After some elaborate introductions (and a slew of Hoff-isms) we got to the opening number featuring Thelma Houston and the AGT Top 10 doing “Don’t Leave Me This Way”. It was a fun number – mostly. Barbara Padilla looked like she was ready to give Eva Longoria a run for her money in a little black dress. Lawrence Beamen sounded great in his duet with Thelma. Recycled Percussion and Fab Five worked so well together that they should seriously consider joining up their acts. The only part that fell flat was Kevin Skinner’s duet with Thelma. Actually, “fell flat” doesn’t cover it. It was cringe-worthy. He had no clue what to do and he didn’t even seem to know the words. It was that infamous performer’s nightmare come to life.
Leona Lewis was the second guest performer and she did “Happy”. Leona is the gold-standard of reality show winners. I don’t get why they use all that electronic junk on her voice. She doesn’t need it.
Oh, lord. It’s time for the “Audition All-Stars”. The less said about this the better. The only one I was happy to see again was Heavy Vee. She’s a cutie.
The third guest performance was of Cirque du Soleil’s ”Bananas Shpeel”. They were all talented but I found the show quite unappealing. I think it would give me nightmares.
After a self-congratulatory montage of the season (and almost an hour into the show) we finally got to some results. Nick called two acts forward at a time and revealed the Top 5.
Barbara Padilla & Hairo Torres: Hairo seemed to know exactly how this was going to turn out and it was the happiest and most relaxed we’ve seen him be during a results show. I think the poor kid was just relieved. Barbara Padilla was going to the Top 5.
The Voices of Glory & Lawrence Beamen: This one surprised me. I figured my beloved kids were done but, instead, they were headed to the Top 5.
The Texas Tenors & Fab Five: This result was disappointing – but not surprising. The Texas Tenors were in the Top 5.
Kevin Skinner & Drew Stevyns: I was never a big fan of either of these guys but it was clear to me that Drew was the better performer. Unfortunately, Kevin was the one continuing on to the Top 5.
Recycled Percussion & Grandma Lee: Recycled claimed the last spot in the Top 5. Bless her heart, after she got some hugs from the Recycled guys, Grandma just shrugged her shoulders and walked off stage.
Piers then declared this to be “officially” the best season they have ever had. Ummm. No. Not by a long shot.
The fourth guest performer was Shakira singing (sort of) “She Wolf”. It looked like a cross between a striptease and a yoga routine.
The Top 5 then became the Top 2 as host Nick Cannon began the final results:
5th Place: The Voices of Glory. They are great kids with great parents and the oldest brother (Michael) has been the class act of the season.
4th Place: The Texas Tenors.
3rd Place: Recycled Percussion. They knew it too. One of them was even shaking his head with resignation during Nick’s tortuous pause.
The fifth guest performance was by Rascal Flatts. They did “Summer Nights” and, while I’m not a country music fan, I loved it because they sounded great and actually performed live.
We then got to the sixth (and most promoted) guest performer – Susan Boyle singing “Wild Horses”. Ah, Susan. She looked real, she sounded real and she owned that stage. The performance was exactly what I hoped it would be and I am SO going to buy that CD. You can listen to the full recording of the song here: http://www.popculturekitty.com/?p=3443
So, it came down to Kevin Skinner and Barbara Padilla. After a long and awkward speech by Nick (who I’m sure had the director yelling “stretch” in his ear) we got the final result. Much to my chagrin, Kevin Skinner won. I’ll admit it; I yelled a few expletives at my TV. Kevin has always seemed like a nice man but I just don’t think he can sing. Barbara Padilla was robbed - but she proved to be just as gracious in defeat as she has been in victory.
All in all, this was a disappointing season of AGT. There are always decisions made by the judges (and the viewing public) that I disagree with but, I don’t think this season’s Top 40 came even close to giving us the 40 best acts that auditioned.
I was expecting only a so-so finale but I found myself pleasantly surprised by the caliber of performances on this night.
The Voices of Glory: I’ll echo what host Nick Cannon said immediately after their song – Wow! I’ve loved these kids all along and this was definitely their best performance. I actually got a little teary at the end. I realized that one of the keys to their appeal for me is that the little sister (who is the lead singer) sounds like a young girl instead of a mini adult. Logically I know that these kids aren’t the act that should win the show but, they are my favorite act of the season – and I can’t believe I just said that about a kids’ act. Judge Piers Morgan said it finally all came together for this group. Sharon Osbourne felt the same way and told them they should feel very proud of themselves. David Hasselhoff told the siblings that they hit it out of the park.
