guessed if this guy had to learn his act just to save a few hundred dollars by fitting into the plane's overhead luggage compartment. But for real, this guy is one of the only acts I like, which is a feeling similar to when you develop your first crush, because most acts send me into a blind rage, although ironically being blind would be a partial antidote. We also share the same dream of seeing an American flag, as Canada's cultural identity is nonexistent - if there are any attractive young American women reading this who want to take me in, a cat carrier in your basement would be more than adequate for me.

Ryan Niemiller - I don't know why I'm always fooled by this guy, but his sets disappoint far more often than not. If he gets more out of shape and out of breath, I'm sure he could rely on a backing track repeating "my arms" at the end of every joke because it's all the same. When I become aware that I mention my height too much, I make sure to throw in a bit about being socially r******* to keep things fresh - being an overall gimp really makes for a wide array of material. I'm pretty sure he's mentioned things before about being fat or not good with women, so I don't see why he doesn't incorporate that more often; or even a joke not about his shortcomings for once.

Alexa Lauenburger - Having done a spontaneous backflip onto my own head on the pavement when I saw a girl was looking at me, this act holds a special place in my heart. I never like dog acts, but this one was actually entertaining with no asterisk or subtle bitching. I don't have anything to say, as giving positive feedback to an act puts me in an unfamiliar position. Fuck Landau Eugene Murphy. I guess that'll serve as my transition into the next act.

Sandou Trio Russian Bar - She really wanted to appeal to the young generation with a "fire" performance, though apparently she had fire resistant powder or something on, which is ironic as this show as a whole is usually a "retardant" judging by the low IQ look plastered on my face waiting for it to be over. Overall the act was alright, but since television in civilized countries doesn't show people getting maimed, you knew nothing was going to happen. so it was pretty much just the same tricks as last time. To truly do a new trick, I think you'd have to sprout a new body part, which due to living nearby, they have the advantage of being able to stay in Chernobyl for a while and see if that causes any disturbing growths.

Marcelito Pomoy - I don't know if you could call this guy a bi-gendered singer, since the majority of Asian males are basically women with short haircuts and low testosterone to match. I wouldn't consider him any more special than the average singer, since men can sing in a deeper tone and still do falsetto, as demonstrated by my proficient ability to sound horrible at both, especially since my vocal cords can't even handle introducing myself without having to gargle eucalyptus and a strict "no talking" order for the rest of the day, which explains why my tough guy demeanor is relegated to the keyboard.

 

Hans, Tyler, Marcelito, and Alexa all go through, which barely mattered to me, as I would've thanked anyone who helped steer the show to its end. The show freaking sucked, but I know tomorrow I'm going to be fondly reminiscing about it as if I didn't want my family's history of sudden heart attacks to come take me away from the suffering.

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by InternetToughGuy

[Neet]

This show is so bland, it feels like every write-up is "here's 20 more ways I'm a psycho" with a small addendum of "it was alright" about the acts because there's very little to say.

JJ Pantano - I expected to turn on him this time, but he was quite entertaining once again. That joke about Heidi's age was hilarious. He's lucky to be growing up in the age of social media and have so many digital platforms to choose from when bullying others online. I'd be afraid to step to him in person for fear of getting verbally torn apart and, pathetically, probably beaten up as well due to weighing 80 pounds soaking wet. (from diving into a container of growth hormone jelly, to no avail) Anyway, assuming he writes his own material, he's the only one on tonight's playbill who has promise to become a good comedian.

Tyler Butler-Figueroa - There must be a rule about violinists needing to have additional shit going on around them in order to not sedate the audience. A singer taking up much of the performance could only fly with the anointed Tyler, since it'd be like Ryan Niemiller's mind formatting and needing a break after telling more than three jokes and segueing to Dane Cook doing his own set, resulting in a golden buzzer reward for Ryan's non-effort. Perhaps the live audience sees the background during Tyler's performances as a live white blood cell count test and that's why they're so continually invested in him despite never not being in remission, since it was pretty uneventful tonight. At least the singer recited "what a wonderful world" and left out any challenging of its shape or dimensions, lest I get fussy at this hour of the night.

Mark Spellman / X - Terry wearing a blindfold and mask made me elbow the TV because of how they're trying to silence the black community, so my main critique is that it was hard to see what was going on. It's hard to be excited for acts like these when you can visualize the backstage group huddle among everyone who's in on it. Perhaps the synchronized touch gave Howie an idea for his germaphobic BDSM roleplays, so not a total loss.

