America's Got Talent

Episode #6.33

We've waited all summer to find out...
more

We've waited all summer to find out the winner of the sixth season of "America's Got Talent" -- and now we'll have to wait another two hours. Host Nick Cannon lists off the many acts that will help fill that time.A recap of Monday night reminds us that the judges pretty much loved everyone, but Poplyfe had the only hiccup of the bunch as lead singer Kelani struggled with nerves and emotions that affected her singing.Piers says Monday night was the best talent the show has seen in the finals.Each of finalists will be performing with one of their icons, and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. is paired up with Patti Labelle. He's "floating on clouds," he says, before performing with the legendary singer.Def Leppard takes the stage to perform "Rock of Ages" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me."Afterward, Nick takes a moment to give us the behind-the-scenes look at the technical mishap that delayed Silhouettes' performance. It still isn't entirely clear what happened, but it seemed to have something to do with the big doors at the back of the stage not opening.Team iLuminate performs with the back Cobra Starship, whose members are decked out in outfits piped with lighting.We next get the standard run-through of the bizarre auditions from early in the season. And, of course, the "Audition All-Stars" take the stage. It starts terribly, when the first two singers are out of sync and, really, that was the highlight of the whole thing.Silhouettes are the next act to perform with an icon, and who's more all-American than Leann Rimes? No one! She sings while Silhouettes work their shadow magic behind her.One Republic performs a couple of songs after a featurette about how the judges pretend to have little rivalries.Then, Queen Latifah and Tony Bennett perform "Who Can I Turn To?" together.Poplyfe gets to perform with Stevie Wonder, and Kelani says he's the reason they do what they do. They perform "Higher Ground" together.Later, Cirque du Soleil's "Iris" cast performs, because -- well, why not?Some results: At long last, we get some results. Nick calls all four finalists to the stage and announces that Poplyfe is the first out of the running, finishing fourth. Kelani, crying, says they just had the "best experience of our lives" performing with their idol. Piers reminds them they came fourth in "the biggest talent show in the world" and tells them to be proud.After a break, Nick announces that the act finishing in third place and leaving the competition is ... Team iLuminate. Sharon looks stunned. She later says that Team iLuminate never disappointed throughout the season, and shakes her head at the reality of the fact that they're out.We get a reminder of Jackie Evancho and her stardom since finishing second on the show last season. She performs.Finally, down to Silhouettes and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., Howie says they're "both phenomenal," but there's only one winner. He wishes them both luck.After a long, dramatic pause, Nick announces that...the...winner...of..."America's Got Talent"...is...Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.! Overwhelmed, Landau shakes his heads, cries a bit and is then mobbed by Silhouettes, who all gather around him for a group hug.

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Episode #6.32

We open with a pre-recorded bit, in...
more

We open with a pre-recorded bit, in which Jane Lynch sits down with the faux-President of Television, Leonard Nimoy, who tells her that men find her woman-ish and women find her man-ish. (Alec Baldwin had taped this, but quit when Fox cut a News Corp joke. It's hard not to think Baldwin's comedic timing might have served the bit better than Nimoy's.)Leonard reminds her not to let the audience know that all the stars all live together in a tiny apartment building, which he reveals behind the curtain. Yes, it's weird. Then it's time for the song, about the magic of television as Jane wanders through.Jeremy Piven and "Lloyd" (Rex Lee) join for a few dance moves, after which Piven wonders what he's doing. "I'm not even on anymore!" Jane sings about TV crime shows and we see Kevin Nealon, then Eric Dane from "Grey's Anatomy" as she sings about patients being cured in a week. Jane next wanders into "The Big Bang Theory", then by Marcel from "Top Chef", Randy Jackson from "American Idol," the boys from "Myth Busters" and up to Ron from "Parks and Rec" who tells her to stop singing."I know this seems stupid and shlocky, and already seems overly long, but it's the Emmys, c'mon! Get on board," Jane tells him.And then she sings some more, not taking her own analysis to heart, walking by Andy Richter and the cast of "Mad Men". She tells them about the future, including that people can watch TV on their phones and fast forward through commercials. Don Draper kicks her out.There's a line about on TV high school students look roughly 24 as she walks by a few "Friday Night Lights"ers in a locker room.Then it's Jane into a rally hosted by her "Glee" alter-ego, Sue Sylvester, whom she promptly slushies.Then we're into the auditorium, where the number continues, as Jane sings about TV as a vast wonderland. ("Except for HBO, it's not TV")The dancers lift her in the air for the big finish. "Try doing that in triple-Spanx," she says. She surveys the audience, picking out her "nodding friends," and noting that "Jon Hamm and I are at 'finger-pistols'."Jane introduces "The Emmy Tones," some actors she roped into joining her, including Zachary Levi, Cobie Smulders, Taraji Henson, Kate Flannery, Wilmer Valderrama and Joel McHale, presumably friends she had some dirt on. They sing to introduce the first comedy category. The audience doesn't seem to know what to do with it, but at least is happy to know what Wilmer Valderrama is up to.We see seconds-long clips from a slew of shows, then it's on to Jimmys Fallon and Kimmel.Kimmel congratulates Fallon on his nomination, then asks if he wrote a speech. Fallon says no, because they all know Jon Stewart is going to win. Kimmel then tackles him him to the ground, wresting the prepared speech from his pocket. It contains "notes to self" such as crying on cue and holding the statue like it's the "Lion King" baby.On to best supporting actress in a comedy, Jane Lynch's category. Julie Bowen from "Modern Family" wins."I don't know what I'm going to talk about next week in therapy now," she says, struggling to compose herself.Juliana Margulies is out next to present "Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy", deadpanning that she's the funniest woman in TV. She notes the category features "that kid from 'Glee' and that guy from 'Pretty in Pink' and four guys from 'Modern Family," she says.The winner is: Ty Burrell from "Modern Family". He mentions that his dad passed away before he had success and he wonders what he'd think of the fact he goes to work every day in full make-up. Then he thanks all his costars and mentions his dad again. "If he were here tonight, I think he would say... 'But why the make-up?'." His dad would like his wife and be impressed that he gets to learn every day, "in the end I think he'd feel like, 'Couldn't you just wear a little powder? Why do you have to look like a harlot?'"Jane welcomes us back and introduces controversial Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais, via satellite. He apologizes that he couldn't be there, and says he wasn't allowed after the Globes. This sets up his bit, that he was warned he'll be edited if he says anything controversial. Some quick cuts ensue, including one that has him calling Fox fantastic in splices.He intros the nominees for "Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series". The Emmy goes to Michael Alan Spiller for "Modern Family".Zooey Deschanel and Will Arnett are up to present comedy writing. The winners are Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman of "Modern Family." The Steven mentions the episode with the kids walking in on their parents came from real life (his wife's eye roll in the audience gets the biggest laugh of the speech).That's four awards, all to the same ABC show. Fox, which is airing the telecast, must be thrilled.Jane welcomes us back to "The Modern Family Awards". She introduces the next presenter, saying she was his therapist for many years "and apparently I suck." Ladies and Gentlemen, Charlie Sheen, to present "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series", his old category. He addresses his former "Two and a Half Men" costars, and says from the bottom of his heart, he wishes them continued success. There is no punchline, but plenty of awkward.The winner is Jim Parsons from "The Big Bang Theory". (The announcer who has been offering banal facts as the winners walk up mentions that he eats a lot of peanut butter.)"Oh this is so odd for so many reasons," says the CBS star, going on to not make much more sense as Sheen, the former CBS star, lurks behind him.Sofia Vergara and Rob Lowe are out next for "Outstanding Lead Actress in Comedy", they start with Amy Poehler from "Parks & Recreation" and she takes the stage. She's joined by Melissa McCarthy, Martha Plimpton, Edie Falco,Tina Fey and Laura Linney. They hold hold hands like beauty queens and wait. They get a standing ovation as everyone tries to figure out if the bit was planned.The winner is Melissa McCarthy from "Mike and Molly" who can fairly clearly be seen to say "holy s---" when her name is announced. She's presented with roses and a tiara to go with her award."Holy smokes!" she says, acknowledging her sister in the audience. She promises to carry CBS prez Nina Tassler and Les Moonves around later that night.We return to a pre-recorded bit with stars from "The Office" talking about the worst part of their job. Then others stop by, like Jesse (Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad") to bring Creed a bag. He takes it, announcing: "Hey guys, my crystal meth is here!"Kim Kardashian doesn't understand the question and wonders if she's pronouncing "work" right."The Office" mates confer and decide the new boss doesn't seem right, Andy goes to talk to him and finds Ashton Kutcher, wondering if the "beautiful drifter" is in the wrong place.Kutcher plays dumb. "I was wondering where the half man was," he says.The Emmy Tones are back to sing awkwardly about the new combined reality and variety category.Jane Lynch returns. "Everyone was asking me if I have a gay agenda for hosting, and actually I do," she says, taking a list out of her pocket to read from. "Call Rachel Maddow and find out what time spinning is, take the pick-up in for an oil change - nah, I'll do that myself. And there was a third thing, but I must have left it in my fanny pack."David Spade and Kaley Cuoco are out next to introduce best outstanding reality competition. (She towers over him.) The Emmy goes to "Amazing Race" again. (The announcer says it's a "race to the podium". Groan.)On to best writing for a variety, music or comedy series. The Colbert Report writers shout their name all at once, SNL's scroll with pictures of Justin Timberlake, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon rolls with puppies dressed up, Jon Stewart's crew does mock up of Newsweek's cover and Conan O'Brien pulls one name from a hat - his."The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" wins. It's the show's seventh win. The writers read a stilted thank you, the joke of which is that Jon Stewart usually proofs their writing, but not this time.Jane wanders the audience, talking to the camera, mentioning that after the show the clothes come off and it's a big sweaty pile. She introduces "The Lonely Island" and Michael Bolton. They're on to the Bolton doing captain Jack Sparrow, then Ed Helms, John Stamos and Maya Rudolph doing the "D--- in a box" guys singing "It's Not Gay if It's in a Threeway" (might have to YouTube that for it to make sense). Then Akon comes out singing about just having sex in front of a giant American Flag.Lea Michele and Ian Somerhalder are out next to introduce best directing for variety, music or comedy series. The winner is Don Roy King for the "Saturday Night Live" episode with Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga.Anna Paquin and Scott Caan introduce outstanding comedy, variety series, mentioning that "The Daily Show" has won eight years in a row. It wins again.Jon Stewart is taller than Scott Caan.He gives a special nod to Colbert.More Emmy Tones, introducing drama clips.Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher are out next to present best writing for a drama. Kutcher clarifies that he is not Charlie Sheen and doesn't think Cryer is a troll. The Emmy goes to Jason Katims for "Friday Night Lights".He reads from notes, thanking the cast and crew and his family, ending with the predictable "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."The award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series is next. Margo Martindale wins for "Justified". When she takes careful steps up the stage, Ed O'Neill rushes from the audience to help her."Sometimes, things just take time," she says through tears. Her co-stars in the audience are in tears, too. She thanks creator Graham Yost, even though he killed her.Loretta Devine and Paul Crane are out to present drama directing. The winner is Martin Scorsese for "Boardwalk Empire", his first Emmy win.He sees the clock ticking down and resolves to talk a little fast, rattling off names of folks at HBO and his crew.Kerry Washington and Jason O'Mara are out next delivering a rough bit on the side effects of winning an Emmy before "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series".The winner is Peter Dinklage from "Game of Thrones". He thanks his show creators, somewhat calmly. He thanks his dog sitter named Kitty for taking care of his dog Kevin back in New York.When we return, Anderson Cooper does a fake 360 report about a woman behind the New Jersey TV trend, Donatella, Alberghetti Mangiana D'Borgia, or Jane Lynch in a black win and tons of eye make up. She takes credit for the fact 50 percent of all TV is set in Jersey, including "Sarah Palin's Alaska."The kids from "Jersey Shore" give interviews. "Before I met Donatella, I was just Nicole, a Harvard undergrad. And now I'm Snooki," Snooki attests."She's like a mother to me, because she killed my mother," Pauly says.Brian Cranston and Katie Holmes are up next for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series". The winner is...Julianna Marguiles for "The Good Wife".She addresses her fellow nominees, saying it's a privilege to be among them. She thanks her creators and writers and the CBS folk, "thank you for allowing us to be the show that we are." She tells her husband "I love being your 'good wife' and I'm so grateful you have no political aspirations."The stars of "Charlie's Angels" are out next with former "Angel" Drew Barrymore to introduce best actor.The winner is...Kyle Chandler. Minka Kelly, his former costar, presents him with the award. "I knew for a fact that I would not be standing here, so I did not write anything. And now I'm starting to worry," he says, before thanking his reps and casting director and all the people who filled the stands around Texas.The Emmy Tones sing about mini-series and movies before being interrupted by LL Cool J rapping over them. In a change of pace for him, he does not remove his shirt.Jane Lynch returns with: "A lot of people wonder why I'm a lesbian. Ladies and gentlemen, the cast of 'Entourage'." They're introducing the miniseries, movie or special - all of the nominees from HBO or PBS. The Emmy goes to Julian Fellowes for "Downton Abbey" on PBS. (The insipid announcer says Julian is British and from England.)Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries goes to Maggie Smith, who is not in attendance.The accountants from Ernst & Young are out next, but it's really Jane Lynch and Paula Abdul."Me, an accountant? I can barely balance my checkbook," Lynch says."I can barely balance," Abdul offers.Jane introduces the real guys, then it's on to Melissa McCarthy and Amy Poehler, who note what a good year it was for male roles. They congratulate them on finally breaking through the glass ceiling and tell them not to be afraid to show a little skin.The introduce lead actor in a miniseries, which goes to Barry Pepper. He is also not there. On to directing in the category.The winner is Brian Percival for "Downton Abbey". Uses his acceptance speech as a chance to make sure your DVR is set up to record the premieres this week. He pretty much just says thanks.The chairman of the Television Academy of Arts and Science is out next for the In Memoriam segment, including Stephen J. Cannell. Some guys sing "Hallelujah" as the names roll including Harold Gould, Peter Falk, James Arness, Blake Edwards, Barbara Billingsley, Leslie Nielsen, Tom Bosley, Ryan Dunn, "Uncle Frank", Andy Whitfield, Jill Clayburgh, Laura Ziskin and Bubba Smith.Anna Torv and David Boreanaz are out next to present best supporting actor in a miniseries or movie (Torv also acknowledges the singers were the Canadian Tenors).The winner is Guy Pearce for "Mildred Pierce"."It was really a delightful experience making Mildred Pierce, I got to have sex with Kate Winslet every day...To Kate, thank you for allowing me to insert myself into your world of Mildred, and to my wife Kate who had to listen to me talk about that every day when I came home from work," he says.Hugh Laurie and Claire Danes are up next to present outstanding actress in a miniseries.The winner is Kate Winslet for "Mildred Pierce." She hugs her costars and takes the stage, saying she didn't think they were going to win anything. She thanks the cast and her own mother, saying it doesn't matter how old you get, you always need your "mum."Jane comes back, noting that so many movies stars are doing TV these days that TV stars have to go do voices for video games, which are then made into movies, staring the very people who are putting the TV stars out of work in the first place. "Hakuna matata, my friends. That's the circle of life," she says.Out next is Don Cheadle, for Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie. "Downton Abbey" wins. Julian Fellowes says it's hard to know what will be a hit, but this evening validates that something did.Maria Bello and William H. Macy are out next for Outstanding Drama Series. The nominees are Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and Mad Men.The Emmy goes to "Mad Men." Again. Fourth year in a row.Creator Matthew Weiner accepts. He says he didn't think they were going to win, but thanks AMC and the fans and his writing staff. "We all get to work tomorrow and that's all we ever want to do. For us and our families, this is an incredible dream," he says.Gwyneth Paltrow is up next to present Outstanding Comedy."Ok, the prompter's down, so I'm going to wing it: Here are the nominees for best comedy series," she says, showing no great skill at improv. The nominees are The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock.The Emmy goes to "Modern Family" for the second year in a row.Steven Levitan says that everyone on the stage knows what it's like to have a show tank, so they especially appreciate it. He takes special note of the kids in the cast. "'Modern Family' was this close to being animated, that's how much we didn't want to work with kids," he says, before praising them.He also mentions a gay couple who approached them on location last year and thanked them for teaching people tolerance. Levitan says they are doing that. "We are showing the world that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a loving committed relationship between an old man and a hot young woman, and looking around this room tonight I see many of you agree," he says."Thank you all very, very much," he says.Jane comes back to sign off, with the Emmy Tones, who can at least be glad their faces were never shown in close-up.

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Episode #6.31

We open with a pre-recorded bit, in...
more

We open with a pre-recorded bit, in which Jane Lynch sits down with the faux-President of Television, Leonard Nimoy, who tells her that men find her woman-ish and women find her man-ish. (Alec Baldwin had taped this, but quit when Fox cut a News Corp joke. It's hard not to think Baldwin's comedic timing might have served the bit better than Nimoy's.)Leonard reminds her not to let the audience know that all the stars all live together in a tiny apartment building, which he reveals behind the curtain. Yes, it's weird. Then it's time for the song, about the magic of television as Jane wanders through.Jeremy Piven and "Lloyd" (Rex Lee) join for a few dance moves, after which Piven wonders what he's doing. "I'm not even on anymore!" Jane sings about TV crime shows and we see Kevin Nealon, then Eric Dane from "Grey's Anatomy" as she sings about patients being cured in a week. Jane next wanders into "The Big Bang Theory", then by Marcel from "Top Chef", Randy Jackson from "American Idol," the boys from "Myth Busters" and up to Ron from "Parks and Rec" who tells her to stop singing."I know this seems stupid and shlocky, and already seems overly long, but it's the Emmys, c'mon! Get on board," Jane tells him.And then she sings some more, not taking her own analysis to heart, walking by Andy Richter and the cast of "Mad Men". She tells them about the future, including that people can watch TV on their phones and fast forward through commercials. Don Draper kicks her out.There's a line about on TV high school students look roughly 24 as she walks by a few "Friday Night Lights"ers in a locker room.Then it's Jane into a rally hosted by her "Glee" alter-ego, Sue Sylvester, whom she promptly slushies.Then we're into the auditorium, where the number continues, as Jane sings about TV as a vast wonderland. ("Except for HBO, it's not TV")The dancers lift her in the air for the big finish. "Try doing that in triple-Spanx," she says. She surveys the audience, picking out her "nodding friends," and noting that "Jon Hamm and I are at 'finger-pistols'."Jane introduces "The Emmy Tones," some actors she roped into joining her, including Zachary Levi, Cobie Smulders, Taraji Henson, Kate Flannery, Wilmer Valderrama and Joel McHale, presumably friends she had some dirt on. They sing to introduce the first comedy category. The audience doesn't seem to know what to do with it, but at least is happy to know what Wilmer Valderrama is up to.We see seconds-long clips from a slew of shows, then it's on to Jimmys Fallon and Kimmel.Kimmel congratulates Fallon on his nomination, then asks if he wrote a speech. Fallon says no, because they all know Jon Stewart is going to win. Kimmel then tackles him him to the ground, wresting the prepared speech from his pocket. It contains "notes to self" such as crying on cue and holding the statue like it's the "Lion King" baby.On to best supporting actress in a comedy, Jane Lynch's category. Julie Bowen from "Modern Family" wins."I don't know what I'm going to talk about next week in therapy now," she says, struggling to compose herself.Juliana Margulies is out next to present "Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy", deadpanning that she's the funniest woman in TV. She notes the category features "that kid from 'Glee' and that guy from 'Pretty in Pink' and four guys from 'Modern Family," she says.The winner is: Ty Burrell from "Modern Family". He mentions that his dad passed away before he had success and he wonders what he'd think of the fact he goes to work every day in full make-up. Then he thanks all his costars and mentions his dad again. "If he were here tonight, I think he would say... 'But why the make-up?'." His dad would like his wife and be impressed that he gets to learn every day, "in the end I think he'd feel like, 'Couldn't you just wear a little powder? Why do you have to look like a harlot?'"Jane welcomes us back and introduces controversial Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais, via satellite. He apologizes that he couldn't be there, and says he wasn't allowed after the Globes. This sets up his bit, that he was warned he'll be edited if he says anything controversial. Some quick cuts ensue, including one that has him calling Fox fantastic in splices.He intros the nominees for "Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series". The Emmy goes to Michael Alan Spiller for "Modern Family".Zooey Deschanel and Will Arnett are up to present comedy writing. The winners are Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman of "Modern Family." The Steven mentions the episode with the kids walking in on their parents came from real life (his wife's eye roll in the audience gets the biggest laugh of the speech).That's four awards, all to the same ABC show. Fox, which is airing the telecast, must be thrilled.Jane welcomes us back to "The Modern Family Awards". She introduces the next presenter, saying she was his therapist for many years "and apparently I suck." Ladies and Gentlemen, Charlie Sheen, to present "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series", his old category. He addresses his former "Two and a Half Men" costars, and says from the bottom of his heart, he wishes them continued success. There is no punchline, but plenty of awkward.The winner is Jim Parsons from "The Big Bang Theory". (The announcer who has been offering banal facts as the winners walk up mentions that he eats a lot of peanut butter.)"Oh this is so odd for so many reasons," says the CBS star, going on to not make much more sense as Sheen, the former CBS star, lurks behind him.Sofia Vergara and Rob Lowe are out next for "Outstanding Lead Actress in Comedy", they start with Amy Poehler from "Parks & Recreation" and she takes the stage. She's joined by Melissa McCarthy, Martha Plimpton, Edie Falco,Tina Fey and Laura Linney. They hold hold hands like beauty queens and wait. They get a standing ovation as everyone tries to figure out if the bit was planned.The winner is Melissa McCarthy from "Mike and Molly" who can fairly clearly be seen to say "holy s---" when her name is announced. She's presented with roses and a tiara to go with her award."Holy smokes!" she says, acknowledging her sister in the audience. She promises to carry CBS prez Nina Tassler and Les Moonves around later that night.We return to a pre-recorded bit with stars from "The Office" talking about the worst part of their job. Then others stop by, like Jesse (Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad") to bring Creed a bag. He takes it, announcing: "Hey guys, my crystal meth is here!"Kim Kardashian doesn't understand the question and wonders if she's pronouncing "work" right."The Office" mates confer and decide the new boss doesn't seem right, Andy goes to talk to him and finds Ashton Kutcher, wondering if the "beautiful drifter" is in the wrong place.Kutcher plays dumb. "I was wondering where the half man was," he says.The Emmy Tones are back to sing awkwardly about the new combined reality and variety category.Jane Lynch returns. "Everyone was asking me if I have a gay agenda for hosting, and actually I do," she says, taking a list out of her pocket to read from. "Call Rachel Maddow and find out what time spinning is, take the pick-up in for an oil change - nah, I'll do that myself. And there was a third thing, but I must have left it in my fanny pack."David Spade and Kaley Cuoco are out next to introduce best outstanding reality competition. (She towers over him.) The Emmy goes to "Amazing Race" again. (The announcer says it's a "race to the podium". Groan.)On to best writing for a variety, music or comedy series. The Colbert Report writers shout their name all at once, SNL's scroll with pictures of Justin Timberlake, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon rolls with puppies dressed up, Jon Stewart's crew does mock up of Newsweek's cover and Conan O'Brien pulls one name from a hat - his."The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" wins. It's the show's seventh win. The writers read a stilted thank you, the joke of which is that Jon Stewart usually proofs their writing, but not this time.Jane wanders the audience, talking to the camera, mentioning that after the show the clothes come off and it's a big sweaty pile. She introduces "The Lonely Island" and Michael Bolton. They're on to the Bolton doing captain Jack Sparrow, then Ed Helms, John Stamos and Maya Rudolph doing the "D--- in a box" guys singing "It's Not Gay if It's in a Threeway" (might have to YouTube that for it to make sense). Then Akon comes out singing about just having sex in front of a giant American Flag.Lea Michele and Ian Somerhalder are out next to introduce best directing for variety, music or comedy series. The winner is Don Roy King for the "Saturday Night Live" episode with Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga.Anna Paquin and Scott Caan introduce outstanding comedy, variety series, mentioning that "The Daily Show" has won eight years in a row. It wins again.Jon Stewart is taller than Scott Caan.He gives a special nod to Colbert.More Emmy Tones, introducing drama clips.Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher are out next to present best writing for a drama. Kutcher clarifies that he is not Charlie Sheen and doesn't think Cryer is a troll. The Emmy goes to Jason Katims for "Friday Night Lights".He reads from notes, thanking the cast and crew and his family, ending with the predictable "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."The award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series is next. Margo Martindale wins for "Justified". When she takes careful steps up the stage, Ed O'Neill rushes from the audience to help her."Sometimes, things just take time," she says through tears. Her co-stars in the audience are in tears, too. She thanks creator Graham Yost, even though he killed her.Loretta Devine and Paul Crane are out to present drama directing. The winner is Martin Scorsese for "Boardwalk Empire", his first Emmy win.He sees the clock ticking down and resolves to talk a little fast, rattling off names of folks at HBO and his crew.Kerry Washington and Jason O'Mara are out next delivering a rough bit on the side effects of winning an Emmy before "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series".The winner is Peter Dinklage from "Game of Thrones". He thanks his show creators, somewhat calmly. He thanks his dog sitter named Kitty for taking care of his dog Kevin back in New York.When we return, Anderson Cooper does a fake 360 report about a woman behind the New Jersey TV trend, Donatella, Alberghetti Mangiana D'Borgia, or Jane Lynch in a black win and tons of eye make up. She takes credit for the fact 50 percent of all TV is set in Jersey, including "Sarah Palin's Alaska."The kids from "Jersey Shore" give interviews. "Before I met Donatella, I was just Nicole, a Harvard undergrad. And now I'm Snooki," Snooki attests."She's like a mother to me, because she killed my mother," Pauly says.Brian Cranston and Katie Holmes are up next for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series". The winner is...Julianna Marguiles for "The Good Wife".She addresses her fellow nominees, saying it's a privilege to be among them. She thanks her creators and writers and the CBS folk, "thank you for allowing us to be the show that we are." She tells her husband "I love being your 'good wife' and I'm so grateful you have no political aspirations."The stars of "Charlie's Angels" are out next with former "Angel" Drew Barrymore to introduce best actor.The winner is...Kyle Chandler. Minka Kelly, his former costar, presents him with the award. "I knew for a fact that I would not be standing here, so I did not write anything. And now I'm starting to worry," he says, before thanking his reps and casting director and all the people who filled the stands around Texas.The Emmy Tones sing about mini-series and movies before being interrupted by LL Cool J rapping over them. In a change of pace for him, he does not remove his shirt.Jane Lynch returns with: "A lot of people wonder why I'm a lesbian. Ladies and gentlemen, the cast of 'Entourage'." They're introducing the miniseries, movie or special - all of the nominees from HBO or PBS. The Emmy goes to Julian Fellowes for "Downton Abbey" on PBS. (The insipid announcer says Julian is British and from England.)Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries goes to Maggie Smith, who is not in attendance.The accountants from Ernst & Young are out next, but it's really Jane Lynch and Paula Abdul."Me, an accountant? I can barely balance my checkbook," Lynch says."I can barely balance," Abdul offers.Jane introduces the real guys, then it's on to Melissa McCarthy and Amy Poehler, who note what a good year it was for male roles. They congratulate them on finally breaking through the glass ceiling and tell them not to be afraid to show a little skin.The introduce lead actor in a miniseries, which goes to Barry Pepper. He is also not there. On to directing in the category.The winner is Brian Percival for "Downton Abbey". Uses his acceptance speech as a chance to make sure your DVR is set up to record the premieres this week. He pretty much just says thanks.The chairman of the Television Academy of Arts and Science is out next for the In Memoriam segment, including Stephen J. Cannell. Some guys sing "Hallelujah" as the names roll including Harold Gould, Peter Falk, James Arness, Blake Edwards, Barbara Billingsley, Leslie Nielsen, Tom Bosley, Ryan Dunn, "Uncle Frank", Andy Whitfield, Jill Clayburgh, Laura Ziskin and Bubba Smith.Anna Torv and David Boreanaz are out next to present best supporting actor in a miniseries or movie (Torv also acknowledges the singers were the Canadian Tenors).The winner is Guy Pearce for "Mildred Pierce"."It was really a delightful experience making Mildred Pierce, I got to have sex with Kate Winslet every day...To Kate, thank you for allowing me to insert myself into your world of Mildred, and to my wife Kate who had to listen to me talk about that every day when I came home from work," he says.Hugh Laurie and Claire Danes are up next to present outstanding actress in a miniseries.The winner is Kate Winslet for "Mildred Pierce." She hugs her costars and takes the stage, saying she didn't think they were going to win anything. She thanks the cast and her own mother, saying it doesn't matter how old you get, you always need your "mum."Jane comes back, noting that so many movies stars are doing TV these days that TV stars have to go do voices for video games, which are then made into movies, staring the very people who are putting the TV stars out of work in the first place. "Hakuna matata, my friends. That's the circle of life," she says.Out next is Don Cheadle, for Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie. "Downton Abbey" wins. Julian Fellowes says it's hard to know what will be a hit, but this evening validates that something did.Maria Bello and William H. Macy are out next for Outstanding Drama Series. The nominees are Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and Mad Men.The Emmy goes to "Mad Men." Again. Fourth year in a row.Creator Matthew Weiner accepts. He says he didn't think they were going to win, but thanks AMC and the fans and his writing staff. "We all get to work tomorrow and that's all we ever want to do. For us and our families, this is an incredible dream," he says.Gwyneth Paltrow is up next to present Outstanding Comedy."Ok, the prompter's down, so I'm going to wing it: Here are the nominees for best comedy series," she says, showing no great skill at improv. The nominees are The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock.The Emmy goes to "Modern Family" for the second year in a row.Steven Levitan says that everyone on the stage knows what it's like to have a show tank, so they especially appreciate it. He takes special note of the kids in the cast. "'Modern Family' was this close to being animated, that's how much we didn't want to work with kids," he says, before praising them.He also mentions a gay couple who approached them on location last year and thanked them for teaching people tolerance. Levitan says they are doing that. "We are showing the world that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a loving committed relationship between an old man and a hot young woman, and looking around this room tonight I see many of you agree," he says."Thank you all very, very much," he says.Jane comes back to sign off, with the Emmy Tones, who can at least be glad their faces were never shown in close-up.

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Episode #6.30

It's down to the Top 10 on "America's...
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It's down to the Top 10 on "America's Got Talent," and the finalists are set to perform for the judges and viewers' votes, hoping to capture one of the final four spots in next week's final. There is no judges' pick this week and all four picks will be in the hands of the voters.With 10 acts instead of 12, there's more time to fill, so we get to see a featurette of the acts meeting the judges at a swanky Hollywood hotel. We also get a reminder about Michael Grimm, the singer/guitarist who won last season. He performs and afterward gives an update on what he's been doing. He's on tour with Stevie Nicks, pushing his new album, got married and is working on his grandma's house.At last, some performances:Miami All Stars: The sizzling dance group's leader tells his story of coming from the streets of Chile to Miami in 1992 and becoming a dance teacher. "And here we are," he says. Sharon abruptly reminds us that a dance group has never won this show, but she thinks Miami All Stars have a shot. They put on a raucous, football-themed routine, complete with a mascot in an eagle outfit. It's as spicy and high-energy as ever, but Piers buzzes them halfway through. Nick asks if it was an accident. Piers says they "became a cheerleading act" and he didn't like what he calls the chicken suit. He says they went from an explosive dancing act to a cheerleading act with a chicken, and he thinks this was a mistake. Sharon agrees that she didn't love the theme and they could have come up with something more sophisticated and they let themselves down with the choreography. She says she doesn't think this performance will get them into the final. Howie understands that the NFL's kickoff this week prompted the theme, but it was more "all-American" than it was specifically "Miami."Lys Agnes: Lys talks about how her mother was her inspiration and was a singer in Vegas who wound up unemployed when her show was closed. She said she's always wanted to "fuse rock and opera together." She says she's taking a chance this week, with "a voice people haven't heard yet." She starts in a much lower pitch that usual and it all feels a little off. Sharon says she thought she was listening to Cher at the beginning. She says Lys lost the tone in her voice, but that last note "bombed." She wonders why Lys opted to take the register in the song lower than it was written for Steven Tyler. Howie says she's an amazing singer and talent, and notes that she got this far because she was doing something the audience was relating to. He wonders if she took too big of a risk. Piers tells her to ignore the others, and says "the worst thing you could've done right is come out and give us another version of what we've seen." He says she was in "perfect pitch in the lower register" and he says he "felt moved by that performance."Landon Swank: The illusionist from Alaska says it would be incredible to participate in a show across the street from David Copperfield, who he's been watching on TV since he was a child. Nick Cannon gives us the warning not to try this at home, and off Landon goes. He goes through a few different sleight of hand tricks, including the big finish, where he takes a goldfish and appears to force his hand into the glass front of a tank to send the little fishy home, but the tank then appears completely untouched when Landon's done. Howie has no words beyond noting that he's never seen conjuring don't to that level, and calling it "truly amazing." Piers says he's not sure what he saw, and asked Landon if it worked as expected. Landon says yes, and admits it's actually the first time it's worked correctly. Sharon says she loves Landon's execution and how he always looks so relaxed and smooth.Anna Graceman: Little Anna Graceman it's amazing to have come from such a small town (Juneau, Alaska), and now people know who she is. Anna says she's taking a "huge risk" by performing without a piano. She sings Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors." Piers tells her that she missed some notes, but when she goes to the big notes she's great. He says the "obvious comparison" is to Jackie Evancho last year, and that Jackie had perfect pitch. He says Jackie didn't have the big notes the way Anna does. Sharon says she would have liked to have seen Anna work the stage more, rather than standing on a fake grassy knoll -- and she remarks that she understands the knoll wasn't Anna's choice. Howie tells her that this performance wasn't as good as her last, but "it was still brilliant." He wants to see how everyone else does to see where Anna stacks up.Silhouettes: The leader of the group says there are members of the group that face life-threatening illnesses and conditions. With this performance, they're trying to send the message not to let any of life's obstacles keep you down. They perform a routine that includes people graduating from high school, becoming president, winning the Olympics, and get a huge standing ovation. Sharon loves it, calling it exquisite and a great message, too. She thanks them for delivering such beautiful performances week after week. Howie says this is "the first final act," as far as he's concerned, but reminds people they have to vote to make sure Silhouettes get into the finals. Piers says they did a great job of telling a story that "makes people proud of being an American," especially during a time of such economic difficulty and war. He says this was, "without a doubt, the best performance, for me, by a mile."Smage Bros.: The Smage Brothers talk about their assistant, Troy Smalls, "the unsung hero." He talks about having been hurt before by the brothers' bikes, but says, "I'll do whatever I have to do to make the Smage Brothers famous." This week, they pull off a bunch of skateboard-type tricks on ramps and a rail, while flying over Troy a bunch of times. Howie calls it exciting, but wants to make sure Troy is OK after a couple of close calls. Piers points out a couple of mistakes, saying he still loves them as an act but for a show in the Top 10 it was a little disappointing. Sharon asks why they don't just get it over with and beat up Troy already. Sharon disagrees with Piers, saying it was "just amazing."Poplyfe: The young singer from Poplyfe talks about how she's survived a feeling of not being wanted by being with her bandmates. Her father died when she was 3 and her mother had "some issues," which meant she bounced around to a few different homes. They go with another classic, a Jackson 5 medley, including "I'll Be There," "I Want You Back" and "Stop the Love You Save." The crowd roars with approval, and even Piers is coaxed into joining the standing ovation. Piers says it did deserve a standing ovation, because they're looking for an act that can entertain, inspire, have fun, make money and live the life of stars. He calls them "a great pop band." Sharon says it was a great idea to come up with the Jackson 5 medley, adding that there's such a great place for them in the industry right now. Then Sharon, pounding her fist on the table, accidentally hits her buzzer. Howie says, "Everybody in America, you are idiots if you do not start voting and put these people through to the finals."West Springfield Dance Team: The dancers say they owe everything to their coaches and they'll be bringing something completely unexpected this week. It starts with a girl running from some zombie-like creatures and then she appears to get away while the zombies start dancing. Piers buzzes them about halfway through. Sharon says it's "to predictable" for her now and there are no surprises anymore. Their dancing is precise as ever, but the lack of surprise is starting to become a problem. Howie says it was "good," but adds he doesn't think it stepped up from the last time. He doesn't think they're "living up to final capability." Piers says he would have liked them to surprise everyone and not done the horror stuff. He says the choreography was "quite boring," and that the judges kind of feel like they've "seen it."Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.: Saying the one thing Vegas is missing -- ironically -- is a crooner, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. says he's willing to fill that void. After Landau sings Dean Martin's "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," Howie says he'd like to kick everyone in America in the head if they don't vote for him. Piers notes that Landau got his "mojo back," and adds that he and the judges were talking about who they would spend their own money to go see perform, and, for Piers' money, "it would be Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Sharon says that's noteworthy because Piers is "really tight" (we're assuming she means with money). She calls Landau a real class act just tells people to "vote, vote, vote" for him.Team Illuminate: The leader of the group, who typically runs the computer portion of the program, will be performing with the group for the first time. She doesn't want to let the team down, but vows to give the performance of a lifetime. They put on another exciting and inspired performance that gets the crowd excited. Piers notes the crowd's reaction, saying it's been a night of big performances and they were "the icing on the cake." He says it was their best performance of the season and that after six seasons of doing the show he's never seen a more creative or dynamic act. Sharon says she cannot believe that they aren't already world famous. Howie says they were spectacular and tells viewers that this is "one of the best acts you can possibly see live." He says there are four acts standing out tonight, but stops short of reading off a list.