Hairo Torres: Hairo said in his intro clip that he wanted to take a risk and he certainly did. He has always done fun, light-hearted numbers which fit with his crazy dance style. This time he did a serious number and, I have to say, it came off better than I would have guessed. He did a really good job of acting out the emotions. Sharon said Hairo made the right call to go serious but she seemed quite unconvinced as she spoke. Her tone and body language did not match her words. David felt the act needed to end on a happy note. Piers said it was the wrong call and that Hairo should have stuck with a fun group performance.
Lawrence Beamen: Originally, Lawrence said he was going to return to classical music for the Finals and do “The Lord’s Prayer”. Instead he went with classic Barry White. He sounded pretty good, and did cut back on the excessive vocalizations, but I think he needed a more exciting song. It was fine, but there was no moment that got the audience charged up. David said Lawrence was going to leave the show a star whether or not he won. Piers said he liked the song choice but Lawrence needed a bit more of Barry’s “love god” style. Sharon said it was Lawrence’s most comfortable and relaxed performance.
Barbara Padilla: One of the many things I admire about Barbara is that, while she has become more glamorous as the show has progressed, she’s made no other changes. She knew what her gift was and she stuck to it. I think she’s our winner. Piers said the audience sees her as being one of them and are cheering her on for living the dream. Sharon said Barbara’s already come a long way from the original audition and things are only going to get better for her. David told Barbara she commanded attention and respect and will play bigger stages then even Vegas.
Fab Five: This was a bit of a change of pace for the sisters, who danced to Britney Spears’ “Circus”, and I didn’t think it worked as well as their other performances. It didn’t seem to match their dance style – although the dancing itself was still very good. Sharon, on the other hand, thought it was all fantastic and looked like a Vegas show. David said they brought great happiness and energy to the stage. Piers said the sisters have great chemistry and have probably put in more hours of work than any other act.
The Texas Tenors: I’ve never been all that impressed with this group primarily because they’ve never seemed like a group. They’ve been three guys singing solo together. This, however, was the first time I actually saw a group forming. For most of the song they blended. It wasn’t until they approached the key change that they started trying to outsing each other. David said they showed guts doing a Sinatra classic (”My Way”) and it was terrific. Piers thought it was so cheesy he could see mozzarella seeping off the stage but added that the Tenors have become his guilty pleasure. Sharon agreed with Piers adding that she loves cheese and she loves the Tenors.
Drew Stevyns: If this had been one of Drew’s earlier performances, I might have jumped on the Drew bandwagon. It was, by far, his best showing. His range is limited, no question, but with the right song he can pack an emotional punch. Piers also thought this was Drew at his best. Sharon said Drew matched all the qualities she’d look for in a soft-rock act – although he did need to wear tighter blue jeans. David told Drew he had a great shot at winning the whole thing.
Grandma Lee: It was a cute performance – as it always is with Grandma – but it just wasn’t at the same level as the other performers. AGT is simply not a good venue for stand-up. Sharon liked that there was more variety in Grandma’s material. David thought Grandma was just getting funnier and funnier. Piers called her a “shameless little hussy.” He has certainly loved the attention her act has given him.
Kevin Skinner: This was better than his last few performances. His pitch problems were significantly reduced but I’m afraid Kevin is just not my kind of singer. I like him but not his voice. David reiterated that Kevin “is what this show is all about”. Piers called Kevin a rough diamond but added that that was really the point of his being there. Sharon also said Kevin didn’t have the best voice but is unique. Ummm. These judges have never before indicated that Kevin had any flaws – ever. Now that he’s in the finals, they are suddenly getting honest about his voice? I could just slap them. First off, it’s clear now that their previous comments were designed to manipulate the audience and, secondly, they never even tried to help this guy. He’s needed some advice and all he got was platitudes.
Recycled Percussion: Once again they had a cleverly constructed act and, one more time, I wished I could have better heard the drumming. They are a fun group but the sound engineering has not helped them. Piers called it a brilliant way to end a brilliant show which David echoed. Sharon said they were very creative and belonged in Vegas.
As I said earlier, it was a good Finals. Quite a few of the acts peaked and no one had a disaster. Barbara is still my pick to win but several acts made a good run at unseating her as the favorite.
