America's Got Talent- A Kid Singer Who Can Actually Sing

Hey everyone we are down to the LAST audition show. That means next week we get Vegas week and then we finally start with the live shows. Is it just me or do the auditions episodes seem to have lasted even longer this season? Anyway on with the show....

Tonight's auditions start out in LA, and we get our usual judges' intro. Boo I thought they got rid of this last week. Oh well- that's what DVR is for.

The first act is Breaksk8, a group of friends trying to turn their hobby of skating into a career. They grew up in a rough neighborhood and will do anything to get out of there. Like their name suggests they do dancing while on skates. They show great coordination (this coming from someone who can barely skate on skates, let alone dance on them), but the act gets boring kind of quickly. One guy does a cool spin on two wheels at the end, but the rest of the choreography was kind of slow compared to other break dancing acts I've seen. Yes I know they are on skates, but that doesn't mean the routine can't be a bit faster. They are good enough to go to the next round though, which they do.

Good act montage: Mosaic is an a Capella group that is very good. I wish we could have seen more of them. The Lollipop Girls are a burlesque act we don't see much of but they are very sexy. Recycled Percussion plays drums on paint cans and ladders. That's cool, but I've seen that kind of thing a lot before. Jeffrey Ou is an insanely good 18-year-old piano player, though I can't listen to piano for more than a few minutes without getting bored. SQ Entertainment is a dancing group much better than Breaksk8 who flip over each other and give a high energy performance. We then get images of other people who get through but we don't see what the acts are.
Koshka Raenelle has a very good voice, though there are other singers I like better in this competition.

After the break we meet Ciana Pelekai, an 8-year-old singer. NO NOT ANOTHER KAITLIN MAHER!!! We already have that other precocious girl who got through who can't sing but hopefully this one is semi-decent. She started singing to copy her older sister- aw. She tries to imitate Beyonce- hopefully not the sexy side of her! She says if she won the million dollars she would buy her family a new house. Holy crap she's actually good. I'm amazed. She's not the best singer ever but she is way better than any of the other kid singers I've heard on this show. If Kaitlin can make the top 10 this year this girl certainly can too- she's just as cute and way more talented. Piers says she should start looking for a new house for her parents, and says he has never heard an eight-year-old with a voice like that, and neither have I. Sharon calls it amazing. David says there is nowhere to go but up. She is off to Vegas and really has a shot to do well in this competition.

Up next is Joseph "JoJo" James, a choir director from California who has been singing his whole life. He wants to use his God-given talent to satisfy God's will. I have a feeling this guy is going to suck. He sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and as I figured it is horrible. He basically shrieks the entire song at an obnoxiously high pitch. Luckily the judges put the audience out of their misery quickly. David says it sounds like air being let out of a balloon. Joseph still insists he has a "gift" but the judges disagree and send him home.

Bad act montage: Brian and Anthony Lockard play the same piano at the same time, and not very well. Inara Darko sings decently until she shrieks the high note at the end. And why did she have a guitar accompanying her? Scott Renkes and Darren Kessner just crawl around on stage and on top of each other. Franklin Ruehl, PhD sticks straws in a potato. Seriously. I think it's supposed to be science but I don't get the scientific or the entertaining part of that act.

The last act before the Susan Boyle extravaganza is the Beale Street Flippers. They are a group of four friends who do backflips on the street for tips. Of course they have a sob story, coming from the projects where most people become thieves. Their act is basically doing flips across the stage while one guy stands in front and moonwalks/dances. They are very good at what they do but lose my interest pretty quickly. They end with one guy backflipping over the other three, which I have to admit is pretty cool. Sharon says they are young and fabulous. David says they are the best flippers ever on the show, which is true, but I still can't sit through that type of act without being bored. Piers says "flipping incredible" and they are the last act of the season off to Vegas.

Before the Boyle madness we get a recap of the best auditions. With an American flag and other US landmarks as the backdrop- that's a bit much, you think? Luckily that is short-lived, and we move on to the actual talent. Kevin Skinner! The Eriam Sisters (for two seconds)! Viva the dancing dog! And there aer some bad auditions thrown in to boot. The David Hasselhoff song guy!!! Wait I liked him- why is he with the bad auditions?? Oh wait they are back to good ones again, including the cleft lip singer, Kelli Glover!!!!!, more Kevin Skinner, that precocious kid singer from a few weeks ago who pales in comparison to Ciana, the 60-year old female dancer!!!!, Barbara Padilla (the opera singer), Arcadian, and Voices of Glory and the bass singer getting more screen time than they deserve in this montage.