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Episode #6.29

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Episode #6.28

The final 12 semifinalists are back...
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The final 12 semifinalists are back to compete for the remaining five spots in the finals on "America's Got Talent." Host Nick Cannon starts the show dangling from a harness above stage, so as to not jeopardize the Kinetic King's opening performance, which is already set up on the stage.Kinetic King: The Minnesota madman has been preparing a bigger and badder maze that consists of more than 700 rulers and who knows what else. He says he's looking to set a personal and word record with this performance and that if it works, he wants to hear victorious "woo-hoos" from across the country. He lets it fly and the whole thing goes off precisely as expected. He almost passes out in the excitement. Piers says it was "another spectacular performance," but that it wasn't quite as impressive as the previous one. Sharon disagrees, saying that a faster and louder maze was more entertaining. Howie agrees with Sharon, joking that he's always telling his wife that "faster is better."Fatally Unique: The dance team has had a great reception at home, with the mayor of their town dedicating a day to the group in their hometown of Illinois. They put on a fast, precise routine that gets the crowd going, with a theme in which the inmates overtake the asylum. Sharon is impressed with their speed and precision, saying it's "breathtaking" to watch them. She adds that this is "definitely the year of the mean dance, happy dance is dead." Howie reiterates his previous claims that "this is the year of the dance," but he wonders if they're up to the competition, specifically West Springfield Dance Team. Piers says he loves the intensity and determination in their routine, and says their act proved they want to win this.Landon Swank: The illusionist recruits his dad from Alaska to come help him build the illusion for the semifinals. In the suspenseful routine, there are four wooden boxes high above the stage, each connected to a detonator that will blow up a box when the three judges hit their buttons, leaving one unexploded. That's the one Landon says he'll be in, by simply guessing their choices. They explode three boxes and, indeed, Landon emerges from the fourth one unscathed. He then asks Piers to blow up the fourth box to prove it was wired, and it explodes. Howie is stunned, saying, "Just, wow." He says he was concerned last time because Landon came close to killing himself and this time the judges came close to killing him. Piers appreciates that Landon is making the most of the chances he's gotten on the show and says Landon just got very close to getting into the top 10. Sharon says her hands were shaking the whole time and she tells Landon that his whole presentation was fantastic.Gymkana: The high-flying acrobatics team is looking to build on its YouTube stardom, going with a fast-paced, timing-focused routine that their leader says could be disastrous if the timing gets lost and there's a collision. Piers buzzes them about halfway through and toward the end, the routine is stopped short when a ring of fire they're jumping through gets bumped and falls over, briefly entangling one of the members. Piers says he's sorry it went as badly as it went and he's glad they're OK, but he thinks the mistake is going to cost them. Sharon says she was looking for more performance and personality from them and didn't see it, but she still thought they were tremendous. Howie disagrees with Piers and Sharon, saying that they've grown a lot since the start.Summerwind Skippers: Looking to bounce back from their mistake in the previous round, the jump rope team wants redemption. Their act is well choreographed to the music, but there are a couple of noticeable slips and Piers buzzes them right at the end. Sharon says it's great to see the progression they've made and that they've turned into such great performers, "it's incredible." Howie says they won him over with their previous performance, and they brought "edge" to skipping. Then he apologizes for Piers' buzzing of them, saying they didn't deserve it and shouldn't be buzzed at this level. Piers says they're one of his favorite acts, but when he saw two mistakes, he had to buzz them in fairness to the other performers.Snap Boogie: The street dancer from Boston says he wants to get far in this competition for the sake of his family, and adds that he doesn't want to go back to the streets. He splits his act in two, with a heavenly, ethereal bit at the start before launching into a more fast-paced, high-intensity stretch. Howie says he was worried at first, but then Snap got into himself toward the end and he loved it. Piers says he didn't like, saying he'd been a fan in the past, but this time it was bordering on "cheesy." He didn't like the music or the choreography. Sharon says Snap has "such likability" but adds that she wasn't crazy about Snap's backup dancers. She says he doesn't anyone but himself.Anna Graceman: The youngest singer in the competition, 11-year-old Anna Graceman says she's going to try something she's never done before: a rock song with her own twist. Sure enough, she busts out Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home." Piers says people would be amazed at where her big voice comes from if they could see how small she is in real life, and he says she gave, "so far, the best performance of the day." Sharon says she called Motley Crue so they could watch her perform, and she knows they'll think it was "absolutely amazing." She agrees it was "the performance of the night, so far." Howie keeps it short and sweet, simply saying, "Wow."Steven Retchless: The male pole dancer says he's been getting freaked out watching the show because some of the acts have done things he was intending to do, and we're shown a replay clip of Zuma Zuma members jumping from one pole to another. He says he had to change his routine to adapt. Not surprisingly, Piers buzzes him about halfway through. Sharon points out a particular favorite move in which Steven looked like he was walking on glass. She says she was worried when she heard Steven was bringing backup dancers, but they were fantastic and "it was just an amazing thing to watch." Piers reiterates that "it's not what guys should do," and says he can't see it being a million-dollar act in Vegas. Howie says he doesn't agree with Piers, and points out that Traces, a Broadway show, incorporates pole dancing and it can be a million-dollar act. Then he says he was focused on one of Steven's backup dancers, but he was great.Smage Bros.: The wild motorcycle stunt team pulls out all the stops, bringing family members along, including "Rad Grandma Smage," so they can have enough people to jump over. They do a bunch of cool tricks and flips, including some on a motorcycle with just one wheel. And it ends with a jump over about size family members who are laying on the stage. Piers gives a standing ovation and says their performance was "unbelievable." He says they did stuff he's never seen those kinds of stunts in close confined quarters such as the AGT stage. Howie says it was so exciting and scary, and notes that he once rode his tricycle over his grandma's toe when he was a little kid and he felt terrible. He says Grandma Smage's willingness to let the guys jump over her on motorcycles is "crazy, but amazing." Sharon loves the fact that the whole family gets involved.Professor Splash: The 57-year-old stunt man is cranking up the diving platform and the heat, trying a jump from 70 feet high into a pool of water 8 feet deep with fire on the surface. He pulls off the jump, with a toe-touch and full somersault before landing feet first in the water. Howie says he knows it was amazing, but it didn't seem as spectacular a look as jumping from the half the height into just 12 inches of water. Piers agrees, and wonders whether "we've seen the best of the Splash man," but says he's "incredibly entertaining." Sharon loved it and says she's scared of heights, even just sitting on a platform a couple of feet above the ground.Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.: After getting a heck of a reception back home, Landau hits the stage and puts on a Vegas-era, rat-pack style performance. Sharon loves it and says it's "cooler than I don't know what" and urges America to vote for him. Howie agrees that America "should get on board" and says that he deserves, with that performance, "to definitely be in the final." Piers says it wasn't Landau's best performance. He says he seemed nervous and stilted, and he missed some of the low notes. But when he hit the bigger notes, he loved, so it "wasn't a terrible performance," but he doesn't think it's a done deal that he'll be in the top 10.Silhouettes: The massive dance team that creates behind a backlit sheet includes members that are as young as 4. They create scenes from about the world in a big, dramatic presentation. Howie says they're "phenomenal," and it's amazing to see how they keep thinking of new ideas. He again says it's the year of the dance. Piers says he thought it was "very good," but he "didn't think it was great." He says this was a tough night and it'll come down to America's vote. Sharon adds that their act is endless because their concepts can go on and on, but she agrees that tonight's performance wasn't as strong as their last two, but she knows they'll come back with another concept and says what they do "is a thing of beauty."

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Episode #6.27

The first five finalists in Season 6...
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The first five finalists in Season 6 of "America's Got Talent" will be named tonight, but not before an hour of guest appearances and maybe just a little filler. Host Nick Cannon is wearing a particularly outrageous outfits, with a black tuxedo that includes white polka dots. After his weekly ribbing from PIers, Nick gets to unleash the line he's certainly been practicing since he put the jacket on: "I can rock polka dots because I'm smokin' dots."To the results: Sandau Trio Russian Bar, Zuma Zuma, Matt Wilhelm and Team Illuminate. The Russian Bar trio disappointed everyone by taking the Russian Bar out of the act and Piers called it "the biggest suicide mission we've had on the show." Zuma Zuma got pretty solid reviews while Matt Wilhelm made a mistake the judges hoped wouldn't hurt him. And they all but handed Team Illuminate $1 million on the spot. In the least surprising news of the season, Team Illuminate moves on.Be our guest: Demi Lovato stops by to perform her "hit single, 'Skyscraper,'" as Nick introduces it. Later, Prince Poppycock returns to the "AGT" stage. He's followed by The New Boyz, singing, "Better with the Lights On."Back to the results: Pop Lyfe and Lys Agnes are called out together, which one has to believe will mean they're both going through. The judges loved both acts, and there's no reason to think America disagreed. Nick makes a point of saying "there's less than one-tenth of a percent between" the vote tallies for the two acts. And the act moving on is ... both!Next, Melissa Villasenor, Miami All Stars and Kevin Colis come out next. THe judges loved Melissa, really loved Miami All Stars and didn't so much love Kevin, with PIers even buzzing him. Kevin promised there's another dimension to his singing, but it's unlikely he'll be demonstrating it on a TV show anytime soon. The next act going through is Miami All Stars.With just one spot left, dancer Beth Ann Robinson, singer Daniel Joseph Baker and the West Springfield Dance Team are called to the stage. The judges really liked all three of these acts, so this will be interesting, but the odds would appear to be in Daniel's favor. But the first of the three acts to go home based on America's vote is ... Beth Ann Robinson.Given a chance to make their cases to the judges, a member of West Springfield says they love to inspire other dancers and dance teams. Daniel tells them this has been the best time of his life and being on the "America's Got Talent" stage has been "the first time I feel like I belong."Howie says he liked West Springfield the first time, not as much the second time, but then they brought it back. He says "Daniel ... you're a star." (I feel like I've heard that somewhere). But he's thinking this is "the year of the dance," and votes for West Springfield Dance Team.Piers says they've loved West Springfield and thinks Daniel is great. But he has to break someone's heart tonight and, unfortunately, it's going to be Daniel's. It takes a moment for it to register with the dancers, but the two votes are enough to land them in the finals.

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Episode #6.26

The last time we saw some of these...
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The last time we saw some of these acts, a presidential campaign hadn't started, the NFL season wasn't going to happen, and the east coast hadn't experienced a significant earthquake in over half a century. But we're finally into the next round of the sixth season of "America's Got Talent" is finally upon us and half of the semifinalists are set to perform. Without much delay, we're off...Zuma Zuma: The acrobatics group that traveled the furthest to get to the competition is aiming to make a former member proud. The brother of one of the group's members, who was once part of the act, fell to his death off a human pyramid after landing on his head and spending three years in the hospital. There's a slight mishap with one of the tricks, but the judges don't seem to mind. Piers says it was "terrific" as it brought excitement to this round of the competition. Sharon says she loves what they do and the enthusiasm they bring, but she doesn't think this performance was as good as the last time they performed. Howie agrees, saying "it didn't have the same energy and exuberance" that the previous performances had.Beth Ann Robinson: The 14-year-old acrobatic dancer who made it to the semifinals through the YouTube auditions is wary of Piers' concern over whether a solo dancer can make it in this competition. Sharon says she needs to show more personality. She vows to take advantage of having the stage to herself and says she's going to show us what she can do. She uses some visual trickery, using three mirrors on stage to bring some depth to the act. It seems to work. Sharon calls it "another flawless performance" from her. She says she hopes viewers at home realize how hard it is for her to do this act on her own. Howie calls her performance "beautiful" and "mesmerizing." He says she seems to be beyond her years in skill and poise. Piers says America should feel incredibly proud to see someone her age with that "extraordinary talent." He says he doesn't think they've had many "technically better" dancers than her in all the show's seasons.Sandou Trio Russian Bar: Trying to mix things up, the Sandou Trio Russian Bar is still a trio, but instead of raising the bar they're eliminating it. Instead, the female flipper is going to be playing piano while suspended in the air. Piers has seen enough after about 30 seconds and buzzes them. A bit later, the piano flips upside down (on purpose), but the singing isn't great. Howie laughs a bit and asks if they were "going for comedy." He says the singing didn't reach the level of the other singers. He thinks they made a bad choice because "this does not even compare to anything you've ever done." Piers calls it the "biggest suicide mission we've ever had on the show" because they "didn't vote you through to sing badly upside down on the piano." He says "the act was a Russian Bar act -- and you were incredible at that, you were the best at that I've ever seen." Sharon says "it was disappointing." She says the singer has "a mediocre voice," which makes it worse, but she admires the risk.Kevin Colis: The singer who got through on YouTube now knows he's up against more singers and says the song he's going to perform "represents the love" that he has for his supportive fiancee. He has a seriously shaky start to the Plain White T's "Rhythm of Love," and Piers shows no love whatsoever for the act, buzzing Kevin about halfway through. He asks a rhetorical question to the singer, questioning whether he was nervous. He says it "just wasn't good enough tonight." Sharon says the performance reminder her of "something like The Wiggles," adding it was sweet and nice, "but bland and forgettable." Howie agrees with Sharon that Kevin has a very good voice, but says Kevin was lucky that he performed originally on the YouTube show, because a lot of his competition that night were amateurs who couldn't handle the pressure of the live show, but now that he's against the rest of the pack, Kevin faltered.Matt Wilhelm: Another YouTuber, the black-light BMX bike stuntman says he's going to top his last performance "by a million times over." He's telling a story of being bullied as a kid, saying that biking helped him get through the toughest times of his life. He falls at one point while doing a spin, but that only seems to pull the crowd more into it. Sharon says the presentation was great and she's "really sad" that he made a mistake and fell but she hopes it won't effect the voting. Howie says it wasn't really "a thousand times better," and was mostly like the previous performance. Piers says the mistake didn't bother him much because of the level of difficulty, but he says the problem for Matt is how to turn his tricks into an act, because while it's amazing to watch, "after about 15 minutes I'd be bored."Pop Lyfe: The teen singers who Howie labeled the "best act of the night" when they performed in the previous round say they don't just have butterflies in their stomachs, they have elephants. They're taking a chance with a classic, pulling out The Beatles' "Come Together." Howie said "who knew there was a step up" from where they were last time? He says they're stars and calls them a headlining act. Piers says the big challenge in the semifinals is to choose a song big enough "that if you get it right, it really works." He says when he heard they were doing "Come Together," he worried it was too big for them. But he "suddenly realized" they're watching a band that is going to be huge in this country. Sharon calls it a "great, great song choice" and she loved their interpretation of it. She adds, "I honestly think that I'm looking at a winner here."West Springfield Dance Team: After a YouTube audition and a wild-card save, the intentionally horrific dance group knows they have to bring something special to make it through another round. They get the crowd roaring with a terrifying routine in which one member rips his own face off at the end. Piers says that given the amount of time they had to prepare it, he thought this performance was better than both of the previous two. Sharon says they "pulled it off again" and says the choreographers are brilliant. Howie jumps on board and says he thinks they're going to stay in the competition.Melissa Villasenor: The comedian and impressionist says she practices in front of her cats, in the bathroom, in her car. Tonight, she says she's going to do what she does in her stand-up shows. She starts with a shaky Sarah Silverman impression, but picks it up a bit with Wanda Sykes, Shakira and Christina Aguilera. Sharon says Melissa "did the impossible" by making Piers laugh. She says Melissa did great. Howie says he's a huge fan and knows how hard it is to do stand-up. Piers says he found it funny, America should find it funny, and she's a "very talented person."Team Illuminate: The group that combines dance, art and science is going to be using a new technology this time around. They want to bring the audience along for a fun ride this time, as opposed to the emotional presentation they did before. Using a video-game theme, they light up the stage with some cool choreography. Howie says he just watched "a million dollars." He says the only thing that scares him is that people will take for granted that they're get votes from elsewhere and won't vote. Piers says he's got every confidence that America will vote for them. Sharon says she can't believe they're on the show because they "should have been famous, like, forever ago."Daniel Joseph Baker: The singer says he used to let the bullies get the better of him, and never thought he'd be in this kind of situation, facing the biggest moment of his life. Piers says that at first he worried about the song choice, thinking it was too serious, but the risk was a good one and it paid off. Sharon says she loves him so much and that he's "incredibly talented," and he delivers with a great passion. "Plus the fact you're as camp as Christmas, which is quite fantastic." She wants everyone to vote. Howie says he's thrlled Daniel's piano turned around and not upside down (a knock on the Russian Bar trio's switch-up). Daniel says he's a little emotional with his parents in the audience.Miami All Stars: The dance group says they're taking a big risk on something they're still working on and isn't completely worked out. They deliver an all-out dance spectacle that Nick calls "bananas" and the crowd erupts. Piers gives a standing ovation. Sharon says she thought she was watching a movie and that every time she sees them she gets "all worked up inside." Howie says there's room for many dancers as that they deserve to go through just like Team Illuminate. Piers says it was his favorite act of the night.Lys Agnes: The opera singer "who's been through some tough times," Nick reminds us, says she's become more of herself since being in the competition. She says it was like she was in a cocoon before and she's becoming a butterfly and she's transformed now. She's having some voice trouble as the performance night approaches. She gives an operatic treatment to Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life." The judges and the crowd give a massive ovation. Sharon says that just when she thought she'd seen it all, Lys took her breath away. She says it was sensational and overwhelming. Piers says she's "finally" shown him the full range she has. Piers says this was the single best semifinals they've ever had. Howie says there aren't words to describe her beauty, looks, sound and performance and then awkwardly says, "You know what I want to do to you?" Then adds that he wants to get her votes.

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Episode #6.25

This is it. The final four spots in...
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This is it. The final four spots in the semifinals of this season of "America's Got Talent" will be claimed Wednesday night as the 12 wild-card acts will learn which made the most of their second chances and which will experience the bitter taste of elimination again.Howie Mandel says Tuesday was "a night of redemption" as most of the acts rose to the occasion.To the results: Shevonne, Yellow Design Stunt Team and West Springfield Dance Team are the first acts called to the stage for their verdicts. Shevonne was a favorite of the judges and they all agreed they made a mistake sending her home in the Vegas round. Yellow Design Stunt Team also got solid reviews from the judges, while West Springfield Dance Team came up a bit short -- with Piers and Howie saying they didn't improve on their previous performance. Nick points out that all three were Sharon's picks and she's distraught over it. The act moving on is ... West Springfield Dance Team.Be our guest: Celebrating its 25th anniversary is "Les Miserables," and the cast is on hand to perform the song, "One Day More." Later, Colbie Caillat takes the stage to perform her new song, "Brighter than the Sun."Back to the results: Avery and the Calico Hearts, Charles Peachock, Those Funny Little People and The Kinetic King are the next up. We're reminded of Piers buzzing the little kids, Charles dropping his knife, Piers hating Those Funny Little People and The Kinetic King's elaborate maze working to perfection. Piers throws the kids and Charles under the bus, then tells Those Funny Little People that if they got voted through, he will fly back to Britain and never come back to America. He then tells The Kinetic King that he's like Rocky Balboa, bouncing back when all the cards were down. He should be the pick, Piers says. And America's choice is ... The Kinetic King. He and Piers both stand and raise their arms triumphantly.Next are the two illusionists, all but guaranteeing that one of them, at most, is going through to the semifinals. They played up the battle between the illusionists all night on Tuesday, and it looks like the voters chose just one -- maybe. Howie says he can't choose, but it's pretty clear Landon's display was more remarkable, and he's the pick. Piers stands up and points at Howie, who tells Landon that the only thing that irks him is that Piers chose him.With three acts and just one spot left, the Summerwind Skippers, The Fiddleheads and J Chris Newberg head to center stage. The Skippers got pretty solid reviews from the judges, but Piers judged The Fiddleheads and J Chris, but he was on Piers' bad side from the start when he set up his act as a roast of the judge.The first of the three acts going home is ... J Chris Newberg, which gets big boos from the crowd. He says he "had so much fun" and "couldn't have done any better."One of the Skippers says they want to show how far their can take their act. The Fiddleheads' singer says they want to come back and bring their best, "and play the music that we love to play."Piers says it's a difficult decision and goes on to talk way too long before -- even evoking a bleep from the censors at some point, possibly over something Sharon said as she complained that Piers' mike should be turned off. Howie votes for The Fiddleheads because he brought them back, and Sharon cuts to the chase and pretty quickly votes for Summerwind Skippers.

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Episode #6.24

"They thought their dreams were...
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"They thought their dreams were over," the opening graphics of Tuesday night's "America's Got Talent" episode tell us. "They were wrong."Twelve "wild-card" acts are getting a second chance to make a third impression with the judges and America in the hopes of claiming what will presumably be three more spots in the semifinals.A strategically placed mess of cans and sticks litter the stage, which can only mean The Kinetic King is back and probably going first. Host Nick Cannon, careful not to set off the elaborate display too soon, introduces the judges. Piers Morgan says each judge got to bring back four of the acts they thought missed "potential glory." He knocks Howie's choices, saying he "brought back four of the worst acts I can ever remember in the history of the show." Howie reminds us all that America will decide, not the judge, and he thinks he has "done America right."The Kinetic King: Piers' first wild card is, in fact, The Kinetic King. He's trying to bounce back from what he calls "the greatest kinetic disaster in history." He's "seriously spooked over what happened last time." He says he's trying to go on and do something "even bigger." The crowd roars as each big part of his maze of cans and sticks falls over, and it works all the way to the big finish, when about 10 large trash cans arranged in a pyramid tumble. Piers says "everyone in America doubted you" after what happened last time, but "tonight, Kinetic King, you proved you're the king, you're the man." Sharon agrees, saying she bows down to him. Howie says there's no other man in America who could be handed a bunch of cans, balls and sticks and do what he just did with them. The Kinetic King then, oddly, goes into what he calls "the fetal position of victory," laying on the stage and putting his thumb in his mouth.Those Funny Little People: The gnomes are back to torture Piers some more, and they're ready to take advantage of the opportunity. They think they'll win Piers over, but before their routine, he says it's a "complete waste of time." After their performance of They Might Be Giants' "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" begins, Piers gives them a good 15 seconds before buzzing them. Then spends the rest of the time holding his face in his hands. Even Howie says he missed a lot of the act because he was watching Piers' face most of the time. Piers says Howie "turned the show into a total and utter mockery" by bringing them back, and refers to Howie as "the chief idiot." Sharon says they "definitely brought in the big guns."Avery and the Calico Hearts: Sharon's first pick are the trio of little girls who were devastated when they were eliminated. They're hugely thankful to Sharon for bringing them back. Howie says before the act starts that he doesn't think they're a headline act, but more like a Saturday morning cartoons accompaniment. Piers gives them about 30 seconds before buzzing them during their performance of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite." Sharon cheers like crazy and says she's so proud to say they were her pick. Nick asks Piers if he's going to buzz every act that's not him, and Piers says he wanted to buzz Nick for the suit he's wearing. Nick actually thinks pretty fast on his feet, telling the judge he has to lead by example and then asking Piers (who's wrapped up in accusations of phone hacking while he was a tabloid editor in the U.K.), "Aren't you in enough trouble already?" Piers tells the girls he buzzed them because he still thinks it's too early for them to win a competition like this. He urges them to keep practicing and they'll "be terrific." Howie says he agrees with what Piers is saying, but he doesn't think they deserved a buzz. He says, "It's wrong, it's mean, and let's move on."Seth Grabel: Pulling off what Nick calls "a reappearing act," illusionist Seth Grabel comes back as one of Howie's picks. Howie says he felt really guilty casting the vote for Professor Splash that sent Seth packing. He had to bring him back. Piers also brought an illusionist back, so it's a big showdown. In an illusion that seems to take a while to get going, Seth eventually makes a DeLorean appear on stage holding what he calls the judges from the past -- and they're miniature versions of Howie, Sharon and Piers. Howie says he did good in bringing Seth back. He says Seth showed that Howie has good taste. Piers says it was "exactly like Howie -- a lot of show, a lot of flashing going on" but it was light on substance.Shevonne: We didn't see singer and guitarist Shevonne on the live stage because she was cut in Vegas, but Sharon wants to see how she'll do with another chance. She says she'll be singing to all of America, but especially to her mom. Sharon says Shevonne took her breath away and hopes that voters realize this is her first time on the live stage. She says Shevonne did herself proud. Howie says he thinks the judges made a mistake sending her home in Vegas and that he's "so thrilled" that Sharon chose to bring her back. Piers, who notably didn't buzz, says he's in a very unusual position of agreeing with Howie. He agrees they were wrong to send her home in Vegas and with more practice and experience she "could be really good."West Springfield Dance Team: The dark, creepy dance group is back, as Sharon already promised. She said as soon as they were voted off that she'd bring them back as one of her wild cards, and her kept that promise. They've put together a routine in five days that one of the choreographers says they'd normally rehearse for six months. Sharon seems quite pleased, saying it's "unique, very different" and that there's an audience for them. Howie agrees that they're very good, but he doesn't think this performance stepped up from the last performance. Piers wonders if he's under the weather because he's again agreeing with Howie's point that it wasn't a bigger or better performance than the last time.J Chris Newberg: Howie brings J Chris Newberg back after being voted off and says it was like being in love and then finding out that the women you're in love with is sleeping with 47 other contestants. He says he's reviewed all of his performances and was happy with them all except for one thing: Piers. The crotchety judge says he's pretty confident that no matter what J Chris does tonight, he's going to hate it. J Chris tells us that "Piers drew first blood" and he's been training for this fight. J Chris turns it into a straight roast of Piers. He brings up phone hacking, tells Piers that he's "made more children cry than divorce," and says that Piers has "made a career out of being 'the other' -- the other Simon Cowell, the other Larry King, the other guy your wife sleeps with." Howie says it was funny, and that "this wins it all." Piers plays along, saying, "Obviously I found your material, deeply offensive, woefully inaccurate, completely inappropriate -- and funny." Sharon tells J Chris he's "got balls of steel" and says it was "amazing." She concisely says, "It was very good. Very, very good."Yellow Designs Stunt Team: The BMX stunt team admits they were crushed when they were booted, and they're vowing to "wow America like they've never been wowed before." They offer up a pirate-themed performance that gets through with no buzzes. Sharon, who brought them back, says it "worked superbly." She loves the sense of excitement they bring, adding, "it's exciting, it's dangerous, it's everything I love." Howie likes the themes they put together. Piers says it's the only act he can remember where when they make a mistake it actually makes the performance more entertaining. Piers says the movement they've made in the competition is almost better than any other act.Charles Peachock: The man who wants to bring juggling into the next century is brought back by Piers. He says he knew he was taking a risk when he abandoned the dangerous juggling stuff in favor of playing the piano with bouncing balls. He says he's "risking it all tonight." He first juggles balls on fire, then while trying to balance a sword on another sword from his forehead, he juggles three knives and drops one. It's clearly a disappointment and even Piers can't deny it. Piers says he thinks Charles "blew it." He abandoned his rule of buzzing a juggler who dropped something, only because he was the one who brought Charles back. Sharon says it was disappointing, and Howie agrees, but he's thrilled Charles kept his shirt on.The Fiddleheads: Howie's last pick is The Fiddleheads, who abandoned their own approach in favor of something suggested by the show's producers, are deciding to go back to the basics. They give their bluegrass treatment to Bruno Mars' "Grenade" and the crowd seems to love it. Piers buzzes them about two-thirds of the way through, though. Howie says he picked them because he thought they had strength and he thinks they brought it. Piers says, "This group doesn't work as a group." After a chorus of boos, Piers says the lead singer is better than the group around him. Sharon says she does not agree with Piers. She says they were back in their comfort zone.Summerwind Skippers: Piers says he didn't really get the jump ropers until the first live show. He now thinks they deserve another chance. Their routine was put together more quickly this time, and it includes ropes that are on fire. There's a mishap early on but they bounce back and get through the rest of the act unscathed. Piers points out the big mistake, but says it's how they recovered that saved them. He says it's like the bike stunt team, and it's more about how they recover from a mistake. He says they made a "great recovery, great job." Sharon then quotes Piers from earlier in the competition, saying they make skipping sexy. Howie admits he didn't see it being a headlining show until this performance and they made it fun and edgy enough to be just that type of show.Landon Swank: Piers' illusionist choice is Landon Swank, whose presentation was lacking the last time he performed. Piers says Landon was the first wild card on his list. He's ramping up the danger by chaining himself to the bottom of a tank of water while handcuffed and giving himself one minute to escape. He not only escapes but switches places with his assistant, which ends up in the tanks. Sharon and Howie stand in appreciation. Piers says calls it a proper trick that was executed perfectly and says that Landon will go through to the semifinals. Sharon says he's a really sexy magician, which doesn't happen a lot. Howie says it "was fabulous." He notes that there's "no rule saying that one magician can go through."

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Episode #6.23

The night after 12 acts straight from...
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The night after 12 acts straight from YouTube took to the "America's Got Talent" stage, only four of them would move on in hopes of becoming this season's Jackie Evancho -- the young opera singer who was discovered through the YouTube auditions last season and went on to take second place in the competition.After the requisite weekly fashion pointers from Piers Morgan toward Nick Cannon, who, before long, calls for the first acts to hear their results: Fymkana and Powerhouse.To the results: Gymkana and Powehouse both received fairly good marks from the judges, even thought Howie thought Powehouse was "Glee"-Light. Piers says he's surprised to see the two acts sharing the stage, saying that if one was going home he'd be shocked. The act going on to the semifinal is ... Gymkana.Be our guests: Tay Zonday hits the stage to perform one of the shortest guest acts in the history of the show, "Chocolate Rain." He's followed by another YouTube star: Keenan Cahill, who performs his lip-synched rendition of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and other stuff. Next, OK Go performs "All Is Not Lost." What YouTube stars show could be complete without Rebecca Black? Not this one. She hits the stage with a mash-up of her song, "Friday," and her new single "My Moment." Later, a hand-slapping and tap-dancing duo called Up & Over performs to the song, "Hands."Back to the results: Matt Wilhelm, TNC Elite and Aeon are the next group called to the stage. Matt Wilhelm seems to have won over the judges the night before, wowing them with this glow-in-the-dark bike stunts. The act moving on to the next round is ... Matt Wilhelm.Next, Kalani Basketball Freestyle, Brett Daniels, Kevin Colis and Breena Bell. Of the bunch, Kevin seemed to have won over the judges the most -- as they said he had a chance against a relatively weak male singers field. The judges gave Brett high marks for his illusion, but weren't wild about his presentation. Breena was told, for the most part, that she should come back in a few years, and Kalani stumbled by dropping his basketball at least once. The act moving on to the next round is ... Kevin Colis.Finally, West Springfield Dance Team, Gabe Rocks and Beth Ann Robinson head to the stage. West Springfield and Beth Ann Robinson got the most unanimous approval from the judges, and Piers didn't much care for Gabe's shenanigans.The first of the three acts to go home is Gabe Rocks. Given one last chance to make their cases to the judges, one of the West Springfield dancers promises more to show the judges. Beth Ann says she's worked "really hard" and has a lot more to offer.After a commercial break, Piers says it's a tough choice between the two acts, but finally gives his vote to Beth Ann Robinson, saying he's most excited to see more from her in the next round. Sharon says she knows Beth Ann is going on to do great things, but turns her attention toward West Springfield Dance team and says she wants to keep them in it. Down to Howie, he says he loves the dance team's originality. Saying it's the "year of dance," he decides to keep Beth Ann Robinson in the competition.After the result, Sharon points out that West Springfield Dance Team should come back to the wild-card show next week. So, they have another chance, along with .... Landon Swank, The Kinetic King, Summerwind Skippers, Charles Peachock, Yellow Designs Stunt Team, Shevone, J. Chris Newberg, Those Funny Little People, Seth Grabel, the Fiddleheads and Avery & the Calico Hearts.

