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America’s Got Talent Pre-Season Hype Train: Golden Buzzers and Leaked Performances!

It’s a big week for the Got Talent franchise: BGT Semi-Finals have begun (I couldn’t get the stream up in time but I will watch the performances later today and get back to you on that front!) and tomorrow is the AGT Season 13 premiere!

Right now it’s looking like the format of the show will remain in line with the previous three seasons; the Live Shows don’t start until August, so it’s probably safe to assume the Judge Cuts episodes will start airing in July and we’ll be getting Auditions until then. Also, the Golden Buzzer is confirmed to be back, and we already have some hints on who we’ll be seeing get one:

Simon: Used his on the first day (though we may not see it the first episode, since auditions are aired out of order) for someone with a “great story”. That’s pretty typical for him.

Heidi: 15-year-old singer. Also typical. (Did she not learn her lesson from last season when her’s was the first of the GB’s to be eliminated?)

Howie: Is being more picky with his choice this time but gave no hints on what kind of act it would be.

Tyra: An international act (6000 miles away from California, to be specific) who Simon said was even better than his own choice. From the sounds of it, she chose a variety act, which earns her points with me since 8/9 of last season’s Golden Buzzer’s were used on singers.

Mel B: ??? (No hints here!)

AGT social media has also already treated us to a few “leaks” (but are they really leaks if the show itself is releasing them?) of acts we’ll be seeing this season!

Okay, I’m really excited about Flau’jae. We haven’t actually seen a lot of rap artists on AGT, at least not recently, so I love that she’s bringing in something fresh. She’s also pulling no punches right from the get-go. No doubt she’ll be controversial – we all know the politics-heavy acts have had some difficulty with the audience in the past, and the topic of gun violence is a heated debate in the United States right now – but I have a feeling this kind of serious, passionate performance is going to go over better than the comedy-based political acts we’ve seen in recent seasons. That’s not to say their won’t be detractors – I’m sure there’ll be plenty – but I have a feeling Flau’jae is going to be a top favorite for the people who do really connect with her and her message. If she doesn’t hold back and continues to go for really big and poignant topics like this, I think she’ll be around for awhile.

If you’ve been keeping up with this blog lately, you’ll know my content has kind of fallen by the wayside these past few months. One thing I was intending to do back when auditions and Judge Cuts were filming was a post with the Golden Buzzer hints and other AG-tea I had. I mention this now because one of those tidbits was the fact that this guy was auditioning for the show. I don’t think the acts are technically allowed to reveal they auditioned until shortly before their episode airs, but Shin Lim’s participation in this season has been a pretty open secret since late last year when he mentioned it in a YouTube interview, and I’ve also seen him mention it on Instagram a couple times. For those who don’t know, Shin Lim is quite a big deal in the magic community, performing all over the world including fooling Penn & Teller twice on Fool Us. He’s mentioned wanting to try out some new material on AGT, so if the allow him to show a variety of his talents and we don’t get any technical malfunctions, I think he has a really good chance at making it all the way to the Finals, something none of the magic acts from Season 12 managed to accomplish.

May 28, 2018 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Is the AGT Judges Panel Getting a Shake-Up for Season 13?

I said I was going to chill out on posting so much during the offseason, but AGT is gearing up for the start of Season 13 in just a few short months and has confirmed their host and judging roster!

I previously reported that Tyra Banks would be returning for her second season as host, as she shared on her Twitter account a few months back. However, for awhile there things seemed to be up in the air regarding the judging panel; as media outlets were reporting Mel B wanted a raise and was becoming increasingly difficult to work with. Just a few weeks ago rumor had it that the producers were looking to replace her with rap artist and actor Queen Latifah.

Well, things have finally become clear, as yesterday the AGT Twitter account posted what seems to be an announcement regarding the panel. So, is Mel B really leaving the show?

And there you have it. It looks like Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, and yes, Mel B, will all be returning to judge Season 13, with Tyra Banks back as host. It’s nice to see Mel stick around, especially since she’s usually one of the stronger advocates for the variety acts, but I do wonder what Queen Latifah would have brought to the table….what do you think of this news?

February 22, 2018 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

HI HI! IT’S TY-TY! Pure AGT Season 12 Live Show #4: Power Rankings

Yay, I’m getting this up before the eleventh hour for once!

This first group of Semi-Finalists was clearly the weaker one on paper, but some of them really upped their game, and I think tonight turned out to be the best live show of the season yet since the first Quarter-Final. I’m noticing there seems to be a fine line that the acts have to toe at this point in the game; they have to keep upping their game with new elements to each successive performance, but by now they’ve all built a “brand” for themselves that the audience recognizes and by changing things up they risk alienating the fanbase they’ve built this far on the show. I think this is why we’ve often seen (and will likely continue to see) singing acts leave en masse during this round; most of them just don’t have the freedom to play around with their act like the variety performers do. With that in mind, let’s see how the votes seem to be falling this week……

1. Darci Lynne Farmer: With the only act of the season that caters to singing and variety fans alike, it’s no wonder Darci is the odds-on favorite to win the grand prize. Even though she seems to be relegated to the “comedy bit followed by a song” format, I like how she combined the two tonight, as opposed to her previous performance when the song started and the connection with the puppet character dropped a bit. Ventriloquism has actually proven to be the mos successful variety act on AGT, with two representatives in the winner circle from the genre. And in two weeks, we’ll get to see if Darci can be the third member of that exclusive club.