Check out my sentimental favorite, The Voices of Glory, below:
I can’t tell whether the leak of this song was intentional or not, so there’s a chance this might be pulled off YouTube at some point. For now, though, let’s just enjoy.
This is Susan Boyle’s version of the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” and she sounds great. Her debut CD, “I Dreamed A Dream” will be released on November 24th:
I’m going to open with a sidenote: I really like the way Nick Cannon dresses. It’s both retro and fresh but, most of all, it’s fun. It matches his personality.
Nick informed us that the Finals will be taking place on Monday night instead of Tuesday. I’m thinking NBC wants to launch Jay Leno’s new show with the biggest lead in possible and AGT is certainly their ratings leader at this point.
The first two acts called forward by Nick were the FootworKINGz and Hairo Torres. This was a pretty easy call because the poor KINGz kind of imploded. Indeed, the one going to the finals was a very happy Hairo Torres.
In a bid to convince us that last week’s “throwing out the rules” wasn’t staged, we were shown some scenes of the judges discussing the situation during the commercial break. None of it really proved to me that it wasn’t pre-planned. It did seem quite clear, though, that the acts involved had no clue.
The next acts called to centerstage were Erik & Rickie and Jeffrey Ou. At first I was surprised that one of them was going to advance but that wasn’t the case. Nick announced that both acts were going home. Bless her heart, little Rickie just smiled and shrugged her shoulders at the news. It looked like both kids had been properly prepared for this to happen.
The next two were Mario & Jenny and Recycled Percussion. I would have chosen Mario & Jenny because, overall, I find them more interesting. If, however, you went strictly on the previous night’s performance, Recycled would get the nod. That was America’s choice. Recycled Percussion was headed to the Finals. Mario & Jenny were obviously disappointed but stayed gracious.
The “Jersey Boys” from the Vegas production were next. I noticed that the little “LIVE” sign in the upper left-hand corner of the screen was still there so we got the real thing. They were great, but I think the number showed us what these contestants are really up against on this show. There were several times when the sound wasn’t balanced. These people do this act all the time so the overwhelming likelihood is that the problem wasn’t them - it was AGT’s sound engineers.
The final four acts took the stage to find out who got the last three spots. They were Lawrence Beamen, Drew Stevyns, The EriAm Sisters and Barbara Padilla. The next one going through was Barbara Padilla. Whew! She was the obvious choice but, after what happened last week to Acrodunk, I was nervous.
The act that got the 4th spot was Lawrence Beamen. Sharon actually gave him some good advice saying that he needs to be himself in the Finals and not try for someone else’s style.
It came down to Drew Stevyns and The EriAm Sisters. It was cute vs. cute. I would have picked the EriAm girls but America went with the hot guy. Drew Stevyns might not be my choice as a singer but he is definitely a class act. There was no big celebration from him. He just looked relieved and then immediately went over to the girls who were also very gracious. Mom and Dad had obviously prepared them for this moment.
The highlight of the show, though, was the end as Nick stumbled through his final speech. He finally blurted out that Piers was standing in front of his teleprompter.
Full episodes of AGT are available at NBC’s website here:
Host Nick Cannon opened the show by informing us that, in order to match what happened last week, the top 5 vote-getters from this round will be advancing to the finals. There will be no judges’ pick.
Recycled Percussion: It was an interesting and exciting performance, no doubt, but I still had a hard time hearing the percussion over the backing music. Judge Piers Morgan called Recycled Percussion imaginative and creative. Sharon Osbourne agreed, adding that they were also quite nice to look at. David Hasselhoff liked that they kept coming back with something different.
Lawrence Beamen: This was definitely a step up from Lawrence’s performance in the quarter finals. He went more with the Lou Rawls tone to his voice and, I must say, he dressed to show off his seriously buff body. He went a bit overboard with the stylizing for my taste, but it was a solid performance. Sharon also could have lived without the “vocal acrobatics” but loved Lawrence’s tone. David saw shades of Teddy Pendergrass while Piers said he preferred more of a Barry White style from Lawrence. Poor guy’s going to have an identity crisis.
Erik & Rickie: This performance was odd. The Tango, Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” and a toy shop set made no sense together. Erik & Rickie are very young so I’ll place the blame for this on the adults surrounding them. Even though it was one of the weaker performances, I was still surprised that Piers X’d them. David said he loved the staging. Piers thought it didn’t all fit together while Sharon called it “enchanting”.