Duo Destiny - I had to watch it over again to remember them, it was quite forgettable despite including a lot of impressive moves. Maybe this is merely the obese brain's protective instinct to ignore any athletic stimuli. While they were good, I think Transcend was better.

Hans - His confidence to bring the crossdressing outside of the bedroom is a feat I respect, but how he's made it this far without doing much of anything makes me clutch my deceased Grandmother's pearls that adorn my hairy neck. Why do so many people like this guy and how is being gay as a sole personality trait deemed good enough?

Dania Diaz - The actual trick was decent, but the storyline behind it was awful and made me recall my grandfather reminisce about what he called the golden era of women being seen and not heard. A 4 of clubs is supposed to represent family, which I guess makes enough sense with four members being a stereotype, then she implied that a Jack is for friends and another Jack meant "the time we share with them". Are they just random cards she picked? The saccharine exposition behind magic tricks is almost on par with the interpretive dancers now.

Duo Transcend - As someone who expects his bride-to-be to carry him over the threshold and have the cake be made of frozen Boost meal replacement, the man's muscularity makes me seethe in anger. Stupidity aside, this was far better than Destiny and they fit a lot of diverse tricks into the short performance time. They're a lot more memorable overall, too.

Strauss Serpent - Oh boy, another visual representation of broke Americans trying to pop their broken bones into place to avoid a $10,000 doctor's bill. He didn't have to twist my arm to vote, although not living in the US renders my support void. What was with the last part of him trying to get in the bucket? Everyone was cheering, but it looked like he sat in it for a second before popping back out and that was the end of trying to squeeze into it.

Ryan Niemiller - IMO he's so likeable, it acts as a buffer for his subpar material. Not only did he have a number of jokes that even he can count on one hand, almost all of them sucked. He seems to be be funnier when having regular conversations than in most of his scripted routines. There's a prolific pattern on AGT of people who have some kind of hardship "deciding to get into comedy" and then never innovating past the disability, ex. Jeff Foxworthy making an entire career out of his redneck diagnosis.

Alexa Lauenberger - Ah, all the excited dogs gave me intense nostalgia of how happy mine were when PETA investigators left my house after not finding anything and they could finally come out of the crawl space. (feels necessary to specify that these are always jokes) For anything resembling real commentary, I'm impressed in theory at what the dogs can do but am so un-entertained with most animal acts that the complexity of training them to do all these things kind of flies over my head. I get why others like it, though.

Sandau Trio Russian Bar - Hopefully it's been made clear that if the woman was seriously injured during this stunt, Simon's demands for everyone to "step it up" aren't legally binding. I don't really like the woman personally, and who can't empathize with the two muscular guys who stand there in silence 24/7, but that's hardly important because the moves are so fantastic. That last trick with her shoes on fire got me excited, since I wince whenever someone has the gall to wear high heels in my 5'2 15/16" presence. On a side note, I never understand why so many people say things like "I want to teach my kids to never give up". Even as adults, it doesn't seem like many people ever end up reflecting like that. "You know what, Dad didn't throw in the towel, and I won't either!" Unless the person in question accomplished something truly rare and spectacular, it just sounds like a meaningless trope.

Marcelito Pomoy - Either he's an attention whore or his wife must be absolutely tone deaf, since them singing a duet would accomplish exactly what he's doing and is just as unmarketable in the long term. Props to him for keeping composure, since I'll answer the phone in my woman's voice and being told "good afternoon, sir" makes me fall apart. It seems like the other versions of Got Talent are far more catered to gimmick contestants, as there are a lot of countries with winners who come to Champions and are extremely underwhelming. I prefer to see everyone as a limbo contestant first and foremost, as the bar for entertainment gets shockingly lower every week.

__
Does Tyler's mother threaten to sleep with the judges if he doesn't go through? Why is he still here? Hans has to get serious next week and conjure up a bigger list of gay-friendly singers like Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper that he can namedrop, if he's up to the challenge. Marcelito has no business still advancing. If he were smart, he would audition for The Voice twice. The results were disappointing as hell, but AGT loyalists probably know to temper their expectations to zero before going in.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Neet

[Mr. Sparkle]

Alright, here's my 2 cents. Overall boring show. 

JJ - I actually thought he was funny and better than last week. Of course he didn't go through. 

Tyler - so boring. I really hope he doesn't win this. 

X - his first trick was better. 

Duo Destiny/Duo Transcend - pretty much the same thing. I find these acts boring, but Transcend had the better presentation. 

Hans - he has no talent, isn't really German, and I wonder if he's even really gay. Still one of my favorite acts of the night. 

Dania Diaz - mediocre. If you going to do close-up card tricks, you have to be as good as Shin Lim. 