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Episode #6.22

Twelve contestants pulled from...
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Twelve contestants pulled from YouTube, which we're quickly (and often) reminded provided one of last year's breakouts in little singer Jackie Evancho, are up this week on "America's Got Talent." After the requisite ribbing between host Nick Cannon and judge Piers Morgan, Piers tells us that some of the acts seems pretty good and some "have the potential to go horribly wrong."TNC Elite: A group that is proud to bring clogging to Hollywood, with routines set to modern music. The group of about a dozen dancers from Charlotte, N.C., puts on a pretty impressive display of quick feet. Piers says it wasn't bad, even though he's not a clogging fan, and ultimately thinks it was "pretty good." Sharon says she doesn't know whether it worked and that the clogging may have been fighting with the music. Howie thinks they'll "need to do more" to do well in the competition. He says now that he's seen it on stage, "it's really good on YouTube."Brett Daniels: A 50-year-old illusionist from Milwaukee says he's enjoyed a lot of success in magic and he "lost it." He's looking to reinvent himself on the show, bringing back something he hasn't done in 15 years. Doing what he bills a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, Brett makes "her" appear from a portrait hanging high above the stage. Piers buzzes him. Sharon says she liked it all, but the presentation was a bit slow. Howie says the illusion was "incredibly original" but he questions the performance. He says he sees potential. Piers says the trick was fine, but notes "it's an old trick." He says he got bored with the middle bit, but is interrupted by Howie playing with a fart machine. Piers says it's disrespectful to the performers who are competing for $1 million.Gabe Rocks: A bulldog from Bellingham, Wash., who does some tricks, including one he's going to try that his owner says is one of the most difficult dog trucks that only a few dogs can do. She has him sit on a rocking horse, hit a buzzer with an X on it as an impression of Piers, and has him lift his leg on a cut-out of Piers, which causes Piers to buzz. Piers calls it "a completely pointless act." Sharon tells Gabe she loves him and says she knows how hard it is to train a bulldog. She says, "This dog is worth a million dollars." Howie says America is going to fall in love with Gabe.Aeon: A parkour group from L.A. has "spot-on" technique, according to Sharon. Replicating their street moves on a tight stage will prove to be a challenge. Piers buzzes them before too long as it seems their moves just aren't translating onto a stage setting with props. He says it was poorly coordinated and choreographed. He says they missed some moves, which they deny, causing Piers to comment on their large egos. Sharon says it's "very clever, but it was very repetitive." Howie disagrees with both, saying that it was edgy and active and he liked it.Breena Bell: An 8-year-old dancer and contortionist from Lincoln, Ala., made Howie wonder if she actually has bones when he saw her on YouTube. Before she starts, Nick warns Piers that if he buzzes her, he's "truly evil." He does just that, and Nick tells her she was "outstanding, but there are ogres in the world." Piers says he's trying to keep the competition honest. He says she's a very gymnast and should be looking to enter the Olympics because that's where her talent is. Sharon agrees with Piers, saying it's a bit early for her to go on in the competition, but she should continue performing. Howie says she will have a good shot i the contest in a few years, when she's older and even stronger.Kevin Colis: A 33-year-old musician from New Braunfels, Texas, says he's always felt music was meant for him, but he gave up on it after turning 30. His fiancee signed him up for the competition. He says this is his "last shot" and he's "going to go for it." He sings Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song." Howie thinks he did great, but he's in a "really tough category with other singers in this competition." Piers says he's got a good voice and says the singing category is not as strong as it's been in past years, "so who knows -- you might be two songs away from a million dollars." Sharon says that if this is Kevin performing nervous, he'll "be phenomenal" as he gets more comfortable.Beth Ann Robinson: A 14-year-old dancer from Alabama is amazed to be on the show. She says she has an intense and unique dance style. Piers says the show's warming up and that Beth Ann was really good. He wonders, though, whether a solo act like this can win. Sharon says Beth Ann's movement is "effortless" and that she's "a very special lady." Howie agrees with both, saying it looks like Beth Ann eats, sleeps and breathes dance. He wonders whether America will respond to this form of dancing, but regardless, she's going to be a star.Gymkana: An acrobatic team that accepts anyone who wants to learn about the craft and is based on each group teaching the next comes to the show. The group does a pretty cool routine that's centered around two very tall ladders and dancers hanging off of them. Sharon can't believe they aren't professionals, saying "it was incredible." Howie says they fall under the category of "What will they think of next?" He says it's amazing. Piers pokes fun at Nick's socks, then says the routine was good, but a little repetitive. He calls it "brilliant" for their first time up.Kalani Freestyle Basketball: A guy from Hawaii says all he had was a basketbal to get through some hard times growing up. Howie calls him a one-man Harmlem Globetrotters, based on his YouTube performances. Piers buzzes him immediately after Kalani dropped one ball while trying to spin one ball on top of another. Piers says he was willing to let one mistake slide, but not two. Sharon says she understand it's daunting because he's not a pro at it.West Springfield Dance Team: A dance team that promises to be different and more intense and downright scary. Piers says they were one of the most intriguing acts based on the YouTube video. He says they did live up to the potential he thought they had. Sharon says she loves all the drama to their performance but they might want to think about their name. Howie says they're going to have to be great to compete with the other dance groups in the competition -- and they are.Matt Wilhelm: A bike trick artist who got the most votes on YouTube for the competition calls his act "breakdancing on a bike." Wearing a full body suit that glows because of black lights, Matt shows off some moves on his bike that are reminiscent of Fighting Gravity. Sharon says it's a really great act and the bike is his dance partner. She calls it "very special, very different." Howie says "America never gets it wrong," and there is a reason why America gave him more votes than any other act. He thinks there's a full act here. Piers believes Matt is going to have America on his side, and again brings up Jackie Evancho.Powerhouse: A high school choir that takes it to another level comes out and sings Katy Perry's "Firework." Howie gives his first buzz of the night. Piers says the performance made him happy "in a very strange way." He calls it the cheesiest thing he's ever seen, but it makes him happy. Sharon says it makes her "very happy." She says they made her want to come up on stage and sing with them. Howie says he wasn't as happy, saying "Glee" has set the bar, and "this was 'Glee' Light." He says "America's Got Talent" needs something beyond that.

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Episode #6.21

After a night of standing ovations...
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After a night of standing ovations and big-time debacles, it's time to see which four acts will be moving on to the next round of "America's Got Talent."After Piers gets in his weekly assessment with host Nick Cannon's outfit (which he likes this week), we get to some results. Nick calls for Frank Miles, Avery and the Calico Hearts and Taylor Davis and Fatally Unique. Frank's trick was dangerous and interesting, but just missed knocking a donut off his head, which was the intended outcome. Avery and the Calico Hearts got mixed reviews (Piers thinks it's too early for them while Howie and Sharon love them). Taylor also got mixed reviews, with Piers thinking he sang out of tune while Howie and Sharon thought he did well. Fatally Unique got good news from all the judges.Sharon says she can't call it, but says she's shocked that Taylor is there, even though no result has been announced yet. The act moving on is Fatally Unique. Piers says no other act has worked harder to improve and says they've "got a real chance of winning the whole thing" if they continue to improve.Nick announces that there will be wild cards this season and there's a poll on the website for fans to make their suggestions. This announcement is followed by a sort of fun bit in which Howie shows the cameras around behind the scenes, and ultimately pulls a prank on Piers.Be our guest: Jason Derulo performs two songs from his upcoming album "Future History." Later, Maroon 5 performs its new song, "Moves Like Jagger."Back to the results: Nick calls for Zuma Zuma and Yellow Design Stunt Team. Zuma Zuma got high marks from the judges. Yellow Design Stunt Team had a mishap when one of the guys fell on a bike flip, but the judges still thought highly of the whole act. Piers says he hopes both acts go through because they both did themselves proud. The act moving on to the next round is ... Zuma Zuma. Howie says this is a surprise and he can't imagine what they will do next.Next, illusionist Scott Alexander, Team iLuminate and Sam B are called up. Scott wowed the crowd with a disappearing gospel choir routine, even though Howie thought it lacked some showmanship. Team iLuminate got a standing ovation from the judges after putting on what Sharon called "a world-class act" and what Howie called "the best thing I have seen on this show." Sam B might be a guilty pleasure, but Piers was fed up and X'd him. The act moving on is Team iLuminate. Sharon says it was "so obvious" who was moving on when they were up there with the other acts, not trying to be disrespectful. She says they could "fill any arena."Charles Peachock, The Kinetic King and Melissa Villasenor are the last to get their results. Charles was buzzed by Howie and Sharon, but Piers thought it was one of the best juggling acts he's seen. The Kinetic King was "baffled," in his own words, by his "disaster" of a performance. Melissa got high marks from Sharon and Howie, and Piers thought some was good and some was not so good. America's vote sends The Kinetic King home first.Given a chance to make his case, Charles tells the judges that his dream has been to "get juggling out of the circus tent and into the 21st Century." Nick calls Charles' speech "very Presidential." Melissa says she loves what she does and "the audience is my best friend" and thanks "everyone for everything."Sharon casts her vote for Melissa. Piers says he thinks Charles would have the best chance of winning, and votes for Charles. Howie casts his vote for Melissa, and she's moving on.

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Episode #6.20

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Episode #6.19

The "America's Got Talent" results...
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The "America's Got Talent" results show starts with a bizarre cross-promotion of the new "Smurfs" movie, with the little blue critters walking all over the judges' table and pulling the judges into some awkward banter.To the results: Ian Johnson, the Summerwind Skippers and the Purrfect Angelz are up first. Ian's yo-yoing was good but the judges weren't sure if could hold up for a Vegas show; the Skippers blew most everyone away; and the Angelz were generally sort of boring. The act making it into the next round is ... no one! They're all out. Piers is surprised, especially about Summerwind Skippers because he thought they delivered. He says that's a big shock.Be our guest: Stevie Nicks takes the stage to offer up the TV debut of her new single "For What It's Worth." Later, an old favorite act, Fighting Gravity, takes to the stage for another mind-blowing performance. They say they're still working on their show, building something bigger and better, and hope to have a show on Broadway or Vegas by this time next year. Finally, Stevie returns to perform her classic, "Edge of Seventeen."Back to the results: Next up are Poplyfe and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Both acts sent the judges wild and one can only expect they're both going through, given the first group's result. And that's exactly what happens. There are hugs all around, and even members of Poplyfe are hugging Nick. Landau is thankful for the opportunity. Sharon says she was really worried to see these two acts up against each other and she's "absolutely delighted" they're both through.Up next are Mauricio Herrera Captain & Maybelle, Lys Agnes and Monet. Mauricio was buzzed twice, Captain & Maybelle grossed everyone out, Lys was solid but "didn't move" PIers, and Monet was just considered a little young. The act moving into the next round is Lys Agnes. She says she's overwhelmed.Finally, Sh'Boss Boys, Professor Splash and Seth Grabel are the final three acts remaining, and hoping for the last spot in the next round. All three were intriguing to the judges. The first act out of the running is ... Sh'Boss Boys. They look pretty sad and on the verge of tears, but Nick reminds them of how much fun they've had and they all smile and agree it was a fun experience.Professor Splash says he should stay in because he's got more to offer. Seth says he also has "so much more to show." It's down to the judges. Sharon says they both deserve to be here, but her pick is Seth. Howie breaks it down to "you work hard (to Seth), you risk your life (to Professor Splash)" and chooses Professor Splash. Piers weighs the same two options and finally decides upon ... Professor Splash, saying he's the act that has the best chance of winning.

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Episode #6.18

Another set of 12 hopefuls are up on...
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Another set of 12 hopefuls are up on "America's Got Talent," and four spots in the semifinals are up for grabs. Wasting no time getting to the action, host Nick Cannon calls for the first act.Summerwind Skippers: The jump rope sextet from Boise, Idaho, vows to bring a new level of choreography and performance to their act. They offer up a high-intensity, mistake-free performance with flips and tremendous timing. Piers is blown away, noting that he didn't like their performance in Vegas, but they turned it all upside down this week. Sharon agrees, saying they made the act "all very current, and it doesn't look like you're in the schoolyard anymore." Howie says it's "amazing to see, in a short dose," but it's up to America to decide whether they want to see more.Sh'boss Boys: The tiny trio of rappers, 5, 6 and 7 years old, are coming strong with a new routine, new props and ready to do whatever they have to do to win. With backup dancers in tow, they start with a bit of the Jackson 5's "ABC," before declaring "that's old school, we're new school," and launching into their own song. Sharon says they thoroughly entertained her and she wants to hug them because they're so darn cute. Howie says they're adorable and that America is going to love them. The 6-year-old calls out the producers, saying the producers told them to do "45 minutes of 'ABC' and 45 minutes of our own" song, and Piers tells them to ditch the "ABC" bit and stick to their own stuff because it's "brilliant."Mauricio Herrera: Mauricio has lost 19 pounds, but none of the spunk. He's loving life in Hollywood and Sharon says she hopes people get the humor in what he's all about. Piers buzzes him not too long into his intro bit of Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas." Sharon soon has a bit less of the fun than she was expecting, buzzing him shortly into Mauricio's rendition of Tom Jones' "Delilah." Howie says he loves Mauricio, but understands why others are buzzing him. Piers says he gets the humor in it, but if he was staying at a hotel and an act like Mauricio came on at night, he'd go back to his room, pack his bags and leave. Sharon says the "galloping" threw her off, but he is "a lot of fun to watch."Seth Grabel: Seth is hoping to redeem himself after his illusion malfunctioned in Vegas and he was given another chance. He says this performance puts his life at risk. He starts by being suspended from a straight jacket, then falls into a vat and is carried over to a cannon, where he's apparently shot across the stage and into a pool of water, except you don't see him cross the stage and he magically appears from the tank of water. Howie loves it, saying he was totally impressed and has no idea how it was done, and hopes America votes for Seth. Sharon says it was "very dramatic," the production value was incredible and she's never seen that trick before. Piers calls it bigger, better, faster, slicker and, ultimately, Seth's best routine so far.Poplyfe: The band of youngsters has to convince Piers that it's more than just a lead singer, but they're worried that she's lost her voice in advance of the live performance. She seems fine as they rock out a version of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." Sharon says they took a big risk and it paid off because she was impressed and hopes America will bring them back. Howie dittos everything Sharon said and proclaims them "the best act of the night." He reminds voters that they have to cast their votes and not assume other people will. Piers again points out that the lead singer's performance was again tremendous. He adds that "tonight, I saw the point of the band" because they were brilliant.Ian Johnson: Ian says he's trying to bring the yo-yo back and reminds the ladies that he's single. He's setting out to prove people who think the yo-yo can't be turned into a Vegas. He brings high intensity and some cool tricks, but one minor stumble brings a buzz from Piers. Later, his big finishing move also falls. Howie says there's no doubt Ian will be the best yo-yo artist in the world, but he's not sure it's a Vegas act. Piers tells Ian he made the yo-yo as exciting as it could possibly be, but "it's still bloody boring." Sharon says she likes it but wants to see some more of Ian's personality into the performance. Piers asks how that's possible and Sharon tells him that just because he's having a terrible day doesn't mean he should take it out on Ian.Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.: Landau is riding his "don't judge a book by its cover" approach, aiming to surprise viewers with the voice that comes out of him. He vows to "be the entertainer that I was born to be." After a somewhat stiff and shaky start, he seems to get his rhythm on Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon." Piers says Landau is a serious player because he heard some of the sound check earlier and it was terrible, but the live performance was great. Sharon says she can't tell Landau how proud she if of him and how hard he's worked to get there. Howie says Landau is still on track to change his life.Purrfect Angelz: The octet of former NFL and NBA cheerleaders are looking to land their own show in Las Vegas. One of the dancers injured her leg during rehearsals. Their Country-themed dance had them climbing ropes and pretending they were riding horses. Howie said he wanted to order the chicken wings because he felt like he was in the best Hooters he's ever been to. Piers, who buzzed them, says it was a "terrific performance" but doesn't see them moving on. Sharon says it was a great performance with fun choreography, but she wonders whether it's worth $1 million.Monet: A young singer we didn't see much of during the audition rounds explains that her family lost its home in Hurricane Wilma in 2005. The 12-year-old is dedicating her performance of the song, "Home," to her mom, because "wherever she is, that's where home is for me." Howie talks about the passion and heart she has when she sings, and those things make up for the fact that she missed some notes. Piers reminds everyone of Jackie Evancho and says "girls like that don't come around very often." He says he didn't buzz her because she has a lot of promise, but this is "probably as far as you're going to go in the competition." Sharon notes that Jackie could probably afford voice lessons and Monet likely could not, given what she's been through, and she did very well.Captain & Maybelle: The wild husband-and-wife sideshow vows to step it up for this round, but the judges aren't sure they want to watch. Captain & Maybelle go through some tricks, with him swinging a frying pan from a chain that's hooked into his tongue piercing, and her swinging the same pan on a chair hooked through her nostril. But the big finish is when the Captain hooks a tea kettle on two chains into his bottom eye sockets and swings them around. The judges didn't see most of it, as they turned around in disgust. Piers calls them the sickest two people in America, which prompts a high five. Sharon admits she didn't see much of it. Howie can't find words to describe it.Lys Agnes: We're reminded of Lys' fiancee's passing, and that's what drives her performance. She says she's had so much sorrow in her life that it's time for the joy the competition is bringing her. Piers says she's very talented but her performance didn't knock him out. It didn't move him, he says, and with the opera singers he has to feel moved. Sharon says she was moved and it came across for her "quite beautifully." Howie says she definitely moved him.Professor Splash: Professor Splash talks about how at the age of 50, the exhilaration of making a splash is still as great as it was when he was a child. The show goes outside for his stunt: a bellyflop from more than 36 feet high into a pool with just 12 inches of water. Howie's speechless and Professor Splash he can expand on the act with fire and more. Piers calls it the most bizarre, stupid, dangerous and sensational stunt he's seen. Sharon agrees it was absolutely fabulous.

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Episode #6.17

After lots of buzzes and general...
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After lots of buzzes and general disappointment, things finally started to heat up toward the end of Tuesday's performance show on "America's Got Talent." But will America's votes line up with what the judges thought? It's time to find out as four more acts will be moved on to the next round of the $1 million competition.Host Nick Cannon tells Piers Morgan he was "drinking some Hate-orade" last night. Piers says he actually got it wrong: He should have buzzed at least two more acts.To the results: The Rhinestone Ropers, Thomas John and Silhouettes are called to the stage. In what must be the least dramatic results revelation of the night, the uber-patriotic Silhouettes must easily be the ones to move on out of this bunch. Right? Right? Asked for her opinion, Sharon even admits it's "quite obvious" to her. Sharon even laughs a little as Nick tries to drum up the drama. Thomas John mockingly crosses his fingers just before Nick reveals that Silhouettes are moving on. Piers says he's already excited about what they're going to do in the next round.Be our guest: Hot Chelle Rae stops by to perform its summer hit, "Tonight, Tonight." Later, the touring music and acrobatics show Traces performs, earning a massive standing ovation for showing off some tremendous skills.Back to the results: Steven Retchless, Attack Dance Crew and Geechy Guy are called to the stage and, again, it seems like the result is pretty obvious (this could be a theme tonight. Despite Piers not getting Steven, saying there's a reason there are no male pole dancing clubs, it seems clear that America is on board with Steven. Howie is asked for his thoughts and agrees that America might not "brace the outrageousness of a male pole dancer." Perhaps America is more open minded than expected. Steve Retchless is through to the next round. Sharon urges Steven to just be himself.Next up are Daniel Joseph Baker, Dani Shay and Dylan Andre, and, once again, the choice seems fairly clear. Piers says he wasn't thrilled with Dylan or Dani but that Daniel Joseph Baker should take it. He's right. It's Daniel Joseph Baker.Finally, Smage Bros. Riding Show, Mona Lisa and Landon Swank come to the stage. One of the acts will be dismissed based on votes and that act is ... Mona Lisa.Down to Smage Bros. Riding Show and Landon Swank, the judges have to make the only tough decision of the evening. Sharon is put on the spot first and says Smage Bros. performance was sensational. She says she's been a fan of Landon's from the beginning, but her vote has to go with Smage Bros. Piers says they're very different acts and eventually votes for Landon. The whole decision is left to Howie, who seems uncomfortable. He says the Smage Bros. are very exciting and scary, but Landon Swank has shown him the best illusion he's ever seen, so he is "truly an amazing act." Howie wants to pick both, but since he can't, he has to go with the most exciting thing he saw Tuesday was the Smage Bros., so they're in.

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Episode #6.16

It's the second of four quarterfinal...
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It's the second of four quarterfinal nights on "America's Got Talent," when 12 acts will perform to claim one of four spots in the next round on the way to the $1 million grand prize.Attack Dance Crew: An octet of dancers who Howie didn't really get during the audition rounds are basking in the new attention they're getting from the ladies. Howie vows that he'll have to see something spectacular to change his mind about how they're essentially a cheerleading squad. The crowd cheers a pretty ho-hum dance performance and Howie doesn't look impressed. Piers says he liked parts of it, but wasn't massively pleased with the choreography, saying it was a bit of a mess and "needs to be tighter." Sharon agrees that "the choreography wasn't spectacular" and she wanted to see moves she hasn't seen before. Howie says he still feels the way he did before. Howie says he was going to say what Piers said and quips that Piers must have "hacked" him.Dani Shay: The singer who first found her place in the competition by playing up her appearance to Justin Bieber. She blew her Vegas audition but the judges gave her a second chance and she wants to prove she was worth it. She sings David Gray's "Babylon" in an elaborate living-room set that we later learn has real pictures of her as a baby. Sharon says Dani did "amazing." She loved "the purity" of the performance and that she sang with passion. Howie says that Dani's one fallback is her choices. He understands she wants to say something with her songs, but she's missing the popularity aspect of the show. He's worried people won't connect with her song choice. Piers says it was a good performance, but, on the negative side, there were parts of the singing that were off key. He also agrees with Howie about the song choice question.Geechy Guy: Howie loves him, Piers hates him. Geechy Guy is ready to take his odd looks and style to the next level. He says that since a comedian has never won the show and maybe this is the year. Piers likely thinks not, having buzzed Geechy Guy about three one-liners in. Howie wonders whether Geechy Guy is good enough to win, but he's a good comic and deserves to make a living. Piers says listening to Geechy Guy's routine is "like being smashed on the head every five seconds by a giant hammer." He calls it "one of the single least funny things I have ever had to watch." Sharon says she gets the silliness about his act and sums it up by telling him he's "silly."Daniel Joseph Baker: The Texas kid who talks often about being bullied back home says he feels like he belongs in Hollywood and says he'll be "turning up the fierceness, times a million dollars." He sings Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory." Piers says he sees the fire in Daniel's belly. He says the singing wasn't perfect but he likes Daniel as a performer, saying he's naturally entertaining. Sharon says it was fantastic and called Daniel a very special person and "a star." Howie says Daniel is "like the next Lady Guy-Guy." Howie says Daniel has to be on the stage, not singing in front of his mirror.'The Rhinestone Ropers: After showing off knives, guns and spinning on wheelers, they've brought a horse. Things seem a little slow and generally off. Piers buzzes them. We later learn that Lucky Joe, the horse, relieved himself a couple of times on stage. Sharon says it was "lovely and nice" but reminded her of Steve Martin trying to entertain his kids in the movie, "Parenthood." Howie says the guns and knives were really big and exciting and this was a little too tame. Piers says it "was a complete trainwreck" and he didn't get it. The cowboy and Piers get into a little back-and-forth about whether the act blew it by bringing the horse on stage.Dylan Andre: The guitarist and singer wants to do with his music what his mom wasn't able to do with hers. He gives a fairly basic performance of a John Mayer song. Howie says he did "good." He says he can tell Dylan has only been singing for a year. Piers says the judges are more harsh at this stage because they're at the "business" portion of the competition, when they're looking for the $1 million act. Piers says he wouldn't pay to watch Dylan, although he's "pleasant." Sharon tries to be nice and says it was pleasant.Landon Swank Landon grew up in Alaska and had a lot of time on his hands, so he practiced magic. He has Nick sign two sides of a mirror. Landon then appeared to push his way out of the mirror, with Nick's signatures still intact. Piers is pleasantly confused and says he's impressed. Sharon wasn't sure what was going on but says it was interesting. Howie says the presentation wasn't as slick as Landon's presentation has been in the past, but he liked it.Smage Bros. Riding Show: The guys who seem to take their assistant's life into their own hands -- or, wheels. They're worried as they try to step up the danger and obstacles for this round. They pulled everything off and the crowd goes nuts. Sharon says it's exciting and "so dangerous." She says it's "just fantastic, amazing." Howie says it's a great act. Piers says it's been a pretty dry night and they were waiting for something to wake them up, and the Smage Bros. did just that.Thomas John: Juggler Thomas John wants to be the spokesperson for his generation to show that comedy juggling is cool. He vows to risk his life doing something dumb for our amusement. The instant a juggling pin even momentarily hits the floor, Piers buzzes him. His big finale, balancing on a board high atop a staircase and juggling five pins, he drops them. Howie points out that Thomas dropped his props a couple of times, but he's funny and he likes him. Piers says it was terrible and didn't like the drops. Sharon says the timing wasn't good.Steven Retchless: Steven says he wants to pave the way for guys to do pole dancing. He stepping up the danger this time. PIers buzzes him about halfway through and Sharon appears to slap him. Afterward, Sharon gives a standing ovation while Piers attempts to explain himself. Piers, amid boos, says he's tried to appreciate the act. He says there's a reason there are no male pole dancing clubs in America. Howie shoots Piers with a water gun. Seriously. Sharon says, "That was spectacular." She bows down to him. Howie calls it truly amazing and says Steven is like a cross between Lady Gaga and a firefighter.Mona Lisa: The singing duo puts its harmonies on Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road." Sharon says they did really well, "great harmonies." She says they just need that right song and they're "going to make it." Howie says he has nothing critical to say, but that they have to do things that stand out to keep up with wild motorcycle acts and male pole dancers. Piers says there are some nice harmonies, but it was "a little bit lacking in the wow factor." He says this was safe and in their comfort zone, and believes they have more potential.Silhouettes: We've only seen them once, but this 42-member group (its youngest member is 3) that makes exciting and creative visual effects using their shadows. They go with an over-the-top patriotic performance in which they use their shadows to form various monuments from sea to shining sea. Piers says it's fresh, creative and original, and that it was "just complete genius." He calls it "a world-class act." Sharon says it's just brilliant and so different from their first performance. Howie calls it "original, unique, wow." He says they're worthy of their own show.

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Episode #6.15

Twelve acts stepped onto the...
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Twelve acts stepped onto the "America's Got Talent" live stage Tuesday night, but eight dreams will be crushed by the time an hourlong results episode is over tonight.After a few words from Howie, in which he claimed that Tuesday night's episode let him feeling like he was dreaming, host Nick Cannon brings us some real results.To the results: Nick calls the Fearless Flores Family, Duo Aero and Snap Boogie to the stage. After a recap of who the judges loved and hated (they pretty much loved the Flores Family and Snap Boogie, and didn't much care for Duo Aero), Nick tells us just one of them will remain in the competition. Piers says he's surprised to see the Floreses and Snap Boogie on stage, but that if he had to choose between them he'd take Snap Boogie. America agrees. Snap Boogie is on to the next round.After a big, long hug from the Flores dad, Snap tells Nick he's "super-happy" and that the crowd gave him all the energy he needed Tuesday to get through a leg injury. Sharon says she's "absolutely overjoyed" and that Snap "really, really" deserves to be there.Nick gives Cedric the Entertainer a chance to plug his new game show, which is ... oh, hey! It's on NBC, just like "America's Got Talent"!Be our guest: Avril Lavigne takes the stage to perform her new single, "Smile." Later, we're treated to a performance from the Tony Award-winning musical, "Priscilla Queen of the Desert."Back to the results: Nick calls for Squonk Opera, Sandau Trio Russian Bar and J. Chris Newberg. The recap comes and we recall that Piers and Sharon both buzzed Squonk Opera, they thought the Sandau Trio was one of the most amazing and dangerous acts they've ever seen, and while Howie loved Mr. Newberg, Piers was not a fan in the least. Only one of the three can go through.Howie says he thinks Chris has a career regardless of what happens here, Squonk Opera may be too weird for America, and that voters will likely have gone with Sandau Trio. He's right. Piers jokes that he's "bitterly disappointed" in the result because the "singers from hell" and the world's least funny -- er, second-least funny comedian" (a shot at Howie) have gone home. He's excited to see what the Russian bar act does next.Up next are Dezmond Meeks, Echo from Animal Gardens and Anna Graceman. The judges were mixed on Dezmond, with Howie saying it was "cruise shippy"; they liked Echo, but maybe not enough for a million dollars; and they loved Anna. Sharon's put on the spot and says she's "confused and worried." She specifically points out Dezmond and Anna first. She doesn't give a prediction. The act going into the semifinals is Anna Graceman. She says she feels "so special" and thanks the voters.Howie reminds us how he told Anna her world is going to change. He tells her that more fans of the show ask him about her than any other act and that she has "arrived."The judges will decide who gets the last spot. The candidates: Those Funny Little People, the Fiddleheads and Miami All Stars. The judges agreed in their adoration of Miami All Stars; Piers hates Those Funny Little People, while the other judges love them; and all the judges generally love the Fiddleheads, but agreed that they took a wrong turn Tuesday with "Billie Jean." One of the three acts will go home based on the votes. And that act is ... Those Funny Little People. Piers stands up in appreciation and Sharon slaps him on the leg while Nick tells him, "That's not nice."That leaves Miami All Stars and The Fiddleheads, who get a chance to make their cases. The leader of the Miami All Stars tells the judges that their whole crew is trained in several other forms of dance, even though they've only shown the ballroom/salsa stuff. He vows that they'll never be bored watching Miami All Stars. The singer from The Fiddleheads calls out the producers, essentially saying the band took bad advice instead of sticking to its own style and he thinks they can make the most of another chance.After a conveniently placed commercial break to give the judges "time to think," Sharon reveals her choice first. She praises both acts, which she acknowledges are very different. She insists she was disappointed with their song choice on Tuesday, so she gives her vote to the Miami All Stars. Piers thanks America for sending home Those Funny Little People. He tells The Fiddleheads they're a good act and they've improved, but his vote goes to Miami All Stars. Howie's vote is rendered moot, and Miami All Stars are into the next round.First four semifinalists: Snap Boogie, Sandau Trio Russian Bar, Anna Graceman and Miami All Stars.

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Episode #6.14

It's time to watch the first dozen...
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It's time to watch the first dozen quarterfinalists perform live on "America's Got Talent," and that can only mean one thing: Finally learning all the correct names of the acts! (And meeting some of the ones who haven't gotten much, if any, face time through the audition process).Tonight's competitors will be: Miami All Stars, Dezmond Meeks, Those Funny Little People, Fearless Flores Family, Squonk Opera, J. Chris Newberg, Snap Boogie, Echo of Animal Gardens, Fiddleheads, Duo Aero, Anna Graceman, and Sandou Trio Russian Bar.Miami All Stars: The drama gets going immediately when the Miami All Stars learn that one of the songs they've been using in rehearsals isn't cleared for use on the live show. They're nervous, but ready to roll. They put on a sizzling performance, synching up what appears to be at least a dozen couples. Piers calls it "fabulous," adding, "It was sexy, fun, vibrant, fun, exciting, colorful ... it's exactly how I dance." Sharon says it was "just spectacular," and notes that their precision is "just perfect." Howie calls it "mucho caliente." He's amazed that they pulled it off with less time than expected to prepare (because of the music hiccup).Dezmond Meeks: Dezmond talks about growing up as an outcast in Louisiana. He's amazed in the studio, realizing he's "actually here." He's nervous about the big moment that awaits when he hits the live stage. He's does a standing-at-the-piano, Little Richard-like rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Satistfaction." He incorporates some Michael Jackson-style dance moves with a half-dozen, gold-mini-skirt-wearing ladies behind him. He admits to Sharon that he's "shaking like a leaf on a tree" and she tells him he has amazing stage presence, confidence, soul and grace -- "however, it's a very fine line between being too cabaret and a little bit cheesy." She warns him "less is more." Howie agrees with what Sharon said, but that he "crossed the line" into "cheesy and cruise ship-y." Piers calls Howie's comments "a load of old tosh." He says the whole point of Dezmond is that he is a cabaret act and is exactly what you'd find in Vegas. "It's not cheesy, it's entertainment," Piers says.Those Funny Little People: The little gnomes show us some of their live in Chicago before making it to Hollywood. Piers vows there's nothing they can do to change his mind. Sure enough, Piers buzzes them just seconds in. Their rain-inspired medley includes "Singin' in the Rain" leading into "It's Raining Men," with a few muscular backup dancers. Howie says they still scare him. Piers doesn't understand "why they're called 'Funny Little People' because they're not funny, they're not little and they're not even people." He says they're just "very, very annoying." The crowd boos. Sharon calls Piers "the king of annoying," but she thinks "that was quite amazing -- groundbreaking, in fact." She says the fact that they annoy Piers makes her love them more.Fearless Flores Family: Raising the stakes after making it straight through to Hollywood, mom is getting added to the mix, putting three motorcycles into the sphere with coordinating the whole situation while standing in the middle. You have to see this act to believe it. A camera fixed to mom's helmet actually detracts from the viewers' experience a bit. Piers calls the act "incredible," and suggest that the next time, they put Howie in the middle with four bikes going at it. Sharon is amazed, but wonders where do they go from here and dad says they've got "all kinds of ideas." Howie says it's "so dangerous," because they could lose an entire family in this act. He says it's the only thing he's seen "where, if mother joins, it gets more dangerous."Squonk Opera: Music, art, outrageous are some of the words used by Squonk Opera to describe what it is. Sharon thinks they're "quite bizarre but interesting." They vow to put everything on the line. There's a big visual element to the act this time around and the judges don't seem very into it. Piers buzzes them part of the way through and Sharon follows a few moments later. Sharon explains that she appreciated their eccentricity, but "that song ... it really was not good" and she "didn't like that it messed with my head." But she does like them because they're all nice. Howie says he didn't buzz because watching them was kind of like a drug and he didn't know where he was. Piers says this was "what I would imagine hell would be like." He rips the pianist and the singer, adding "the whole thing was just completely bonkers."J. Chris Newberg: J. or Chris (or both) says he used to serve subpoenas and now he's trying to be a comedian. He begs for votes, saying he's sensitive and would rather be punched in the face than hear that he's not good. He drops a few one-liners that result in a buzz from Piers. He then goes into a "song" with a choir of bearded children singing the chorus, "That's probably a bad idea" to a few things that are clearly bad ideas. Howie says he would buy a ticket to see J. Chris, and he hopes America likes it. Piers calls it "completely inappropriate." He says Chris brought out a bunch of cute kids to mask the fact that he's not funny. Sharon says his song was "so, so wrong," but she liked it.Snap Boogie: The street dancer talks about going from being the sole provider for his mom (because his brother is in jail) and going from the street to one of the country's biggest stages. He has a leg injury that's preventing him from doing several moves. He has a flock of about 10 dancers all dressed in back acting as the shadows to his every move. Piers says he gets annoyed with other acts because they're all just trying to be annoying, but he thinks that often solo dancers get a bad wrap on the show but Snap Boogie's performance "could be in Vegas tomorrow." Sharon says that what he does goes over and above Vegas. Howie calls it "so slick" and "so professional," and says he's impressed at how Snap took his act from the street to a TV show so smoothly.Echo of Animal Gardens: Despite a bomb of a performance in Vegas, Echo made it to Hollywood. His girlfriend Binky made the trip to support Echo. It seems to have worked. The routine seemed to go off without a hitch. Sharon is laughing because, "Where else would you see a bird singing 'Over the Rainbow'?" Sharon congratulates Echo on a fantastic performance. Howie says Echo's act is the difference between a million-dollar act or a really good birthday party. Piers says Echo was funnier than several of the human comedians the show has seen tonight.The Fiddleheads: The bluegrass band from Georgia puts its own twist on pop songs and are struggling with how to bring the whole act, complete with some sense of choreography, to the level of live TV entertainment. The singer seems a bit nervous and doesn't move as much as the choreographer seems to have wanted him to while the band plays "Billie Jean." Howie says he thinks they made a mistake in song choice -- picking a song :that is so synonymous with performance and with dance and we don't see performance and we don't see dance, there is something missing." Piers says Howie is partly right. He didn't mind the song, but the singer failed to "hit the big notes." Sharon didn't like their outfits or song choice, but she loved them before even though she doesn't think it worked with this song. She tells them not to try and be something they're not, "go back to what you were, because I loved you."Duo Aero: The high-flying trapeze couple talks about how they love working together day and night. Sharon says they can't do what they do without the personal connection they have together. They're ready to make the most of their one shot. Piers buzzed them about halfway through, saying later that he "just got a little bit bored with it." He says they played it safe. Sharon seems to agree, saying they previously showed they were modern and dangerous and their period music turned them into an old-fashioned act. Howie agrees with Piers and Sharon, calling it "a little disappointing." He says it was "very dated."Anna Graceman: The 11-year-old singer and pianist is looking to bounce back from a little stumble on the keys in Vegas. She puts her twist on "What a Wonderful World." Sharon can't believe Anna's just 11, calling her "just incredible." She thinks the song was an odd choice for an 11-year-old, "but it worked." Howie says it was a great choice and says "it is a wonderful world because we get, in this world, to listen to you." He says he's never seen anything quite like her. Piers says the reason he loves the show because it's a place where you can see a 4-foot-4, 11-year-old girl singing Louis Armstrong.Sandou Trio Russian Bar: With the hype built up about how dangerous the act is, Piers wonders how they can possibly top the level of danger they've already shown. They show us: Under the bar will be a bed of nails. One wrong move and, well... They finish with an astounding final stunt. Howie asks if it's worth risking the flipper's life. Piers says he can barely watch when they do the routine. It's "spine tingling." He calls it "the most and dangerous and, I think, exciting thing we've seen in a long time." Sharon says it's everything she loves, both dangerous and beautiful to look at.