2. Sara & Hero: Remember when everyone was ripping the judges a new one for letting them advance through the Judge Cuts and now their Semi-Final performance has been getting the most love from viewers on social media (other than Darci of course)? Clearly they’re well liked if they were in the top 5 of their Quarter-Final episode; I guess I just underestimated how much support they’ve been getting. It’s certainly not undeserved-I think they’ve stepped up their game more than most others have at this point-I think I’m just surprised that one dog act was cut immediately without even getting a shot at the Dunkin’ Save and the other is likely going to sail into the Finale without ever being on the bubble.

3. Preacher Lawson: The shade was real tonight on AGT. Of  course, everyone is talking about Darci lampooning the parade of old ladies who flirted with Simon earlier this season, but I think Preacher took the cake for me with his “HI HI! IT’S TY-TY!” moment in his set (if you don’t know what that was referencing, click on any AGT YouTube channel video from this season and skip to the end until you get a Tyra bumper). Preacher’s style of comedy may not be for everyone, but like last round, being the only one of his genre is probably going to give him a boost. And his personality is just so infectious it’s hard not to root for him. If he doesn’t make top 3 tomorrow night, I think he’s probably a lock to get the Dunkin’ Save.

4. Mike Yung: His performance felt quite stagnant tonight, without a lot of range in expression or tone. It felt like a less powerful version of what the Masqueraders did two weeks ago, and we all know how that ended for them. However, Mike still seems to be a favorite of quite a few people, and he did get the pimp spot this week, which could indicate that he’s been getting a lot of audience support (though I do think that may actually have hurt him a bit, since he had to follow frontrunner Darci). In the end, I’m going to guess Dunkin’ Save territory for him tomorrow night.

5. Chase Goehring: I thought Chase would be close to a lock to advance to the Finals, but I think he might have fallen under the radar this week. Nothing about his segment was particularly memorable, which is arguably more dangerous than being outright bad. Luckily, I think he’s gained enough devoted followers to get enough votes to be in Dunkin’ Save territory.

6. Evie Clair: Evie definitely seemed less nervous this time around, and her confidence came through in her performance. I think being the only act left to incorporate a “live” piano might also help people remember her. Still, I think it’s her story carrying her through the most, and, while absolutely heartbreaking, I really don’t want it to be the main reason she makes the Finale.

7. Johnny Manuel: Johnny got some mixed reviews last night, and it seems like he could be one of the singer casualties of the week. He has his fans-as well as those who appreciated the choice to perform an original song-behind him. However, the judges were pretty hard on him, his running order spot was meh, and the hype surrounding him has died down considerably (I don’t even remember them mentioning him-or, come to think of it, anyone else but Darci-getting the Golden Buzzer tonight). I think at best he has a shot at sneaking into Dunkin’ Save territory.

8. Billy & Emily England: They were actually one of my favorite parts of the episode-I could tell they made a strong effort to show us some tricks we hadn’t seen before-but it seems many viewers have grown tired of the spinning in circles thing, even with the new stuff. Having been top 5 after their last performance they might make it into Dunkin’ Save territory, but I think their only hope of moving forward is the Judges’ Save, if they even get that chance.

9. Eric Jones: Eric without a doubt improved over his previous performance, but I think his “casual” delivery is really going to hurt him this time. The trick was great, but he faded into the woodwork because of his lack of stage presence compared to most of the other acts in this group.

10. Danell Daymon & Greater Works: I liked this performance, but I’m looking around Facebook and Twitter and it doesn’t seem like a lot of people agree with me….

11. Yoli Mayor: There seems to be a trend with singing performances on reality shows. Those who go for the high notes and belting get over-the-top praise, and those who go for something in the lower register are deemed lesser performers or are just plain forgotten about. I think the latter type of song is more suited to Yoli’s voice, but it’s not what the viewers for these kinds of shows tend to remember. She managed to hang on by a thread in the Quarter-Finals, but I don’t see her having that luck tonight.