Strauss Serpent - I can't imagine how much further this act can go, but he's fun to watch. 

Ryan - I've liked him in the past, but this was his worst set by far. Like others have said, he needs new material. 

Alexa - I don't usually like dog acts, but this was one of the better ones, and she's likable. 

Sandau Trio - remember that time the lady flipped up and down on the bar?? Yeah, me too. 

Marcelito - it's really kind of creepy. 

The only act I see winning this whole thing is V. Unbeatable. 

[Lady Iris]

8 hours ago, InternetToughGuy said:

subtle bitching.

subtle?

[saber5055]

I thought this was one of the better episodes. Almost all of the acts were entertaining.

When I see or hear something humorous, my typical reaction is to think, "Well, that was funny." But JJ's last joke about Simon ... I burst out into loud laughter. Hey, someone had to say out loud what we've all been saying here about Simon. The kid deserved to go through just for that. I'm guessing the owner of the franchise had something to do with JJ going home instead of on.

Cancer Violin Kid. Okay, so I take back what I said about this episode not being boring. I wouldn't have invited Cancer Kid to this show much less voted for him to advance.

X. As others have said, what's up with the mask, costume and voice altering since we know who this guy is. I'd be all for him turning into Shin Lim again though. That's a trick I can get with. (Pun intended.)

Dania Card Trick. Her speechifying was so droning on, I sort of missed what the trick was suppose to be.

The two acrobat duos. I don't know which name was which, but I was all about the Polish duo moving on. The pair who brought in all the Cirque performers to distract the audience, then became the incestuous brother/sister roller skaters ... so much ewww to that act. I think they are the ones who went through though. Gotta give props to both guys for their eye makeup though.

I missed Ryan's "comedy" act. THANK YOU GODS!

The bar jumping trio changes up their act by the woman changing her outfit.

I guess the other acts aren't worth commenting on. Maybe I need to retract my opening statements.

ETA: I forgot Han. How could that happen? I did like how sassy he was last night, and of course he did not understand one German word Heidi was spouting at him. But my biggest question, how did he get out of his splits between the two chairs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Why hasn't Prince Poppycock been invited back? IMs want to know that, too.

Edited February 4, 2020 by saber5055

[atlantaloves]

Well I adored the dog act, loved loved loved it, and Hans is actually growing on me, God, I think I have too much blood in my alcohol  stream. What is happening to me? Anyway, Dogs for the Win!

[mtlchick]

3 hours ago, saber5055 said:

 

Why hasn't Prince Poppycock been invited back? IMs want to know that, too.

He was on last year. 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8494292/prince-poppycock-lady-gaga-cover-agt-the-champions

[saber5055]

11 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

He was on last year. 

Wow. I watched last year and don't remember him at all. My brain cells are dying quicker than I thought. Thanks though, so I won't be looking for him next season.

[Mr. Sparkle]

He went out in the first round. I liked him, I didn't see his season, so this was the first time I saw him. He was kind of like Hans with actual talent. 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Superclam

[foxfreakinmulder]

WTF superfans/Simon, Han really, REALLY!?!?

The dog act was so cute and I'm glad they got through.

Howie complained about the one duo act couple repeating some moves, so did the other duo act they do the same moves all the time. The only difference is they put roller skates on and we know who much Simon loved the sister and brother roller skating act from a last year so I think that's why they were picked over the other duo act, which I liked more.  Same with the girl jumping on the bar, I understand that's hard to do but she does the same thing over and over, backflip, backflip, backflip with a twist. I would've rather one of the magicians gone through instead of any of these 3 circus acts.

JJ was cute as a button with his Farrah hair but his act was based on jokes about the judges, what if they weren't there what would his material be about? He needs to be on a sitcom.

I agree with the poster above that said they are setting up the kid with cancer to win.

Terry didn't have a golden buzzer?

 

 

 

[helenamonster]

I like Hans, but I agree he shouldn't be in the final. I wish he'd lean more into the comedy aspect of his act--I think he's hilarious.

Alexa is spectacular. The most organized dog act they've ever had on.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

J.J. with the best back-to-back comedy appearance I've seen on an AGT platform.  Sure, it was one-note.  Yet, the material was actually humorous and his timing was very good, despite his youth.  

The coupling of the act styles for results was quite telling.  Is it the case that the votes were taken between them and that the overall vote positioning was ignored?  The odds that everything fell so neatly by category are prohibitive.  

The dog act was better this time, but it was still filled with errors.  The energy was excellent, thanks yet again to the masterful AGT editors, and it was certainly a fun act.  Definitely a Top 4 act in this ep. 