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Episode #6.13

The standby acts get their chance to...
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The standby acts get their chance to claim one of the 17 remaining spots in the Top 48. We first see a couple of magicians who show why they were standbys, stumbling over their own props.Landon Swank ups the ante with a levitation illusion that keeps the judges guessing how he pulled it off. Seth Grabel attempts to match the bar Landon set, but his assistant fumble a prop and it's obvious the illusion didn't go as planned.The kids are up next and dancer Lil T (Tanner) makes the judges smile again. Avery and the Calico Hearts are back with their Chipmunks-like sound. Piers tells Howie he's "completely deluded" if he thinks Avery and the gang are stars. Pianist and singer Anna Grayson impresses the judges even though she thinks she messed up a little on the keys.In the danger category, some fire-heavy acts and some daredevil motorcycle riders wow the judges.The dance group offers up a few impressive acts, but 32-year-old Sam B is ready to put on a show. His short shirt gave more of a show than Piers would have liked.The novelty acts bring Leonid the Magnificent, who's dancing now to Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon." Piers is over it.A juggler is pretty good, a bodybuilder is kind of confusing and overwhelming, a yo-yo artist is pretty cool. Meet at Fairfax and Third are back and ready to ... wait... phone call. Headstand guy's cell phone goes off and he takes a few moments to figure it out.The male singers are pretty ho-hum until Mauricio shows up. He's a showman who feels at home in Vegas. He's doing a medley that goes from "Strangers in the Night" to the Bee Gees' "Staying Alive." He has trouble maintaining his falsetto. Daniel Joseph Baker gets teary as he talks about how much the audition means to him. He gives a captivating performance that becomes a bit odd when he props his foot up on the end of the keys. But the judges love him anyway.The judges break some bad news to a lot of folks before giving the Russian bar group and motorcycle stunt guys passes to Hollywood. Avery and the Calico Hearts, the little rapping dudes, Anna Grayson and another young girl singer whose name wasn't given are moving on to Hollywood, as well. Standby magicians Landon Swank and Seth Grabel are both in. The juggler and yo-yo guy are both in. America is going to get the chance to decide whether Sam B is real entertainment. The big dance groups are also through to the next round. Two more male singers whose names didn't jump out made it through, as did Mauricio and Daniel Joseph Baker.

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Episode #6.11

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Episode #6.10

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions are in, well, we don't really know because no one mentioned it.Things get started quickly with a couple of nearly lifelong friends who say they've been preparing for five years to show off their talent.Eric and Christlo, a couple of friends who've known each other since middle school, get things started with a truly terrible singing and dancing rendition of TLC's "Waterfalls." Sharon thinks they're adorable, but says this after she buzzed them. They're gone, and on come some more crazies, including a guy who dances while suspended form an overhead wire by his hair, a quartet of dancing ladies with absurdly large butt enhancements, and a truly terrible magician.A dance group called Fatally Unique that has come together as a family and found rehearsal space whenever and wherever they can. The crowd loves the groups high-intensity presentation. Sharon calls them "strong dancers" and Howie says they're different. Piers hates their costumes, but loves the dancing. With three yeses, they're off the Vegas.They start a string of quality acts, including a yo-yo specialist, a bodybuilder who flexes to music, and a shy and semi-awkward singer-guitarist who wins over the crowd and judges.Burlesque dancer Tomahawk Tassels does a tease that results in her strategically covering her otherwise topless self with a canoe paddle. It's a lot of fun for about a minute until Piers and Sharon send her packing.A 42-year-old technical writer turned housewife named Cindy Chang is a singer full of nervous laughter and energy. She says she always wanted to be a singer but her parents said no. And, just like that, Cindy becomes the first "who would've believed that?" opera singer of the season. She's so full of nerves that she breaks down crying and shaking as soon as she's done singing. The crowd chants "Vegas, Vegas" as she wipes away her tears. Piers says her parents would be thinking, "Big mistake," if they saw her sing. She tells Howie she was emotional because she couldn't believe she was there. She took her first voice lesson in her mid-to-late 20s and her voice teacher told her it was too late for her. She's all smiles (and some tears) when the judges tell her she's going to Vegas.Mike Stone & the Kritikal Band have the crowd in a groove, but Piers buzzes them. Afterward, he says they should thank him because as soon as he hit the buzzer, they stepped it up. With three yes votes, they're on to Vegas.Fantastic Fig, a 76-year-old magician who keeps his cat, Newton, on his shoulder. The judges are impressed at his ability to "guess" which cards they randomly choose from the deck. Afterward, Fig says it's time to dance, so he and his quartet of female backup dancers start dancing. Howie buzzes him. Howie says no to the dancing, but yes to the magic. Piers is on board, as well, and Fig and his ladies are going to Vegas.GTR, which stands for "Girls That Rock," are a duo of full-figured ladies who, well, rock. After a lot of booming and a lot of shaking, they get three buzzes.The Fearless Flores Family is a father and his 13-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son who are self-proclaimed daredevils. The kids ride motorcycles in a large metal globe while their father stands in the middle. Piers calls it one of the most exciting things he's ever seen on the show. Sharon calls it "absolutely perfection."

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Auditions in the Big Apple

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions head to New York and start with a quartet of performers calling themselves Triple Threat. They do Broadway-style routines complete with singing, dancing and acting. Yikes. It starts a little shaky and only gets worse. Sharon buzzes first, then Howie. After a while, Piers finally drops the dreaded third X on them and suggests that they change their costumes, the singing, the dancing, the hand waving.Things just get worse as a guy tries to eat a pumpkin pie in 90 seconds, an orchestra with guys who use typewriters as instruments, and a guy in a pirate suit with a parrot that won't cooperate.A guy names Snap Boogie says he loves dancing more than anything in the world. The crowd goes nuts for this guy and the judges soon follow. Howie says he's "fantastic." Piers says Snap is exciting, a little dangerous and a bit wild. He likes it. Sharon says it's tough being a dancer on your own, but she thinks he was fantastic.Michael Turco wows the crowd and the judges with his ability to make women appear in cages, boxes and from behind capes.Riley Schillaci is a sword swallower, saying she's one of fewer than 20 women who do this. She swallows a sword and a wooden stick that she hammers down her throat. She then asks Nick, who's barely holding it together as it is, to pull a sword out of her throat while she hula hoops. She's pretty dry, and Howie mocks her for the "joy" she conveys while working her craft. With no votes all around, she's gone.Steven Retchless surprises everyone when he comes out in only silver shorts and some silver body paint and says he's going to pole dance. Sharon and the crowd love it. Howie's slightly uncomfortable but says he appreciates it. Piers holds onto his manly position of not wanting to see more of Steve. Sharon votes yes and Howie eventually follows suit. Steve's in, and Nick goes on stage to try his hand (and other parts) at pole dancing.A guy named ELEW essentially assaults a piano for a while as we vaguely make out the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama." Sharon likes it, Howie is wild about some tricky things he did. They all call him a genius and send him on to Vegas.Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., a car washer from West Virginia, says he never auditioned for anything but wants to display what he thinks is his talent. He says he doesn't want to see another rubber tire again. The dreadlocked, "aww-shucks" car washer turns things upside down when he busts out a Frank Sinatra-esque voice for "I've Got You Under My Skin." Piers says he was expecting a total trainwreck. Howie tells Landau his life is "never going to be the same." Landau cries as the crowd stands and cheers, "Vegas! Vegas! Vegas!" With three yes votes, we'll be seeing Landau in Vegas.

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East Coast Auditions

We start the night with host NIck...
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We start the night with host NIck Cannon swimming among the fish in the largest aquarium in the world in Atlanta, where the auditions return for a second visit.First up is Hershae Chocolatae, a self-described "drag queen with talent they haven't seen, skills that they won't believe and skills that is bursting at the seams." Initially, the Macy Gray impression doesn't do much for the crowd or the judges, but when Donna Summer's "Last Dance" comes through the speakers and Hershae starts dancing and flipping all over the stage, the crowd goes nuts. Piers isn't into it, though, and buzzes Hershae. Howie and Sharon love it. Piers admits he "must be something here," and Sharon says, "Yes, you are -- a bloody sense of humor." With yeses from Howie and Sharon, Hershae isn't dancing her last dance just yet.Hershae starts a run of impressive acts, including a jump-roping team; a bluegrass band called the Fiddleheads that puts its own spin on popular songs (in this case, Cee Lo's "Forget You"); and a 6-year-old DJ.Up next is a group called Attack Dance Crew, who put together some decent choreographed moves but certainly don't rival any of the better dance crews the show has seen. The crowd loves them, though. Piers loves it, but Howie thinks it looks like a cheerleading team. Piers tries to "apologize for Howie." He gives them a yes. Howie's a no. Left up to Sharon, Piers says there's "absolutely no way we're sending these guys home." The crowd starts to cheer and Sharon is left with virtually no choice. She pauses for effect, but we all know where this is headed. "I'm going to have to say yes," she finally says.It's time for the weirdos and for some reason, we see a person in a full body suit with some kind of orifice from which "it" expels things onto the stage -- oh, all while riding a stationary bike. The think doesn't speak and leaves without hearing any judges' comments. A guy trying to act like a robot, a terrible yodeler and a bad dancer soon follow.Captain and Maybelle are a husband-and-wife team that vows to give a 90-second glimpse into the life of Captain and Maybelle. He swallows a coat hanger. Piers buzzes them. Then, the Captain swallows a sword attached to a pole that has cement blocks hanging from the ends. Piers turned around but says that when he did, all he saw was the audience loving every minute of it. Howie gives them a yes. Sharon says it's not for her. Left to Piers, who buzzed them, he gives them another shot based on their ability to make a connection with the audience.Armand and Angelina share the story of how they fell in love. He says that when they sing it's "like making love with our music to everybody." They announce they're going to do a rock opera version of a popular song. It's a spectacularly bad version of "My Heart Will Go On," that draws X's from Piers and Sharon after one verse. Howie is intrigued, though. Sharon can't stop laughing. Howie takes the "so bad it's good" approach, calling it "so ridiculous, it's wonderful." He says he would love to see them again. Piers agrees it's ridiculous. With one yes and one no, Sharon decides to give them another shot, much to the chagrin of the crowd, which boos the decision.Anna Graceman, an 11-year-old from Juneau, Alaska, traveled across the continent to try out. She sings and plays piano and is going to have to work through some nerves. She wows the crowd with her strong vocals on Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You." The judges love her, and Howie asks her if she's ready to be the center of attention for people all over America. Anna gives an exaggerated look of anxiety, but she's ready. She'd better be. She's heading to Vegas.

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Episode #6.5

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions are back in Seattle to see what kind of talent the Emerald City has to offer on its second visit. Howie Mandel's driver isn't too convinced they'll find anything there when Howie asks if he thinks Seattle is a talented city. His response, "No, not really."Sharon is excited because "Seattle is the home of so many superstars" and because "it's one of the coolest cities in America."Brian Jackson from Muskogee, Okla., says his talent is different than most. He's broken bones and broken records. He's going to attempt one here. He carries a backpack on stage. His talent: Blowing up hot water bottles until they explode. He blows them up with his own breath. His goal is to pop three in less than 68 seconds. Piers buzzes him shortly into it, later calling it "one of the most pointless things I have ever watched in my entire life." Brian failed to pop even one, saying he's never tried that brand before.A run of bad acts while Brian goes backstage and continues to try to pop that bottle. We see a terrible comic, a drag performer doing all of Madonna's persona changes, and a "robot" made out of a trash can and cardboard telling bad robot jokes. And Brian finally pops the hot water bottle.After a commercial break, we still aren't spared the worst Seattle has to offer. A man named Alaska, who is from Alaska, has flowing red hair pulled back in a headband. His "freestyle" dance gets mixed reactions from the crowd. The ones who like seeing trainwrecks love it, everyone else doesn't. Howie decides he wants Alaska to go and be free, "so it's a no for here, but I want you to go and flourish ... somewhere else." Nick Cannon comes on stage to have Alaska show the crowd how to do "the Alaska dance."If things don't turn around in Seattle soon, there could be trouble. The producers probably know this. Two segments in, and we've seen nothing worthwhile. Nick makes the obvious joke that "the auditions have been just like the weather: Terrible."A curious-looking fellow named Geechy Guy (a name he got in college that he says means "crazy"). He says he's in the Guinness Book of World Records for telling more than 600 jokes in one hour. He starts tossing out one-liners like nobody's business. He's sweating through his suit, he's so nervous. Howie assures him, "There's no reason to sweat -- you're funny." Piers says he didn't find it funny, but the audience clearly likes him. Howie says yes, Piers no. Sharon says yes and Geechy Guy is the first of the night to make it.Suddenly, the auditions are on a roll. Illumini Men's Chorale gives Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time" an operatic treatment that Piers calls "genius." A pole dancer named Soleil Rousseau says she learned her skills while working in a fire station. Seriously. An acrobatic magician named Seth Grabel wows the crowd was some fast-paced disappearing tricks.The night continues to go to the dogs as a 2-year-old pooch named Amadeus pushes pool balls around into the pockets of the table. Piers loves it, but Howie and Sharon don't think Amadeus can do much else. Piers is upset, but Howie says "it's a trick, it's not a show."A trio of guys calling themselves The BGP say they've been together since they were 13, and been through so much. They're all now fathers and their music intertwines with their family lives. Their wives and kids watch as the singer bursts into "Bennie and the Jets." Sharon says she can tell they're very professional and know what they're doing, but she would have liked to see them make it more of their own. Piers says they're talented and the lead singer has enough charisma. Howie agrees that they're great. Their adorable kids quietly sneak on stage and before long, they've run on. Howie says yes. Sharon takes a moment before saying yes. Piers either voted quickly or not at all, but they're in.A well-dressed group of young hip-hop dancers, ages 8 to 10, calling themselves The Art of Teknique take the stage with the goal of wanting to show the crowd what little kids can do. Wearing shirts, ties and vests, the kids start to do their thing. They're actually pretty good and the crowd chants, "Vegas!" Nick assures their parents that, "They're not just good for kids, they're really good dancers." Three yeses gets them to Vegas.A woman named Marylee says she's all about her passion: writing music. Once on stage, she tells the rest of the story, revealing that her songs are written for dead people. Here, she has a special song written "for someone here," but this person is alive. It's about Piers, which we already knew, because they've teased this performance about five times throughout the evening. Nick sobs in the wings of the stage as the tribute to Piers carries on. Piers gives her a standing ovation. He calls it "about as good a song as I've ever heard." Sharon says Marylee really does have a gift, but questions if it's right for the show. Howie says no. Piers gives "a resounding yes." Left to Sharon, she says that "one song for Piers is enough" and says no. Nick comes out with his vigil candle for Piers, carrying on as if Piers was taken too soon.

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Chicago Auditions

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Minneapolis Auditions

A blizzard in Minneapolis has Piers...
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A blizzard in Minneapolis has Piers Morgan stuck, which will make for an adjustment in the rules. One no vote will eliminate a contestant, and two yeses will get them through.Another bird act starts the day in Minneapolis. This time it's a parrot named Echo that sings and does animal noises. She starts a string of yeses, including "Mrs. Smith," a drag act with a heavy metal guitarist dressed as a proper older lady; The St. Lukes Bottle Band; and The Halls of Magic, a sort of cheesy magic act that somehow makes it work.Lys Agnes says she wants to sing. She cries as she explains that her fiance was killed in a car crash. She says he'd be upset if she didn't sing again. After two years, she says, "It's time to sing again; it's time to feel alive again."She shows off a solid operatic voice with "Ave Maria." The crowd and the judges are captivated and they stand to a massive cheer when she nails the high note to end it. She gets yeses, and Howie genuinely believes he's speaking for Piers when he says Piers would have loved her performance.Howie and Sharon are watching a little person do burlesque as Piers approaches after having taken 18 hours to get from New York to Minneapolis. Piers is in a crabby mood.Those Funny Little People -- literally, little people dressed in stuffed gnome costumes -- get Piers to buzz them halfway through. Piers calls it one of the most pathetic things he's ever seen. Howie says yes, Piers says no, but Sharon votes yes. Piers is annoyed that they're in, so Howie invites gnomes to Piers' dressing room to hang out.The acts just got more weird, including a 39-year-old guy shouting "gas mask" and getting sprayed by fire extinguishers; a girl piercing herself; and a guy named Sid Yiddish who did something inexplicable but vaguely offensive.Walt Winston says he has 70 "Number 1" hits and is ready to continue that legacy. Here, he just racks up three X's. That doesn't stop this from turning into a Nick Cannon-sing-along.The Silhouettes are an art and dance troupe at put on a pretty cool display. Howie thinks it was "beautiful" and Piers demands to see the director. They're only 9 to 18, which Sharon finds remarkable. They're on to Vegas.Tim Ford, the Kinetic King, creates chain reactions. Tim awkward in a fun kind of way. He sends tongue depressors flying all over the place.Howie loves it, as does Piers. He has a whole list of career ambitions, but it all starts with winning "America's Got Talent." With three yes votes, he's on to Las Vegas.

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Episode #6.2

Nick Cannon stands atop the Space...
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Nick Cannon stands atop the Space Needle and Howie Mandel turns the wrong way down one-way streets as the anticipation builds for the Seattle auditions on "America's Got Talent."Up first, Melissa Villasenor wants to be a comedian and impressionist. She gets some laughs with a Barbara Walters interview with Natalie Portman, but she wins them over with her Miley Cyrus, Kathy Griffin and Christina Aguilera. Sharon Osbourne tells her she won't be working in retail much longer. Piers Morgan calls it a "sensational audition." Howie says she's adorable to watch and "a star." Yeses all around send Melissa to Vegas.The A+C Twins are ready for stardom, aiming to sell millions of albums. They say they can be "as big as the Jackson Five." With an awkward side-to-side dance, their rendition of "My Girl" falls flat. Piers buzzes them quickly, but Sharon and Howie let them continue, for some reason. "Guys, you can't sing," Sharon tells them. Howie takes them up on a challenge, when they claim they can sing way better than him, but turns out to be just as bad.This kicks off a string of terrible auditions, including a rap-meets-magic routine that Piers called "one of the most stupid things I've ever seen in my life."Anita McCoy, a 69-year-old dance teacher wins love from the crowd, but not from Piers, who buzzed her. Howie votes yes, but Sharon gives her a no even though she loves Anita's spirit.A group of Kenyan acrobats called Zuma Zuma pulls of some remarkable tricks in a high-energy routine. Piers says he's never seen a tumbling act without mats. Howie and Sharon love them, too, and they're heading to Vegas.A young band called POPLYFE made the trip from Oakland to audition. The crowd loves them and so do Howie and Sharon, but Piers doesn't think they're quite ready. Piers tries to create dysfunction by asking the singer if she'd move on without her band, and she says no. Left up to Sharon, she says yes.A monstage of quality acts, follows, including an aerial acrobatics couple, an 8-year-old singer, and a dance crew that Piers calls "one of the freshest routines I've seen in a long time."Mauricio Herrera, a superstar in Costa Rica, where he grew up, doesn't go over quite as well here. The crowd boos incessantly while he continues to sing Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca." Howie says yes just because he wants to see another of Mauricio's shiny shirts in Vegas. Piers buzzed Mauricio and never wants to see him again, but Howie begs Sharon to vote yes, and succeeds. Mauricio is in.Cartlon Baltimore, 56, is a one-man band and one of his specialities is making horns out of paper cups. He insists he's "one of a kind." The first thing he does is pull out his front teeth. Piers buzzes Carlton quickly and reaches over and hits Sharon's buzzer, much to her chagrin. Piers gets up and walks away. Howie tells Carlton he looks like David Letterman. Sharon gives Carlton a no. Howie tries to cast a yes vote on Piers' behalf, but Nick explains Piers has to make the vote himself. Piers is pulled back on stage while Nick and Carlton do a duet on "When the Saints Go Marching In." Piers comes back and says it's clear there's been a movement forming while he's been away. He says he's man enough to admit when he's wrong. Then adds, "But this won't be one of those times. It's a no."Howie and Piers continue their "feud" backstage, where Piers tells Howie that their ideas of what's funny don't match, and Piers closes his dressing-room door in Howie's face.

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Finale: Winner Revealed

After a summers worth of auditions,...
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After a summers worth of auditions, judges buzzers, critiques and eliminations, one of the four finalists was finally set to be crowned the $1 million winner of Americas Got Talent. Of course, wed have to wade through two hours worth of filler to get there.After the highlights from Tuesday nights performances, judge Piers Morgan said its been an unforgettable season with unmatched talent.In an effort to draw the whole experience out a bit, each of the contestants was slated to perform a duet with one of their heroes.Apparently, Prince Poppycocks only possible duet partner was Donna Summer. So, that happened.Be our guest: The cast of Cirque du Soleils Beatles-based show, Love, performed. Later, for some reason that Im sure makes sense to someone, the Goo Goo Dolls came on stage and played for a bit. Toward the end of the night, Usher and crew paid a visit to perform his song, DJ Got Us Falling in Love.Back to the duets, Michael Grimm was joined by one of his music heroes, Jewel. He seemed about as surprised by the pairing as we did. They sang Janis Joplins Me and Bobby McGee together, which was actually pretty cool, and surprising.The next duet was pretty clever. From the announcement of the whole concept, the obvious question was: Who will Fighting Gravity perform with? Well, it was Lionel Richie and they did their act to his classic, Dancing on the Ceiling.After a trip down Memory Lane, Nick Cannon joined Sonjetta (from the auditions), who performed her original song, Studio. (You might remember the catchy line, Ill be in my studio, studio). She was shocked, and nearly cried when T-Pain arrived on stage to finish the remix version of the song.A montage of some of the wildest acts from this season followed.The shows 10-year-old opera star, Jackie Evancho, got a chance to perform with Broadway legend Sarah Brightman to perform the classical crossover stars Time to Say Goodbye.There was a montage of Howies attempts to get on Piers nerves throughout the season, both on and off screen. Then, in an homage to the great illusionists who performed this season, David Cooperfield gave a sampling of his work.To the results: Nearly 90 minutes into the show, some results were announced. With the entire top four on the stage, Nick announced that the first act out of the running and taking fourth place was ... Prince Poppycock.Piers said he did make a mistake buzzing Prince Poppycock on Tuesday, then joked he should have buzzed him 10 seconds earlier. He then told Poppycock that his performance Wednesday night with Donna Summer was exactly the type of thing he should be doing.After a commercial break, we learned the next act out, and finishing in third place was ... Fighting Gravity.Finally, it was down to two: Michael Grimm and Jackie Evancho. Which would win the $1 million grand prize? Howie said the right two acts were standing there. He asked Jackie if she was handling the big moment OK. She smiled and nodded.Nick built up the drama, and revealed that the winner of the $1 million was ... Michael Grimm. He hugged Jackie and made sure she was alright. She smiled and said the experience had been amazing and she hoped to come back and sing on the show again. Michael was shocked, speechless and excited.

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Episode #5.30

After a drawn-out opening, complete...
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After a drawn-out opening, complete with the requisite montage of moments from the summer that brought us to the final four, the remaining quartet was ready to perform.Prince Poppycock: The flamboyant opera man said he was looking to push himself even further in an effort to win this thing. He performed a dramatic interpretation of the opera classic Nessun Dorma. Piers buzzed him just before the finish, but the Prince earned a standing ovation from the crowd -- including Sharon Osbourne. Piers said Prince Poppycock had blown it. He said Poppycocks act had lost its fun, and he said the singer had taken himself too seriously. Sharon told Piers that buzzing Poppycock was a selfish thing to do, because the final performance should have been all about the performer, not Piers. Howie said it was still brilliant, but the question was whether America would embrace a more serious performance from him.Michael Grimm: The bluesy rocker reminded us that the whole reason he was competing for his grandparents, in his continuing effort to help them rebound after losing their home to Hurricane Katrina. He had his guitar with him, along with a full band and a decent-sized string section as he performed When a Man Loves a Woman. The crowd was again on its feet and Sharon said she got the old goose bumps going. She then said her husband had bet $100 that Michael would win, and he might be right. Howie said Michael keeps getting better and better, and that this was his best performance of the season. He then bet that Ozzy Osbourne would be $100 richer by Wednesday night. Piers said this was more like it, and said that Michael could represent America with that performance.Jackie Evancho: The 10-year-old opera singer couldnt believe she was in the finals just months after having been at home doing chores and playing with friends. She said she was nervous because the song she chose for the final was a difficult one. She sang Ave Maria. Howie, in an effort to give her a compliment, said he imagines that when he dies, he'll hear Jackie Evancho's voice. Piers said the point of the show is to find undiscovered talent, and said he'd never seen an act with more potential than she has. He called it perfection. Sharon said she understood how difficult that song is to sing, and she sang it beautifully.Memory Lane: A quick medley from some of the best variety acts from the season included Harmonica Pierre, Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon, Michael Grasso, Haspop, Anna & Patryk and Studio One Young Beast Society.Fighting Gravity: The Virginia Tech frat guys who bring new meaning to the old phrase dancing in the dark, said they'd learned a lot about themselves and what a bunch of average guys can do when they focus on something. They said their final performance was intended to portray a battle between good and evil. The crowd roared with approval as the group introduced a whole two-level presentation that brought a new twist to the act. The ovation spilled into Piers comments. He said it was a brilliantly clever act, and said that whatever happens tonight, this act will be in Vegas. He said they made one bad mistake toward the end that took out some of the magic. Sharon said its a good thing the decision isnt up to Piers, and she said America will vote. Howie told them they are what makes this show special, because their type of variety is what makes it work. He stressed again that viewers need to vote.

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Episode #5.29

The Top 10 acts on Americas Got...
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The Top 10 acts on Americas Got Talent performed on Tuesday, and Wednesday it was finally time to see which final four would perform for the ultimate $1 million prize.Judge Howie Mandel said he was glad he didnt have to vote, and assured it would be a night of surprises. Host Nick Cannon got right to it, by calling the first two acts to the stage.To the results: Magician Michael Grasso and operatic showman Prince Poppycock were the first two performers to learn their fates. Piers Morgan said he wasnt expecting that either of the two would be going home, and said he was shocked.Nick announced that the first act moving into the final four was ... Prince Poppycock. Michael said all his dreams had come true on the show, and thanked America for getting him this far. Prince Poppycock had a message for every kid who feels picked on or like an outsider: Look at me right now, and understand that dreams can come true.Be our guest: The cast of American Idiot, the Broadway musical version of Green Days smash hit album, performed songs from the show. Later, Grammy-winner Sarah McLachlan paid a visit to perform her new single, Forgiveness.Back to the results: Nick called Michael Grimm and Taylor Mathews to the stage. Howie said hed like to keep them both, but it wasnt up to him. Nick announced that the second act moving on to the final four was ... Michael Grimm. Taylor said he was super happy about everything thats happened, and said he couldnt complain about any of it. Michael said he thought it was over for him while he was standing next to Taylor. Piers said Michael has a real chance at winning this.Bike stuntman Jeremy VanSchoonhoven and singing sister Christina & Ali were next to the stage. The act moving on to the next round was ... neither. Stunned, Jeremy said the experience was definitely worth it. Ali said she and her sister enjoyed themselves and that all they wanted was to touch some peoples lives.With two spots still open, Jackie Evancho and Anna & Patryk were called to center stage. Piers said they were two fabulously talented acts, and whatever happens, youre going to have great futures and great careers. The act moving on was Jackie Evancho.Finally, with one spot on the line, Fighting Gravity and Studio One Young Beast Society stepped up to find out which of them was going to stay in the competition, and which would come just one spot short. Based on Americas vote, the last act to get one last shot at the $1 million was ... Fighting Gravity.The Final Four: Operatic showman Prince Poppycock, singer-guitarist Michael Grimm, 10-year-old opera singer Jackie Evancho, and floating black-light frat guys Fighting Gravity.

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Top 10

If you thought all that talk of...
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If you thought all that talk of semifinals the past two weeks meant this week was the Americas Got Talent finals, guess again. Why stop now, when we could stretch this season out for another week?The Top 10 competed for Americas vote Tuesday night, and this time around there would be no judges choice. The vote will determine everything this time, and the top four vote-getters will compete next week for the $1 million grand prize.Judge Piers Morgan threw down the gauntlet, saying that the acts had to be absolutely perfect tonight.Studio One Young Beast Society: The young, reckless dance crew, which focuses on its tricks when choreographing its routines, said they were trying tricks on Tuesday that theyd never done before. There were some tremendous flips that got the crowd on its feet. What a start, Piers said, adding that he really liked that the group got more ambitious every time on stage. He called it a brilliant performance. Sharon said their passion and ambition shows and loved that theyve really pushed themselves.Christina & Ali: The sisters said their supportive parents were the reason they were able to make it to the Top 10, and they promised to step it up by doing a song with a good beat. Sharon said she loved them, and praised Christina for hitting some of her big notes. She said she could tell the sisters really enjoyed their performance. Howie said he loved them, too, but wondered if their very nice, enjoyable act could stand up to the death-defying stunts that some of the other performers are doing. Piers said theyd blossomed into these natural entertainers. He again said they werent the best singers, but that they bring a little bit more than just singing to the competition.Jeremy VanSchoonhoven: Jeremy said that his fall during last weeks rehearsals was the worst of his life, and added that he hadnt had another chance to ride his bike until he went on stage live. He dedicated his performance to his wife, Melissa. Piers said that Jeremy was either going to win, or die trying. He went even bigger, climbing his bike up and down and over obstacles. Howie said he wondered how Jeremy could follow up last weeks performance, but said this was amazing. Piers wondered, What do you say? He guaranteed one thing: Nobody is a crowd pleaser like Jeremy. Sharon said her stomach was in knots every time he performs, and that he gets more and more confident with every performance.Taylor Mathews: The singer said music helped him overcome some shyness in his youth. Piers said in the intro that Taylor isnt the best singer in the Top 10, but he could become the best performer. He did an upbeat version of What a Wonderful World. Piers asked who chose the song and arrangement, and Taylor said he did it himself. Piers then called it Taylors best performance. Sharon said Taylor was so clever in making his own arrangement on the song. Howie agreed, and said Taylor was back in the running, as he had been earlier in the competition.Anna & Patryk: The young ballroom dancers said they were so lucky to be in the Top 10. They started upbeat routine with a timed walk down some steps while holding masks over their faces. Anna took a spills down the steps, but powered through the rest of the routine without incident. She started to cry a bit as soon as the dance was done, and Sharon asked if she was alright. When Anna said she was fine, Sharon said it was the sign of a true professional. The crowd cheered. Sharon said it happens to everyone, and that she shouldnt get down on herself. Howie told her not to cry, and that she was wonderful, and that millions of people at home wish they had a fraction of her talent. Piers said he understood she was crying because it seemed like things couldnt get any worse, and the fact that she got up as if nothing had happened is what being a star is all about.Be our guest: A rare performance-night guest appearance came from Enrique Iglesias, who performed I Like It.Fighting Gravity: The Virginia Tech frat guys who dropped out of school for the semester to focus on the competition, said they based Tuesdays performance on an epic moment in Americas history. Howie just said, Wow, as usual. He said they surprised the judges again, and said it was amazing that they came up with this routine in a couple of days. Piers said the act seemed to get bigger and more surprising every time out. He said theyd all taken a big risk, and that their act is the one that says to me, Las Vegas. Sharon, as shes done before, put them next in the sequence among Cirque du Soleil and The Blue Man Group.Michael Grimm: The singer and guitarist said everything in his life has been hard. He said his grandmother is the talk of the town in his Mississippi home. His grandparents were going to be in the audience, and he didnt want to blow it. For the first time, he was going to perform without his guitar. Piers said Michaels performance showed his confidence, and that it was perfectly executed. Sharon commented on what a difference losing the guitar made to his performance. Howie agreed, and said that he saw Michael connecting with the audience more than in the past.Michael Grasso: The illusionist, who made his comeback after being a wild-card choice, said he wanted to perform for his family, which has supported him his whole life. Michael did another bait and switch move with a couple of assistants. Sharon said Michael delivers every single week. She said she really hopes hell go through. Howie crowned Michael the king of magic. He demanded to know how the trick was done. Piers said America has an impossible job tonight because of the talent involved.Prince Poppycock: Prince Poppycock, in regular clothing, said his moms support has meant the world to him, and its been nice to show her that maybe he wasnt so crazy. He said Tuesdays performance was Poppycocks love letter back to America for getting him into the Top 10. Howie said he didnt know if that was what the forefathers had in mind, but... Poppycock is a show. He said it was truly a spectacle, truly unique, and there are no words to describe what you do. Piers agreed, and said he was rendered temporarily speechless. Sharon said there was no end to Poppycock.Jackie Evancho: The 10-year-old opera queen from Pittsburgh said she really wanted to make her family proud. She unleashed her angelic voice on the crowd, this time backed by a small choir. Piers made it all about him, saying that, when you hit those high notes, I knew that in 40 years time -- if Im still alone -- I will be now known as the guy who helped discover Jackie Evancho. Sharon said it was heavenly. She added, Its one of those performances that I will never, ever forget. Howie asked Jackie if shed ever swallowed a grown-up, because it sounds like she did. Howie then said it was honor to be here on the night that youre singing in front of Piers Morgan.