Jeffrey Ou: Jeffrey stayed true to his original style with this performance. It was about as much fun as a classical piano performance of non-melodic music can be. Piers X’d Jeffrey because he found the performance to be out of control - including many wrong notes. Sharon liked the personality and look but also thought the piano playing was off. David acknowledged that he wouldn’t know if the music was played correctly or not but he also wasn’t sure whether he enjoyed the performance or not.
Hairo Torres: Hairo’s theme and musical choice was good and I was impressed that he made several moves that we hadn’t seen before. Sharon also liked that Hairo was still bringing in new steps. David called it entertaining and awe-inspiring. Piers said the comic quality of Hairo’s dancing was what set him apart.
The EriAm Sisters: There seemed to be some searching for the pitch in the song’s opening but, once the tempo picked up, so did the vocals. Piers also thought they had a shaky start (which he attributed to nerves) but added that the performance got really good once their confidence returned. Sharon thought it was a good performance overall but they needed to be careful about how they arrange their songs. David agreed.
Mario & Jenny: Ok, I can appreciate that they were trying to show diversity. If this had come in the middle of a long performance set I’d have been fine with it. In this context, though, it was a letdown. When you’ve got less than 2 minutes to fill you can’t incorporate filler – even if it’s good filler. Piers X’d them saying they blew it big time. Sharon thought it showed there wasn’t anything they couldn’t do. David said it showed they could put together a whole Vegas show.
Drew Stevyns: First off, I applaud Drew for giving a performance without bells, whistles or back-up dancers. He did a unique version of “Careless Whisper” that should have worked better than it did. I liked that he converted it into a rock power ballad but a lot of the melody changes seemed motivated by his limited vocal range. Sharon said Drew has star quality but she just didn’t care for the song. David appreciated that Drew “went for it” and Piers called it a massive gamble that paid off.
FootworKINGz: Oh, guys. What on earth were you thinking? The Power Rangers Theme? It was silly. The fake fighting stuff is tough to make work even if you’re a martial arts act. Both Piers and Sharon X’d them and it was justified. David said he just wanted to see the KINGz dance without all the extras. Piers called it “career suicide” adding that they lost the heart of who they are. Sharon said she X’d them because they’ve been doing the same steps only in different costumes.
Barbara Padilla: Barbara sang “Ave Maria” while looking, for all the world, like the angel on top of a Christmas tree. In the hands of someone else it would have been a bit much but it fit her perfectly. Everything about her is just lovely. Piers said people would remember this performance because a superstar was born. Sharon said that the performance could appeal to everyone even if they aren’t opera fans. David said God certainly had a plan for Barbara.
There is no doubt now that I’m hoping Barbara Padilla wins. As for the other four spots from tonight, I’d give them to The EriAm Sisters, Lawrence Beamen, Hairo Torres and Mario & Jenny (based on their previous work).
I think it’s worth noting that in the recap show that preceded this results show, they deleted Arcadian Broad’s statements about being pushed by the AGT producers into doing the “High School Musical” number. Come on, guys. Everyone knows it happened. You look silly trying to cover it up.
As we learned on Tuesday night, only four acts were going through to the finals – the top 3 vote-getters and the judges’ choice between the acts in the 4th and 5th place spots.
The first acts called forward by host Nick Cannon were Arcadian Broad, The Texas Tenors and Drew Thomas Magic. My heart sank a little. It was clear who was going through. Drew Thomas Magic was the first to be eliminated and Drew’s young daughter immediately started sobbing. I just don’t think the poor kid was prepared for all of this. Arcadian was the next one to go meaning The Texas Tenors got one of the spots in the finals. They were well down on my list so it meant at least one of my picks was going to be sent home.
Next up was a performance by The Muppets. Kermit, Miss Piggy and (yea!) the back-up singing chickens did “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” and, of course, it was cute.
The next group to learn their fate was Grandma Lee, Tony Hoard & Rory and Paradizo Dance. I really wanted it to be Paradizo, but they were the next to fall. Grandma Lee was advancing to the finals. This night was not going well for me.
We were then treated to David Hasselhoff performing “Feeling Good” and it was pure campy cheese – and I’m talkin’ Velveeta here. I just hope that’s what he intended. The best part was the dance break with David doing 12 of the most awkward and rhythmless grapevine steps you’ve ever seen. It was hilarious and I was thoroughly entertained.
The last four acts (Kevin Skinner, Acrodunk, The Voices of Glory and Fab Five) moved to centerstage. Three of them were my top picks and, at best, I was only going to see two of them move on to the finals. Nick announced that the next act going through was …. Kevin Skinner. I wanted to cry – and NOT out of happiness. As I’ve said before, Kevin is a nice man but he isn’t a singer.