So that leaves about 15 minutes of Susan Boyle phenomena. We get an intro from Meredith Vieira that treats this interview like it is being shown for the first time, even though I think it was shown on the Today Show the same morning this episode aired. Oh well. The intro gives us some background on Susan's life before she became a Youtube phenomenon. She apparently has mild brain damage from being starved of oxygen at birth. That actually explains a lot.

Susan has a shorter haircut and is wearing makeup, and actually looks pretty in her purple dress. Piers talks about how she does not look like a typical pop star. Well duh. They replay Susan's audition clip with the judges acting shocked, which will always be my favorite part of the clip. Piers claims to have gotten texts from around the world right after that performance aired. The video has been viewed 300 million times (wow!).

Susan claims she does not want this journey to end. Meredith asks Susan when she knew she was gifted, and Susan claims she is not- she is just lucky. There is some truth to that though- people really need luck some to get to the finals of these reality shows. Just getting passed the preliminary rounds is often a matter of chance- what the producers like and don't like.

Susan's mother always encouraged her to sing, and when she died Susan gave up on singing. But then she decided to honor her mom's memory by going for her dream. That is a cool story. She was nervous going to the audition, but wanted to prove to herself and her mother that she could do it.

Then comes her downfall. She had a shaky performance in the second round of the show, and at the same time was dealing with articles claiming she attacked journalists. And, as we all know, she lost out to Diversity, a dance group who I actually think did better than Susan on that night (I watched their audition, and they were good not great, but really stepped it up in the finale and deserved to win). Susan was gracious in defeat, but was rushed to a hospital for exhaustion after the finale. She claims she just needed to get away for a few days. She just couldn't handle the sudden fame, which is understandable.

On the live tour for the show Susan has still been getting standing ovations. Meredith then pulls out a doll that supposedly looks like Susan but just looks like a dark-haired, pale woman wearing a tiara.

Meanwhile Susan is in the studio recording an album that will come out in the fall. Susan won't reveal many details, but Meredith has heard it is not all showtunes, which somewhat surprises me.

Apparently Prince William from England, the lead singer of Rascal Flatts (don't know his name), and Jon Bon Jovi have all given shout-outs to Susan over the past few months. But apparently one of Susan's biggest idols was Donny Osmond. So of course Donny sends Susan a video message wishing her good luck on the album. He even says they can do a record together, redoing "Puppy Love" as "Susan Love". Okay that was sweet at first but got corny really fast. He then promises to do a "Donny and Susan Show" instead of "Donny and Marie".


But as we know Susan's biggest idol is Elaine Paige, whom she referenced in that famous audition video. I've actually heard of Elaine Page but watching a clip of her their voices are very similar. Apparently she is the first lady of British musical theater, which may be why I've never heard of her. And of course Meredith then surprises Susan by saying Elaine is backstage waiting to meet her. Susan's reaction was a bit anticlimactic- she kind of just sat there in awe of the presence in front of her. Elaine says Susan has a "glorious" voice. To wrap up the interview Susan does a duet of "I Dreamed a Dream" with Meredith and let's just say Meredith should stick to her day job.

So what are your thoughts on this week's show? Were you as impressed with young Ciana as I was? Who are your early favorites to make the finals? And what did you think of Susan Boyle? Post your comments below.

America's Got Talent Recap: Audition Show 3

Hey all sorry I did not get around to blogging Wednesday's America's Got Talent audition show but between So You Think You Can Dance and the I'm a Celebrity finale (yeah Lou Diamond Phillips) I did not have a chance to watch AGT until later in the week. For the record nobody on Wednesday's show blew me away but I did like the yodeling domantrix (and I am a woman, by the way), the violin playing triplets (as long as they don't sing), the illusionist (though his act was a bit predictable), and the young dancer at the end (though he seemed a bit hectic and spastic at times during the dance). My favorite act so far is still the EriAm sisters from the first show, though I have a bad feeling they won't last too long with other singers like Voices with Glory getting better judges' reviews.