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Episode #5.27

With just five spots left in the top...
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With just five spots left in the top 10, the 12 semifinalists who performed Tuesday night on Americas Got Talent would learn their fate in Wednesdays results show. Host Nick Cannon got straight to some results.To the results: Nick called singer Debra Romer, illusionists Michael Grasso and Murray, and singer Nathaniel Kenyon to the stage. Piers said that any one of the four, in previous years, would have had a place in the final. But the talent level is higher this year. He said Debra isnt quite finished, and Nathaniel didnt have a great performance. He said the two magicians are great, but Murray fell a little flat on Tuesday, and Michael stood out. The act moving into the next round was ... Michael Grasso. Piers said he was very happy and that it was great to see a wild-card act get into the Top 10.Be our guests: The cast of the Las Vegas show, Le Reve, stopped by to offer a sampling of the epic production. Later, singer Jason Derulo paid a visit to sing his new single, Ridin Solo.Back to the results: Fighting Gravity and bike stuntman Jeremy VanSchoonhoven were called to the stage. Between the two acts on stage, Sharon said she was confused and said they both deserved to move on. Nick announced the act moving into the Top 10 was ... BOTH! The Fighting Gravity guys quickly went over to Jeremy and included him in their group celebration.Next, Nick called dancer Haspop, little opera singer Jackie Evancho, and pianist Maestro Alexander Bui to the stage. To no ones surprise, Nick announced that the act moving to the next round was Jackie Evancho. Piers asked her what shed spend her $1 million on if she were to win, and she said she wasnt sure, but probably something for the animals.Finally, Nick called the final three acts to the stage: Studio One Young Beast Society, aerialists Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon, and singer Alice Tan Ridley. The first act out was Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon.That left Studio One Young Beast Society and Alice Tan Ridley, with the judges making the final call. For her part, Alice said she should move on because shes older and only has a few years left. One of Studio Ones dancers said the judges know how hard theyve worked and they can be sure that they wont be let down.Piers said this was the cruelest moment of the entire season, and said it would be heartbreaking for one of them. He told Alice it was her bad fortune that there are so many good singers in the competition. He told Studio One Young Beast Society they were great. He said he was going with the act who made him feel like it should really be in the Top 10: Studio One.Sharon said Alices performance Tuesday was sensational. She told the dancers they have great enthusiasm and that they were great role models for the youth of America. Sharon finally decided she was going to put Studio One Young Beast Society through. With two votes, the process was done and Alice Tan Ridley was sent packing -- one spot shy of the Top 10.The Top 10:Studio One Young Beast Society (dancers)Fighting Gravity (black-light enthusiasts)Jeremy VanSchoonhoven (biker stuntman)Jackie Evancho (10-year-old opera singer)Michael Grasso (illusionist/magician)Christina & Ali (singers)Taylor Mathews (singer-guitarist)Prince Poppycock (opera singer)Ana & Patryk (12-year-old ballroom dancers)Michael Grimm (singer-guitarist)

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Episode #5.26

The next batch of Americas Got Talent...
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The next batch of Americas Got Talent semifinalists each had 90 seconds to impress the judges and America in an effort to remain in the million-dollar competition. Host Nick Cannon wasted no time in getting to the action.Alice Tan Ridley: The former New York subway singer, and mother of Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe, vowed to give it her all because she knew the opportunity in her hands at the age of 57. She said Whitney Houstons I Have Nothing. Piers Morgan said that in a big year for singers, Alice gave an incredibly strong performance. Sharon Osbourne said it had been so long since Ive heard that song sung that way. She said she had goosebumps, and said, from one 57-year-old to another, Alice looked fabulous. Howie said Alice has touched the heart of America.Haspop: The French street dancer who left his family behind to follow his dream, was intent to tell more stories through his dancing, and thats what Sharon said she wanted to see. It was an odd little scene, in which Haspop did some give-and-take with action on the screen behind him. Piers buzzed him near the end. Sharon said she respected the way he tried to step up the sophistication of the performance, but somehow it didnt work for me. Howie disagreed, and said there werent a lot of dancers that could do what he did, and that the video brought it to a whole new level. Piers said it was all a little bit over my head and said he would have preferred to see Haspop dance more rather than see some guy on the screen behind him.Maestro Alexander Bui: The piano whiz said it was the best feeling he ever had when he learned he was still in the competition. This week, he promised hed bring a combination of classical style and pop music. Howie buzzed him about halfway through. Howie tried to explain himself while Piers wondered, How could you do that? Howie said Alexanders talent was unquestioned, but its apples and oranges in comparison to the other acts in the competition. Piers called Howie an ignoramus. Piers said that Alexander was one of the most brilliant performers weve had. Sharon said it was the most difficult piece to play and said it was very exciting. Howie was booed again when he said it just wasnt as exciting as other acts.Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon: The aerial dancers who shocked everyone with their last performance said they were going to try to win Americas hearts this time. Their intense routine, which featured them in angelic roles in the clouds pleading for each others love. Piers said there werent any big stunts, but he wondered whether they were needed at all because he really liked the performance. Sharon agreed and said she really loved it. Howie said it was scary and his heart was racing as he wanted them picking each other up. Howie said he knew Piers didnt get it, but Im a cultural ignoramus and I think it was great.Michael Grasso: The cool illusionist who stunned the judges with his most recent performance, talked about having had three kidney transplants -- one from his mother and two from different cousins. He pulled another switcheroo with an assistant in a covered cage. Sharon thought it was sensational and asked, How on Earth do you do that?! Howie said he loved magic and said it was fabulous. Piers said Michael was an interesting one, and that he has something going with the act. You are becoming a world-class magic act right in front of us, Piers added.Debra Romer: The young, blond singer whod run away from home at 17 and said her dream was to not wait tables. In her intro package, she recalled the day she left and cried. She wanted to show people she was strong. She sang To Make You Feel My Love. Howie said it was nice, but wasnt as moved as he would like to have been. Then, he was booed again, and reminded the crowd that he was a cultural ignoramus. Piers agreed with Howie and said that even though Debra has come along way, it didnt wow him the way other acts had. Sharon said she wanted to see something that was larger than life, and that Debra had to light up this stage, and tonight you didnt.Studio One Young Beast Society: The only remaining dance crew remaining in the competition said they wanted to be where the Jabbawockees have come, with a show in Vegas. They vowed to bring more tricks than ever. They did it, and earned a standing ovation. Piers said, That is what entertaining is all about. He said they proved what you can do when you put the hours in. Sharon also loved it and said America would love it, too. Howie agreed with everyone and said he loved the energy and the recklessness with which they danced. He then said his only criticism was with their name, saying it wasnt catchy enough. It should be Studio Two Young Beast Society.Jeremy VanSchoonhoven: The bike stuntman said he auditioned for the showing after having known ventriloquist Terry Fator from when theyd done shows together. He was worried he hadnt had enough time to practice. In rehearsal, he took a big fall -- the worst hed suffered in six years. He went to the hospital to get checked out. He made it to the show, though. He got tripped up on one of his smaller tricks early in the routine, but he pushed through and made it to the big finale without a buzz. Then, from the top of what had to be a 20-foot platform, he hopped down, keeping one wheel in the air while landing on a log. Sharon loved it and, after getting a rundown of Jeremys injuries, she said, Evel Knievel has nothing on you. She asked America to vote for him. Howie said Sharon sounded like she was running a telethon for Jeremy. Piers said Jeremys perseverance after the big fall in rehearsals and the small mistake at the start during the live show was remarkable. Most people would have given up, Piers said.Nathaniel Kenyon: The singer said he was motivated by his family, which needs him to support it. Piers buzzed him about halfway through. Howie said the audience likes Nathaniel and he has the package to be a pop star, but its not as exciting as other things weve seen. Piers said all the judges and the crowd like him, however, tonights been an incredible semifinal and he couldnt justify giving Nathaniel a place in the top 10 based on too many missed notes. Sharon said, luckily for Nathaniel, Piers doesnt have to decide because its up to Amerca. She said the young girls were going to love him.Murray: The illusionist said he came from a family of railway workers, and his act tonight would be a tribute to his family. He said it was the largest trick ever done on the show, and that he didnt think there was enough room in the top 10 for two illusionists. He made a 24-foot, steel train disappear. Piers said he was a little bored by the chatter (Murray spoke while the train was disappearing). Sharon said it was fantastic, and that even David Copperfield hadnt done anything as spectacular. Howie called Sharon out on that bit of hyperbole.Jackie Evancho: The 10-year-old opera singing sensation said she felt like shed won a Grammy the night she wowed the crowd with her voice and they gave her a standing ovation. She did it again and the crowd responded just the same. Sharon had to give her comments over the screaming crowd, and she told Jackie that her life will never be the same again because her voice is going to take her all over the world. Howie said Jackie was like an angel from another planet. He called her singing unbelievable. Piers said, This is why we do these shows, noting hes judges thousands of acts and a lot were terrible and some are quite talented. But we have got, in you, a superstar.Fighting Gravity: The group of frat guys from Virginia Tech said they had to make the decision to take the semester off of school to focus on the competition. They were adding props, scenes and a story to their act. They blew the crowd away again. Howie called them one of his favorite acts, if not his favorite. He said they were the only act that could follow Jackie. Piers agreed with Howie, and said their act was so original and fresh. He said it feels bigger and better every time. He said the American people have got to vote. Sharon said the act is so cool, and it is for all age groups.

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Episode #5.25

Wednesday night meant it was time to...
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Wednesday night meant it was time to learn which contestants on Americas Got Talent would retain a chance to get into the top 10 and remain in contention for the $1 million grand prize and which would go home.Host Nick Cannon asked judge Piers Morgan whether the judges were being more critical in the semifinals, and Piers said it was business time. Nick called for the first group of acts to join him on stage.To the results: He called on electric band ArcAttack, magician Dan Sperry, kid dancers Future Funk, and singer Kristina Young. Asked to assess the group, Howie apologized to Kristina for buzzing her, but said her singing was off key. He also pointed out that Dans illusion looked choppy and fell flat. The act moving to the next round was ... no one.Nick seemed as shocked as everyone on stage after delivering the news that none of the acts on stage were moving on. Piers said he was surprised. He thought ArcAttack deserved a shot, and he thought Future Funk showed enough charm to move on.Be our guest: Recycled Percussion, the popular group from last season that bangs on buckets and garbage cans. They pushed their new live show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, starting Aug. 30. Next, Jimmy Fallon served up a bit of stand-up comedy, doing impressions of various comedians 10 seconds at a time.Later, Kylie Minogue paid a visit to perform her new song, Get Out of My Way.Back to the results: Rock-climbing dancers Ascendance and ballroom dancing youngsters Anna & Patryk were the next acts called to the stage. This time, there was no twist. The first act moving on to the next round was ... Anna & Patryk. Anna thanked everyone for voting and thanked Piers, especially, for bringing them back as a wild card. Sharon said America made the right decision and agreed that Piers did get it right.Next, Nick called for singer-guitarists Michael Grimm and Taylor Mathews, and operatic singer Prince Poppycock. Howie said, Unless youre going to trick us again, theres too much talent. Nick announced that the act going into the top 10 was ... all three. Sharon said she was so scared before Nick made the announcement, worried that they couldnt lose any of the three.Illusionist Antonio Restivo, singing sisters Christina & Ali, and indoor kite flyer Connor Doran were next up on the stage. Nick announced that Antonio was the next act knocked out of the competition. Antonio looked stunned, but said he was thankful for the opportunity. That left Connor Doran and Christina & Ali to vie for the final spot in the next round.Piers said he thought Antonio deserved to move on, but he knew why Connor and Christina & Ali were up there instead. Piers said that Christina & Ali's combination of personality and good voices made him lean toward them. Howie said he loves the variety the show offers, and for that reason, he was voting for Connor. That left the deciding vote to Sharon, who said she wished it wasnt up to her. She said the choice was whether to break two hearts or one, and she chose to break just one. She voted for Christina & Ali, knocking Connor Doran out of the competition.

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Episode #5.24

The semifinals on Americas Got Talent...
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The semifinals on Americas Got Talent were finally upon us Tuesday night as 12 acts got a shot at the top 10.Anna & Patryk: Nick didnt waste much time (beyond the overblown judges introductions) getting to the action and introduced the young ballroom dancers. The promised to bring an angrier side of them as they performed the paso doble. Piers said they behaved like stars. He said he was going to have a very firm view of all the acts on Tuesday, and he said they were the two most talented dancers in this competition, bar none. Sharon said their performance was perfection, as usual. Howie apologized if his past comments have made it seem like he didnt like them. He agreed that they were perfect and that this week they didnt creep him out.Christina & Ali: The singing sisters who have cystic fibrosis were ready to take on a big song in an effort to impress the judges and voters. They took on Whitney Houstons When You Believe. Sharon said their performance got stronger since the last time they performed, and she refused to say anything negative because theyre just too lovely. Howie agreed with Sharon that they were getting stronger. But he said that, at this level in the competition, the other acts are doing things that are spectacular and he wasnt sure where theyd fall among the group. Piers admitted, It wasnt great. He said they werent the best singers, but they were likable and inspiring.Antonio Restivo: The pyromaniac illusionist said he was here to win, period, and brought forth his toughest trick yet. Howie said it was so Vegas it almost makes him laugh at the campiness. But the illusion was solid. Piers said he liked Antonios act and appreciated that it got bigger every time Antonio hit the stage. He said Antonio is one of the rare magicians on the show who brings a top-level performance. Sharon mostly wanted to know what its like at Antonios house when he barbecues.Future Funk: The adorable little hip-hop dancers were primed to bring their A game for the biggest competition in the world. Piers buzzed them about two-thirds of the way through the performance, which started with a rap. He said, If this was called Americas Got Cute Dancers you would win. But its not. He said he was comparing them to Anna & Patryk, and, for now, he didnt think it was good enough to get through. Sharon said they were cute and needed their own little sitcom. Howie said they might get by on their cuteness.Taylor Mathews: The singing guitarist who was inspired by his dad said he was planning on doing something unexpected -- playing the piano. He said it was way out of his comfort zone. He took on Carolina Liars Show Me What Im Looking For. Sharon liked that Taylor was so natural and is just himself on stage. Howie said he was wowed by Taylor in the first audition, but that he didnt do anything Tuesday that people would remember. Piers said he could tell Taylor was feeling the pressure of the competition. He wanted Taylor to get back to the person he was in the first audition.Connor Doran: The indoor kite flying whiz whose hobby helps control his epilepsy said he was anxious and nervous about trying to prepare for the semifinals with limited time. Howie wanted to see him step up his act. Piers buzzed him halfway through, and explained that his act is heavily dependent on the music choice, and Piers didnt like the pop song Connor used. Howie agreed and said he didnt think Connors act goes with pop music. Sharon asked Connor if he was OK, and after he assured her he was, she said he was fabulous. She said she enjoyed how he mixed up the music.Dan Sperry: The twisted magician who sent Howie jumping out of his seat the last time he performed. Sperry said he intended to push America over the line that theyre comfortable with. Using Nick as a volunteer, he pretended to saw Nicks arm off, tattoo his signature into the sawed off limb, and then reattach it. Piers buzzed Dan and called it the most pathetic trick hed ever seen. He also called him out on using a fake arm that didnt even try to be convincing. Dan tried to say his magic was sometimes less about being convincing and more about imagination. Sharon loved his robot lady assistant. Howie said he loved Dans character and he wanted Dan to be more about his character.Kristina Young: The YouTube singer said that, until now, her great-grandmother has been her biggest fan. She said she was recently reunited with her dad, with whom shed had a falling out three years ago and hadnt seen since. She tried a jazzed up version of Lady Gagas Poker Face. Seeming nervous and a bit out of tune, she was buzzed, first by Piers, then Sharon and finally Howie. Sharon said she should have even attempted a Gaga song at this point. She said it was really wrong. Howie said her rendition of the song was comical and reminded him of a Bill Murray nightclub singer bit on Saturday Night Live. Piers praised her for taking a risk, even though it didnt work, and he told her not to give up.ArcAttack: The electric rock band -- like, seriously, they use electricity to make sound -- forced the show to move to another studio because of the danger level. Howie said that what they do doesnt play well on television. He said it might be a little boring on television, but its intense in person and people would vote if they could see it live. Piers said theyd had a fairly average semifinal, and ArcAttack had an act he could being very successful. Sharon called them a weird group of geeks and told them to step up the performance art aspect of their routine.Michael Grimm: The guitarist and singer said he was close to quitting before Americas Got Talent came along. He fell ill shortly before the performance. He went to the doctor and needed IV fluids because of dehydration. Piers was glad that, at last, there was an act that showed talent and an ability and desire to win. Sharon praised Michael for engaging with the audience and told him to take it up a notch again the next time she sees him. Howie said hed been waiting all night for a moment, and they were waiting for Michael.Ascendance: The rock-climbing group, led by a husband-and-wife team, said they stepped up the pace and the timing for this round. Piers buzzed them about halfway through. Sharon said she didnt like the music and said it was lacking that spark of danger that they usually had. Howie said he thought it was lacking because they picked up the tempo. Piers said that for the first time he found it boring and said he wasnt feeling it.Prince Poppycock: The operatic singer said he grew up always feeling out of place, and that Americas support in the competition made him feel like they were creating a place for him to belong. He gave his take on Queens Bohemian Rhapsody. Howie said this was his night and that Prince Poppycock brought it home. Piers said he didnt think anyone could outcamp Freddie Mercury, but he did. Sharon called Prince Poppycock the male Lady Gaga.

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Episode #5.23

The final four spots in the Americas...
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The final four spots in the Americas Got Talent semifinals were -- finally! -- ready to be claimed Wednesday night after 12 wild-card contestants got a second chance to prove themselves.To the results: Host Nick Cannon didnt waste any time getting some contestants on stage to learn their fates. He called Kruti Dance Academy, Michael Grasso, Swing Shift Sideshow and Rudi Macaggi to the stage. The act moving into the next round is ... Michael Grasso. Sharon was pleased and told Michael to keep raising the game. Bigger is better.Be our guest: Illusionist Criss Angel paid a visit to plug his show at the Luxor in Vegas, and performed two tricks. One was a record-breaking attempt at Harry Houdinis infamous straight-jacket escape. Houdini did it in five minutes, but Criss tried to get it done in one minute, hanging upside down -- and succeeded. He next did a bit where he was locked in a box, and quickly switched places with his assistant, where, after a flash, he was standing on the box and she was inside it.Later, Leann Rimes showed up in a two-piece bathing suit (seriously) to perform her new song, Swingin, in the theme of a beach party.Back to the results: Nick next called the Hot Shot Tap Dancers, RNG and Anna & Patryk to the stage. Piers said how pleased he was with himself and his own choice of Anna & Patryk, claiming they deserved a spot in the semifinals. He was right. Theyre in.Next, Howie called rapper CJ Dippa and indoor kite-flyer Connor Doran to the stage. The act moving into the semifinals was Connor Doran. Howie said he was proud of Connor and noted that hes Howard Sterns favorite act.Finally, Nick asked Doogie Horner, Michael Lapari & Ashleigh Dejon, and Harmonica Pierre to the stage. The first act of the three to leave the competition was Doogie Horner, who promptly revealed a T-shirt he said he made for no reason. It read, Americas Got Doogie.Piers made a joke of selecting Harmonica Pierre because he was his own wild-card choice, but he said he really believed Harmonica Pierre was better and deserved the vote. Sharon voted for her choice, Michael & Ashleigh.Howie, the tiebreaking vote, apologized to Harmonica Pierre for buzzing him, saying that was intended for Piers and not for Pierre. He praised both acts, but said he had to go with his gut and vote for the act he thought people would pay to see in Vegas, and that was Michael & Ashleigh.

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Episode #5.22

In an apparent effort to make this...
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In an apparent effort to make this the longest summer season of television ever, Americas Got Talent busted out another gimmick to prolong the quarterfinal round of the competition. With 20 semifinalists having already been chosen (16 from the original batch of 48 quartefinalists, plus the four YouTube qualifiers from last week), the judges brought back their favorite 12 performers who have not already secured a place in the semifinals for one last shot (we think) at moving on to the next round.(Indeed, this season of Americas Got Talent will contain 32 episodes, which is longer, by far, than any other season. Last season had 26 episodes. Season 1, for some perspective, contained 16 episodes. Yes, thats half of Season 5.)This week, each judge selected four of the unlucky quarterfinalists who came just a bit short of securing a spot in the semis. Piers Morgan chose dancers Anna and Patryk, comedian Doogie Horner, Kruti Dance Academy and Harmonica Pierre. Sharon Osbourne brought back dance crew RNG, daredevil Rudi Macaggi, aerial performers Michael Lipari and Ashleigh Dejon, and illusionist Michael Grasso. Howie wanted to see Swing Shift Sideshow, indoor kite flyer Connor Doran, The Hot Shot Tap Dancers and kid rapper CJ Dippa.Kruti Dance Academy: The uptempo, high-precision group of Bollywood dancers made the most of their second chance (they actually never made it out of the Las Vegas round). Piers loved their performance and said his decision to bring them back was justified. He said he wanted to bring them through in Vegas, but Sharon and Howie overruled him. Sharon said that America is more open than ever to Indian dance and culture, and they could now rival the River Dance. Howie said he somewhat agreed, but wondered whether their act is wow. He wasnt sure that they rose to the level, which Piers called rubbish.Rudi Macaggi: Rudi said being sent home was like a dream crashing down. He thought that maybe his quarterfinal stunt was too intense and might have made people uncomfortable. Sharon wanted to see him again, and Rudi vowed to do something totally different. He took most of his time setting the stunt, which was a backflip in which he caught his feet in a small trapeze-like apparatus -- and he did it blindfolded. Piers buzzed him as soon as he completed the trick. Sharon praised his technique and timing, but she said he took too long to get to the one trick. Howie, quoting Rudi, reminded Sharon that you cant rush into the realm of genius. He said Rudis last stunt was more spectacular. Piers said the danger level was low compared to his previous stunt (risking just breaking his neck this time rather than risking losing his head, as he did last time).CJ Dippa: The young rapper thought his dream was over when he was cut. Howie said he was surprised at CJs exit. He said he wrote a rap for a girl from one of the competitions dance crews, Studio One. He said he was going to ask her out if he moves on to the next round. About two-thirds of the way through, Piers buzzed him. CJ was disappointed with his own performance, saying he didnt feel like he gave it his all. Howie agreed, saying it wasnt as polished as you can possibly be. Piers praised CJ for admitting he fell short, then said CJ was a bit too gimmicky with the props, gold chains, and the rest. He encouraged CJ to be himself. Sharon thought it was CJs best song, so far, and she loved the props and the look.RNG: Ousted at the judges choice in the quarterfinals, RNG got a second chance thanks to Sharon. The dancers vowed to give it everything we have and get back to their hip-hop roots, rather than trying the stunts they performed in the quarterfinals. Piers buzzed them about two-thirds of the way through. Toward the end of the routine, Howies voice, from his original critique of the group, in which he said they were more like a dance recital. At the end, one of the lead dancers threw a mean face at him (apparently as part of the act, but Howie looked scared). Sharon said she was happy she brought them back, the performance was strong and she loved the attitude toward Howie. Howie admitted he was scared, then he said the dancers are phenomenal, but he wondered whether they could compete against some of the shows best. Then he said he didnt think so, but he reiterated that they were great. Piers said Howie was trying to have it both ways. He said he wouldnt tell them they were phenomenal, as Howie did, because he didnt think they were.Harmonica Pierre: Americas new favorite harmonica player said he went back to watchmaking after he was ousted. He said he had something to prove and now had to up his game. He took on Lady Gagas Alejandro. Howie buzzed him before he even started, but it seemed to be an accident, because the red X was wiped away as Harmonica Pierre played. Howie clarified that he and Sharon agreed to buzz Piers pick immediately, but Sharon ditched him. Piers said his choice was great and that Pierre stormed the show. Howie said he didnt think Pierre had a chance to win it. Sharon said Pierre made her smile, but she didnt think he could sell out arenas. Piers complained that Sharon was applying inaccurate criteria.Michael Grasso: Michael went a bit too basic back in Las Vegas, but Sharon brought him back for another shot because she couldnt forget him. Howie wanted to see something from Michael that was made for the Vegas stage. Michael said hed bring more danger and show America something theyve never seen before. He stuffed an assistant into a box, lit it on fire as her hand was sticking out of it. He blasted the box, then revealed the assistant, and another one! Sharon loved it, saying he justified her pick. Howie said it was the first performance of the night that was up to where it should be at this point in the competition. Piers said Michael proved a miracle by showing that Sharon does know something about talent. Piers said that in a crowded field of great magicians, Michael just opened up the field.The Hot Shot Tap Dancers: Howie brought back to the sibling dance group, thinking they used too much of their quarterfinal performance on storytelling and props, rather than focusing on the dancing. Piers buzzed them about halfway through. Howie said it was a little muddy and it was four people just dancing, and he admitted he got a little bored. Piers agreed and said it was boring. He said he wished it would have been better. Sharon said she enjoys the group every time, but there was something missing. She realized that they danced too much as a team, but one of them had to come forward and stand out.Doogie Horner: After weeks of criticizing him, Piers brought back Doogie Horner -- a guy he couldnt stand until his most recent performance. Doogie brought a string of Americas Got Talent-centric humor, referring to various other acts from the competition. Piers claimed Howie didnt want to bring Doogie back, which Howie said was not true. Howie clarified that Howie wanted to bring Doogie back, but Piers had already claimed him. Sharon said Doogie was a very weird little man but hes funny. Howie said Doogie was in the moment and was in character, and said America was going to love him.Connor Doran: The indoor kite-flying teen who says his hobby helps him control his epilepsy was given a second chance by Howie. He said he was going to try something new for his second-chance performance. He started with a single kite, as hed done before, but then pulled out a second one and flew them parallel to each other. Howie gave a standing ovation and said, Need I say more? Connor told Piers he felt amazing, and Piers said he should feel amazing. He said there was something very magical about the way Connor does his thing. Sharon said she was in awe of the way he was able to move his kites to the music.Anna & Patryk: The young ballroom dancers said they were shocked to have been asked back to the show. Piers said he brought them back because they were the most talented dancers in the competition. Piers said they were great, especially for being 12 years old, and said they were dancing to a level that hasnt been seen on the show. Sharon praised their coordination and timing. Howie agreed that they were good, but that ballroom dancing is about the art of being seductive and it creeped him out a little seeing 12 year olds act seductively.Michael Lapari & Ashleigh Dejon: Booted in the Las Vegas round after they ran into some trouble on their aerial acrobatics routine. This time, they wanted to make up for it and add a new element of danger with a full release-and-catch sequence. Halfway through their routine, Ashleigh appeared to fall from the rope, but it was part of the routine as she and Michael both rose from a pit that was assembled on stage. They emerged bound together and finished the routine with flair and passion. Sharon said it was edgy and exciting. Howie said it was amazing and scary. Piers said he was relieved Ashleigh wasnt dead, and he wasnt expecting the trick.Swing Shift Sideshow: The self-proclaimed daring circus carnival freaks had to drop out of the competition for personal reasons after having been invited to Vegas, but the wild card brought them back. Sharon buzzed them after a dart-blowing gimmick. Piers buzzed them shortly thereafter, following a sword-swallowing bit. The crowd gasped as the sword-swallowing got more intense. Howie said people would either love it or hate it. Piers thought it was quite revolting. Sharon said she appreciated it as an art form, but its not my thing.

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Episode #5.21

The night after a pretty terrible...
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The night after a pretty terrible experiment -- the YouTube Special -- host Nick Cannon did everything he could to entice viewers to stay tuned, including teasing us about another twist that would be announced later in the show.Sharon Osbourne said the show took a risk, stopping short of calling it a failure. She instead chose to focus on some of the magical moments she said happened.To the results: Nick called for the first handful of acts to come to the stage: Accordion playing dog Pup, pizza dough juggler Pizza Patt, pianist Maestro Alexander Bui and comedian Austin Anderson. Sharon said she couldnt decide who America had chosen. After the seemingly obvious choice (from that bunch, anyway) of Maestro Alexander Bui was announced, Piers said he was baffled by Sharons hesitation. He said Alexander was the only true talent on the stage, standing among a guy whos not funny, a dog that didnt play the accordion, and a bloke who chucks pizzas in the air. He then encouraged Alexander to play a more recognizable classical piece next week.Be our guest: In continuing the YouTube theme of the week, the AGT stage welcomed back Quick Change, the wardrobe changing wonders who burned up the viral video site with more than 21 million views of their original Talent performance. Next, motivational-speaker-turned-YouTube sensation Judson Laipply brought his Evolution of Dance to the stage.Later, Taiwanese TV singing contestant Lin Yu Chun paid a visit to perform his rendition of Whitney Houstons I Will Always Love You, which has topped 10 million views on YouTube.Back to the results: Nick called the next group of acts -- kid dancer Dylan Plummer, dark illusionist Dan Sperry and dancer Booker Forte -- to the stage. The act that moved on was Dan Sperry, and the announcement sent Howie back into the rafters. Dan thanked America for responding in such a positive way to his act that he acknowledges is dark and can put off a lot of people.Later, Nick called dancer/mover Ryan Rodriguez and 10-year-old operatic singer Jackie Evancho to the stage with one spot in the semifinals on the line. Jackie moved on, sending Ryan home. Howie said he was delighted, but that people have asked him since Tuesday night whether Jackies voice was real. To prove it, he asked her to sing an impromptu note, which she did.Finally, Nick called for PLUtonic, Cam Hodges and Kristina Young. The first act leaving the competition was PLUtonic.That meant the decision over who stays between Cam and Kristina was left to the judges. Howie said he liked them both, but had to go with his gut and his gut said Cam was he bigger star with the most potential. Sharon said Kristina was very viable as an artist, so she picked Kristina.Piers had the tiebreaking vote and said he had to take a bet on one of the singers in guessing which of them could go the furthest. He said the act he suspected could deliver better than last night was Kristina, so he picked her.Nick finally announced the twist, which is that next weeks episode is a wild card show in which some of the judges and Americas favorites will return for another shot at the semifinals.

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Episode #5.20

Nick Cannon took to his laptop webcam...
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Nick Cannon took to his laptop webcam to introduce the YouTube special episode of Americas Got Talent. Twelve finalists who were voted onto the show based on audition videos they posted of themselves on YouTube, and given a chance to make it into the shows semifinals and compete for the $1 million grand prize.Piers Morgan said this was the most unpredictable show that could be expected on this show, and Howie said it was a chance to someone to make it big based on a homemade video, a la Paris Hilton -- although this is a little different type of talent.PLUtonic: A geeky brigade of a cappella singers who met at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU, get it?) in Tacoma, Wash., took on Flo Ridas Low. Piers said that if Bill Gates ever formed a band, thats what it would look like. He thought they were funny, well done and there was something about them was really likable. Sharon Osbourne said their performance was good and showed confidence, but she hates a cappella groups. Howie said they were talented and entertaining. He said people would go see something like this.Dylan Plummer: A jump-rope artist from Cincinnati who brings the childhood hobby to a new level with flips and trucks. He suffered an injury during rehearsals, but showed no effects. Sharon said his transition from performing at school to the Hollywood stage was great. She told him to be proud of himself. Howie said hes good at what he does, but that Dylan needs some time to perfect it. Piers said he expected Dylan to make a bunch of mistakes and was prepared to be bored, but he was impressed by Dylans performance.Pup: Pup, an accordion player, was no ordinary accordion player. He was a dog. At least he was an accordion-playing dog on YouTube. On stage, he was just a dog. A cute dog, but he refused to play the accordion, despite the crowds encouragement. Piers buzzed him immediately. Howie gave Pup a standing ovation. Piers explained that he Xd Pups handler because all anyone could hear was his handler playing guitar and singing.Cam Hodges: A singer and guitarist from Samammish, Wash., was worried about the difference between performing on stage and performing at his house. He did Taoi Cruzs Break Your Heart. Piers said he was reminded of James Blunt and that there were parts of the performance that were really good. Sharon said Cam had a good, strong voice and she enjoyed his performance. Howie said Cam sounded unique.Ryan Rodriguez: A plumber and dancer from Santa Cruz, Calif., whose wife submitted his YouTube audition said he just wanted to make her proud. Piers buzzed Ryan pretty quickly into his semi-chaotic routine. Sharon asked if hed ever been on a stage before (he said he hadnt) and she said he was confident. Howie said he wasnt sure what Ryans act was, but he knew he was good at it, but I dont know what it is. Piers agreed and said it was hard to work out what Ryan did, calling it stunt-like. He said nothing was really very dramatic in Ryans routine, and thats what was needed to move on to Vegas.Austin Anderson: Nick introduced Austin as an auto mechanic who makes you laugh. Austin, a comedian who performs in small bars in Omaha, tried to become the only comedian left in the competition. Piers buzzed Austin soon into his Facebook-centric shtick. Howie said it was mediocre and said Austin focused too much on Facebook rather than something more relatable to more people. Piers said there was an easier way to say what Howie was saying: Youre not very funny. Sharon said Austin was kinda funny, but agreed with Howie.Booker Forte: A data filing tech by day, hip-hop dancer by night was shocked to have the chance to perform on Americas Got Talent. Piers buzzed Booker about halfway through. Piers said it was a nice job, but Booker didnt do much. He said some of the backup dancers were better than him. He said it was too safe and the show has seen better. Sharon said it was well executed, but shes seen all the moves done before. Howie agreed, saying he didnt see one special thing in Bookers routine.Pizza Patt: A pizza shop owner from Columbus, Ohio, said he loves tossing pizzas, and brings his skill to a whole new level. Piers said in the intro package that Pizza Patts presence on the show was ludicrous. Piers buzzed him less than halfway through. Sharon said it was a new form of juggling and it was different to do it with pizza dough. Howie said it wasnt all that dangerous -- save for the possibility of getting a yeast infection. Piers said it wasnt an act.Kristina Young: The full-time student and singer from South Dakota said her passion was singing, was amazed at the opportunity she had. She teared up in her intro package just at the sight of backup dancers rehearsing for her performance. She sang Carrie Underwoods Before He Cheats. Howie said he loved Carries version of the song, but Kristina was good. He wasnt sure it was good enough for America to vote her through. He said there are a lot of good singers this year and she probably doesnt have the voice to win it. Sharon said it was good and Kristina has a strong, loud voice.Maestro Alexander Bui: The 16-year-old piano virtuoso from New Jersey said piano has been his life. In the intro package, Piers said Alexander might be the most talented person in the competition. Alexander said he wanted to prove that music is more than Lady Gaga. Sharon buzzed the kid about halfway through. Sharon explained that she buzzed Alexander because it was boring. She loves classical music, but it was the wrong choice at the wrong time. It sounded beautiful, but I was bored. Sorry, she said. Howie said Alexanders ability was amazing, especially at your age. But Howie thought Alexander was younger. Piers questioned Sharons wisdom of not wanting Alexander to bore her even though hes the most naturally talented person in the competition.Dan Sperry: The 25-year-old magician from Las Vegas said he shows some of the dark side of magic. He wanted to show there was more to magic than pulling scarves out of a hat with a girl in a bikini standing next to him. He intended to shock and leave America speechless. He took a Lifesaver mint, chewed it up, then took a piece of dental floss and tugged at his neck with it -- revealing the intact mint, which was looped around the floss. He tossed the floss in Howies direction, and the germaphobe jumped out of his chair, sending Sharon into a fit of laughter. She said she was going to pee herself. Howie said he thought Dan was great, then he came over near Howie. Piers congratulated Dan on the attempted murder of Howie. Sharon couldnt stop laughing, but said she liked it.Jackie Evancho: Nick described the 10-year-old singer from Pittsburgh as having a timeless voice. Howie revealed that Jackie won the most votes from all of the YouTube submissions. Jackie wowed the crowd with her strong, operatic voice. Howie said they were waiting for a special moment all show long, and that was it. Piers called it one of the most extraordinary performances Ive ever seen on Americas Got Talent. He said everyone in the audience probably felt what he did: goosebumps. Sharon agreed, saying shed never seen anything like it.

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Quarterfinals - Last Group of 12 Results

With four semifinal spots on the...
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With four semifinal spots on the line, the last batch of 12 quarterfinals prepared to learn their fates on Wednesday nights episode of Americas Got Talent.Host Nick Cannon didnt waste any time getting to some results, calling for the first three performers to come to center stage.To the results: Doogie Horner, Mary Ellen and Murray were the first three brought out. Howie said he would miss Mary Ellen if she were sent home. The act continuing to the next round was ... Murray. Piers thought it was the right decision, but noted the irony in that the first time Doogie Horner made him laugh, America sent him home.Movie plug!: Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg hosted an Americas Got Talent field trip as the contestants got a chance to preview their movie, The Other Guys.Be our guest: Taio Cruz paid a visit to perform his song, Dynamite. Later, Poison frontman Bret Michaels hit the stage to perform an acoustic version of Every Rose Has Its Thorn.Back to the results: Nick brought out the next batch of contestants: Taylor Matthews, Da Maniacs and Lindsey Stirling. The act moving on was Taylor Matthews. Howie was glad his prediction that Taylor will make it to the finals was validated.Nick called Strikers All-Stars, Nu Covenant and Prince Poppycock to the stage. The act moving on to the next round is Prince Poppycock. Sharon said she was a huge fan of Prince Poppycock and added that America got it right, again.Finally, Nick brought out the final three acts: Rudi Macaggi, ArcAttack and Anna & Patryk. The first act leaving the competition was Rudi Macaggi. That left the judges to decide between ArcAttack and Anna & Patryk.Piers said ArcAttack was completely unique, but he had a feeling weve already seen their best. He then said that Anna & Patryk have gotten better and better with each performance. He said he was going to go with who he thought we could see more from: Anna & Patryk.Howie said both acts were fantastic. He said Anna & Patryk were wonderful, but still wondered whether people would pay to see them in Vegas. He reiterated that TV doesnt do ArcAttack justice because the feeling of the electricity, literally, in the air when they perform doesnt come across.Sharon said Anna & Patryk were way beyond their years. She then said she didnt get ArcAttack before seeing them live. Even though she still has no idea what it is or how it works, she decided to vote for ArcAttack.

