After six weeks of auditions, America’s Got Talent journeyed to what host Jerry Springer called "the final frontier" — in other words, the Internet (where apparently no man has gone before?). Yes indeed, it was MySpace week on AGT (complete with the MySpace logo on stage, naturally). And believe it or not, there were fewer truly talented acts than usual. The opening 20 minutes devolved into a blur of chicken mimics, bad dancers, and even worse magicians. Maybe it was the influence of the Web, but the whole affair smacked of a bad YouTube video, and it probably says something that the evening’s first memorable performer was an impersonator whose aging Ozzy Osbourne routine was so spot on, he even managed to win over Sharon.
Seriously, though, I can’t be the only one who’s experiencing full-blown audition fatigue, am I? Maybe it’s because AGT refuses to stray from its threadbareformula — show some talent early, then show some deluded prospects,then close with one super-inspiring act who gets a ticket to Vegas. (Even The Cadence, adrumline of cute college boys in snazzy ties, couldn’t get meinterested.) And frankly, last night’s closing contestant, Daniel Jens, was just a moderately talented man with a guitar.Who happened to have just returned from a15-month tour in Iraq. (See clip below.) For my money, AGT should’ve closed the show with The Tapping Dads (over-the-hill men,tuxedos, tap dancing) instead of another example of backstory-triumphing-over-talent.
Oh, and how’s this for a sobering thought: Next week, NBC is airing two episodes (or three anda half hours) of Talent (to avoid running into theOlympics). Don’t you kind of wish they’d cut back on the auditions and skipped to the meat of the competition? Do you think we’ll get as many gratuitous reaction shots once we get to Vegas? And perhaps someone has pointed this out before, but isn’t it funny that two thirds of the judging panel are British on a show called America’s Got Talent?
Yes, I wish that they’d had half the audition shows so they could have wrapped up the show before the Olympics while giving us more of the talent and fewer of the “county fair acts”, as my husband calls them.
Last night’s show inspired me to start a new drinking game: one for every time the Hoff said “This is America!” or its ilk. The drinking game also increases the talent level of the performers. Yesh.
The amazing thing about Jens’ talent is that he can magically play the invisible bass and drums while playing guitar.
Re: The Cadence and Piers and Sharon’s responses to them; I don’t know if it’s a cultural difference, or it’s ignorance of pop culture, but I couldn’t believe that Sharon didn’t think that they could sustain a 90-minute show, and that Piers thought that they needed backing music to be entertaining. If the show is trying to find the best American talent, shouldn’t Americans do the judging? And perhaps Americans who possess some talent of their own?
Let’s be honest, NBC will take a sob story over a superior talent every day of the week.
Anyone know how many people made it to Vegas? I’m guessing about 400-500 with all of the group acts? Did NBC really pay airfare and lodging for everyone?
I just wish they would show more of the acts. The camera spends so much time sweeping the audience, looking at Springer and the judges, that you hardly get any time to see the performance.
I hate this show and only look at it when nothing else is on. Hasslehoff is a pretentious boob. The sob stories are just unbelivable. And while I admire all our service people, I found it some what offensive that Jens showed up in uniform. Was he going to protect the audience from Hasselhoff.
And if you want to get blind drunk, add “This is what this show is about!!!!!!”
There are thousands of REALLY talented people in the US why is it NBC and other networks think the no talents are more entertaining??! Why waste their and our time when someone worthwhile is not given a chance? They do the same thing on American Idol and I am getting very tired of it and am no longer a fan of either show.
I agree with everyone here. I live here in the dallas area and went to view the auditions live. I never even saw a clip of these duet singers who I think were mother and daughter. They were very good singers and had a great look. They never showed them not even a clip. Do they have the winner already picked out?
America may have talent but it isn’t here on NBC. Hasslehoff is a supreme DB.
I’m with AC. We get to see sooooo little of the acts because the camera is too busy panning the audience, the judges, the family members, and Jerry Springer. I don’t give a crap about those things; I want to see THE ACTS. That’s what I tuned in for! If there’s a troupe of dancers or tumblers or people doing amazing martial artsy things, LET ME SEE THEM, for crying out loud! I didn’t tune in to see the audience, judges, or Jerry Springer! I get so frustrated at not being able to see the acts that I want to hit my television, and it’s not my TV’s fault I can’t see the acts. NBC is giving me an ulcer with this stupid nonsense of depriving me of the talent (when we finally get to see some). What on earth is wrong with them? Why promise me talent and then not transmit it to my television? There’s something wrong with this picture! (Hint to NBC: Piers, Sharon, David Hasselhoff, the audience, and Jerry Springer are NOT the talent, nor the reason we tune in.)
I beg to differ. While I agree with your sentiment, by NBC standards, Jerry, Sharon, Piers and dumbkoff ARE the talent. They are the folks paid by NBC. Sad isn’t it.
I HATE the constant panning away from the acts. It’s okay to see the audience/judges’ reactions, but I ONLY NEED A LITTLE OF IT. They should rename the show America’s Got Reactions.
I agree with all the criticism in the recap and on this board, meaning that I hate everything about this show.