I thought Hans' device of showing criticisms and reacting was a smart concept.  He just failed to deliver.  He should have had J.J. deliver the punch lines.  

X's material merited advancement, imo.  The audio was too disjointed making it tough to discern the messages/script.  If AGT has been consistent about anything all these years, it is that the act simply MUST be easy to grasp and to take in.  It's Simon's iron law.

[SG11]

4 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

 

The coupling of the act styles for results was quite telling.  Is it the case that the votes were taken between them and that the overall vote positioning was ignored?  The odds that everything fell so neatly by category are prohibitive.  

 

Strongly agree with this point. “Hey look, that comedian went through and that didn’t.” “Huh, 2 physical acts in, 2 out.” Very neat little groupings, that were oddly noticeable. Wonder how next week’s will be?

Just the suggestion that mysterious unnamed “superfans” are voting somewhere in a short window of time and coming up with neat little category results... well... it’s a little insulting.

[DaphneCat]

3 hours ago, SG11 said:

Strongly agree with this point. “Hey look, that comedian went through and that didn’t.” “Huh, 2 physical acts in, 2 out.” Very neat little groupings, that were oddly noticeable. Wonder how next week’s will be?

Just the suggestion that mysterious unnamed “superfans” are voting somewhere in a short window of time and coming up with neat little category results... well... it’s a little insulting.

I don't think how they announce the results has anything to do with the voting other than the two the judges decide between.  So for the results, they could have had the first place person/group and the last place both step forward.  It doesn't mean they were close to each other in votes.

[SG11]

11 hours ago, DaphneCat said:

I don't think how they announce the results has anything to do with the voting other than the two the judges decide between.  So for the results, they could have had the first place person/group and the last place both step forward.  It doesn't mean they were close to each other in votes.

I know that. I didn’t intend for my comment to suggest that.

[SG11]

Not related to the current show, but last night I watched that Taylor Swift bio on Netflix just to kill some time while working out. When seeing her as a teen pheenom, it reminded me of Simon saying when he first heard Grace vanderwal that she reminded him of a young Taylor Swift. I thought at that time that this was a momentous comment by an industry giant.

So reflecting back today, and thinking about Simons constant shameless plugging of decidedly mediocre acts, the kid with the fiddle being the latest -not to mention stealing Howies Golden Buzzer to send through that horrible Star Wars dance group, I think Simon’s rep  as an industry genius and starmaker and ability to recognize talent is a bit of fake news, frankly.

[CrystalBlue]

On 2/2/2020 at 6:15 PM, saber5055 said:

Having just watched the rerun, I again wondered just what a "superfan" is, so I googled it. Turns out, those superfans are just regular audience members. From talentrecap.com:

What Is a Superfan on AGT: The Champions? On each episode of America’s Got Talent: The Champions, one of the advancing acts is decided by whichever judge happens to have the power of the Golden Buzzer that week, while the other is decided by a select group of audience members who vote at the taping after all of the acts have performed. These voters are called “superfans” and are selected as representation of whichever U.S. state they most identify with.

How Do I Become One A Superfan for AGT: The Champions? Throughout the live shows, the team at the Dolby Theater has been signing audience members up to come back and vote on Champions, but on last night’s results show it was announced that, similar to last year, an online application would be available as well.

From the AGT website:

If you live in the Los Angeles area and consider yourself an AGT superfan, we have an amazing opportunity for you. Simon Cowell wants you to help him judge! The most popular and viral acts from America’s Got Talent and Got Talents around the World will compete in the ultimate competition being taped this fall in Pasadena. We are trying to put together a diverse panel of superfans that will determine who moves on and ultimately wins in the competition. The voting is not open to the public, just to this select panel of fans. To take part in this special opportunity fill out the form below. The tapings will take place at the Pasadena Civic Center between 4pm and 9pm. You must be available for the full taping time. Parking will be provided.

So, any of you in the LA area can be a "superfan" next season. Just pick a state you want to say you represent. Any state. It doesn't matter.

Parking will be provided?  That huge!

[CrystalBlue]

On 2/3/2020 at 5:02 PM, ams1001 said:

So I had to go to the eye doctor this afternoon and now my eyes look like this:

(PSA: do not be on the road as dusk falls after eye dilation!)

Actually they're about half the size they were when I got home but things are still a little blurry...maybe it'll help this mess.

 

(I don't know why the cat showed up twice. It won't let me delete the extra one.)

Two cats are better than one.  I've been through the eye dilation three time just this January alone.  I feel for you; my whole day(s) was/were wasted trying to do things while getting my eyesight unblurred to my normal blurriness.