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Episode #5.18

The final four semifinal spots were...
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The final four semifinal spots were on the line Tuesday night on Americas Got Talent. The last 12 quarterfinalists had their chance before the judges, and host Nick Cannon told us that for the first time one act would be so huge and so dangerous that it had to be taken outside.After the judges were introduced, Nick called for the first act of the night...Da Maniacs: A group of friends who just decided to start dancing together, Da Maniacs said they were taking their craft much more seriously now. The oversized dancers were ready to shake the ground. They started their routine with an homage to The Blues Brothers. It continued with a tribute to the stylings of MC Hammer, which earned them a buzz from Piers. The party-pooper, as Nick called him, explained that he buzzed them because there is a reason that most dancers are not your size. He said there was already a TV competition for them -- The Biggest Loser. Sharon said their melding of dance and comedy was entertaining and she enjoyed it. Howie said that to stand out, you have to be either really good or really bad, and they were somewhere in the middle.Nu Covenant: The gospel quartet had Howie worried that they werent broad enough to appeal to a Vegas-type audience, and they found during rehearsals that the competition was proving to be more difficult than they had anticipated. They tried their hand at One Republics Apologize. Piers buzzed them at the first attempt to harmonize. Sharon followed with a buzz of her own when they hit the second chorus. Sharon said they looked good, but the harmonies werent working. Howie understood that the weight of live television on their shoulders was clear and they didnt rise to the occasion. Piers agreed, saying they were flat as a pancake for most of it. He said pop songs were not their thing and that they should have stuck with the gospel, which was where they were more comfortable.Anna & Patryk: The kid ballroom dancers who have been dancing together for four years said theyd been getting a lot of attention from other kids at school. They vowed to get a little less serious and to show America just how much we love to dance. Howie said there was no denying their spectacular talent, but his question is whether what they did was worth a $1 million prize and a headlining Vegas act, and he wasnt sure. Piers sought to be more talent, saying, I do know world-class talent when I see, and adding that he could see them in Vegas. Sharon praised their versatility, having seen them now do three different forms. She said they could do unbelievable business in Vegas.Lindsey Stirling: The hip-hop violinist from Provo, Utah, said people are often surprised that shes Mormon and a hip-hop violinist. Thats surprising, because every hip-hop violinist Im aware of is Mormon. After having heard about enough -- three-quarters of the way through -- Piers buzzed her. Piers explained that the violin was the problem, saying that she missed loads of notes as she tried to play while dancing around. He said that, at times, it sounded like rats being strangled. Sharon reminded Lindsey how much the judges loved her in the audition, but after having seen her three times, she realized Lindsey needs to be in a group because what shes doing now isnt enough to fill a Vegas theater. Howie hated to say Piers was right in saying Lindsey was great, but all the movement made her not as great.Doogie Horner: The seemingly misunderstood comedian who was booed off by the audition audience but made it to the quarterfinals, no less. Howie expected it would be tough for Doogie. He survived with no buzzes, and the crowd seemed to enjoy his deadpan comedy, which came with some Hollywood razzle-dazzle in the form of fireworks and background dancers. Sharon said Doogie made Piers laugh. She said hes silly, but she likes him. Howie said its the hardest contest for comedians, and Doogie did great. Piers called it a very uncomfortable moment and reminded Doogie that he once considered him the least funny comedian hed ever seen. But, Piers admitted, it finally got to me tonight, and he had to say the word he never thought hed say: Doogie, youre funny.Rudi Macaggi: The balancing acrobat said performing is all I have. He said he was a third-generation circus acrobat and performing was his passion. He was going to attempt an act he called the circular saw of death. He did a handstand on a stack of blocks, under which a circular saw was spinning. Midway through the handstand, he pushed the blocks aside and landed on a platform with his head inches from the saw. Piers called it the most extraordinary, dangerous, exciting thing I think Ive ever seen on this show. He said that as he waited for Rudis fall, he wondered what would happen to his own career if Rudi had cut his head off. Sharon said Rudi came from a dying breed and he delivered.Taylor Matthews: The singer-guitarist said he was living a musical life inspired by his father, who gave up his own musical career for a family life. Piers said in the intro he wanted to see Taylor come out of his comfort zone a bit. After his performance, Piers asked Taylor to critique himself. Piers then said there were a few shaky bits, but there were moments when I saw a real, potential pop star. Sharon said that each time she sees him, his performance gets stronger. She said she couldnt wait to see him again. Howie said this performance was his rockiest, so far, but still predicted hed make it to the finals.Mary Ellen: Nick called her the sexiest contestant of the night. It was Mary Ellen, who came equipped with backup dancers. She had trouble getting the beat early on, and Piers buzzed her. The boos started pouring in as the performance didnt get any better, but Sharon and Howie left her buzzer-less the rest of the way. Nick had to walk on stage and pull the plug on Mary. Howie, dressed in a Mary Ellen-like wig, called her a trend-setter, and said people would be talking about her Wednesday. Sharon said Mary Ellen didnt seem quite right, and Mary said she had some kind of virus. Piers said the only reason Mary was still in the competition was because of Howies undying love for her.ArcAttack: The electrifying group that said they make music with electricity. Nick said they were asked to take their act outside because of the high element of danger. The played Iron Man, which no doubt made Sharon happy, with the buzzes from electricity created by their instruments. Howie said TV might do them justice, saying that the electricity is tremendous live. Piers agreed, called it one of the most unique acts hes seen, and adding theres something there that I think could be a real Vegas act. Sharon asked for an explanation on how it works, and it devolved into a more technical explanation than anyone was prepared to hear. She then suggested a singer she knows who could sing Iron Man for them next time.Prince Poppycock: The opera singer went from royalty to jester with a classic jester outfit for his singing performance. Piers said Prince Poppycock was becoming his little guilty pleasure and it was making him a little uncomfortable. He said the Prince can sing and has great stage presence. Sharon said every time she sees him, he gets more theatrical, which she loves. Its so refreshing to see an opera singer whos not fat and sweaty, she added, calling him perfect. Howie said the whole outfit was fabulous, its like Liza Minnelli if Liza was a clown. He said the question was whether middle America would respond to the act.Murray: The illusionist said this was the biggest opportunity of his life and he couldnt afford to blow it. He had an assistant in a glass box and asked Piers for his jacket. He put Piers jacket on the assistant. He then pulled drapes over the box. He said America would be talking about the trick Wednesday, then pulled back the drapes to reveal a tiger in the glass box and the assistant appeared behind the judges table, scaring the heck out of Howie. The bald wonder called it amazing and Vegas and said, You wowed me. Sharon said Murray takes it up a notch every time she sees him and said he belongs in Vegas. Piers said the show usually doesnt get good enough magicians, and Murray is what Im talking about, in terms of the kind of magician the show needs.Strikers All Stars: The stepping crew from Florida said this was the most amazing opportunity theyve had. They were prepared to take as many chances and up the intensity -- to the point that one of them got kicked in the face during rehearsals and needed stitches in his mouth. Howie said their moves in previous performances were more spectacular, and that another dance crew was a little more impressive. Piers said it was extraordinary that Howie made sense. He agreed, and said that Wednesdays results show would be a tough one because he thinks seven of the 12 acts from Tuesday deserved to move on. Sharon said it was unfortunate that they went last because the judges have seen everyone else already, and so the bar was set higher.

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Episode #5.17

With four more spots in the...
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With four more spots in the semifinals up for grabs, the 12 performers who showed their stuff on Tuesday nights episode of Americas Got Talent waited on Wednesday night to see which of them would move on, and which would go home.Howie cracked some jokes about the wow factor and said that while he didnt have another word for wow other than wow, he does spell it backwards. He and Piers Morgan then got into another verbal duel about Piers besmirching of him on Tuesday night.To the results: After a couple of minutes of filler, host Nick Cannon called the first three acts to the stage for their results: The South Philly Vikings, CJ Dippa and Haspop. The act moving on to the next round is ... Haspop. Howie said America made the right decision, saying that Haspop is raw, great talent. He said CJ Dippa has a future and will be a star, but if youre looking at raw talent, Haspop has it.Be our guest: The JabbawockeeZ, who competed in Season 2, paid a visit to promote their Las Vegas show at the MGM Grand. Later, Mike Posner performed his hit, Cooler Than Me.:Back to the results: The next three acts to hear their results were Chipps Cooney, Studio One Young Beasts Society and Polina Volcek. The act moving on to the next round was Studio One Young Beasts Society. Piers, who was none-too-sad to see Chipps gone, said the dance crew had the talent and drive to succeed.Nick next called for The Strange Familiar, Debra Romer and Luigi. Piers said Debra was gutsy, but noted that the singing wasnt as good when he watched her performance back on television as it seemed live. Nonetheless, the third act of the night moving into the next round was Debra Romer. Sharon said, as she does every week, that America always gets it right, and said well be seeing a lot more of Debra.Finally, it came down to Harmonica Pierre, Kaya and Sadie, and Jeremy VanSchoonhoven. The first of the three eliminated was Harmonica Pierre, leaving the decision up to the judges as to whether the belly dancers or the bike trickster would continue in the competition.Sharon went first. She said she wanted to put everyone through. She told the belly dancers they were beautiful and great at what they do. She called Jeremy dangerous and exciting. She voted for Jeremy.Piers said that under normal circumstances, hed choose belly dancers in about three seconds over a trick cyclist. But he said Jeremy opened his eyes to how exciting his craft could be. The dancers, too, were really, really good. He said he had to go with the act that he could see being a million-dollar act in Vegas. He gave his vote to Jeremy. That meant he was going to the semifinals.Howie didnt get to vote, but said, I think Jeremy should go to Vegas and Kaya and Sadie should come to my house!

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Episode #5.16

Eight spots in the Americas Got...
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Eight spots in the Americas Got Talent semifinals have already been claimed, and Tuesday night brought another chance for 12 more contestants to continue in the quest for $1 million and a headlining gig in Vegas. Sharon Osbourne laid down the gauntlet, saying, unfortunately, being great isnt good enough tonight.The South Philly Vikings: A group of regular guys from Philly came to show how its done in the working class town. Piers buzzed them about halfway through their high-energy group dance performance. He later explained he did it was because they were just overgrown schoolchildren in robot costumes. He said he didnt get it. Sharon apologized for her English friend -- he corrected her and said hes Irish. She said they had immense vision. She called it really good entertainment. Howie said he was someplace in between, calling it spectacular and fun, but noting that he couldnt place them in a category.CJ Dippa: The 11-year-old rapper was already dealing with the ladies trying to get all up in his business, but he was determined to focus on the competition at hand. He offered up another original that closed with the line, I still cant believe Im in the Top 48. Sharon asked when he wrote it, and CJ said he had another rap in mind but it wasnt a crowd raiser. This one was, he said. Sharon thought it was brilliant. Howie was impressed by CJs originality at such a young age. Piers told CJ it was time to get serious, telling him, on the negative side, I couldnt understand a single word that you said, but on the flip side he can never understand rap lyrics.Harmonica Pierre: The harmonica-obsessed senior citizen decided to show a different side of his musical offerings. He played Trains Hey Soul Sister. Howie loved Harmonica Pierre, but questioned whether harmonica is updated enough to carry a Vegas show. Piers agreed with Howie, but said he enjoyed the surprise choice of music. He also said that apart from Larry Adler, a legendary harmonica player, Pierre was the best harmonica player hed ever heard. Sharon said shed love to see more of Pierre.Polina Volcek: The most exciting hula hooper in the competition was labeled the absolute American dream by Sharon. She vowed to be a different Polina on stage in Hollywood than she was during the audition. Piers buzzed her about one-third of the way through her techno-contemporary-contortion-centric routine. He called it boring and said he was disappointed because he loved her in the first two rounds. He said it was just her marching around with a rope. Sharon disagreed and said she knew what a dedicated artist Polina was, and praised her timing. Howie also said Piers was totally wrong and said Polina was already a Vegas act.The Strange Familiar: A couple that had been together since sixth grade playing music and getting married along the way. They thought that after so many years of performing and being told no, they thought the show could be their last chance. They played Cyndi Laupers Time After Time. Sharon said she wasnt sure what she thought. She enjoyed the singers voice, but didnt like the song choice. She said it didnt seem clear that the band had a clear direction. Howie said it lacked the wow factor. Piers said it wasnt a big, superstar-looking Vegas act. He suggested the lead singer get rid of the band -- making for an uncomfortable situation because shes married to one of them.Haspop: The dancer/contortionist/popper/mime had traveled across the world from France to follow his dream. He works on the streets in Santa Monica in pursuit of this dream, leaving his family behind in France. His routine, he said, would tell the story of Haspop. It did. He woke from a dream with scenes of Paris behind him, and followed his journey to Vegas and Hollywood. Howie said that is wow and was impressed to see him move the way he did. I absolutely loved it, Howie said, calling it amazing and phenomenal. Piers said the judges had to weigh whether it was worth the sacrifice Haspop had made, and he said it was the best performance of the night to that point. Sharon agreed, calling it spectacular and joining Piers in calling it the best performance of the night, at the halfway point.Luigi: The singer talked about his day job, where he dreams about winning Americas Got Talent. He sang Maroon 5s This Love. Piers buzzed him toward the end of his song. Piers said that in any normal season Luigi would do well, but said there were a couple of moments where Luigis voice just lost it. He said there were better singers in the competition. Sharon stalled a moment and told Luigi, Anyone can win. But she agreed he started a bit shaky, but got into it at the end. Howie said that if he had to base it on Tuesday nights performance, it wasnt the best, but he hoped America would remember what hed done before. Luigi agreed with the critiques and promised to do better next time.Chipps Cooney: Howie continued making his case for Chipps Cooney, trying to spell out that Chipps is a comedian whose character is a bad magician. Hes not actually trying to be a magician. Chipps worked hard for the money, saying he had to go back to his roots as a Chippendales dancer. He then began stripping and earned buzzes from all three judges. Sharon was puzzled, and Howie wondered why Chipps gave up on the sad sack magician. Piers said Chipps did stick with the character -- a complete imbecile. Piers said he decided that morning that the only way Chipps act could get worse was if he took his clothes off. He then said Chipps had become the biggest trainwreck in the history of the show.Kaya and Sadie: The belly dancing duo that went straight through to Hollywood in the audition process said they wanted to bring back real women with curves. In the intro package, Piers said hed bet his house that if anyone could bring back belly dancing, it was this duo. Howie smiled and said he was just watching and wasnt judging. He said he had nothing to add, and told Nick to ask the other judges. Piers referenced the revolting naked performance of Chipps Cooney and thanked them for restoring his faith in the human body. Sharon said it was fantastic.Jeremy VanSchoonhoven: The bike jumping savant from Talent, Ore., took a massive chance by doing part of his routine blindfolded, and pulled it off to the crowds delight. Piers said he was never quite sure what was going to happen when Jeremy was on stage, but he was impressed. Piers said this type of act wasnt normally his cup of tea, but Jeremy was quickly making it so. Sharon said she was nervous at various points and called Jeremy the new Evel Knievel. Howie agreed and said Jeremy ratcheted it up every time, and he hoped the audience at home could feel the tension in the performance.Debra Romer: Debra said music was changing her life, and she was getting more confident. Sharon said in the intro package that she wasnt yet feeling Debras confidence and she wanted to. She sang Fleetwood Macs Dreams. Sharon said Debra should be proud because the confidence was there. She said Debra had a combination of being vulnerable, sweet and sexy all at the same time. Howie said America loves her and said she was growing, but he didnt want to see so much in the way of nerves and vulnerability. Piers told Howie to shut his clap trap and said Debra looked like a star and sang like a star. You are a star, full stop, Piers said.Studio One Young Beast Society: The friends and family dance group aimed to become the first dance group to make it to the semifinals this season. They decided to amp up the risk in their routine. They amazed the crowd with the energetic routine that included a ton of flips and tricks. Howie said they brought it, and called it the best dance crew performance hes seen at this point in the competition. Piers, who was clapping during the performance, agreed and said they were creative and current, and he could see the dedication in their eyes. He called the episode of two halves, in which the first half was disappointing and the second half was great -- capped by this performance. Sharon congratulated them for showing their personality.

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Episode #5.15

With four spots on the line, the 12...
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With four spots on the line, the 12 acts that performed Tuesday waiting to learn their fates on Americas Got Talent.To the results: Host Nick Cannon didnt waste much time getting down to business, calling out the first three acts that would hear the news -- for better or worse. They were Mona Sampath Dance Company, AscenDance and Ronith. Piers hoped Roniths time was done. The act moving into the next round was ... AscenDance.Be our guest: The dancers of Ka by Cirque du Soleil stopped by to perform. Later, Train paid a visit to perform their song, Hey Soul Sister.Back to the results: Nick called for Cheer SF, Iron Horse and Alice Tan Ridley to join him on stage for the next batch of results. Howie said America always has it right and he called out that he thought they would have chosen Alice. Nick finally revealed that Alice, in fact, was Americas choice. Piers said he couldnt be happier, and said she could win the whole thing.Nick called three more acts to the stage: Michael Grimm, Lil Chris and The Strong Man. Asked for her opinion, Sharon said that her husband Ozzy had chosen Michael on Tuesday night. The act moving into the next round was, Ozzys choice, Michael Grimm. Howie called it a silly question when Nick asked if America made the right decision. Howie, a Canadian, said hes always been the voice of America.The final three acts -- Wreckless, Hannibal Means and Antonio Restivo -- were called to the stage. The judges would pick who advanced out of this group, but first of the three had to be sent home. The act leaving the competition was Hannibal Means. That left Antonio Restivo and Wreckless to make their cases. The judges took a commercial break to think about it.Howie said he had to go with his gut, which was telling him Antonio. Piers said he didnt know if hed ever seen two acts who he thought the competition meant more to. He said his head said Antonio, but his heart said Wreckless had done it the hard way. He went with his heart and voted for Wreckless. That left it up to Sharon. She called them both special and different, but she had to agree with Howie and voted for Antonio.

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Episode #5.14

Last week, four semifinalists were...
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Last week, four semifinalists were sent into the next round of the competition, and Tuesday night brought a chance for 12 more contestants to claim four more spots.Howie kicked off the night with a David Hasselhoff joke, saying that choosing last week between RNG and Future Funk, two kids dancing groups, was like David Hasselhoff deciding which daughter to share a burger with.Cheer SF: The group leader said Cheer SF has been around for 30 years. In the intro package, Piers said his problem with the group was that they were mostly blokes and a cheerleading group should have more ladies. But the group is aiming to break down stereotypes. Not surprisingly, Piers buzzed them. Sharon followed, but Howie let them finish what wasnt a particularly bad performance. It just wasnt all that impressive. Piers said he simply doesnt get cheerleading as a form of entertainment in a show like this. He said he wanted to go to sleep. Sharon loved their enthusiasm, but thought that such a mature group should have presented more moves theyve never seen before. Howie said it wasnt as technically amazing as hes seen cheerleading done.Alice Tan Ridley: Sharon said in the intro package that she couldnt believe Alice Tan Ridley hadnt been discovered yet. Alice said the last time she was in L.A. was to be with her daughter, Gabourey Sidibe, at the Oscars. But her own dream has yet to come true. She sang Midnight Train to Georgia. Sharon said she wanted to be on that train with Alice, and she called her an amazing woman. She told Alice she did it right -- you took care of your family and now youre taking care of you. Piers said Alice has everything the show is looking for, and said it might not be long before Alice is on a red carpet again, but not as Gaboureys mom. Instead, folks might be asking Gabourey if shes Alice Tan Ridleys daughter.Mona Sampath Dance Company: The group wanted to bring its updated interpretation of Bollywood, and said Vegas needs it. Their leader said their version of the dance was more than just a guy and a girl dancing around a tree. Howie said the judges loved their connection between Bollywood and modern dancing, but this routine wasnt as good as what hed seen before. There was no wow moment, he said. Piers told them to relax and said Howie doesnt know anything about Bollywood. Piers said it was miles better than the audition. Sharon said it was very, very exciting to watch. She said their joy was infectious, but said she wanted to see some more traditional dance next time.Iron Horse: A bluegrass rock trio that didnt get a lot of face time during the audition process mixed their music with spectacle, by doing tricks like standing on their bass. The performance seemed a little thin and Piers buzzed them. He said the stage seemed too big to them and it seemed like they went backward, becoming a good bar band and not good stage band. Piers also said the singer was no good. Sharon said they should have cut the tricks because it distracted from the music. Howie took the other course and said that if they wanted to keep the tricks they needed to dedicate more of the 90 seconds to one or the other.The Strong Man: After some impressive auditions, The Strong Man vowed to bring something big to the Hollywood stage. He was going to work with over 2,000 pounds and raise the stakes on the danger. Nick gave the dont try this at home warning. He had a whole bit about his solution to the parking problems in Los Angeles, lifting a motorcycle out of the way, then flipping a car over. Sharon said she thought that with a big Vegas production, he could do more outrageous things. Howie thought it was amazing, even though he didnt know what it was. Piers said he didnt know how impressive it was, saying, There are people in South Central L.A. doing that every night. Piers then told The Strong Man he wasnt the strong, dynamic entertainer needed for Vegas. (As a side note, they showed the production crew removing the car from the stage, and it took almost a dozen guys to flip it back over).Ronith: The impressionist who constantly vowed to be back, was back again. He switched things up during the Vegas round of the audition, taking Piers advice in getting rid of the impressions. But Howie and Sharon wanted them. In his most awkward performance yet, Ronith brought back the impressions. Piers buzzed him almost immediately. Sharon buzzed him later. The crowd sat in stunned silence as Howie gave a standing ovation. Howie said Piers didnt get it, that bad is good. Ronith finally understood what Howie was trying to say and agreed, bad impressions make you laugh. Piers said Ronith is just bad, not brilliant. Sharon was just confused. As Nick read out Roniths phone number for the voters, Piers pleaded, No!Hannibal Means: Howie sang Hannibal scares him, and called the singer a human thrill ride, but clarified, I dont want to ride him. Hannibal went on some speech in his intro package, talking about how his singing is saying yes to life, and he invited everyone to say yes with him. He sang Elton Johns Circle of Life, complete with Lion King-inspired dancers. Piers said it was so crazy, and yet, underneath all the madness, theres a great singer in Hannibal. Sharon said Hannibals voice is so rich and amazing, she was just upset that he didnt knit her a hat. Howie just wanted to know what planet Hannibal was from.Wreckless: The dance group that was used to performing on the streets and once struggled to find a place to practice faced the biggest opportunity of their lives, on the biggest stage of their lives. They put on a dazzling performance that earned big cheers from the crowd. Sharon said it was amazing to see them pull off such a highly choreographed routine. Howie said he didnt sense the edge they had before. Piers said he looked for acts who can fill a big stage, and he said he completely agreed with Sharon.Lil Chris: Chris talked about taking a chance with Tuesday nights performance, going with something more current, singing Ne-Yos Closer. With two backup dancers, he showed some moves and some vocal chops. Howie was impressed at his level of talent at age 12. Howie told him to put the time in to practice and make it perfect. Piers was surprised to agree with Howie and said he was worried that this opportunity had come a little too soon for him. It wasnt quite there, Piers said, but noted that Chris is a very exciting prospect. Sharon said he held his own and that he did fantastic.AscenDance: The husband-and-wife couple said they were training incredibly hard and introduced two more dancers into their act. Howie said their act was one of the most dangerous because if the wall-climbing dancers lost one grip, it was all over. They put on a mesmerizing performance that wowed the crowd. Piers said that if someone explained to him that the act was to prance around on a wall to Snow Patrol he wouldve thought they were mad. He was stunned, though, and called it a beautiful thing to watch. He also said he could see them making it even bigger on a Vegas stage. Sharon agreed it was endless what they could do with the act in Vegas. Howie agreed it was unique and the dancers were passionate.Antonio Restivo: The fiery illusionist with a heart of gold became emotional in the intro package when talking about his father, who passed away but was 100 percent supportive of everything he did. He was raising the danger stakes and said he couldnt wait for everyone to see it. He sent flames flying as he moved an assistant from one cage at one end of the stage to the other. Sharon said it was hot and he used the time very week -- and, of course, the music was just sensational. (It was Ozzy). Howie said that act was consummate Las Vegas. Piers said the big question is whether an illusionist has a big enough performance to headline in Vegas, and he believed, after seeing Antonios performance, that Antonio had it.Michael Grimm: After a tough childhood that included being raised by his grandparents, Michael Grimm was ready to give it all that he had. He sang Al Greens So Tired of Being Alone. Howie said Michael is his favorite singer in the whole competition, saying he wanted to be the first customer to buy his album. Piers said Michael was a work in progress but noted hes a very, very good singer. He told Michael to connect with the audience more by having more confidence. Sharon said she could genuinely see and hear the hard times Michael has been through in his singing.

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Episode #5.13

The votes were in and the first four...
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The votes were in and the first four semifinalists on Americas Got Talent would be named Wednesday night. After the first dozen acts to make it to Hollywood performed on Tuesday, Americas votes would determine which four are guaranteed a spot in the next round.Howie said that last night he saw an act -- though he wouldnt say which -- that he thought could go all the way.To the results: Host Nick Cannon called three acts from backstage -- Nathaniel Kenyon, Airpocalypse and Sally Cohn. Piers said he had no clue which of the three acts would go through. Nick quickly announced that the act moving into the semifinals is ... Nathaniel Kenyon. He got (real) hugs from all three members of Airpocalypse and Sally Cohn. Sharon said America got it right.Sally said later that she wasnt devastated and that in some ways its a relief.Be our guest: Selena Gomez and The Scene paid a visit to the Talent stage to perform her song, Round and Round. Later, the cast of the Broadway musical Rock of Ages, including American Idol veteran Constantine Maroulis, hit the stage. Constantine was joined by Twisted Sisters Dee Snider for I Wanna Rock.Back to the results: Nick next called Nick Pyke, Kung Fu Heroes and Fighting Gravity to the stage. Sharon confirmed that Fighting Gravity was incredible, and Nick soon announced that they would be moving into the next round. Howie said not only was their selection the right result this week, but he believes they have a shot to go all the way.Nick called Christina & Ali, Maricar and the Hot Shot Tap Dancers to the stage. Howie said all three acts were so different it was difficult to pick one. Nick then revealed that the act moving on to the semifinals is ... Christina & Ali. Piers said theyd won the hearts of America, but told them to go practice, practice, practice for the coming rounds.Finally, singer Paul Safy Jr., RNG and Future Funk came to the stage and Nick announced that the judges would decide which act will move on. Sharon said she felt bad for Paul, having to stand in the middle of the smallest and cutest contestants on the show.Nick announced that, based on Americas vote, the first act of the three eliminated was ... Paul Safy Jr. That left RNG and Future Funk on stage awaiting the word from the judges.Piers said the girls of RNG were better technical dancers, but the boys were entertaining and he gave them his vote. On technical merit, Sharon voted for RNG. Howie, with seconds to decide, actually ran over the shows alloted time before announcing that his vote was for Future Funk.

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Episode #5.12

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Episode #5.11

It was Day 2 of Vegas Week on...
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It was Day 2 of Vegas Week on Americas Got Talent, where the standby contestants got a chance to perform for 11 remaining spots in the live Hollywood round.The danger acts went first. The Kung Fu Heroes got things started with a high-flying martial arts routine that even impressed their fellow competitors who were watching backstage. Still, The Danger Committee threw their knives at each other and juggled flaming torches around each other. Nick Pike promised to deliver something that had never been done before. After having juggled flaming torches on flaming unicycle in his original audition, Nick put a hood over his head and juggled a machete, a cleaver and a flaming torch while walking on broken glass that had been doused with kerosene. After watching Nick successfully complete his routine, Piers said it was going to be a ridiculously competitive category.Jeremy Vanschoonhoven said there were lots of people who could juggle and throw knives, but there are very few people who can do the tricks he does on his bike. He said he quit one of his jobs so he could train all the time after the original audition. He put on another impressive display that nearly knocked Piers out of his chair. Piers said hes gone from being a rank outsider to someone who should definitely be in the top 48.The kid dancers were next up in the standby group, and Northwest Dancing Acro went first. They appeared to go head to head against RNG. Northwest Dancing Acro seemed to have the edge, but Sharon worried that the smallest kids in that bunch were better than the older ones. Howie didnt think that was a problem.Next were the standby singers. The large vocal group, New Directions, gave a great singing performance after a moving story about how theyd all been homeless. Howie wondered if they were stars, granting that they were talented and inspirational. Sharon said they were. Sisters Christina and Ali gave another rousing performance. Sharon asked if they could handle the stress of singing live every week. Piers said wild horses wouldnt stop those two from performing live.The novelty acts werent giving up without a fight, but things werent going so well for a few of them. The girl who paints canvases with paint on her body was deemed completely ridiculous by Piers. A juggler dropped a racket, and another guy popped a bunch of balloons with fire, Piers said. The guy who flings playing cards (and did it quite successfully in his first audition) tried to pop three confetti-filled balloons that were hovering above the judges heads. He nailed the first two, but kept missing the third, which hung over Howies head. The guy kept flinging cards at tremendously high speeds and missing until Howie demanded he stop.Impressionist Ronith came to Vegas not wanting to do impressions anymore. Instead, he did a sketch about an angry man on a Monday morning. Sharon was confused as to why Ronith was now doing a talking mime act. He said he changed things up because Piers didnt like his impressions.The bands were up next, starting with the rocking duo Strange Familiar from the Portland auditions. But this time, they brought more of a backup band. The Haitian band Harmonik was up next. Piers questioned their lead singers voice. More bands -- rockabilly, pop and classical fusion -- took the stage, but it was air band Airpocalypse that finished the group off. The other bands were upset that Airpocalypse was in their category because they didnt play real instruments. It didnt seem like it would matter much as the judges seemed to understand the absurdity of it all after watching Airpocalypse perform again.The standby male singers were fighting in what Nick Cannon called the most competitive group, by far because more of them made it through to Vegas than ever before. Singer Nate Kenyon was nervous again, but had to sit and watch a bunch of other guys perform before he could take the stage. Luigi Seno put on an impressive and relaxed performance, but Sharon wanted him to have worked harder. Backstage, Luigi cried at the thought of the magnitude of what was going on. Nate finally took the stage and told Sharon hed gotten over some of his fear. Howie told Nate that hes in a tough category and there simply isnt room for everyone.It was time for the judges to deliberate.Neither Nick Pike or The Danger Committee made it through, but Kung Fu Heroes and Jeremy Vanschoonhoven did. RNG made it to Hollywood, but Northwest Dancing Acro did not. Luigi Seno broke down when he got word from Piers that hes going to Hollywood. Howie unceremoniously dumped a quartet of male vocalists before Sharon told Nate Kenyon that hes going to Hollywood. Ronith, too, was Hollywood-bound.From the bands, Strange Familiar and the rockabilly band (whose name wasnt very clearly provided) were through to Hollywood.Harmonik, the band from Haiti, was told they werent good enough to move on. Then, Sharon told Airpocalypse that they werent a band, but a very entertaining comedy act, and they were going to Hollywood.Sharon then cried as she told New Directions that they didnt make the cut, and Piers got to deliver the news to sisters Christina and Ali that they were going to Hollywood.

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Episode #5.10

The Americas Got Talent audition...
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The Americas Got Talent audition process is taking a big step this week as the more than 100 acts to make it to the Las Vegas round will be whittled down to 48 finalists.The contestants enjoyed the sites and sounds of Vegas and talked about how much theyd love to have a show there -- the grand prize (along with that $1 million) for the winner.With the cameras rolling, Howie, Piers and Sharon pretended to debate which of the acts they preferred to see move forward. Finally, the contestants were brought into the theater as the judges appeared on stage.They were on edge, knowing that in the past some contestants have been cut even before they performed in Vegas. The acts were separated into three groups as they sat in the theater. Howie told the acts seated in Group A that they were the judges favorites and theyd be performing that night.Sharon then explained to the contestants in Group B that theyd have to wait until Group A performed to see if there were any spots still available in the final 48. There could be 10 spots, there could be two spots. Theyd just have to wait and see.Piers then told Group C that they were the most difficult one to determine. He paused for effect, saying that their journey in Vegas ended that day -- because they were being put directly through to Hollywood.The 10 acts with Hollywood passes were: From Chicago, The Belly Dancing Duo, Polina (the hula hooper) and the Strykers All-Stars; from Los Angeles, Cheer SF, Haspop and Future Funk; from Dallas, Architect and The Maniacs; and from New York, Fighting Gravity and the South Philly Vikings.The remaining potential finalists were grouped into categories, and the first to perform for the final 38 Hollywood spots were the magicians.Army pilot William Scott Anderson used a new box trick in Vegas while the other magicians watched from the wings. Sharon liked him, but Piers shook his head and Howie wanted to wait and see. Michael Grasso, who wowed the judges in the original audition with a big illusion, went back to old-school slight of hand. Murray SawChuck went big, with an illusion in which he snuck a sports car onto the stage. Magic satirist Chipps Cooney then went on and did his thing, which Piers still didnt understand.A harmonica players group was established for the two harmonica players in the mix. Harmonica Pierre, who plays classical music on his harmonica, and Jia-Hi Ye, who played five of them at once. Sharon wasnt sure the competition needed even one harmonica act.The next group was the acrobats. AscenDance, the rock climbing/dancing couple, impressed even the other acrobats who were watching backstage. Another acrobat duo, Michael and Ashley worked on a rope and had a technical error in which they got stuck on the rope for a moment. Rudy Macaggi, the man who stood on his head on a stack of wine glasses and a basketball, upped the ante in Vegas by introducing a partner and doing some contortions and balancing displays that left Howie astonished.The danger category was up next. Twysted Trystan and Krystan raised the stakes when Krystan hammered a huge nail into Trystans tongue. The strong man took the judges outside to demonstrate his skills, and the Paul Bunyon Lumberjack Show did the same. Antonio Restibo said he came up with something bigger and better for Las Vegas. He came up with an illusion that was very similar to the one Michael Grasso did in his original audition, but that wasnt mentioned. Piers noticed a bit of a flaw in Antonios fire demonstration and he admitted the whole thing didnt go perfectly.The classical singers were struggling with the dry Vegas air. Prince Poppycock wasnt feeling 100 percent, but went on with the show. Piers asked the singer if his illness effected his voice and Prince Poppycock got emotional when he talked about how badly he wanted to be well for the performance.The flamboyant Hannibal came dressed in a wildly colored robe and a rooster that prompted Howie to ask, Is that a cock on your head? Hannibal confirmed it was, indeed, and the rooster symbolized a new dawn. He displayed his booming voice and left the stage. Carlos Aponte, the geeky wedding singer with a big operatic voice.The dancing categories were up, and they started with the tappers. The Hot Shot Tap Dancers from the Portland audition, the family tapping group, went first and one of the brothers tripped, missed his step and it was obvious. They could only wait and watch the remaining dance groups. The final two dance groups were dueling street-style crews.The female vocalist category turned into what seemed like a head-to-head between April Lane and Debra Romer. Mary Ellen took the stage and didnt want to leave. She started singing and got carried away, continuing for what Nick Cannon said was at least 10 minutes. Piers left the judges table, getting himself some tea.The kids got their own category. Connor Doran impressed the judges again with his indoor kite skills. Still, 11-year-old rapper CJ Dipper didnt shy away from playing up the cockiness.Comedian Doogie Horner did his best and thought it went well, or so he told Nick Cannon when he saw him backstage and said, It felt good, Nick Cannon.The novelty acts were, well, novel. It was quite the mix, as latex-suited painter Maricar was joined by dog acts, a guy who catches marshmallows in his mouth after shooting them off mouse traps with an air gun of some kind. Hand whistler Sally Cohn gave her rendition of Over the Rainbow.The male vocalists experienced some highs and lows while 18-year-old Taylor Matthews watched and waited for his turn. He gave his rendition of Tracks of My Tears. Michael Grimm, 30, went next and got so into his song that he went over his allotted 90 seconds. Piers reminded him that he could be disqualified for that.The judges deliberated pretty quickly, it seemed, and decided who was heading to Hollywood.In all, 27 of the contestants filled the 38 available spots, leaving 11 spots open for the standby contestants whose performances will be shown Wednesday night.

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Episode #5.9

The final auditions for the sixth...
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The final auditions for the sixth season of "America's Got Talent" were finally upon us, and Wednesday's episode took us to ... well, it wasn't clear where we were. But there were more acts waiting to impress the judges enough to get to Las Vegas.The first was a 26-year-old comedian named Jimmy Dinh (pronounced "Dean," but he didn't sell sausages, he does eyelash extensions). He was very excited to be on stage. He was funny at first, but it fell apart when he began his shtick. All three judges buzzed him, but Howie encouraged him to stick with comedy and continue to perform as himself.A belly dancing duo calling themselves The Belly Dancing Duo floored Piers and Howie, who said they were both "overflowing with talent." Even Sharon was on board, despite saying that Howie was "just looking at the T&T." He said it was "the talent, and the timing." They made it to Vegas. A hip-hop violinist from Utah went through, as well, followed by a team of pogo-stick jumping guys. A large group of large guys dancing made it through next.A guy named "Clownvis," an Elvis impersonator dressed as a clown, He was barely a line into "Old McDonald" before Piers and the rest of the judges buzzed him. Cownvis made a crack about Sharon giggling because she was on a contact high from hanging around with Ozzy so long. She brought the whole show to a stop by telling Clownvis, "Nobody disrespects my husband," before pausing and finishing, "so (expletive) off." Clownvis then turned his aim toward Howie, saying he hasn't been funny since the rubber glove. Howie gave Clownvis the same sendoff.A card thrower named Rick successful cut through a piece of celery from several feet away. He made it through.Phil Trau, a 74-year-old tap dancer, got buzzed by Piers but kicked his routine into high gear using some small steps. Piers took back his X after the performance and voted yes, along with the other judges, to send Phil to Las Vegas.A guitarist/singer named Luigi Seno brought the ladies to their feet with his take on Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning." Piers told Luigi he was going to go a long way with his talent, but first he'd be going to Vegas.One-man-band performer Arthur Nakane took over three hours to set up his multi-faceted instrument, then it had some trouble getting started. The act was a bit of a mess, but even Piers couldn't resist paying tribute to Arthur's dedication and gave him a ticket to Vegas.