We get some highlights of last week's shows, and the EriAm sisters are nowhere to be found. We do get the flying frisbee dog, the Billy Elliot kid, the young ballroom dancers who are good but not as good as the Billy Elliot kid, the guy who put a fish hook through his nose and mouth, FootworKINGz, and of course Voices with Glory. Tonight it looks like we meet the other contestant who has been pimped to us for weeks- the chicken catcher with a smooth country voice.

The judges get their usual extended introduction, and the Hoff gets the most cheers (why is he the most popular judge again?)

Tonight's auditions start out in NY- hopefully they'll be better than the ones we saw from NY last week.

First up is Carol Lugo, who was also in one of the previews for the show. She is a 62 year old woman who does a weird dance that is actually entertaining. I remember thinking when I saw the preview that I liked her better than both Voices with Glory and the chicken catcher singer (I do think he has a very good voice, just that's not really my kind of music). Carol is currently a cashier who wears her dance shoes to work. She has wanted to be a dancer for much of her life and believes in following her dreams no matter what. She will definitely get the old people vote if she makes it to the live shows. Wow her dancing is even more impressive in the show than it was in the preview. Like the kid from last week her head movement is very distracting but she has great stuff, especially for her age. She even does a moonwalk! I think she is as good if not better than the Billy Elliot kid, though I could do without the butt shaking part. Even so she was incredibly entertaining, and you almost forget how old she is while watching the routine. The judges and audience are digging it too. Sharon calls her wonderfully bizarre, David says it was awesome and she deserves to be on the stage. He even gives her a standing ovation! Piers thinks she could inspire us in a recession. She gets three yes's and is off to Vegas. That was one of my favorite acts of the season so far and I think she has a chance to go even further in the competition. And she even moonwalks off the stage!!

Montage of unusual talents (this could be good or bad...). Joseph Harris does some cool tricks with a yo-yo. I don't know if he would be able to sustain a Vegas show but he is certainly good enough for the next round, and the judges agree. The Diva League is a group of really good dancers and drag queens. They are totally in sync and one even does a split at the end! They too are put through to Vegas. Chris Allison eats a lightbulb and then has some (hopefully fake) blood coming out of his mouth by the end. He does seem to know how to work the audience though and is put through to Vegas.

Next up (still in NYC) is Jay Mattioli, a magician from Virginia. Oh boy he's going to be bad- they haven't had any bad auditions yet tonight. He always wanted to be a famous magician and when he was younger he made things out of cardboard and glue to use for his tricks. Actually I think I recognize this guy as being one of the good auditioners from the previews- I didn't recognize him until he took off his cape thing. First levitates the microphone and leans against it while it is in the air. Then he gets into an "America's Got Magic" box (awesome) as the top of it appears to come down and crush him. On the part of the box that comes down on top of him is a sign that says "Applause" (also awesome). Sure enough the part goes back to the top of the box and Jay comes out unscathed. I really liked him. He was talented plus had some funny bits in there as well, and he wasn't as predictable as the illusionist from last week. He even did some (pretty good) dancing between tricks. This show has been great so far in terms of talent level. Piers likes the pizazz and star quality Jay has, even though he thought the box trick wasn't as impressive as the microphone bit. I actually liked the box thing better but both were good. Sharon likes the modern and interesting aspects of it. David says it was not just magic but it was entertaining. Exactly! That's why I like him better than the guy from last week even if the tricks themselves were not as good. He gets three yes's and is off to Vegas! Another of my favorite acts so far.

Wow 18 minutes in and no bad acts yet. I'm guessing that's going to change soon though...

Now we are back in Chicago for more auditions. First up is Franklin Sane, a juvenile county judge from Detroit. He uses music as an escape from his boring judge life. Doesn't he as a judge have more important things to do than audition for a talent show? Just saying. Well luckily for his county he should be coming home soon because his singing is painfully bad. I'm surprised it's taking the judges this long to X him. The audience turns on him immediately though, and Piers is covering his ears at the last long note. Piers says he can't sing. Short and sweet. Franklin says he has performed in front of prisoners. Well of course they like him if they don't Franklin could extend their prison sentences haha. He is given three definite no's.