September 6, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Live Show #2: Power Rankings

So, last night was….a time. As Mel B put it, the show was a rollercoaster. With multiple malfunctions, buzzers, and jokes that were meant to ease the tension but ended up making things even more awkward, the actual performances seemed to be a sideshow to all the malfunctions behind the scenes and antics at the judges’ table. I thought there was no sinking lower than “Judge Cuts #2”, but last night’s s***show might have given it a run for its money as a contender for “Worst Episode of Season 12”. And since, as I said, the response to the acts seems to have taken a backseat to the buzz about all the drama, and the relatively little commentary I have seen on the performances has been pretty negative. Still, seven acts will be going through to the next round tomorrow, so I guess I’ll take a stab at trying to figure out who they might be, starting with…

1. Mandy Harvey: I was expecting a lot more hype about Mandy from people tonight, but unfortunately I think her thunder was stolen by all the craziness that had already happened throughout the night, so by the time it was her turn to perform, I think the audience was just kind of drained and not really excited for anything anymore. Regardless, even if she didn’t exactly bring the house down, she still managed to end the show on a pleasant note and received one of the few overall positive reactions of the evening so I don’t think the sideshow will bring her down. Mandy is the only act I’m 100% sure is automatically advancing tomorrow night, and to be honest I think she’s probably the only one in this Quarter-Final group with a real shot at the grand prize.

2. Johnny Manuel: Okay, so I wouldn’t put MONEY on Johnny getting this much support, but since the general reaction to everyone from here down has been lukewarm to extremely negative I have to go with what I’ve got, and from what I’ve seen, Johnny was one of the only acts to overall please the Facebook crowd (aka the toughest critics but most likely the closest way to see what the general audience at home thinks). I do wonder if having a history in professional entertainment will hurt him in votes, since I think that might have been Bello’s downfall last week, but I’m leaning towards it not being that big of a dealbreaker for voters in comparison to certain aspects of some of the other acts in this episode.

3. Evie Clair: If Evie is not one of the five acts automatically advancing tonight I’m sure she’ll be in the Dunkin’ Save group. Regardless of the method of her safety, I doubt she’s going anywhere this week, moreso because of her story than her performance. Yes, the situation with her father is heartbreaking and I wish him and the family all the best, but her singing was clearly off in some places (though I did like the candle setup and her shaking things up a bit by bringing the piano in). A lot of people seem to recognize this, but I think all the malfunctions in the surrounding acts may have made her look better to the audience by comparison. As for myself, I really wouldn’t mind losing her at this stage, but I doubt that’s happening.

4. Light Balance: I was so sad that these guys didn’t get to perform for the crowd last night, but was so happy we still got to see their act! They definitely won the night for me, especially with that amazing transition to the Wolfman! I think LB got an overall positive reaction based on the act itself, but I’ve seen quite a few people upset over the performance technically not being “live”. I would brush that off, but last week seemed to prove that some viewers have strange motivations for voting (or more accurately, NOT voting) for an act. Since they weren’t forgettable or a trainwreck I’d say they’re probably going to get through, just not not sure whether it’ll be automatically or from the middle zone.

5. Merrick Hanna: Again, not sure whether Merrick is actually going to end up in top five, but I’m confident he’ll at least have a chance at going through tonight. Some have commented that his robot dancing is getting repetitive, and that the production of the act overshadowed his performance this round (I wish they’d put a light on him….LOL). But I think being a child act may be an asset here; many viewers seem to find him cute and charming, and I think he’s gained quite a few fans during his time on the show. But if he does end up in Dunkin’ Save I think he has a pretty good shot at getting it, since he’s one of the internet’s favorite acts of the week.

6. Celine Tam: Buzz about Celine was pretty mum last night, especially considering she’s a Golden Buzzer act and a child singer. I think her running order spot, Mel B’s comment about the song choice, and the continuous comparisons between she and Angelica might put her in a bad spot this week. She seems to have a lot of fans, but it looks like most of the following she’s gained has come from places other than America, which is cool….except AGT voting is banned outside of America. (There are ways of doing it, but I doubt they’re widely known.) I’m going to say she ends up in Dunkin’ Save territory tonight and I’m not sure what happens from there.

7. Pompeyo Family Dogs: After a string of controversial performances, seeing these adorable poodles (I think?) come out and strut their stuff was probably a nice palate cleanser for the audience, and I think that helped them escape some of the criticism they would have faced otherwise (remember: after their Judge Cuts episode people were not happy about them making it to the live shows). I also think their running order spot of second last might help them the way it did Billy & Emily last week.  However, I kind of doubt they’ll move on even if they make the Dunkin’ Save, since it seems like the audience feels more connected to several other acts that performed last night.

8. Eric Jones: I have no idea how the average at-home viewer reacted to Eric’s performance last night. The trick was cool but something we’ve seen a lot of, and instead of being a “showman” he was very casual about it all. I personally found this somewhat refreshing, but I fear it may have made him forgettable to viewers. The internet seems determined to “expose” acts (aka show how they’re done) and a lot of people immediately jumped on Eric for his somewhat sloppy delivery of his trick this week, but it’s hard to tell whether or not the casual viewer would have noticed the little giveaways. The main thing Eric has going for him is that he’s not only the only traditional magician of the week, but of all the live shows (yes, I’m pretty sure we’re getting Tom back as a Wildcard next week, but the general audience doesn’t know that) so he might squeeze through tonight by being an outlier in a sea of musical acts.