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Episode #5.8

It's the final week of auditions on...
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It's the final week of auditions on "America's Got Talent" (already, you ask?). Tuesday night's episode brought us to Chicago, where the hope was that the talent would be as deep as the pizza.The first contestant of the night promised to wow and disgust America with his talent -- sneezing with his eyes open. Germaphobe Howie Mandel refused to watch and buzzed the guy right away. The guy couldn't even get himself to sneeze, despite jamming a Q-tip into his nostril, and Piers Morgan buzzed him. Finally, Howie ran over and buzzed Sharon's X to send the guy off.A eight-man hip-hop dance crew called Strikers All-Stars from Florida said they'd been dancing together since 2002. They put on an impressively choreographed routine that had the crowd roaring. Sharon called it good, Howie called it "great." With three yes votes, the Strikers were heading to Vegas.Another group of college friends, the Gentlemen of NUCO, put a rock twist on classical music instruments, and a gospel quartet called NU Covenant were sent along to the next round. A dancer named Naishon Jones moved on, as well.A 50-year-old magician calling himself Spellbound vowed to give the judges something they'd never seen before. He stuck a handkerchief onto a little prop suitcase and made it dance. It was a debacle and all three judges buzzed him. He was followed by more terrible acts, including a girl who danced in a bubble and a guy wearing a cheese hat who sang a song about cheese.Singer Carlos Aponte of Puerto Rico walked onto the stage meekly and sort of sheepishly talked about what he was going to sing, and then amazed the crowd and the judges with a booming operatic voice. Howie told Carlos he'd created one of the show's trademark "unexpected, fantastic moments." Sharon said it was "stunning." Piers said he got goose bumps. All three judges voted to move Carlos to Las Vegas.Performance artist Polina Volchek wowed the crowed with her hoops, ribbons and contortions, spinning hula hoops on her legs and arms, and made it to the next round.John Beatty, a 43-year-old registered nurse, showed off some serious "strong man" skills. He first rolled up a frying pan, then drove a nail into a license plate and two wood planks with his bare hand. Then he bent a thicker nail while holding a 290-pound cement ball into his lap. Piers buzzed him, saying he wasn't entirely impressed. Piers even suggested the drying pan was weaker than most, at which point Howie asked Piers if he could unroll it. He couldn't, then said it might be easier to roll it up than to unroll it. Then John unrolled it. All three judges, including Piers, then put John on a plane to Vegas.Debra Romer, 21, of Kalamazoo, Mich., shared her story of running away at the age of 17. She hasn't been home since. She said her two younger siblings have been the only constants in her life and that music saved her after years in and out of foster care. She said her dream was to sing for a living and "not wait tables." She played acoustic guitar and sang Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." She started slowly and nervously, but the crowd cheered her on and she picked up her confidence and she went on. Howie said he didn't sense that Debra "owned" her performance. Piers disagreed, saying Debra was showing innocence and vulnerability rather than fear. Sharon straddle both sides of the issue, encouraging Debra to stand stronger on stage. Howie voted no. Piers gave her a "definite" yes. Sharon said she couldn't see Debra handling having her own show in Vegas. "If that's what you want me to do, I'll do it," Debra replied. Sharon then said she was going to give her that opportunity.

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Episode #5.7

The second day of auditions in...
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The second day of auditions in Portland, Ore., started just as weirdly as the first day had, with a taxi driver named Soriah offering up some bizarre humming that he called Tuvan throat singing. It sounded like a human vuvuzela and after the judges mocked him a bit, they sent him on his way. Soriah was followed by a run of odd acts, including a contortion yoga dancer, a needle swallower and a girl with pink hair who admitted she made up her lyrics as she went along.It got so bad that Piers Morgan walked away and called it a complete waste of time.A family tap dancing group of three brothers and their sister, calling themselves The Hot Shot Tap Dancers, tried to turn the tide in Portland. It worked. The crowd was pumped and the judges were all smiles. Howie loved it and said there was a connection and a "unity" that made it work. Piers liked it but wasn't thrilled with their choreography. Although he said it wasn't perfect, Piers voted yes, along with Howie and Sharon, and they were tapping their way to Vegas.A "wall-dancing" couple called AscenDance put on an impressive display of dancing on a rock-climbing wall. Piers said that ever time he thinks he's seen everything on this show, something like this comes along as surprises him. Howie had the same sentiment. All three judges voted yes and AscenDance was heading to Vegas.A dancing group of girls, ages 11 to 13, called RNG ("Radiant Next Generation") put on a precise performance of hip hop. Howie said he enjoyed it but told them to step it up if they were to return. Piers said he liked it more than he expected to. Sharon praised their timing and said she liked it very much. Piers voted yes, along with the other two judges, and RNG was moved on.A crooner named Paul Safy Jr. channeled Tony Bennett and the crowd loved him, as did the judges. A doubles trapeze act called the Sky Sirens and a teenage boy playing an instrument made with PVC pipes that he and his father built also moved on to Vegas.Ryan Compton said his talent was going to blow people away, and he turned down jobs better than his present role as a janitor so that he could hone his talent. Ryan's singing was terrible, but then it became some kind of crumping act. All three judges buzzed him and he was sent on his way.Harmonica Pierre, 74, was in love with his harmonica and divorced his wife after she stopped playing harmonica and told him he had to stop, as well. The crowd rose slowly as Pierre rocked "Flight of the Bumble Bee" on his harmonica, and they applauded when he was done. Sharon said she enjoyed it, but didn't think she could take too much of it at once. Piers said Pierre brought a touch of class to the show. Howie asked Pierre to make it more marketable. Howie voted yes, but Sharon said no. With the crowd urging him on, Piers sent Pierre to Las Vegas.A pair of sisters, Christina and Ali, 13 and 20, who have cystic fibrosis wanted the judges to "look beyond everything" and see them for who they are. They wanted to prove that you can achieve your dreams and do anything you set your mind to. The crowd jumped out of their seats as the sisters belted out "The Climb." Howie said that their talent combined with their illness was so moving that he wanted everything for them that they want in life. Piers said it was "an amazing thing" they'd done just by walking out and singing. He said they weren't the best singers the show has had, but they were good singers and had "absolute sincerity." He called it "an extraordinary performance." Sharon praised the joy they had when they sang. Sharon voted yes, and Howie said he'd be an idiot not to say yes. Piers, then, invited them to Las Vegas.

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Episode #5.6

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions were back in Orlando, Fla., and the first act of Tuesday's two-hour audition episode was magician Frankie Elliston, a 19-year-old Chili's waiter who earns extra tips by performing magic tricks. He swallowed a piece of string and pulled it out through the skin on his stomach. He freaked everyone out, and Piers Morgan called it "one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen." He was intrigued, though, and voted yes as the crowd cheered. Sharon said she didn't know if it was good enough, so she voted no. Howie liked something about Frankie and put him through to Vegas.Another magician made it through with a slick "girl in a box" trick. A group of South Philly's Mummers, and a knife thrower who surprisingly used host Nick Cannon as his target all made it to Vegas, as well.Erin Barylski, a painted-up gymnast painted an American flag using pigment on her thighs was just odd enough to make it through to Vegas. A 16-year-old kid dressed as Amadeus came up next. Simeon Mulder recently immigrated from the Netherlands and played the keyboard like a whiz. The crowd was on its feet, his mom was beaming with pride and the judges really had no choice but to send him to Vegas.Customer service representative Tiahizzi Charrelle was pretty well covered up before taking the stage to perform a "song-and-dance routine." Howie buzzed her immediately, and Sharon followed suit. Piers held out long enough to watch Tiahizzi remove most of her clothes, then buzzed her. A string of extremely odd characters followed, including a large man with small talent who pranced around the stage in short shorts before stripping down to briefs.A young dance group, Studio One Young Beast Society, made up of dancers ages 10 to 21, impressed the crowd and the judges and earned a trip to Las Vegas.A 73-year-old Russian immigrant named Efim Tabachnikov, who moved to the U.S. 33 years ago, sang "Some Enchanted Evening" using a style and technique he developed himself. It didn't work. Piers buzzed him almost immediately, and Sharon soon followed. Howie let Efim finish, but the crowd was somewhat relentless. All three judges seemed to like him personally, but voted no.A Haitian group called Harmonik hit the stage with something to prove. They performed for themselves and for their families back in their homeland, who are still reeling from the massive earthquake that hit in January. They wanted to win so they could send the prize money back home. They sang their version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and the crowd was into it. The judges agreed it was a great performance, and voted them through to Vegas as the crowd gave a standing ovation.A singer and songwriter named Sponjetta wasn't lacking in confidence, saying she felt she could be as big as a Alicia Keys and Beyonce. She performed some original material, a song called "Studio." She kept repeating the line, "I'll be in my studio, studio." All three judges voted no. Nick took the stage and tried to give her another chance, encouraging the crowd to bounce as she sang the song all over again.Sponjetta was the last act Orlando had to offer, and the second hour was dedicated to auditions held in Portland, Ore., for the first time.The first act in the city that prides itself on being weird was a magic duo called "The Magique Bazzar." The guy changed his face mask five times in 90 seconds, but while performing with his back to the crowd, he fell of the stage. They went home, and they were followed by a string of bizarre acts, including one in which a woman dressed as a zombie kept telling a leashed man to roll over.The early portion of the auditions displayed mostly the weird part of what Portland has to offer. But bicycle trickster Jeremy Vanschoonhoven, 27, brought the crowd to its feet. He first used Nick as a prop and balanced his front tire over Nick's face multiple times, then went through an obstacle course. Piers buzzed him because he fell at one point, then he voted no. Sharon voted yes, along with Howie, to send Jeremy on to Vegas, where he vowed to crank it up even higher.Banghra Empire, an Indian dance group, had the crowd and the judges smiling, and they kicked off a run of quality acts who earned tickets to Vegas, including a singing duet called The Strange Familiar and a kids' dance group.Airpocalypse, an air band supergroup, started slowly and Piers was primed to buzz them, but he held off and they kicked it up a notch, bringing the crowd on board with them. Howie voted yes, as did Sharon, and Piers was into it, as well, sending Airpocalypse to Vegas.A classically trained cellist with a heavy metal vibe was X'd off the stage, but Connor Doran was ready to demonstrate his indoor kite flying prowess. The 17-year-old said he was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 4 and flying his indoor kite helped give him confidence and calm. The crowd and the judges were mesmerized by watching him guide the apparatus around the stage. Howie called it "one of the most beautiful, unique things" he'd ever seen. He was flying off to Vegas.William Scott Anderson, a medical evacuation team member in the Army who performed magic for injured children, amazed everyone with an illusion in which he put a woman in a box, then folded the box up, drove swords through it and then unfolded the box with the woman still inside. How and the judges loved it and put him through to the next round.Sally Cohn, a 75-year-old former teacher who vowed to knock everyone off their asses with her performance, was a hand whistler. She whistled "America the Beautiful" and Sharon buzzed her. She wrote a book about hand whistling and had copies for sale for $12. Howie bought one. Sharon liked Sally, but said no. Piers, though, had the last vote and as the crowd cheered, "Vegas! Vegas!" he voted yes.

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Episode #5.5

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions headed south to Orlando, which Piers Morgan called "very, very cool." Howie Mandel said he'd not only been to Orlando before, but he's performed on this very stage.The first contestant was local lifeguard Jason Pote, who called himself a "freestyle dancer." A quick three buzzes later, a winded Jason was sent home -- at least he lived nearby. He walked to the audition. Jason started a run of terrible acts, including a guy whose eyebrows danced, a guy who put some kind of colorful paint on an overhead projector, and a horrible dancer who referred to the new judge as "Howie Mendez."A college student dance troupe called The Morphs were dressed in head-to-toe leotards that covered their faces. They were awful and Piers buzzed them quickly, then shook his head as he wondered why the other judges weren't buzzing them, as well. But they did, eventually. Another guy named Billy Bob beat his bicycle like a drum and was buzzed by all three judges. A hula-hoop dance group was buzzed three times over, as was a bad singer named Stacey Weaver.Piers called it "the worst day of auditions I can remember."A 44-year-old guitarist and singer named Lonnie Lear who looked and talked like last year's winner Kevin Skinner was also from Kevin's hometown of Mayfield, Ky. He claimed he was better than Kevin. He wasn't. The crowd hollered for X's, which came from Piers and Howie, and finally from Sharon. Howie struggled to come up with a positive comment, and gave up.Nick Pike, a 30-year-old cruise ship performer, tried something he said was very dangerous and he'd never done it before. He laid out a complicated agenda for his routine. He rode a unicycle that was on fire, while juggling clubs that were also on fire. After more juggling, he did some backspins that make him dizzy. Then he fired up a chainsaw and incorporated it into his juggling routine. The crowd loved it. He dropped a club at one point, so Piers buzzed him. Sharon loved it and Howie called him "truly a great entertainer." Piers, even after X'ing Nick, gave him a yes vote. He was heading to Vegas.Kruti Dance Academy sought to make Indian dance well known, and their tight choreography won points from the judges and the crowd. They were given a pass to Vegas.Lil Chris, 12, wowed with his singing and dancing, continuing the trend of successful acts. Jayna Lee did "a strong-woman act" in which she literally bent over backwards while Nick Cannon stood on her stomach. Mama T, who is 73, sang and danced her way to Vegas.Unassuming Nathaniel Kenyon, 19, carried his guitar on stage and tried to overcome his nerves. He talked about working at an elderly person's home and that he does it because he was inspired by the people who helped his grandmother in her final days. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, but Piers hit him with an X. The crowd chanted "Vegas!" Sharon said Nathaniel had something special about him. Howie said he wasn't the world's greatest singer, but he's good looking and has some talent. Piers said he didn't think Nathaniel was quite there. Howie said yes. Sharon broke the tie by telling Nathaniel she'd be seeing him in Vegas."Twisted Trystan and Krystan," a sideshow performing couple carrying a large and imposing hand drill, did something they admitted wasn't entirely safe. Trystan said he went to the hospital performing the trick he was going to do on stage. He swallowed a sword, then he dropped to his knees while Krystan stuck the drill down his throat. Piers said it was "not normal" and said "the pair of you are mad." Sharon said she enjoyed it. Howie called it more compelling than other sword swallowers. All three judges gave them yes votes and invited them to Vegas.The final act of the night was a dance group called Wreckless from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., whose leader said they had no formal training or a professional setting in which to train. Piers said he'd been looking for a dance group that could "kick butt" and said they made it worth the wait because they kicked butt. Sharon liked that they were "raw and edgy," and called them fantastic. Howie loved it and after some quick votes, told them they were going to Las Vegas.

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Episode #5.4

The "America's Got Talent" auditions...
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The "America's Got Talent" auditions headed for New York City, and the first contestant out of the gate was 74-year-old Mary Ellen. She struggled out of the gate to get her keyboards working on Patsy Cline's "Crazy." Piers buzzed her immediately, and Sharon buzzed her once she started singing. Howie was the lone holdout, and as the crowd roared in disapproval, and Mary busted into some yodeling that got the crowd back into it. Sharon told Mary she's "absolutely barking mad" but she loved her. Howie said he didn't know why he loved it, but he did. Piers said no, but Howie realized that even though everyone would think he was crazy, he gave her a yes. Sharon hoped Mary would find herself a husband in Vegas, and she'd get the chance because that's where she was headed.Rudi Macaggi wowed the judges and the crowd by doing a headstand on a basketball that was set on a stack of shelves that were propped up by champagne glasses and bottles. Rudi vowed more of an act that would blow our socks off. All three judges gave him yes votes for Vegas.The '80s dance group, "The Spangles Dance Company," started a montage of green-lit acts, and they made Howie feel like his mullet was growing back. A kid named Eric put on an impressive yo-yo display.Michael Grasso, a 36-year-old magician, dazzled the crowd with a switcheroo in a box, where he and his assistant swapped places. All three judges were amazed and Piers even called it "absolutely brilliant." With three yeses, Michael was heading to Vegas.A 12-year-old ballroom dancing couple earned a ticket to Vegas before a married couple calling themselves "Just the Two of Us," playing a flute and a lute, took the stage. Just a few seconds into their serenade, which appeared to be done more for each other than for the crowd, all three judges buzzed them, and voted no.A 39-year-old singer named Chale with a deep, radio DJ's voice walked off stage to give himself a grand emcee's introduction, but that was the highlight as all three judges buzzed him and he was gone. A few more bad acts, including a weird dancing guy and a female accordion band followed.Nina Mojares, 10, and her dancing quartet called Legit, impressed the crowd with her singing and their dance moves. Piers said Nina had a good voice, "but it wasn't great." Sharon praised her stage presence and confidence, but said she seemed too precise. Howie agreed with both judges, saying Nina needs to take it to the next level. Howie voted yes, but Piers voted no, saying they weren't quite ready yet. Sharon strung her along, by saying she didn't know if Nina was quite ready yet. It seemed as if she was dragging out a yes vote, but she wasn't. Sharon said no.Alice Tan Ridley, the 58-year-old mother of Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe, said she's been singing in the subways for 20 years, but was still chasing her dream. The crowd rose to its feet after hearing her sing Etta James' "At Last." Sharon wondered why no one had signed her yet, and Howie said she deserved to be heard by more than just the people on the trains. Piers called it the best audition of the day. All three judges voted yes.Chipps Cooney, a 61-year-old illusionist from New Jersey, put on a clearly satirical "magic" show in which all of the illusions were obvious. Piers buzzed him, but Howie pointed out that Piers just didn't get it. Then Piers admitted he didn't get it. Howie loved Chipps' deadpan delivery, and Sharon said she found it very entertaining. Howie said yes, Piers said no, and Sharon said yes.

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Episode #5.3

The New York City auditions of...
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The New York City auditions of "America's Got Talent" started with a remarkable act called "Fighting Gravity," a group of college students who shut down all the lights in the theater and delivered a performance that blew the judges and the crowd away. Four dancers dressed in white, who were the only figures visible on stage, turned in some precise choreography and surprised everyone when there were a couple dozen guys on stage after it ended. Howie called it the most unique and exciting act he's seen since The Blue Man Group, and "Fighting Gravity" was on its way to Vegas.Father-and-son duo Gino and Tony Antanies gave a so-bad-it-was-worth-cheering-for rendition of "All By Myself." Piers buzzed them quickly, but the other judges were willing to indulge them a bit more. Piers said no, but Sharon said, "Absolutely yes." Howie said he could sense the passion and the love, and said it was a beautiful father-and-son thing, but he voted no.A guy named Joe Menchetti put his speed-eating skills to the test, trying to eat five pizzas in 90 seconds. Three buzzers came before he could finish, though, and he set off a run of terrible auditions that included a guy playing a very over-sized guitar and a terrible singer.A guy dressed in 18th-Century garb calling himself Prince Poppycock turned heads with his outfit, but delivered a stunning operatic performance that Sharon called "magnificent." Piers said he was expecting the performance to "take a certain route," but instead it took a different one. Howie called Prince Poppycock "great talent." All three judges voted yes to send the Prince to Vegas.The Peek-a-Boo Revue, a burlesque group, won over the judges and earned a ticket to Vegas. A guy named Jia-Yi He played four harmonicas at once and earned a standing ovation from the crowd and the judges. A group of knife-throwers earned a unanimous nod from the judges, as well.A singing duo featuring a couple of guys who were very into themselves and called themselves "On Repeat," weren't nearly as good as they thought they were and earned three buzzes from the judges.Antonio Restivo, a 39-year-old street vendor, showed off a pyromaniac routine that mesmerized the crowd. Howie said it was exactly the kind of thing that works in Vegas. Piers appreciated how polished it was, and all three judges gave him a vote for Vegas.Three stand-up comedians were quickly shown the exit as a ramp-up to Doogie Horner, a 30-year-old guy who hoped to turn around the fortunes of stand-ups. The relentless crowd started booing him almost immediately, but Howie seemed to like him. Howie said he thought Doogie was talented, and Sharon appreciated how he held his own against the tough crowd. Piers told him the audience turned on him because he wasn't funny. Howie voted yes, Piers voted no, and Sharon broke the tie with a yes vote.

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Episode #5.2

A technological performance group...
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A technological performance group called ArcAttack started the second night of auditions on "America's Got Talent" in Texas and it seemed like a boring start for a moment. Sharon buzzed them after a few moments of just watching a bunch of guys stand around the stage while someone played guitar. But then a hooded man walked to the middle of the stage and began catching massive sparks of electricity that were coming from pylons on either side of the stage, and the crowd went nuts. Howie called it different and amazing and unique. Piers called it "one of the most incredible auditions I've seen in my life." Sharon said it was fabulous, but "it's all a bit too technical for me." (She seemed to feel forced into defending her early buzz at that point). Howie voted yes, Sharon said no, but Piers said yes and ArcAttack went through to Vegas.A guy calling himself "Cut Throat Freak Show" vowed to bring a shocking act on stage and said that if it were to go wrong, "I wouldn't die, but I wouldn't want to live anymore." He went on and referred to his talent as "a genital daredevil." He asked host Nick Cannon for assistance, requesting that he ignite a lighter for him. At that point, the guy pulled down his pants (making use of an "America's Got Talent" on-screen censor I hadn't seen before), and Sharon and Piers both buzzed him. Nick pleaded with Howie to buzz him, as well, but Howie wanted to see what would happen. Nick light the lighter and the "Cut Throat Freak Show" put the flame to his genitals and some firecrackers went off. "Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!" Nick exclaimed. The judges didn't put him through.Jenna Adora Somar, 23, a singer, actress and model from San Antonio, Texas, promised to give a performance that would wow the judges. She sang Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good." Sharon and Piers agreed with that general sentiment and buzzed her. Sharon said the only thing that was missing from Jenna's act was "a pole." Piers called on the song's lyrics for his critique. Howie gave her a dollar bill, but that was all she'd be getting.A husband-and-wife team, Bert & Franny Davis, brought their "Muttley Crew," a group of mostly rescue dogs that did some fun tricks that brought smiles to the faces of the audience members and the judges. Piers said he didn't normally like dog acts, but there was "something about your mutts I quite like." He voted yes, along with Sharon. Howie was on board, as well, and put the act through to Vegas.A run of green-lit acts followed, including a '70s-inspired rock band called Le Freak, and a man named Chip Townsend who breaks stuff, and a plus-sized burlesque dancer who first got buzzed by Piers, but earned his vote after sitting on his lap -- seriously.A young guitarist and singer looking to make his dad proud took the competition by storm with his aww-shucks persona. Taylor Matthews, 18, was nervous, but pulled it together for a rendition of "Over the Rainbow." The crowd erupted when he finished and he admitted to Sharon that he was "shaking like a dog." Howie was impressed by his voice and originality, and Sharon called him "an odd little thing" -- in a good way. Piers loved it all and they put him through to the next round.Ray Sanders, a 62-year-old band director, got a chance to show his turkey-baster-playing skills, but it wasn't long before all three judges X'd him and stuffed his chances on the spot. He was followed by a string of X's.Ms. Donna, 57, who twirls flaming Samoan knives, admitted she'd half blind -- which is why they cleared out the first three rows of the audience. The judges also decided to stand back and eventually ducked behind their table when Ms. Donna started swinging a couple of knives wildly in circles. They all buzzed her, but Piers voted yes after Howie voted now. With the decision resting in her hands, Sharon voted yes just because Ms. Donna's act was crazy enough.A sixth-grade rapper named C.J. Dippa wrote and performed his own material, and danced. Piers loved it and said, "Move over Eminem." C.J. responded, "The only difference between me and Eminem is Eminem don't dance." All three judges voted yes.

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Finale

After four months of auditions and...
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After four months of auditions and eliminations, it was time Wednesday night to finally name a $1 million grand prize winner on "America's Got Talent" -- after two hours of filler and hype.Would it be the chicken-catching country crooner, the dancing moms of Utah, the sharp-tongued elderly comedian, the opera-singing sensation known as Barbara Padilla, or one of the other six final acts?Before that, though, host Nick Cannon ran through the list of guest performers for the evening, which included Leona Lewis, Rascal Flatts, Shakira and "Britain's Got Talent" phenom Susan Boyle, making her first televised singing appearance in the United States.Judge Piers Morgan said he normally works it down to one or two acts that could win, but this time he said it was tough to call and that any one of "eight or nine acts" could win it.In a bizarre bit of packaging, the entire top 10 participated in a performance of "Don't Leave Me This Way," which included a surprise appearance by Thelma Houston. Kevin Skinner couldn't seem to keep up with the lyrics or the dance moves, but Drew Stevyns Lawrence Beamen, the Fab Five and Recycled Percussion helped keep it all moving as it turned out to be kind of an interesting bit of entertainment.Leona Lewis, a product of Simon Cowell's other British singing show, "The X Factor," performed her new single, "Happy."Just when it didn't seem like the night could get much worse, an "Auditions All Stars" performance included some of the mildly amusing rejects from the audition process, and ended with Piers Morgan and Grandma Lee in a tux and wedding dress (I'll let you guess who was wearing which) appearing inside a magic box.Another performance, this time by Cirque du Soleil, filled a few more minutes before we even got to the top of the first hour.It was 54 minutes into the two-hour saga before we got to some results. Nick asked two acts at a time to come to center stage. One would be in the top five, the other would discover their dream was over.First up were opera singer Barbara Padilla and breakdancer Hairo Torres. Barbara was in, Hairo was out, but he left with a smile on his face.Lawrence Beamen and The Voices of Glory came up next. The next spot in the top five went to The Voices of Glory.The Texas Tenors and the Fab Five were the next called to the stage. The next act continuing into the top five was The Texas Tenors.Next came Kevin Skinner and Drew Stevyns, who oddly mimed putting a gun to his head when his name was called along with Kevin's. The fourth spot in the top five went to Kevin Skinner.That meant the final spot in the top five came down to Grandma Lee and Recycled Percussion. The trash can beaters took it, knocking Grandma Lee out of the competition.After looking at the five castoffs, Piers said that four of them could have probably won any past season of the show, which led him to the annual hyperbolic conclusion that "this is the greatest season we've ever had."After another year-in-review style montage, Shakira dropped by to perform her new song, "She Wolf."With 40 minutes left in the two-hour ordeal, the top five became the top two.Nick announced that the act finishing in fifth place after America's vote was The Voices of Glory. Sharon told the trio this was "just the beginning" for them and that we'd be seeing a whole lot more of them.Finishing fourth were The Texas Tenors. The Hoff told the trio they were well on their way and asked them to let him buy a ticket to their show.The act finishing in third place was Recycled Percussion, leaving Barbara Padilla and Kevin Skinner to vie for the $1 million prize.Piers said "you could not have two more different acts,' with a classical singer versus a country singer and said he couldn't call it.Before we found out the winner, Rascal Flatts came out to perform their song, "Summer Nights."Kevin and Barbara were each moved to tears during montages that recalled their journeys on the show. After a performance from Susan Boyle, we'd finally get to see who won.An extended intro reminded Americans about Susan Boyle's wild ride from a surprising audition on "Britain's Got Talent" a few months ago, to finishing in second place on that show, breaking down and checking into a clinic to deal with the pressure, and rising back to fame with a new album and a new single. She performed her cover of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses.""Now, the long wait is over," Nick said, introducing the final two acts, Kevin Skinner and Barbara Padilla.And the winner of "America's Got Talent" was Kevin Skinner. The unemployed chicken catcher who captured the hearts and votes of America was the winner of the $1 million grand prize and headlining show in Las Vegas.

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Episode #4.25

"It began three months ago," host...
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"It began three months ago," host Nick Cannon announced Monday night as the "America's Got Talent" finale week kicked off with the Top 10 acts performing for the nation's vote.Six singing acts, including Kevin Skinner, The Texas Tenors, The Voices of Glory, Drew Stevyns, Lawrence Beamen and Barbara Padilla, were set to face off with comedian Grandma Lee, trash can beaters Recycled Percussion, and dancers The Fab Five and Hairo Torres.One thing's for certain, the judges should have buzzed Nick on his wardrobe choice that included a jacket woven like a basket. But The Hoff was rocking a pink shirt and tie combo, so who's to judge?Judge Piers Morgan said he didn't think there was a clear favorite and that he was excited to see how it turned out on "the biggest talent show in the world." Sharon Osbourne said the performers should "just think about that million dollars," because it would make her sing, dance and tell jokes better.The Voices of Glory: The young and talented trio that performed all season in honor of their mother, who was critically injured in a drunk driving accident, decided to try a different approach. The little sister of the group, who has earned the best reviews of the bunch all season, took the lead while her brothers harmonized behind her. The judges and the crowd jumped to their feet. Piers said he'd waited the whole time for something to click and it did. Sharon agreed that "everything was perfectly in sync, it all came together." The Hoff, classin' it up as usual, said, "You not only brought your mom out of a coma, you brought Piers out of a coma." He said they "hit it out of the park. Hat trick. Slam dunk."Hairo Torres: Breakdancer and contortionist Hairo Torres talked about the emotions of being in the final, but also about the pressure of coming up with something big for the final. After using backup dancers after his first audition, Hairo did away with them symbolically and literally at the start of his routine, showing himself as a solo dancer. Sharon said he "took a really big risk" in giving such an emotional performance "and I think you did the right thing." The Hoff said Hairo "tied it all together" well. Piers said he absolutely loved Hairo as a person, but "I don't think that worked." He said it lost a lot of the fun that he loved about Hairo's performances.Lawrence Beamen: The big-voiced singer said he never imagined performing the way he has on the show. He said he was definitely feeling the pressure heading into the finals, wondering about whether he'd make the wrong decision on song choice and how he sang it. He went to Barry White, with "You're My First, My Last, My Everything." Piers once called him a new Barry White, but was his move too literal? The Hoff said he was glad to be part of Lawrence's journey and said he was leaving the show "a star." Piers said, "That is why I wanted you to sing Barry White." But he said Lawrence's rendition didn't quite have the "love" that Barry's did.Barbara Padilla: Barbara's montage recounted her cancer fight and she talked about how it gave her more than it took away. She went back to "O Mio Babbino Caro," the song she sang in her first audition, because of the door that it opened for her. She captivated the audience again. Piers said viewers at home were thinking, "She's one of us and she's living our dream, and they're all going, 'Way to go, Barbara. Way to go.'" Sharon said she couldn't believe Barbara's journey from the audition to the finale. The Hoff said Barbara was "so beautiful, you command the stage, you command our attention and our respect." He told her, "Forget Vegas, you're going to play bigger halls."The Fab Five: The five sisters from Utah who have since moved to different parts of the country talked about how they'd wanted all their lives to share a big stage. Piers said in their preview tape that he wanted to see something unique that showed a different kind of range. They said they were doing something they hadn't done since they were kids. Sharon said it was beautifully choreographed and said "you girls belong in Vegas." Hoff wondered if the girls ever stopped smiling, but then said he couldn't stop smiling watching them. Piers said it was incredible that the sisters still seemed to be best of friends. "When you dance together, it's like you're one, dancing, and it's amazing infectious."The Texas Tenors: The trio got emotional when talking about their experience and with the blond one talking about his father who'd passed away and wanted his son to pursue his dream of singing. They were prepared to go all out, Vegas-style, with a performance of "My Way." The Hoff said they had "a lot of guts" coming out and doing a Frank Sinatra song. He said they took a chance, then he said they did it their way (about three times). Piers said, again, it was cheesy and said "Vegas is cheesy, in many parts, and I think it's fabulous cheese." Sharon agreed it was "triple cheese," but she called their vocals perfect.Drew Stevyns: The dark horse singer-guitarist said it was tough to stand out among the several thousand performers earlier in the competition. He talked about going through a difficult breakup and that the response has been "amazing and overwhelming -- especially the female response." He sang The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You." Piers said that as he watched Drew, he felt "very proud of the show." He said Drew gave the best performance he'd given. "This could be a night when a wild card goes the whole way," he said. Sharon said that, as a manager, if she was looking for a young guy to be a rock singer, she'd pick Drew.Grandma Lee: The 75-year-old comedian said she wouldn't have imagined in a million years that she would have made it to the finals. She said she was always a bit of a scoundrel. She shared the story of when her father died and her mother couldn't cope, so she was sent to a girls' home, which she said she loved. She vowed to pushing the grandma limits Monday night. She came out donning a pregnant belly and said, "We'll discuss this later, Mr. Morgan." Sharon said Grandma Lee got her early with a Ryan Seacrest joke and she "couldn't stop laughing." The Hoff said every time Grandma Lee came out, she was "funnier and funnier." Piers said he wanted a paternity test, "because if you win the million dollars, I want my slice of the pie."Kevin Skinner: The country singer opened up a bit about his family and said that where he comes from, it's not always easy to support your family. "Not to say I'm not proud of where I come from, either," he said. It's made him who he is, but the opportunity to change his life made him feel good. He stepped out of the country realm with Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." The Hoff mocked Kevin's accent and suggested Kevin could win it. Piers said it wasn't perfect and said he could benefit from some training, but his heart was what the show is about. Piers suggested Kevin's victory would be the best way for America to come out of the recession. Sharon said Kevin didn't have to have the greatest voice because he's unique.Recycled Percussion: The group said they have a lot of creative ideas and they were looking forward to unleashing them. The were fueled by the fact that they had gotten the judges and America to believe in them throughout the competition. Piers called their performance "an absolutely brilliant way to end a brilliant show" and added that he would put them in Vegas tomorrow. Sharon said they were so creative to come up with such different ideas and agreed that they "really do belong in Vegas." The Hoff said they were insane and made him want to drum in the shower. This is the point at which it would be best to fully explain their performance, but a comment like that should be allowed to stand on its own.

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Episode #4.24

As the last set of finalists on...
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As the last set of finalists on "America's Got Talent" were announced on Wednesday, host Nick Cannon noted that the precedent set by the judges last week -- in which they did away with the judges' choice and sent the fourth and fifth top semifinalists through to the next round -- would continue for a second consecutive week. That meant the finals would be a made up of a Top 10, rather than the originally planned Top 8.Highlights from Tuesday: Piers said he didn't like Lawrence Beamen's audition, and he buzzed 8- and 9-year-old kids. He also made fun of a teenage boy's hair and praised a guy for singing a Wham song. He also told his once-favorite dance crew that they committed "career suicide," and the judges gave a standing ovation to an opera singer.To the results: Nick first called FootworKINGz and break dancer and contortionist Hairo Torres to center stage. The act moving on to the finals for a shot at $1 million was Hairo Torres.Behind-the-scenes with the judges: For the first time in the show's history, the judges' interactions during the commercial break last week was shown as they debated their historic move to get rid of the judges' choice and send The Voices of Glory and The Fab Five to the finals. It was interesting.Back to the results: The next two acts called to center stage were Erik & Rickie and Jeffrey Ou. After a dramatic commercial break, we learned that both acts were out.Up next were Recycled Percussion and Mario & Jenny. The act moving into the next round was Recycled Percussion.Be our guest: The cast of "Jersey Boys" paid a visit to perform a medley of songs by the Four Seasons.Back to the results: Four acts and three spots in the finals remained. Nick asked Lawrence Beamen, Drew Stevyns, The EriAm Sisters and Barbara Padilla to come to center stage.The first act moving into the finals was Barbara Padilla. She was shocked and Piers said that after watching her performance again, he thought it was "the single greatest performance I think we've ever had on 'America's Got Talent.'"Lawrence Beamen and Drew Stevyns took the last two spots in the final, leaving the EriAm Sisters out in the cold and completing the Top 10, which will square off next week for one last shot at the $1 million.