Next up is Thia Megia from California. She is a 14-year old singer and I think she was shown in the previews blowing the judges away with her voice. She would practice in front of the mirror to prepare for this moment. Aw. She does "I'm Changing" from Dreamgirls (though she surprisingly references the song's original singer, Jennifer Holliday, rather than Jennifer Hudson). I like this song so I hope she is good. And indeed she is very good. She has an old jazz singer vibe to her voice, which isn't my favorite style but she does have an amazing voice for her age. I forget she is 14 when I close my eyes. Great last note!!! Her stage presence is pretty good as well. Since a young powerhouse singer has already won this show in the past (Bianca Ryan), I don't think she will win but she has a great shot at the finals. Sharon gives her a standing ovation. David says nothing is going to stop her (a reference to a lyric in the song she sang). Sharon says she sings with emotion and that is hard to do. Piers says she is the best singer he's heard. As far as individual singers go yes (though I think she may be the only halfway decent solo singer they've had so far), but I still think the lead singer in the EriAm sisters act is better than her. She sails through to Vegas. Aw she even got Nick to shed a few tears...

Next up is librarian Jeffery Johns, who claims he is being shut out of performing in Vegas because he is too short and Vegas looks for taller acts since the showgirls are tall. First of all I doubt it's his height that is preventing him from getting gigs. Second of all he is taller than me (not that that is saying much) so he can't be that short. He also looks way too much like Carrot Top, which is never a good thing. His act involves climbing onto a giant chair and singing decently. Then he jumps off the giant chair and starts dancing and singing about being short. This would seem okay but I keep thinking he is acting like a giant kid, from the large chair to the high voice and the corny hand motions. Only David and Piers X him though. David says it was the weirdest act he's ever seen. Piers says it was irritating from start to finish and he is sent back home.

And now a montage of bad acts. Do we have to? This show was going so well with the minimal bad acts. Anyway Witches in Bikinis have great bodies but bad harmonies. Robert Myers starts out as Little Richard and was going to change into other characters but his singing was so bad he thankfully got X'd before he gets very far. Samba Samba Samba does spastic looking dancing and are so loud they can't even hear the X's because their drums are so loud.

Next are The Fab Five, sisters from Utah who are also all mothers. They now live in different states but have stayed close through performing. Their matching leather pants are very shiny. They do some very fast riverdancing in perfect unison. They even get into more complex choreography and still remain in sync. Not my kind of thing but they are very talented. David thinks they did a great job. Sharon loves their energy, technical precision, and love for the dance.
Piers also likes them. They get three yes's and are off to Vegas.

And last but not least is the chicken catcher guy aka Kevin Skinner. He's a good ole' country boy from Kentucky, right down to the thick Southern accent. He likes sitting on the porch and counting stars. He even writes his own songs. He and five other guys once caught 60,000 chickens in one night. He sure is a charmer with the crowd. This is very Susan Boyle-esque with Nick and even David preparing for the worst. Wow he's even better than he was in the previews. The judges and audience don't even cheer- they just sit there taking in his beautiful voice. He might have gone a bit off on the low notes but he still was really great. He has a very legitimate shot to win the whole show. Surprisingly only David gives him a standing ovation though. Piers admits he thought it was going to be bad based on how Kevin was dressed (in an old sweater and backwards cap) but was hooked 20 seconds in. So basically he is like our Susan Boyle, though I don't think he will get millions of hits on YouTube. Sharon is in tears and can tell he is a lovely person and very genuine. David says he moves all of them. He is sent sailing through to Vegas, and Piers agrees with me that he could win the whole show.

And good for AGT for putting a little Michael Jackson tribute at the end. It was just his picture with Nick saying how talented he was, but since this show isn't live yet there's not much else they could have done.

So that's it for tonight's show, which was surprisingly chock full of talent. I liked all the acts that got through though my favorites were dancing Carol, magician Jay, the Diva League (who should have gotten more screen time), and chicken catcher Kevin. The dancing sisters and the 14-year-old singer were good just not really my thing. Kevin is almost a lock to make the finals though I'm not sure about the others.

So what are your thoughts on tonight's show? Any early favorites? Think Kevin is going to win the whole show? Post your comments below.