So my three favorites were left to compete for one spot. The next announcement was the bombshell of the night. Acrodunk, by far the best act of Tuesday night, was going home. They had placed no better than 6th. I can’t begin to imagine how that happened. We went to commercial break with the judges trying to decide between Fab Five and The Voices of Glory.
After much hair-pulling hysterics (all of which looked very staged as none of these people are actors), Piers Morgan declared that they were going to “throw the rules out” and send both acts to the finals. At that point I didn’t care that it was a setup. I was just happy that Fab Five and The Voices of Glory were going to get another chance.
As for America’s choice to advance The Texas Tenors, Grandma Lee and Kevin Skinner, all I can think is that the audience went sappy on me. It was a victory of sentiment over substance and tears over talent. Sigh.
Please, Barbara Padilla, hang in there and redeem this season for me.
Full episodes of AGT are available at NBC’s website here:
Once again we began with David being David and declaring that the acts needed to be the “real deal” and not “knock-hoffs”.
In what was a surprise (at least to me), host Nick Cannon announced that only 4 acts would be going through. I expected 5. The top three vote getters will go through automatically and the judges will choose between the 4th and 5th place finishers.
Acrodunk: Un-freaking-believable. The show began with what was, far and away, THE performance of the night. Acrodunk played up their acrobatics, added elements of dance, and did the final dunk jumping through a ring of fire. A ring that was all fire – there really wasn’t an opening to jump through. Amazing. I actually yelled out a phrase I can’t print here. LOL! The judges gave them a standing ovation. Judge Piers Morgan said he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen. Sharon Osbourne said the Acrodunk guys were exciting and had perfect timing. David Hasselhoff said they were on their way.
The Texas Tenors: They took the judges’ advice and went with a romantic ballad (”Unchained Melody”). I still felt they sounded like three soloists trying to outdo each other as opposed to being a true vocal group. They are nice to look at but I don’t find them pleasant to hear. Sharon, on the other hand, was panting over the whole thing. David said he could already see their billboard in Vegas and called them the front-runners. Piers declared it the cheesiest pop song ever, sung in the cheesiest way possible, but it still ended up being “brilliant”.
Paradizo Dance: I’ve been a fan of these two from the beginning but this bit didn’t do it for me. There were still some great stunts, but the setup was way too cutesy. I prefer the romantic dances over the shtick comedy. Sharon liked that they did something light-hearted but added that she too preferred the romantic style. David agreed and Piers was disappointed that they drifted away from their signature move of the tiny woman lifting the big guy.
Drew Thomas Magic: Ok, this routine was a sweet idea but it just didn’t work. It was basically the same trick repeated multiple times and it was dull. Piers buzzed the act and said that he hated how slow and repetitive it was. Drew’s daughter, who was the featured performer, started crying. I felt bad (and the flaws of the performance had nothing to do with her) but Piers was right. Sharon followed with some compliments to cheer the kid up and David said he very much liked the heartfelt theme.
Tony Hoard & Rory: This performance was much better than the quarter finals – right up until the end when Rory missed his final stunt. That was a shame because, otherwise, it was a good and entertaining act. Sharon said Rory really delivered. She also commented on the fact that, in Tony’s setup clip, he said he had to quit his job to be in the semis because he was out of vacation days and his boss wouldn’t give him unpaid time off. Sharon said the karma truck would be parked outside that person’s house from now on. David said Tony really stepped up the act and made it Vegas worthy. Piers said it was miles above their last performance and that’s why he didn’t buzz them.
The Voices of Glory: I adore these kids, plain and simple, and this was their best performance yet. David called them sweet, good and honest. Piers said the little girl, Nadia, reminded him of Janet Jackson’s debut and the boys were going to have to accept a secondary position to her. She is the strongest singer, that’s true, but I don’t think the brothers should be discounted. Nadia is very young and it is the presence of the boys, especially the oldest brother, which has allowed me to feel comfortable with and enjoy this act. Sharon said she knew the next time she saw this family they’d be in the finals.
Fab Five: The sisters did a very clever “Drumline” inspired number that was a great match to their clogging/tapping dance style. Piers declared them to be brilliant cloggers but he wasn’t sure their kind of act could progress any further on the show. Sharon told them they were “very Vegas” and David added that they were better every time they performed.