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Episode #4.23

The second batch of semifinalists...
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The second batch of semifinalists took to the "America's Got Talent" on Tuesday to prove to the judges and to America that they have what it takes to remain in the running for the show's $1 million grand prize.Judge Piers Morgan defended the judges' decision last week to take five semifinalists into the finals instead of just four. He said all five acts deserved to advance to the next round, and that's why the judges made the twist.The Hoff promised he wouldn't use the word "Hoff" anymore, but then said he was "Hoff-ully excited" and that when the finals come around next week, the show will be "Hoff and running."Recycled Percussion: the garbage-can bashing drummers who floored the judges with their quarterfinal performance set out to prove it wasn't a fluke. They wanted to show the judges something they hadn't seen before, and came out beating on an old van and anything else they could find. Piers said there were moments where he couldn't tell whether they were "incredibly talented or just completely mad." He called it inventive and said it was full of showmanship and entertainment. Sharon agreed, and pointed out that one of them was "very ripped." The Hoff said it was a great act and that every week they came back with something different.Lawrence Beamen: The man the judges have called a new Barry White had another chance to prove himself. He opened up about being raised in an extremely strict "religious group," and that he left at age 16. He gave his deep-voiced rendition of Alicia Keys' "Fallin'." Sharon said she loved his voice, but she could have done without some of the "vocal acrobatics." The Hoff said he loved the choice. Piers noted that he loves Lawrence, but he didn't really like that performance. Piers said he still saw Lawrence as the new Barry White, and that seeing him as Alicia Keys didn't quite work.Erik & Rickie: Pre-adolescent ballroom dancers Erik and Rickie said they were working "extra, super duper hard" on their semifinal routine in an effort to keep their million-dollar dream alive. Playing a couple of toy-store dolls that came to life, they danced to Michael Jackson's "Black or White." Piers buzzed them just over halfway through, but they held it together to the end. The Hoff spoke first and said the little pair could have their own Disneyland. He said they could do Vegas. Piers, who was booed, said his buzz wasn't personal. He just didn't like putting their style of dance to pop music. He said it was like having "deep-fried custard," because it was two things that are good on their own, but didn't work together. Sharon said she liked it and said it's common for ballroom dance to be done to current, popular music.Jeffrey Ou: The mad teenage pianist who suffered from technical difficulties in the quarterfinals made it through nonetheless. He knew the semifinal performance was his chance to prove to America that he deserved to be there. Jeffrey hit the stage sporting a wild, vertical hairdo. A light show moved in time to his fast keystrokes on the piano. It didn't take Piers long to buzz Jeffrey. Piers was booed and said the performance was a bit like Jeffrey's hair, "completely out of control." Sharon thought Jeffrey looked fantastic, but said "the playing was pretty out there." The Hoff said he didn't know what Hungarian Rhapsody was, after Jeffrey said that was the name of the piece he played. "It sounded more like beef stroganoff to me," Hoff said.Hairo Torres: Breakdancer and contortionist Hairo Torres said his hero was his mom. She said she was so proud of her son, who was living his dream of dancing, which was a dream she shared as a teenager. Hairo suffered a back injury in his final rehearsal, but his routine was filled with his patented, back-breaking moves. Sharon noted that Hairo added a lot of new steps and said she hoped America would vote to bring him back. The Hoff said the guy next to him was "laughing hysterically," and that it was because his dancing was entertaining. Piers said he realized the reason he liked Hairo was because Hairo dances just like Piers does.The EriAm Sisters: The singing sibling trio struggling with song choice for this week's performance, but were confident in their choice. They settled on David Archuleta's "When You Believe," which gave them a chance to work out some harmonies. Did it work? Piers said it was a "very shaky start" and said they were very flat at first. He said they then got their confidence and it became a really good performance. Sharon agreed that in the beginning they were trying to be three lead vocalists instead of working as a unit, but it "definitely came through in the end." The Hoff added that the sisters' spirit was great and they just make him smile when they're on stage.Mario & Jenny: The daredevil, husband-and-wife juggling act of Mario and Jenny said they hoped this was their time to shine. Mario said he came from a long line of performers and Jenny was a dancer who was tired of constant rejection. The routine was a bit of a mess, with Mario doing an aggressive tap dance and banging on some drums while Jenny worked a pole dance. Piers said it didn't work for him and "I thought you blew it, big time." He said he loved the illusion and danger of their act in the past. Sharon said it showed they weren't one-dimensional, which would work in Vegas. The Hoff said there was "a lot going on" and he thought it was entertaining. He disagreed with Piers, saying they were ready for Vegas and they could hold a show together.Drew Stevyns: The singer-guitarist who slipped through the quarterfinal round said he'd always wanted to play music rather than follow a more traditional career to please his family. He gave a rocked-up rendition of Wham's "Careless Whisper," in the style of the band Seether, which released a version of the song earlier this year. Sharon said Drew made the song his own, even though she didn't like it. She said she hoped America would vote him in. The Hoff said he admired Drew and compared him to Daughtry, saying that kind of music turns him on. Piers said it was a "massive gamble" to do "Careless Whisper," and he thought it paid off.FootworKINGz: The street dance crew from Chicago wanted to show the voters of America that they made the right decision in keeping the dancers around. They showed off their quick footwork to a Power Rangers theme song. Piers buzzed them before too long, and Sharon followed shortly afterward. The Hoff told the crew they'd come a long way, but some of the lasers and other antics got in the way. Piers called the performance "career suicide," saying they were the best dance crew he'd seen in years, but they went with a Power Rangers theme and were joke fighting -- moving too far away from what was at their heart. Sharon said they do the same dance moves in difference costumes. "You've got to stop doing that Russian Cossack move -- we've seen it," she said.Barbara Padilla: Cancer survivor and opera singer said she'd received messages from cancer survivors and became emotional when talking about how she gave some of them a reason to fight. She entranced the crowd with an engaging performance of "Ave Maria," and the judges responded with a standing ovation, along with the audience. Piers said, "Wow. Wow, wow, wow." He said "the whole of America is going to remember where they were when they heard you sing that song," and added that "tonight, a superstar was born on this show." Sharon said it doesn't matter was one's musical tastes are, because music goes beyond language. "I bow down to you," Sharon said, literally standing and bowing. The Hoff said, "They say that God has a plan for all of us," and continued to say that God had a plan for Barbara. He said she gave "a blessed performance tonight."

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Episode #4.22

The first performances from the...
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The first performances from the semifinals were done Tuesday night, which meant Wednesday was when the results would be announced, letting viewers know the first four acts that would return for the final and compete for the $1 million grand prize on "America's Got Talent."Highlights from Tuesday night: Piers Morgan made another little girl cry, and she wasn't even a contestant (it was magician Drew Thomas' daughter); David Hasselhoff pictured three cowboy singers on a billboard in Las Vegas; Piers was nice to a dog and gave a 75-year-old woman permission to get in his shorts anytime.To the results: Host Nick Cannon first asked dancer Arcadian Broad, The Texas Tenors, and Drew Thomas Magic to come to center stage. The first of the threesome to go home was Drew Thomas Magic.That left Arcadian Broad and The Texas Tenors waiting to see which of them would get a spot in the finals. It was The Texas Tenors. The Hoff said, "America made the right choice!"Be our guests: The Muppets visited, with Kermit and Miss Piggy offering up a bit of "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart." The Hoff took the stage later, to remind folks outside of Germany that he's also a singer. He performed a cabaret-style rendition of "Feelin' Good."Back to the results: Next to center stage were Grandma Lee, Tony Hoard & Rory, and Paradizo Dance. The first to go home was Paradizo Dance, and with the crowd chanting "Grandma Lee! Grandma Lee!" the 75-year-old comedian's dream of winning the whole thing was kept alive.With two spots left in the finals, Nick brought the remaining four acts to the stage: singer Kevin Skinner, high-flying dunkers Acrodunk, singers Voices of Glory, and the clogging sisters The Fab Five.The first of the four acts to get a spot in the finals was Kevin Skinner.The next act to go home was -- insert long, dramatic pause here -- Acrodunk. Piers shook his head as the result was announced.That left The Fab Five and The Voices of Glory in the middle of the stage, and the decision on which act would continue rested in the hands of the judges.Sharon was asked to speak first. She said Voices of Glory has contributed "so much" to the show and haven't even shown their best yet. The Fab Five, she said, were also terrific. Then, she refused to give an answer and passed it over to The Hoff.He asked both of the groups not to look at him and he struggled to say anything before passing it to Piers.Piers hemmed and hawed himself, suggesting they might just send both acts home -- which any keen viewer should've known meant they were going to send them both into the finals. And that's exactly what they did.

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Episode #4.21

After several weeks of auditions and...
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After several weeks of auditions and quarterfinal performances for America's votes, the semifinals arrived Tuesday night on "America's Got Talent." The final 20 acts would perform, 10 at a time, over the next two weeks to try stay in the running for the show's $1 million grand prize and a show in Las Vegas.Judge Piers Morgan called it "the biggest night of their lives" and said he wanted "to see how far they've come" and "are they worth $1 million?" Sharon Osbourne said she wanted to see personalities, noting, "we know they've got talent, that's why they're here. But I want to see more of them, get a sense of what they're about." David Hasselhoff said he was "Hoff-static," to which the crowd reacted with silence.After a behind-the-scenes look at the pressure-filled preparations for the semis, it was time to get to the performances.Acrodunk: The high-flying dunkers were "risking it all" to make it to the finals, with an act that was going to include jumping through a loop that was set aflame and dunking into a hoop that was also on fire. They nailed it, bringing the crowd to their feet. Piers called it "absolutely unbelievable." "That has to be one of the most thrilling, exciting, dynamic, dangerous, entertaining things I've ever seen on this show. Amazing." Sharon praised them for adding different elements and said, "You make the Harlem Globetrotters look like..." before stopping herself and saying, "forget it; it's all about Acrodunk." The Hoff said "dreams do come true and you guys are on your way."The Texas Tenors: The singing trio from Houston has only been together for a few months, but excited the crowd with their rendition of "Unchained Melody." Taking The Hoff's advice, they went with a ballad. Did it work? Sharon singled out the blond guy named Marcus and said it was amazing, but then she praised the whole group. The Hoff said he could see that billboard in Las Vegas with a picture of the three cowboys. Then he called them a front-runner to win the whole competition. Piers chided them for coming back with "the cheesiest pop song ever written" and singing it "in the cheesiest possible way," immediately after he told them to be less cheesy. But then he called it "brilliant."Paradizo Dance: The husband-and-wife dancing duo that has dazzled the crowd and the judges with their unlikely lifts and acrobatics tried to prove that their act was worth $1 million. Sharon enjoyed their more light-hearted approach, which she called "cute," before saying she preferred their more romantic side. The Hoff agreed, but said he really hoped America would vote them back. Piers said he was a bit disappointed that they didn't include more of "impossible," which is their signature move of the small wife lifting her burly husband.Drew Thomas Magic: The illusionist who floored the judges with his quarterfinal performance opened up about having spent the summer with his daughter because of a shared-custody agreement with her mother. He said he put everything he had into his next act, which he said would feature more personality. Set to the tune of a sappy song, it incorporate his daughter through a storyline about how he missed her. Piers, who buzzed Drew, said he "hated it." He thought the music was too slow and the performance put him to sleep. He also criticized Drew for repeating the trick with his assistants disappearing, which made Piers think Drew was "a one-trick pony." Piers' words made his daughter, Olivia, cry. Sharon told Drew it was fabulous. The Hoff praised Drew for bringing his daughter into it and said a Vegas show needs a change of pace like this performance.Tony Hoard & Rory: The Frisbee-catching dog slipped into the semifinals thanks to Sharon's vote. Piers was still upset that the act made it, saying in the preview piece that "these two should not be in the semifinals." Tony said he lost his factory job of 24 years because he used up all of his vacation time to be on the show. Despite Piers' extreme objection, the act made it through without dropping a Frisbee and without getting buzzed. Sharon said "Rory delivered tonight" and had some choice words for the guy who laid Tony off and said "the karma truck will be parked outside his house." The Hoff said Tony "really stepped it up and made it Vegas-worthy." Piers smiled and noted that he didn't buzz Tony. "The dog went back to what it did in the first place, which was not drop any Frisbees." Piers also said it was "miles better" than the last performance.The Voices of Glory: The singing trio of siblings who perform in honor of their mother, who was seriously injured in a drunk-driving accident. The two older brothers opened up the number so that their little sister could make a grand entrance on "Anytime You Need a Friend." The Hoff said the group just brings the world together. Piers said he really liked what they stand for, "it's a very impressive thing to see in young people." He said they've got talent, but again pointed out that the little sister was the star. Sharon said, "the next time I see you guys, it will be in the final."The Fab Five: The five adult sisters from Utah who pulled their act back together after moving apart and starting their own families. They got emotional when talking about the fact that their father would be in the audience for the first time. They turned in another mesmerizing performance with intense and fast-paced footwork. Piers said it's easy to forget how extremely difficult their type of performance is, but he would have liked to have seen a bit of a change of pace. Sharon said she loved that they keep delivering the high energy. The Hoff said they were "better every time."Grandma Lee: The acerbic comedian opened up about living on her own since her husband died, and the fact that he'd only had the chance to see her perform once. She revisited some familiar territory with jokes about hooking up with Piers and The Hoff. Sharon said she loved Grandma Lee and that she hoped America got it. The Hoff said, "Most comedians who come on this stage are just not funny," and said Grandma Lee was funny, regardless of age. Piers said Grandma Lee's deceased husband would be proud of her and that she deserves to be in the finals.Arcadian Broad: The 14-year-old dancing phenom decided to take a chance by bringing a partner into the routine. He took on a basketball theme with a group of dancers behind him and the partner showing up about halfway through. The Hoff loved the presentation. Piers said there was no doubt Arcadian was a very talented young man. He said he wondered whether Arcadian was good enough to get into the final given the high standard that had been set. "The answer to that question is 'No, you're not.'" He said the show had come to another level. Arcadian jumped in to defend himself, taking a bit of a shot at the producers, saying they gave him the music from "High School Musical," which he did not want to do. Piers said the routine wasn't the issue, but Arcadian just didn't have the chops to keep up with the competition. Sharon defended the boy, saying "it is a tough competition, but you're doing a great job." Host Nick Cannon mentioned, almost in passing to clearly addressing Arcadian's quip about the producers, "the acts do have a final say on what they do and they perform" before calling out Arcadian's phone numbers.Kevin Skinner: The country singer Piers called the man to beat in the competition was overcome with emotion when talking about the support he was receiving back home. He said he was going to perform his father's favorite song. "I really wish he could be here to see me do it, but he's not well enough to travel," Kevin said. "But he'll be watching from home, and I know he'll be proud." He captivated the crowd with his version of Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind." The crowd roared and Piers gave a standing ovation. Piers said he nearly had tears in his eyes. "After that, you are my favorite to win this whole competition," Piers said. Sharon told Kevin to smile, "because you'll be coming back." The Hoff said Kevin had come a long way in the course of the competition.

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Episode #4.20

The Top 20 was finalized Wednesday...
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The Top 20 was finalized Wednesday night on "America's Got Talent," as the last of the quarterfinalists learned whether they would be advancing to the semifinals and continue on the path toward the $1 million grand prize.Tuesday's highlights: A guy lit his butt on fire, Piers said an opera singer changed the game and Sharon said her 16 dogs pee on her silk curtains.To the results: Host Nick Cannon first called singer Drew Stevyns and The Eriam Sisters to the stage. Drew, the dark horse who won over the judges on Tuesday, was put through to the semifinals.Nick went over to The Eriam Sisters for their reaction and they were gracious, calling the experience "unbelievable" and wishing everyone else in the competition good luck. "You're so nice, America loves you guys," Nick said. "And, you know what? America loves you guys so much, guess what? You're going through, too!"The new host pulled of the bait and switch so well, even Piers Morgan smiled and gave him credit for the "mean trick."After a behind-the-scenes package about the making of a performance show, Nick asked the Africa High Flyers, Pam Martin's Top Dogs and Coney Island Chris to the stage. Was there a chance none of these acts would continue?"America has voted," Nick said, giving a dramatic pause before finishing, "you all are out."Nick called Recycled Percussion, Matt & Anthony, and Ishaara to the stage. He told them only one would go through before announcing that the next act out of the competition was Matt & Anthony. That brought it down to Recycled Percussion and Bollywood dancers Ishaara. The third spot in the semifinals went to Recycled Percussion.Be our guest: Country superstar Reba McEntire paid a visit to the "Talent" stage to perform her new song, "Consider Me Gone." Her new album, "Keep On Loving You," hit No. 1 on the charts Wednesday, Nick said.Back to the results: Nick brought the Lollipop Girls, Mia Boostrom, Barbara Padilla and Erik & Rickie to the stage. The four acts vied for just two remaining spots in the semifinals.The next act to go home was The Lollipop Girls.Nick then let one more act into the semifinals, announcing that Barbara Padilla was moving on.Mia Boostrom and Erik & Rickie stood across the stage from each other. Having places fifth and sixth in the voting, the judges would decide who was moving on and who was going home.The Hoff was the first judge to speak. He said Erik & Rickie were incredible dancers, but they were really, really young. He then said that Mia was great, but there were better singers in the competition. "For this competition, alone," The Hoff said, "my choice tonight is ... Erik & Rickie."Sharon said Erik & Rickie brought something special to the stage, but she said she knew how badly Mia wanted it. Her vote went to Mia.Piers said, "If you're asked me last night, I would've said Erik & Rickie." He said he wasn't very impressed with Mia's performance, but then after watching on TV later, he was "a bit more impressed" than he was when he heard it live. Piers said Erik & Rickie were "very charming" and there were some great dance acts in the competition. After saying he knew how much it meant to Mia, who came back after being booted last season, he chose Erik & Rickie.The Top 20: After weeks of auditions, the Las Vegas round and four weeks of quarterfinals, here is a look at the Top 20 semifinalists in the fourth season of "America's Got Talent":The first 10 will perform next week in the first round of the semifinals:Acrodunk, high-flying dunking crewArcadian Broad, teenage dancerDrew Thomas Magic, magic groupFab Five, clogging sistersGrandma Lee, comedianKevin Skinner, country croonerParadizo Dance, odd-sized, husband-and-wife dance actThe Voices of Glory, sibling singing actThe Texas Tenors, singersTony Hoard & Rory, Frisbee-catching dog actAnd the remaining 10 will perform the following week:Barbara Padilla, opera singerDrew Stevyns, singer/guitaristEriam Sisters, young sister singing actErik & Rickie, 8- and 9-year-old ballroom dancersFootworKINGz, dance crewHairo Torres, breakdancer/contortionistJeffrey Ou, pianistLawrence Beamen, deep-voiced singerMario & Jenny, daredevil juggling actRecycled Percussion, drumming group

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Episode #4.19

The final set of 12 quarterfinalists...
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The final set of 12 quarterfinalists on "America's Got Talent" took to the stage on Tuesday in the hopes of winning the nation's vote and moving into the Top 20 acts with a shot at winning $1 million and a show in Las Vegas.Ishaara: the modern-day Bollywood dance group from Berkeley said they practiced in a parking garage because they had no studio in which to rehearse. They turned in a high energy routine that had the crowd and the judges jumping for joy. Piers called it a "wonderful way to start the show." He said they had a freshness about them that he loved. Sharon said dance groups have to be different and that they stood apart "from every other dance act that we've had so far on this show." The Hoff maintained his streak of adding "Hoff" or "Watch" to everything, calling the group "Bollywatch." He then called them the best dance act of the season.Barbara Padilla: The opera singer who overcame cancer to make it to the audition had her chance to shine on the big stage. She said she wanted to be a good example to her daughter, who was adopted because Barbara's cancer treatment left her unable to conceive. She brought the crowd and the judges to their feet with a strong and lengthy final note on her operatic number. Sharon said "it was so perfect -- everything from the performance to the way you look." She called Barbara a star. The Hoff said there is a saying, "You are exactly where you are supposed to be in life," and then repeated it three times. Piers simply said, "Look at you." He went on to explain that she is virtually the reason the show exists, having comes from her background and making it to the quarterfinals. He then said he didn't see anyone beating her this night.Pam Martin's Top Dogs: Dog trainer Pam Martin faced a big challenge. Piers, who was already upset that one dog act made it into the semifinals, said he would show no mercy with the buzzer. Pam made it through the routine with another dog, Spy -- the brother of Biba, the dog with whom she auditioned. The Hoff said Pam definitely had a place in Vegas. Piers said he was sure he was going to buzz her and he didn't because Spy didn't make a single mistake. Sharon loved it all and said, I've got 16 dogs at home. The only thing my dogs can do -- pee on my silk curtains."African High Flyers: The Kenyan group of aerial acrobats said they used to work for tips. Now, they were promising to bring some special for the quarterfinals in order to make it to the next round. Just past halfway through, Piers buzzed them for no clear reason. He quickly explained that earlier he thought he could listen to Barbara Padilla sing for an hour, "quite happily." He said she "raised the bar so high that everybody comes after her has got to be at that level." Sharon agreed, saying the group had great energy and enthusiasm, but doubted whether they added enough to the act to move on. The Hoff said, "I don't know what they were watching, but I loved you."Mia Boostrom: The teenage singer was looking to prove she deserved a shot despite having felt in the past that she was passed over because she doesn't possess a classically desirable figure. She gave her rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Sharon said, "Who knew?" She said it was a huge song and Mia delivered. The Hoff was impressed at what Mia had become since failing to make it beyond the Las Vegas round on the show last season. Piers said it was lovely to see her again and he loved a fighter and a comeback story. But he said he thought she missed some notes. "It was a good performance," but said he didn't rate her above Kevin Skinner, Lawrence Beamen or Barbara Padilla. Mia's response: "We're all different."Erik and Rickie: The pint-sized ballroom dancers started dancing when they were 4 and they were now 8 and 9. "Erik is my best friend that's not a girl and we do not want to be boyfriend and girlfriend," Rickie explained. The little dancers offered up a paso doble that might have made Len Goodman proud. The Hoff and Sharon stood up in applause. David said they were an inspiration for all the kids in America. He added that he loved the choreography and the attitude. Piers asked if Erik had secret practice behind Rickie's back, because she was better than him in the first audition, "but tonight, you were the man." He went on to say the act was "one of the most charming we've ever seen." Sharon said Erik was "a true matador," and acknowledged that there's ballroom fever around the world and she hoped those dance fans would vote.Coney Island Chris: The trickster who goes by the name "Coney Island Chris" became known as the guy who ate a light bulb in the audition round. He said he prepared an act that was shocking -- saying he was risking everything, including his life, to drop jaws this time. In a definite bit of "don't try this at home" entertainment, he spilled gasoline all over the place and played with fire while trying to crack jokes. Piers and Sharon both buzzed him fairly quickly, but it took The Hoff a little longer. He gave the third "X" after Chris lit his butt cheek on fire. Piers said Chris committed the cardinal sin -- he wasn't funny, "and it was horrifically bad." Sharon said "you could hear a pin drop" when the act was finished. The Hoff said he was hoping Chris would set himself on fire.Matt & Anthony: The quirky acoustic-guitar-and-tap-dancing duo set out to take their college dorm room hijinks to Vegas. With backup dancers, smoke and a moving set on which they climbed and tapped, Matt & Anthony impressed the crowd. Piers wasn't so impressed, buzzing them about halfway through. Sharon said she loved the two guys, but there was something she didn't quite get about the combination. The Hoff said the combination works and called it exciting. "It was just a little bit off in some places," but he thought they did very well. Piers said Sharon and The Hoff were struggling to say what he was the only one was brave enough to say: "You're a great dancer, you're not a very good singer," talking to Matt, then Anthony. He said the singing was dragging down the dancing. The crowd booed.The Lollipop Girls: After first being eliminated, The Lollipop Girls were amazed to be able to return and perform for America. Piers said he thought The Hoff would go into a great depression if the group didn't make it to the next round. One of the girls said it was "all about the tease" this time around. The classic burlesque routine remained within the FCC's limits, despite Nick Cannon's suggestion that they were "throwing (their) drawers all over the place." The Hoff said they were terrific and said "Las Vegas needs an act like this." Piers said, "I could watch that for a long time." He said he wasn't sure about them before, but now he's certain. Sharon applauded them, saying, "It's so much fun, what you do." She noted the Pussycat Dolls had been in Vegas for a long time, and followed with "Vegas for you."Drew Stevyns: Another act who got a second chance at the quarterfinals, Drew Stevyns said he needed the competition and it could be the break he was waiting for his whole life. Piers went into the act wondering whether Drew had the vocal chops to keep up with the rest of the singers in the competition. He gave a decent rendition of The Fray's "How to Save a Life." Piers said he didn't think Drew was the best singer in the competition, but what he saw was "desire and hunger," which is what he really liked. Sharon loved Drew's song choice, saying it fit his voice. She said Drew surprised her and she was glad they brought him back. She also said she hoped people would vote for him. The Hoff said he was impressed and noted that when he heard the performance during rehearsals he thought it was the guest act of the week, not just another contestant.Recycled Percussion: The group of drummers known for hitting plastic buckets, as Sharon put it, had to bring something bigger in the quarterfinals if they wanted to make it to the next stage. They vowed to "blow the roof off this place." With flames and sparks flying all over, they wowed the crowd with a version of "Ballroom Blitz." Sharon said they listened to the advice the judges gave them and applauded them for that. She was amazed at how far they'd come since the first audition. The Hoff, who stood in ovation, said he just wanted to go bang on things and said they "came back awesome tonight." Piers said he could not believe what he was watching. "Every single part of that was 20 times better than your audition," he said, "and now we've got to ask ourselves one thing: Can a load of trash win 'America's Got Talent'? I think it can."The Eriam Sisters: The singing trio of siblings brought a bigger routine to the stage. For the first, they were using background dancers and other added elements to their show. They gave a harmonized version of Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" that was reminiscent of Destiny's Child. The Hoff said their talent really lies in their voices. "The dancing's OK, but the singing really knocks me out." Piers said he liked the dancing, calling it "cheeky." Piers said they were the future and called them the next Destiny's Child. Sharon said she didn't think the other judges realized how hard it is to sing and dance at the same time. She said she hoped people would vote for them.

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Episode #4.18

For the third time this season, five...
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For the third time this season, five acts Wednesday on "America's Got Talent" moved into the semifinals.First, a recap of the previous night's action: Piers Morgan made another little girl cry, a triple-buzzed contestant (Dave Johnson) called the judges old and Piers thought they discovered the next Barry White.To the results: Host Nick Cannon quickly called out the first two contestants to the middle of the stage. The first two: Singer-keyboardist Bri and pianist Jeffrey Ou. The judges loved Bri, but Jeffrey suffered from technical issues that stopped his piano from being heard halfway through his performance. After America's vote, the act moving into the semifinals was Jeffrey Ou. The judges looked shocked at the result as Bri went over to give Jeffrey a big hug. Sharon, whose hand was over her mouth, said, "There have been very few times in my life when I have been lost for words. I'm lost for words."Be our guests: "High School Musical" star turned pop singer Ashley Tisdale stopped by to perform her new song "It's Alright, It's OK." Later in the show, "American Idol" veteran rocker Daughtry hit the stage to perform the new single "No Surprise."Back to the results: Nick next called magician Jay Mattioli, questionably humorous singer Dave Johnson, and deep-voiced singer Lawrence Beamen. The first of the three to be eliminated was Dave Johnson. That meant it was down to Jay Mattioli and judges' favorite Lawrence Beamen. The act moving into the semifinals was Lawrence Beamen.Up next were singer Marcus Terrell & the (New) Serenades and daredevil duo Mario & Jenny. The act moving a step closer to the million-dollar prize was Mario & Jenny.The next acts called to the stage were U4IA Dance Crew, little girl rockers G-Force and breakdancer/contortionist Hairo Torres. Only one of them would go through to the next round. The first act to be eliminated from the group was G-Force. The act moving into the next round was Hairo Torres.With just two acts left, the judges would have to decide between dance groups Pixie Mystere and FootworKINGz. Sharon said she loved the Pixies, but "you're still children, you're not even teenagers yet." She said they had more opportunities to come in their lives, but today belonged to FootworKINGz. Piers said he was debating between one of the best young dance groups against one of the best adult dance groups he's seen. He said he had to go with the act he believed genuinely had the best chance of winning, "and that, I believe, is the FootworKINGz." Two votes was enough to send FootworKINGz to the semifinals, but The Hoff agreed that he would also have voted for them to give them the unanimous nod.

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Episode #4.17

The third batch of 12...
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The third batch of 12 quarterfinalists squared off Tuesday night on "America's Got Talent."So far, 10 semifinalists have been chosen, and this week would result in another five getting their semifinal tickets punched.Host Nick Cannon first addressed last week's controversial decision in which David Hasselhoff and Sharon Osbourne picked a Frisbee-catching dog act over soulful singer Charles DeWayne, who Piers Morgan preferred. Sharon defended her choice, saying the show is about variety and that a singer in this show has to be "brilliant" because "Talent" is more than a singing show.FootworKINGz: The Chicago-based dance crew came out with glow-in-the-dark sneakers on that highlighted just how perfectly synced they were with one another. Piers said he couldn't decide if they were "one of the best" dance acts the show's had, or "the best." Sharon loved it all. Hasselhoff said it was "Hoff the charts" and wondered how they would top it next week. Nick noted that one of the dancers hurt himself in the previous night's rehearsal, but he appeared to be fine for the live performance.Marcus Terrell (and the Serenades?): Singer Marcus Terrell was told in the previous round of the competition that his backup singers were keeping him from moving on into the quarterfinals. The judges had given him the green light alone, but Marcus went and found three new backup singers, including one that showed up two nights earlier. Sharon said Marcus was "fabulous," and said Marcus was the kind of different and special singer the competition needed. The Hoff said they were right to have Marcus fire his other backup singers and said they could go on to "Vegas and more." Piers said it was big pressure for Marcus on a night when he could either sink or swim, and "boy, did you swim."Pixie Mystere: Gymnastics and contortion specialists Pixie Mystere lit up the stage with their high-energy choreography and flips and big finish that included one of the young girls flipping over another. The Hoff asked them "how do you feel about going to school in Las Vegas?" Piers said he was disappointed he hadn't hit his buzzer once through three acts. He said he enjoyed that the girls came back and gave a strong routine. Sharon said "Pixie power" is magic. She said they delivered a "total package."Jay Mattioli: One of the acts that was originally cut, magician Jay Mattioli received a second chance at the quarterfinals and said he wanted to make the most of it. Piers buzzed Jay just over halfway through, and Sharon gave a second buzzer a second before Jay made a fluffy dog appear inside a box. Piers said he'd seen it all before, "it's what we call end of the pier stuff in Britain." Sharon agreed, saying "it's the same old, same old that we've seen forever." The Hoff said he wasn't sure if it was big enough for Vegas, but "good job."Bri: Keyboardist and singer Bri, 17, said she dreamed of being in a big show in her hometown of Las Vegas. This was her chance. Sitting at a grand piano, she started a slowed down version of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" before picking up the tempo halfway in and giving a big, running finish. Sharon said it was brave of Bri to take on such a song and make it her own, and she succeeded. The Hoff liked that she made it her own and said "it all worked for me." Piers said not much excites him these days, but her act excited him. He said her unique style was on par with some of today's bigger pop acts and "you have got exactly the right package for the right time."U4IA Dance Crew: Another second-chance act, the U4IA Dance Crew vowed to bring something bigger and different for the quarterfinals. The Hoff said he loved it, "I don't know why." Piers called out one of the dancers and said she was scary "in a great way." He said they were the first wild-card act that he was really pleased to have seen. He added that the dancing this season has been "unbelievable." Sharon said she loved the routine, but she wasn't sure if they were the best dancers, "technically," that she's seen.Dave Johnson: Loan officer turned "David Hasselhoff song guy" from the audition round Dave Johnson took a chance to bring something different to the stage. Dave said this was his second time performing in front of more than 20 people, and it didn't last long. Piers and Sharon buzzed him not too long into his ode to "The Golden Girls," and The Hoff followed a little later to kill Dave's performance. "I guess the judges don't like 'The Golden Girls,'" Nick Cannon said. Piers said he didn't get it, "it just wasn't funny." Sharon said "it's just not my thing." The Hoff said "it's just not going to make it to the next round."Hairo Torres: Breakdancer and contortionist Hairo Torres wanted to prove that a single dancer could sustain an entire show. he knew that in order to achieve that he had to prove he could do things other people couldn't. Sharon said he was unique, but she still didn't know if he could go and do it on his own. The Hoff said Hairo was "the weirdest dancer" he'd ever seen. Piers agree, "you are a bit strange," but "you are also very entertaining and the crowd loved you tonight." Piers told him to think about the choreography and how he would adjust it for a 90-minute show in Las Vegas.G-Force: The three sisters wanted to show the world they "could be the girl version of The Jonas Brothers." Just over halfway into their rendition of Katy Perry's "Hot n Cold," Piers buzzed them. "What type of ogre buzzes three little girls?" Nick wondered. The Hoff said they were always his favorite from the beginning. He admitted they "were off a little bit on the vocals," but they have a major career ahead of them. Piers said he loved them, the guitar playing and the drumming, and agreed that the singing was way off. Sharon also agreed, saying their audition was better than this performance.Jeffrey Ou: The teenage pianist said he was going to come alive on stage, and he did. After opening his performance with some classical piano, he jumped into "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," but it included a bit of a technical problem because the sound went out on his piano. The Hoff said he couldn't really comment on the piano because he couldn't hear it, but he noted that Jeffrey didn't need the dancers he used. Piers said he thought it was good that Jeffrey took himself out of his comfort zone. Nick explained that one of Jeffrey's dancers actually kicked the cable out of his piano. Sharon said she preferred Jeffrey's "Mad Professor" vibe from earlier in the competition.Mario & Jenny: The daredevil fire act cranked up the heat with a dramatic and dangerous routine that included guitars and more ablaze. Sharon said she loved it. The Hoff said "every time you come, you come to play." He said they were even better Tuesday night than they'd been before. Piers said it was a very tough night to vote and called it "as near to a Vegas act as we've seen."Lawrence Beamen: The deep-voiced singer who wowed the judges in the audition round came back to prove it was no fluke. Sharon said Lawrence's voice was "smooth like velvet." The Hoff said he felt sorry for everyone else in the competition because if Lawrence kept singing like that he could win the competition. Piers said Lawrence was the best of the night and called him "a rare talent" and "the new Barry White." He said Lawrence was "the nearest thing to a guaranteed, nailed-down star we have produced on this show for a very long time."

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Episode #4.16

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Episode #4.15

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Episode #4.14

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Episode #4.13

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Episode #4.12

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Episode #4.11

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Episode #4.10

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Episode #4.9

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Episode #4.8

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Episode #4.7

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Episode #4.6

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Episode #4.5

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Episode #4.4

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Episode #4.3

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Audition Show #2

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Episode #3.20

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Episode #3.19

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Episode #3.18

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Episode #3.17

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Episode #3.16

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Episode #3.15

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Episode #3.14

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Episode #3.13

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Episode #3.12

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Episode #3.11

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Episode #3.10

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Episode #3.9

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Episode #3.8

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Episode #3.7

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Episode #3.6

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Episode #3.5

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Episode #3.4

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Episode #3.3

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Episode #3.2

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Season Finale: Part 2

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Season Finale: Part 1

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Final Eight

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Top 10 Contestants

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Top Twenty Contestants: Part 2

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Vegas Callbacks

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Las Vegas Callbacks, Part 1

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New York Audition

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Chicago Audition

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Los Angeles Audition

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Final Results

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Final

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Wild Card

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Semifinals: Part 4

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Semifinals: Part 3

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Semifinals: Part 2

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Semifinals: Part 1

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Chicago Auditions

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New York Auditions

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