9. The Masqueraders: And speaking of acts that people are determined to “expose”……the main storyline of this trio is that they’re finally hitting the big time and living out their dreams after half a century of getting rejected by record companies. However, as some have found, they seem to have recorded and released at least a few songs to moderate success about 50 years ago. I know the show is allowed to tamper with the backstories as much as they want, but if this is true, things just got reaaaaaally awkward. However, I think the vast majority of the AGT audience is unaware of this and are basing their votes solely on what the show airs of the acts. I was actually very impressed with these guys last night. It was clear they were very grateful to be performing together and just overall having a blast. I think they have an okay shot at getting into Dunkin’ Save territory-and maybe even cracking top five-but I have a feeling they’re probably done tonight.

10. Brobots & Mandroidz: I actually enjoyed these guys quite a bit, but the majority of people seemed to either forget they even performed  or view them as the Wal-Mart version of Just Jerk. Like Celine, I think their chances got diminished by performing after an act they’ve been closely compared to (especially since both B&M and Celine have generally been regarded as the “lesser” act when matched up against their respective counterparts). Performing alongside Golden Buzzer Light Balance and viral hit Merrick Hanna probably didn’t help either, and same with their running order. Unfortunately, I just don’t see these guys moving on tonight.

11. Mirror Image: Much like the Masqueraders, Colton and Trent seemed to be having the time of their lives up their on the Dolby stage. For me, this performance wasn’t as “so bad it’s good” as their Judge Cuts one, but I still , and I couldn’t help but be happy for them (and I thought it was sweet of Heidi to hold Simon’s hand away from the buzzer…..only for him to buzz after the performance was finished). I know Reddit and 4chan have a campaign going to get the to the Finale as revenge for Simon putting down other variety acts, but their collective power likely doesn’t hold a candle to that of the average viewing audience, and the vast majority of that crowd seems to despise this act.

12. Demian Aditya: As repetitive as Demian’s act has become, I felt so bad that he was unable to finish his performance last night. His act more than any of the others was overshadowed by all the drama with the judges, and like Light Balance, many viewers are actually blaming him for the technical difficulties. I guess he might pick up a couple sympathy votes, but if he did, I haven’t seen very many. However, I do think after all the craziness with his segment last night he might end up being the Semi-Finals Wildcard.

August 23, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Live Show #1: Power Rankings

The Quarter-Finals have FINALLY started (this is actually the latest the first live show of the season has ever been scheduled) which means the fate of the performers is now in the audience’s hands…well, mostly. We’ve still got the Judges’ Choice at the end of the Wednesday episodes (plus the red buzzers are still in effect, but, well, they might not always leave the impression the judges are hoping for) but the rest of the outcome is up to us. Who will move on from our first group of hopefuls? Here’s the vibe I’m getting from the audience right now. (And remember, this is based on the general reactions I’ve seen from viewers, and not a ranking of my personal opinions on the quality of the acts.)

1. Darci Lynne: I have to say I was a little disappointed that it seems like there’s going to be a set formula for all of Darci’s AGT performances, since having watched her on YouTube I know she is capable of a lot different things with her ventriloquism. I did enjoy her new puppet last night, and I think bringing the adorable Oscar the Mouse on showed good vocal range in both speaking and singing, as well as more of her natural chemistry with her little friends (and those coming after her about “stolen material” can either shut it or call out everyone in the cast for the same thing, since when it comes down to it pretty much every act on this show has taken inspiration from somewhere else). This performance made me realize I think I prefer her banter with the puppets more than the songs, although her closed-mouth singing ability is definitely impressive. I would love to see an act where she’s just doing a comedy routine with a character for a few minutes, but it seems the focus is going to continue to be on the singing. Either way, it doesn’t really matter since she’s still a lock for the Finals and one of the top contenders for the grand prize.

2. Angelica Hale: Looking at the comments around this internet, this was probably the least-objectionable performance of the night. Even I, someone who usually has a problem with Angelica’s unhealthy style of singing, thought this performance was appropriate for her. I think both she and Darci are locks for this week’s top 5 (aka the “do not pass go, do not campaign for the Dunkin’ Save” group) but I have Angelica below her because the anti-singer brigade seems to have warmed to Darci’s multi-talent act more than Angelica’s straight-up vocal performances. I wouldn’t say she’s a 100% lock for the Finals quite yet, but I still think she’s one of the three acts in the live shows with the best chance of winning.

3. Bello Nock: This was the act that won the night for me, and Bello certainly seems to have a lot of people rooting for him. Last night I posted a rant about the Golden Buzzers, and one of my major complaints was that there seems to be little purpose in having them if they’re just going to be used for acts that would easily pass through Judge Cuts anyway. However, I’ve thought about that and I think their main function as of now is for the judges (and host) to select acts to be “hyped up” throughout the season. The “marquee” performers, if you will. It doesn’t work with every Golden Buzzer act, but it’s worth noting in both of the previous seasons Golden Buzzers have been present, the winners have been Golden Buzzed. And if the GB’s are a way to get people invested in an act by billing them as the “stars” of the season, Wildcards are a way to get them invested by billing acts as the season’s “underdogs”. The audience loves when an act proves the judges (I think Simon in particular) wrong, and when an act gets “robbed” in Judge Cuts, there is nothing more satisfying then seeing them return and kill it in the live shows. This, coupled with an act that stood out in a sea of singers this week, is why Bello is likely to pass through tonight. Yes, there were a few complaints about him “stealing the idea from the circus” (like other acts don’t “steal” from famous singers/pop culture/YouTube?) but I don’t think that’s going to have any major negative effect on his chances this round. Since Bello doesn’t have much competition in his genre, if he keeps up the variety and high performance quality I could see him as a contender for the Finale.

4. Preacher Lawson: Speaking of contestants with virtually no competition in their genre, we have Preacher. As the “last comic standing” this season, Preacher will stand out in pretty much any group they put him in. The response to comedians is never universally positive, since everyone has a different sense of humor, and some simply aren’t fans of stand-up. However, in Preacher’s case I saw many more fans than detractors last night, and when I looked at the “I voted” posts, I saw more from him than most other acts. I figure at worst he’ll be in the Dunkin’ Save group, but my first guess would be top 5 of the week.

5. Puddles Pity Party: I had a hard time settling on who to put in the last “home free” spot, and to be honest whenever I picture tonight’s episode I see Puddles in Dunkin’ Save territory. But he’s here because I really can’t tell who would beat him in votes besides the four I already talked about. His act seemed to get a mixed response, mostly regarding the song choice of “Royals” which I found surprising given that people were BEGGING him to do that one (it’s his most viewed video on YouTube). But yeah, his segment seemed to be one of the ones that generated the most BUZZ last night (HAHA GET IT?) and I think that will help him in the end (as I said earlier, the audience loves to prove Simon wrong). If he does end up as an option for the Dunkin’ Save I think he’s pretty likely to win that vote, seeing as the act that gets it tends to be whichever is the most internet-friendly of the three (Puddles has a big following on YouTube). Either way, I honestly can’t imagine this week’s performance being his last on AGT.

6. Christian Guardino: I’m kind of surprised at how little I’ve heard about Christian since last night, him being a Golden Buzzer and all, but I guess when 8/9 of the GB’s go to singers, some are bound to get lost in the shuffle. Also not helping is the fact that both songs he’s performed on the show have been done by someone else this season (Yoli did “Make it Rain” as her second audition song, and Darci performed “Who’s Loving You” last night). I like his down-to-Earth personality-as I’ve seen several people mention, unlike some of the others he doesn’t seem like someone trained from a young age fro stardom, which is refreshing-but the vibe I’m getting is that a lot of people just sort of forgot about him by the end of the show. His story might help him, but he wasn’t the only act to have one last night so that might be kind of a wash. I guess Christian could realistically end up anywhere tonight, but I’m gonna leave him here in Dunkin’ Save territory for now.

7. Just Jerk: I’m not really sure what the general consensus regarding this group is after last night. Most people I saw mildly enjoyed them and sent them a few votes. Being the only dance troupe of the week might have helped them a bit, but it’s hard to tell how much. I doubt they’re making top 5 tonight (though I would love it if they did!) but I think they might have a shot at the Dunkin’ Save/Judges’ Choice (most likely the latter).

8. Billy & Emily: I think the most common reaction to these two was “amazing talent, but not something I’d pay to see a full show of”. I think after three performances we may have seen the limit of their abilities, but I’ve seen some people send them votes for the sake of variety (mainly those who don’t want the Semi-Finals to consist mainly of singing acts). I’d be surprised if they got through automatically, but Dunkin’ Save/Judges Choice seems to be a potential position for them to be in tonight (again, most likely the latter).

9. Yoli Mayor: Despite the mixed reviews from the judges (and my general disdain for pop singers on AGT) I actually enjoyed her performance last night, but her mixed comments plus her lack of pre-live show hype (8 singers-including three of the ones in this week’s group-got a Golden Buzzer, but she did not, and she doesn’t have a fun persona like Puddles or even Singing Tump) puts her in a tough position. I think she will ultimately be eliminated tonight, just not sure whether it will be automatically or a loss of the Judges’ Choice.

10. The Singing Trump: I was originally going to have him lower, but I actually saw more people vote for him than several others so he’s here. I think having him be on this week was poorly timed (even though the AGT producers had no way of knowing what would happen over the weekend) and some of the judges’ comments also seemed to be a viewer turn-off. I guess he’d have a shot at the Judges’ Choice if put in that position, but I don’t even think he’s going to make it that far.

11. In the Stairwell: I really like these guys, but I had to disagree with everyone saying how this was their best performance yet. They seemed to be out of tune quite a bit and had a running order position that tends to get an act lost in the shuffle by the end of the night. I didn’t see very many people voting for them, but I may be underestimating the military vote. I think they’re probably goners tonight but for auditioning on a dare, they haven’t done half bad in the competition by making it this far!

12. Artyon & Paige: These two were at the bottom of my previous Power Rankings, and here they are again. But this time, I don’t want to see them go! Their act is definitely one that has improved exponentially with every performance they’ve given us. I was shocked at how well they could hang with the other last night! Unfortunately, not a lot of people seemed to agree with me, and I didn’t see very much voting support from them, so I predict their AGT journey ends here. But I’ve seen some commentary from people in the dance world, and if what they say is to be believed, Artyon and Paige have a very bright future in their craft. Way to go!

August 16, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

America’s Got Talent Auditions “Best Of” Special and Some Fun Videos!

Hello for the second time this week! I forgot to mention this on Tuesday, but NBC is currently airing an hour-long “Best of Auditions” special featuring acts we’ve seen so far this season. I’m not going to liveblog it, but will be back later to update with a list of who appeared. Take note of these names, because I have a feeling appearing on this special may indicate who’s most likely making it through the next round and moving on to the live shows.

I also wanted to share these fun videos of YouTube star Colleen Ballinger (aka “Miranda Sings”) and AGT Season 11 winner Grace VanderWaal! (They’ve been out for a few weeks but I never got around to posting them here.) Enjoy!

July 13, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Auditions Week 6: Live Blog!

Hey all! I’m back for another week of live-blogging! This is the last week of auditions and will feature Heidi’s Golden Buzzer, so I’ll have all my info for my upcoming post about those.

I didn’t catch their name, but I really liked the boy band that started the night off, especially the fact that they formed on their own and still sounded so good together!

The tango group was nice, but not particularly interesting. Unless they add some more excitement, I don’t see them going very far.

Hmmmm I’m pretty sure we’ve heard “I’ll Stand By You” on this show recently. Seems to be a lot of repeated songs lately; I think they might have a list the auditionees have to pick from. I tuned out of the backstory (sorry) but she has a nice voice and all.

Okay, that was probably the least remarkable Golden Buzzer act I’ve seen since I stared watching the show. Angie is a good singer, but she doesn’t stick out to me as some of the others. (Also I don’t think she really NEEDED it; like she wasn’t in danger of not being sent through or anything, but that’s for another post……)

So we got a full five-minute segment of a child singer with a tragic backstory but the unique and exciting acts get relegated to a montage. Sounds about right. :/

YAY A COMEDIAN! This guy seems adorable and funny. I’m so glad he’s going through!

Oh wow. This anti-gravity act is AMAZING! Now THIS is what I tune into AGT for! Truly something I could see in Vegas. WHERE’S HER GOLDEN BUZZER, HUH?

I loved the husband/wife balancing duo! The creativity with the skateboards was great, and I laughed at “guess my mom knows we’re married now”. I’m concerned that the act isn’t long for this show, since balancers don’t usually seem to go very far, but I’ll enjoy this one while it lasts.

Hey! A male singer who’s bit older than the ones we usually see on AGT! That’s pretty cool. He did a great job and I’m glad he got through. With the age restrictions on some of the other singing shows, I’m glad he’s here and I think I’d like to see him go far.

Fun dance act with the animation to bring us back from commercial break! Lol at Simon seeing two people dancing. XD

Totally here for this father-son dance/gymnastics act! (With more evidence that there might be a set song list, since we’ve heard “Sax” several times over the past two seasons now.) Legitimately one of my favorites of the night. Can’t wait to see them again!

Oooo “Mirror Image”…sounds like a pretty cool act, even though I have no idea what they’re going to do yet!

Wow, they sound really good together and dance like no one is watching! I’m here for this. They definitely have star quality!

Oh man. What even is this….props to them for working food into an AGT act, but it seemed kind of miessily executed. They might be onto something, though.

“I haven’t got a Golden Buzzer so I can’t help you.” I hope moments like this makes the judges wake up and realize they may have lost sight on the true purpose of the GB.

Oh man…..we’re ending on a posthumous airing of an audition? Oh man……(don’t worry, I won’t snark on this one).

So cool that he sang to his patients! I bet it really brightened heir day, because his voice was lovely.

Rest in Peace, Brandon Rogers. Everyone else, I’ll see you soon.

July 11, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Auditions Week 5: Live Blog!

Time for another episode of AGT auditions! It looks like we’re starting off the night with some magic! And also a sad backstory, apparently. Henry Rich, our teen magician, used to watch the show with his father before he died and got into magic that way. His stage presence and execution of the trick were amazing, and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing him in the live shows!

Ooo, a husband a wife, but they’re competing against each other instead of with each other. Both are balancing acts, but Maxim’s focuses on the height while Maria’s in more about contortion. Both made it through, but how much do you want to bet they bring them out onstage together after their Judge Cuts auditions and send one through and the other home?

I love the 3 Masqueraders! They sounded pretty good together and I’m happy their dream lives on.

This dancing officer was funny but I agree with the judges’ decision to not send him forward. He can certainly move, but the performance wasn’t coherent enough to be taken seriously as an AGT act.

Hmmmm, weird package with more red buzzer acts and Simon vs. Mel B “drama”.

YAY A DOG ACT!

Sarah and Hero are so cute, even when they were “fighting”! I can’t believe they were about to get rejected, and I’m glad Simon convinced Howie to save them, but more on that at the end of this post.
EDIT: I’m actually gonna save my thoughts for another article I’ll be doing next week in place of the usual live blog since there won’t be a new episode next Tuesday.

Okay, so this next guy is a rapper, which is cool, but it sounds like he’s had quite the career in this business before. Now he did eventually get to a standstill point in his career, but his participation as a contestant on a show like this seems kind of unfair. I’ll have to look more into it.

Oh, he’s singing? I thought he said he had a rap career? Either way, he has a great voice, but again, as I say every week, I think singers like him would benefit more from competing on a singing-only competition show, where they have people who have more expertise helping them with their craft.

Now we’re getting into the more offbeat acts (well, actually most of this night has been pretty strange;in a good way!). I loved the comedy projector act, even though it was cheesy and hokey.

“The worst act we’ve had on this year?” Really, Simon? (Was this before or after the flashing old ladies we saw a couple weeks ago?)

Wow, this boy band (not sure what else to call it) is really good! I see potential to go far in this competition for sure!

The projection act was incredible; not much to say there except for that I’m SO HYPED to see what’s next from them!

This magician is certainly dedicated to the integrity of his craft! (And is it just me, or have we had more acts involving nudity than usual this season?)

Looks like we’re ending things off on a singer…again. And he’s….an opera singer! And a pretty darn good one at that! I didn’t see a Golden Buzzer in any previews for this week, so I figured he probably wouldn’t get it, but I’m glad he went through.

Speaking of the Golden Buzzer, there won’t be a new episode next week because of the 4th of July, so the sixth and final audition compilation episode will air on July 11th and presumably feature Heidi’s Golden Buzzer. As edited above, I’m planning to have a separate article up next week to share my thoughts on a trend I’ve been seeing this season, but until then, share your thoughts on tonight’s episode down below!

June 27, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Auditions Week 4: Live Blog

Back for another week of live-blogging! This one should be interesting because (spoilers) earlier today on twitter Tyra revealed this episode contains her Golden Buzzer moment and hinted that it might not be a singer. Very intrigued!

I liked the Gospel group, but they didn’t seem all that special to me. A little too riff-y for my tastes. 😛 Though I can see them putting on a good show if they get to the live rounds.

Surprised JJ the one-man emo rock-n-roll lip syncing band got through. I liked watching him but I highly doubt he’s gonna pass Judge Cuts.

Wow! Totally blown away but Light Balance. Much like singers, I usually prefer dance acts stick to shows of their own niche, but ones like this don’t really fit there, so I’m very happy to see them here! The choreography was so much fun and the light tricks made the performance AMAZING!

Hold up, a Golden Buzzer at 8:30? That’s the earliest I’ve ever seen it happen. Such a deserving group to get it though! And a big THANK YOU to Tyra for showing us that not just singers deserve special recognition for their work on this show!

Just found out Light Balance were Semi-Finalists over on Britain’s Got Talent…guess they’re one of those acts who’ve basically made a career of appearing on this franchise?

Aaaaaand here come some more singers. With original songs, it looks like.

The first guy was pretty good, but I felt bad for the second one. He’s very lucky to have such a supportive wife, though!

Really enjoyed the South Koren hip-hop crew, but I feel like it was something that would have fit on a dance-only show so I’m not quite as excited about them like I am for Light Balance.

Nice performance from mini-Celine Dion. Is it just me, or do we have a lot of kid singers this year? I know I said the same thing last year, but those were mostly teenagers. This crop seems a bit younger overall.

Over an hour into the episode and we FINALLY have an act that’s doesn’t involve singing or dancing!

Okay….well….I actually liked the concept of the pan act, but it seemed a little under-rehearsed, though that may have been part of the joke. I don’t think it needed to get through, but I thought it was nice for Mel B to give them another chance, like she pushed for her Dancing Pumpkin Man last week. 😛

The balancing group was good, even though we only got to see a few quick of them (gotta save time for those singer backstories). Hope to see a full act of theirs next round, but the fact that they got so little airtime tonight makes me worry for them. :/

Wow I can’t believe Robert DeNiro got rejected from America’s Got Talent.

Tom the “mathemagician” (my term, not his :P) had great stage presence and I loved his message. I’m very excited to see more from him!

The clowns have been sent in, meaning it’s time for a Simone torture montage!

I liked the pole-climbing clown, and kudos to him for changing Simon’s initial “no” into a “yes”! The Australian singer/pianist was great as well, though I’d prefer to see him on The Voice. I thought the last girl was just a decent singer, and it was clear that her story was the reason why she was put at the end of the episode. I think she could be really good in a few years, but right now I don’t think she’s as strong as some of the others we’ve seen.