Grandma Lee: Her routine was fine, and had a few genuine laughs, but I just don’t think a one minute and 40 second comedy routine can hold up against the other acts. Sharon said Grandma was naughty, dirty, irreverent and everything she loves. David complimented her material and Piers said she deserved to be in the finals.
Arcadian Broad: Arcadian did a number that was, literally, straight out of “High School Musical”. He danced it well (the kid is an amazing spinner) but it certainly wasn’t anything unique. David thought the whole thing was “terrific”. Piers said Arcadian was clearly talented but he didn’t think the young man was good enough yet to get to the finals. That’s when things got really interesting. I’m sure Arcadian sent the producers of AGT into a tizzy as he said, “I didn’t have this planned. I didn’t want to do “High School Musical” and the producers gave me this hand.” Both Piers and Sharon immediately jumped in to cut the kid off. Sharon said Arcadian did very well and she liked that, each time he appears, he shows a different side of himself. Nick capped it all off by saying that the acts have the final say on what they perform. Yeah, that is probably true – and an adult might be able to stand their ground – but Arcadian is 13 years old. I have no doubt he was pressured into doing this number.
Kevin Skinner: Kevin is a charming and likable man but, now that I’ve heard him sing three times, I just don’t think he’s a good singer. I hear a lot of pitch and support problems. The judges, though, adored him. Piers even stood to applaud him and said he’d never seen anyone move an audience like Kevin. He added that Kevin was his pick to win the show. Sharon said it was a perfect song choice and David added that Kevin has come a long way and will go even further.
I’m sure Kevin will make it to the finals because he is clearly one of the anointed ones, but my picks would be Acrodunk, Fab Five and The Voices of Glory. They are the three I feel most strongly about. I’d give the 4th spot to Paradizo Dance. While their performance in this round wasn’t one of their best, they are still one of the more talented and unique acts.
Here is Acrodunk’s amazing ring of fire performance:
After judge David Hasselhoff declared that the previous night’s talent was “Hoff the chart” and deserved a “standing hoffation”, we all groaned and got to the first set of results.
Host Nick Cannon called forward The EriAm Sisters and Drew Styvens. The first act of the night moving on to the semifinals was …. Drew Styvens. I actually screamed NO! at my TV. I have nothing against Drew but I could not believe that America had the chance to vote for truly talented kids and didn’t do so. After the girls got a hug from Drew (during which it looked like he told them he was sorry) and gave their parting speech, Nick announced that The EriAm Sisters were also moving on to the semis. Drew said “Why did you do that to them, man?” Judge Piers Morgan added, “You call me the bad guy?” Nick held up the results card and said he just did what it said.
The show followed with a montage of the acts preparing for their performance of the previous night and watching each other on a backstage monitor. My eyes welled up at one point. Barbara Padilla was clearly mortified as she watched Piers use her as a way to criticize Mia Boostrom’s performance. We then saw a crying Barbara hugging a crying Mia as Barbara told her she was so sorry and didn’t know why Piers would do that.
Next up to centerstage were the African High Flyers, Coney Island Chris and Pam Martin’s Top Dogs. Looking at this set of acts, it was easy to anticipate what Nick was going to say – all of them were going home.
The next three called up were Recycled Percussion, Matt & Anthony and Ishaara. Unfortunately, one of the acts I most wanted to go through was the next to be sent home – Matt & Anthony. The next to fall was Ishaara. Recycled Percussion was going to the semis. Here’s hoping they turn down the backing track a bit next time.
Reba McEntire appeared next performing “Consider Me Gone”. It was Reba so, of course, she was great. She’s the type of artist that makes me wish I could enjoy country music.
Nick then called up all four of the remaining contenders: The Lollipop Girls, Mia Boostrom, Barbara Padilla and Erik & Rickie. The next act going home was The Lollipop Girls. Barbara Padilla, thank heavens, was going to the semifinals.
That left Mia Boostrom and Erik & Rickie in the 5th and 6th place spots. Honestly, based on the previous night’s performances, I wouldn’t have put either act into the semis. If I had to choose between them, though, I would have gone with Mia. David went with Erik & Rickie because he thought there were better singers then Mia left in the competition. Sharon Osbourne picked Mia because of how badly she wanted it. Piers was the deciding vote. He said he was more impressed with Mia’s performance after he watched it a second time, but he still opted to put through Erik & Rickie. Mia was very classy as she made her exit speech.
