The battle was on this week to please what David Hasselhoff called the "toughest crowd in America’s Got Talent history," and indeed, this week’s audience actually did seem a little sadistic. It didn’t matter if the jeers were deserved or not, the fired-up seat fillers demanded to see just about everyone get X’d.
First up was Michelle Wallace, who believed her rendition of "All By Myself" was a "gift to share with the world." But the only mark she made was challenging the record for fastest buzz-out from Piers Morgan in show history. Okay, so maybe the audience had a reason to be vicious. I thought they’d respond similarly to Tina Turner impersonator Dorae Saunders, who threatened/promised to "lip sync and dance like you’ve never seen before," but I have to admit, it didn’t take me long to fall in love, or at least experience pangs of jealousy, for those legs. Whatever it was, the judges felt it too, and Saunders was off to Vegas. Check out his performance below, and then, check out the rest of my recap…after the jump!
Okay, so how to describe ZOOperstars!? Breakdancers, in balloon costumes ofLego men and cockroaches, grooving to "Tootsie Roll." They wereheckled a fair amount, but as my cousin and I watched this spectacle,he proclaimed it to be the greatest thing he’s ever seen. I didn’treally know what to think, but as long as you’re backed by 69 Boyz, dowhatever you want and it’ll be fabulous. (Check it out for yourself, below, if you missed it.)
Anyhow, seeing how it’s all been funsummer fluff until this point, I wasn’t really prepared for anepisode of America’s Got Talent that would spur a genuine emotionalresponse from me. But then came Donald Braswell, the ex-singer who damaged his vocal cords 11 years ago (shades of David Archuleta?), and though his doctors wereconvinced he would never even speak again, he was back on stage andready to sing (and sing Josh Groban at that). You’d think the audiencewould be suckers for a recovery story, especially with a voice aspowerful as Braswell’s. But no, they booed, to the point where thejudges had to turn around and shush them. And then, suddenly, they started cheering. Loudly. So either theentire audience suffers from short-term memory loss, or NBC is tryingto trick us with their sneaky editing skills.
So is a lip synch act enough to win in Vegas? Can we ever get enoughSharon Osbourne reaction shots? And was the audience really booing at Braswellor just angry about being forced to listen to Josh Groban? Let’s get your take in the comments section below!
I must say, I was really confused over the initial audience hostility to Braswell (if indeed it wasn’t an editing trick). It was clear from the beginning that he had a good voice. Makes me wonder what had actually occurred right before he took the stage. I was expecting the judges to kind of ask the audience what the deal was, but they just focused on the final audience reaction, the cheering ovation. I tell ya, that audience gave me whiplash.
The crowd was in too much of a resemblense of an episode of the Jerry Springer Show. Have to say many kudos to Braswell, if not a creative edit, for pushing on and turning the crowd around
1. is Hasselhoff a homophobe? I suspect he is.
2. will the audition round ever end ? I mean seriously. and why do they pretend we are going back to these cities over and over again?
3. I really like how Jerry honestly seems to want people to do well. it’s cute
Clearly the show is edited for the stupidest, low-brow, white trash americans. Not that I don’t reap enjoyment from some of the clips (I too loved Zooperstars), but that whole Braswell manipulation was too much for me. First the audience hates him and boo him until that modulation, and all of a sudden he “turned them around! He turned them around, it’s a miracle!!” Bet me. I’ve never seen a show so transparently orchestrated.
I agree, mrclean. I don’t recall the auditions going on this long last year and certainly there weren’t any repeats of cities. The addition of audience participation has made this show trashy and demeans both the audience and the performers. Unfortunate, because there are otherwise some very special moments.
I agree gokarm. That Braswell thing was the fakest TV since Ashley Simpson on SNL. Also, I don’t think he was particulary good. The sob stories are endless. Where is the scar says the cynic in me? And is there a stupider, more self important creature than Hasselhoff (not even Randy J). I’m sure I would have enjoyed those Zoo guys if only they showed them and not the judges. In general, America sure doesn’t demand much if they think these folks have real talent.
I have lost so much respect for this show! Last night was the worst show of manipulation I have ever seen!! I usually love watching but this was too much!! The crowd didn’t even wait for the first note! It was so obvious that they were prompted and it was so FAKE! Also where was the scar from the accident! This guy lost his voice and no scar? This show has really stooped so low. If they would have just let the audience be real it would have probably been fantastic!
Anyway I do like the show but this was the stupidest thing they could have ever done! Like we the audience wouldn’t figure it out?
Shame on them!!!!
I think a lot of low brow black trash watches it too
I hope the crowd reaction to Braswell was fake because if it wasn’t, it was disgusting to watch. You know it’s bad when even Jerry Springer looks disgusted by it, considering some of the crap that has been on the Jerry Springer Show.
Zooperstars!!!!
LOVE them. They perform at the local AA baseball team’s homegames every year. Know that they do more than simply dance. They do all kinds of sketch-type stuff and interact with the crowd.
http://www.zooperstars.com/
I think for Braswell, the audience was initially reacting to the sob-story element, then realized he really did have talent. I don’t think the audiences are rigged — and I do enjoy the audience reactions this year. For one thing, it very much helps weed out people that are not capable of public performances before large audiences. It’s one thing to have talent; it’s quite another to be able to perform before a very large, very live, very fickle audience.
He did have a small scar, regardless, there is scar revision surgery and it could have been mainly internal laser surgery, lots of options. I have been in 2 major car accidents myself, and have had scar revision surgery, you can barely even see them without makeup. Scar or no scar does not prove anything about him, he has talent and deserves to go to vegas!
Injury or not, I found him painful to listen to. He was sharp all the way through. Deserves to go to Vegas? Why? There are plent of better singers out there and some were on this show. Like the fairie lady and the man with the high voice. Both much better. Like the girl who kicks her dad in the groin “deserves” it. No wonder our country is in such bad shape. Low standards.
Get real. They were out for blood the minute he opened his mouth. They couldn’t have heard a note of that caterwaulling. I predicted 3 seconds into it what was going to happen. If you bought that I have a car that was used only by my elderly granny!
If you read Braswells bio you will see that not only has he been performing (unlike his claim last night) but he also has a recently released album. I thought this show was for undiscovered talent, not people who are pro’s but aren’t good enough to be stars. I would never vote for this Jackalope.