And that’s another episode in the books! I believe next week is the last episode of auditions (featuring Heidi’s Golden Buzzer) and then a break on the 4th of July, followed by the Judge Cuts episodes! Speak your mind in the comments, and I’ll see you back here soon!

June 20, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!

Pure America’s Got Talent Season 12 Auditions Episode 2: Live Blog

It’s time for another fun night of AGT auditions, and I’m back to liveblog for you all! Reminder that I’ll be updating this post throughout the episode with my running commentary, so keep checking back every now and then!

Looks like we’re starting things out with an animal act! What an adorable dog! And apparently she can count too…or maybe not. Oh dear…

Took a little time to get started, but little Mia seems to have found her groove! I especially loved the flashcard trick! Congrats to them for getting through, but I do wonder where they’ll be able to go from here. So for it just seems like a cool party trick, albeit a pretty impressive one.

“Architectural movement”? Sounds pretty cool! I like their name, “Diablo”. I’m very excited to see this one!
EDIT: The group’s name is actually “Diavolo, not “Diablo”. Oops!

I’m in awe with what they’re able to do on a moving platform like that. Really hoping they make it to the live shows because I can only imagine what they could do with a full set and lighting arrangement!

Oh great, a singer with a guitar. Never seen THAT before. Pretty generic until the breakdown, which was actually pretty impressive. Somehow I have a feeling this guy wasn’t the only singer-songwriter to audition this season, after the Great Grace VanderWaal hype train of last summer.

Montage of dancing couples. They look pretty good, but the very fact that they got relegated to this montage tells me most of them won’t make the live shows.

Okay, so is this doll bit part of the act or does this guy have a REAL dance partner who’s going to come out on stage soon?

Oh it’s supposed to be a joke. Okay. Whatever. I’m kind of split here. I agree with Howie and Mel that it was humorous, but I wouldn’t put it through. It was funny once, but the novelty would have worn off quickly.

WTF SIMON ACTUALLY BUZZED A COUPLE OF DANCING KIDS??? I mean, I don’t want to see a bunch of run-of-the-mill dance acts on this show either, but they did pretty well and seemed to be having the time of their lives! Yay for the other judges sending them through, and also for making sure “Barbie Girl” stays in Simon’s head for the next week! HA!

Ooo, a hot science teacher? I’m here for it! And I LOVE the idea of a science-themed Vegas show! There are a lot of ways this could go; I’m excited to see what he does!

The opposite of helium? Hilarious results! And now an onstage explosion? Well, sort of. A foam-like substance will do just fine! Ah, THERE’S the onstage explosion! Wow, this is another act I really hope to see on a grander scale in the live shows. Just incredible. (And wait, he was on Big Brother? I’ll have to check out some clips of him on there.)

European roller skaters! Apparently they were also on Britain’s Got Talent, hmmmm. I’ll have to look into that. But this is certainly a pretty cool act! Definitely worthy of making it through, but I hope they add some variety to their movement in future performances, rather than just spinning around in one small area.

This Angelica girl needs to go on The Voice in a few years, because if she’s this good at age 9 I can’t imagine how amazing she’ll be by the time she’s old enough to audition over there!

Guessing these two brothers are going to do a “strongman” act or something? Oh, I guess it’s a….hammerhead act? I don’t get it. I think it’s supposed to be balancing?

“That’s what I like about this show: you’re not gonna see this anywhere else!” I agree with Simon’s sentiment, but I’m honestly not sure whether or not I’d send this one through.

Oh, it’s the Sherlock Holmes-esque act! This one was posted on YouTube a few days ago; I think the TV audience is going to like it! (On another note, I have to start posting these “sneak peek” auditions here on the blog!)

One more act to go and it’s a singer with a ukelele. Now, they haven’t previewed a Golden Buzzer for tonight but Simon was giving her a lot of praise…

Okay, most of you will probably disagree with this, but while I was amazed by her story and how she can still speak and sing so well despite losing her hearing (and that was such a great song too!)…I wouldn’t have given her the Golden Buzzer, and I’m really tired of it going to singers more often than not. (I also might have ukulele fatigue after last season. 😛 But hopefully I’ll be able to get over that because I know that attitude isn’t fair to Mandy.) Now I definitely would have sent her through to Judge Cuts (and probably the Live Shows from there) but it’s very annoying how singers on this show are treated like the be-all and end-all, while the more unique acts are often passed over from praise that high.

Anyway, I’m going to try to put up a few posts throughout the week about the acts we’ve seen so far. Let me know how you felt about tonight’s show in the comments, and I’ll see you soon!

June 6, 2017 I Written By

I'm obssessed with the entertainment industry, especially offbeat and nerdy things as well as those that involve live performance. The only thing I love more than geeking out over the things that entertain me is sharing in my excitement with others who share the same passions. America may have talent, but Canada has an up-and-coming blogger who is ready to take the internet by storm!