Well, the night didn’t exactly go as I expected but, at least Barbara made it through so I can be happy about that.
Full episodes of AGT are available at NBC’s website here:
After much silliness between the judges and host Nick Cannon (during which David Hasselhoff said “mazel hoff” to the contestants) we launched into what was, by far, the strongest night of the quarter finals.
Ishaara: I really wasn’t all that impressed with this dance group during the auditions. They danced well but their routine was just a warmed over scene from “Slumdog Millionaire”. This time, though, I was surprised by how much I liked their act. I think that after watching all the other dance groups going crazy to make their acts more “Vegasy”, it was nice to see one that stayed true to who they are. They danced well and told a simple, straightforward story. Judge Piers Morgan called it a great way to start the show. Sharon Osbourne said they were truly different from the other dance acts and David called them the best dance act on the show.
Barbara Padilla: This was the performance of the night. I really like this woman. She’s sweet, lovely, inspirational AND has talent and training. A couple of her low notes were a little rough but the rest was so glorious as to easily cancel out any little flaws. I’m not an opera fan but I could listen to an entire CD of this woman’s voice. The judges gave her a standing ovation. Sharon said Barbara took her breath away. David said she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Piers said she raised the bar so high he couldn’t see anyone else beating her that night.
Pam Martin’s Top Dogs: This was a well executed and adorable act. The problem is that I don’t think there’s room for two dog acts in the Top 20 and Tony Hoard & Rory are already in. I like Tony & Rory but Pam has the better and more versatile act. David commented that, even if Pam doesn’t win the show, there’s still a place for her and the dogs in Vegas. Piers said he expected to buzz the act but he couldn’t because the dog made no mistakes. Sharon called Pam “the best”.
African High Flyers: These guys were a lot of fun and had some spectacular stunts. Their only problem was that they ended rather awkwardly. Piers buzzed them because he didn’t think they’d progressed from the audition. That may be true (I don’t know because we barely saw their audition) but they didn’t deserve to be X’d. Sharon also expressed concern that they hadn’t added enough different elements to their act. David said he wasn’t sure what the other two were watching because he loved it.
Mia Boostrom: I like Mia a lot and I really wanted this performance to be great – but it wasn’t. It wasn’t bad, by any means, but it wasn’t strong enough to earn a place in the next round. The soft and quiet beginning was lovely but then Mia stood up from her piano and went all “American Idol” on the song and you could hear that she was pushing it. I’m sure she was coached by the show into doing that. Sharon, on the other hand, heard it completely different and said Mia blew her away. David said they were proud to be a part of her transformation. Piers pretty much saw it the same as I did. He said she was good but not better than the other singers in the Top 20.
Erik & Rickie: These kids are very good dancers, and I was more impressed with this Paso Doble than I was with their audition dance, but I don’t think they’re strong enough to progress any further. David called them inspirational and loved their attitude. Piers praised Erik for having improved from the audition. Sharon said she knew there were millions of people who would adore what they do.
Coney Island Chris: Oh good grief. What a waste of time. All three judges X’d him but, unfortunately, they waited far too long to do so. It was cheesy, dull and not funny. Piers said Chris committed the cardinal crime of not being funny. Sharon said she wasn’t sure how he got this far on the show. Uh, Sharon? Look at your two buddies on the panel. David said he was hoping Chris was going to set himself on fire but, sadly, he didn’t.
Matt & Anthony: These two were one of my favorite acts coming out of the auditions and I still love them. Matt is actually one of the best singers on the show and Anthony is fun to watch. Sharon said there was something about the combination that was missing for her. David said he thought it did work and, while it was a little rough in spots, he thought they did very well. Piers said he X’d them because, while Anthony was a great dancer, Matt wasn’t a good singer. That comment was nothing short of ridiculous.
The Lollipop Girls: This was one of the wildcards. They are a burlesque style striptease act but that description makes them sound much more interesting than they actually are. But, since they were a bunch of attractive women, Piers didn’t X them. David said they were terrific and that Vegas needs an act like theirs. Clearly, he’d lost his mind. Piers said he could watch them for a long time. Sharon seemed to think these women were on par with the Pussycat Dolls. Frankly, all three judges looked like idiots for heaping praise on this dull act after they insulted a good act like Matt & Anthony.
Drew Stevyns: Drew was the second wildcard act and I don’t remember him at all from the auditions. He is as cute as he can be, and has a voice similar to Eli Mattson, but he is definitely not Eli. His voice is more than acceptable for a singer/songwriter but, on this show, you have to be a cover singer and he’s not quite good or unique enough for that. Piers said Drew wasn’t the best singer in the competition but he liked the desire and hunger. Sharon loved the song choice and performance and hoped that people would vote Drew back. David said Drew did a great, emotional, job.
Recycled Percussion: Well, they certainly amped up the flash and visual spectacle but, unfortunately, the backing track was so loud and busy that the actual drumming was overwhelmed. I think they went overboard with it all. Sharon said she didn’t recognize it as the same act and was happy they took the judges’ advice. David was a squirrel – but a happy one. Piers said they were twenty times better than in the audition.
The EriAm Sisters: All three of these girls have good voices and it was a good performance. The only thing I’d suggest is that they tone down the dancing a bit. It interfered with their vocals. David also thought they should focus on the just the singing. Piers compared them to Destiny’s Child and Sharon thought they really delivered.
All in all, it was a pretty good collection of acts. The two I really want to see move on are Barbara Padilla and Matt & Anthony. I think the other three spots should be given to The EriAm Sisters, Ishaara, African High Flyers and/or Pam Martin’s Top Dogs. They only ones I passionately want to see sent home are Coney Island Chris and The Lollipop Girls.
To end on a high note, here’s Barbara Padilla’s number:
Well, I definitely was surprised by the results of America’s vote. The show started off with one of the big ones:
The first two people called to centerstage by host Nick Cannon were Bri Bernstein and Jeffrey Ou. I thought Bri would be advancing but I underestimated how bad America would feel about Jeffrey’s technical difficulties. I think if his performance had gone smoothly, Jeffrey Ou would have been sent home but the audience wanted to give the kid another chance. For her part, Bri went straight over to Jeffrey and gave him a congratulatory hug. She was gracious – unlike judge Sharon Osbourne who made no effort to hide her displeasure. Look, I understand where she’s coming from. I was sorry to see Bri sent home as well but it wasn’t Jeffrey’s fault. After all he went through during the performance show (a big chunk of which happened because he was following the judges’ lousy advice) he certainly didn’t deserve to be dissed by Sharon. Jeffrey, honey, embrace this opportunity and next time; give the performance you want to give.
Ashley Tisdale was up next singing “It’s Alright, It’s OK”. Ashley looked fantastic and I enjoyed her number. I suppose it’s an indication of the level of cynicism I’ve developed that I kept looking for signs that Ashley was lip syncing. I didn’t see any. If she was live, I suppose my skepticism is actually a compliment. She did sound really good.
Nick then called up Jay Mattioli, Dave Johnson and Lawrence Beaman. This result was absolutely no surprise. If poor Jay and Dave had any hope when they stepped forward, I’m sure that was dashed by all the women screaming when Lawrence was introduced. Actually, both Jay and Dave looked pretty defeated – and they were. Lawrence Beaman is going to the semis.
This was followed by the biggest jaw-dropper of the night: Marcus Terell & The Serenades and Mario & Jenny were called to centerstage. I thought for sure both of these acts would go through. America chose Mario & Jenny and they certainly deserved it. I’m just amazed that it meant Marcus had placed no higher than 7th in the voting. He’s a talented, likeable young man. I can’t help but wonder if some people were just turned off by the dumping of the original Serenades?
Woohoo! It was time for Daughtry. I’m sorry, but Chris Daughtry is just plain HOT. They performed “No Surprise” and it was raw, slightly imperfect, and just how I like a rock performance to be. Sigh.
Next up were G-Force, U4RIA Dance Crew and Hairo Torres. I really had no idea how this one would turn out. Poor Hairo looked scared almost to the point of passing out. The first one sent home was G-Force. I should say, I do like the way Nick handles the eliminations – especially with the kids. He’s upbeat but not cloying. I probably would have picked U4RIA over Hairo but America went with Hairo Torres. I’m fine with that too. He seems like a humble, unassuming young man. I just hope he gets some help with the choreography next time around.
The acts left in the 5th and 6th place spots were Pixie Mystere and FootworKINGz. Of the adult dance groups, I probably would have picked U4RIA over the KINGz but, between them and the Pixies, I definitely would have picked the FootworKINGz. All three of the judges did as well.
I’m still a bit shocked that neither Bri nor Marcus Terell made it to the semis. Maybe we really will have a non-singer win this year?
Full episodes of AGT are available at NBC’s website here:
