I missed it. I have it DVRed, but decided to just Google the results instead.
Wow, apparently this was a bad night for music acts. And as for Siro-A, I got nothing. They’re an act I’d pay to see, unlike some of the others who went through.
First off, I’m a bit bummed Siro-A didn’t make it (especially since this is one of those reality competitions where winning does make a big difference), but I’ve seen so many superb performers thrown in the dumpster on a variety of contests for no clear reason that it never surprises me. Reality TV is brutal to frontrunners; anything that’s seen as “too good” or “too perfect” is going to draw a backlash. That’s just how our deeply flawed democracy works.
So now I don’t have the slightest idea who’s going to win. But before I slip back into my usual disinterested passive observer mode, I gotta ask…
Drew Lynch.
What the hell am I missing??
Yeah. This is one of those dealies that I either find underwhelming or actively detest, and I go on the internet and all I see is love, love, love. Beavis and Butthead. South Park. The Tick. The Angry Video Game Nerd. Every X-Box ever.
So what’s my opinion of Lynch? Well, I can relate to his problems, his struggles. I can sympathize with someone who had to grow up different. He’s the kind of person I’d be happy to listen to during a training seminar, or simply on the TV. I enjoy hearing a nice, amusing anecdote when I’m in the mood.
But see, that’s the thing…I find him amusing. (Why yes, that is a word I don’t use very often! 
) Amusing isn’t worth travelling thousands of miles and shelling out ninety bucks. Amusing isn’t worth a regular show in the entertainment capital of the world. Amusing is not better than a group of motorcycle daredevils doing incredible jumps or a 10-11 year old (I forget which) opera singer.
Yes, he deserved a shot. He got it. And now would’ve been the perfect time to say, hey, you did great, we love you, best of luck wherever you end up. But no, we couldn’t leave well enough alone, we have to give him a pity pass all the way to the final.
I mean, let’s be honest here: How the hell is he going to survive in Vegas? Comedians need to keep the act moving. Even if paying audiences are willing to make endless concessions for his speech impediment (which I find extremely unlikely), are they just going to brush off that it takes him three times as long to get through a joke as everyone else? The only way I could possibly see him work as a novelty, someone to point and laugh at and imitate in an insulting, mocking fashion. Well, sorry, but I’m guessing very few middle school brats have the resources to catch a Vegas show.
Why pretend that the huge, huge handicaps he gets are going to last forever? Why pretend that he won’t get chewed up and spat out in a week if he tries to set up shop in Vegas?
Just for the record, I never once laughed at him. For any reason.
He’s funny, and I did laugh at his jokes, but there is no way I could ever listen to him for more then a couple minutes. Sorry, but an hour of his voice just makes me want to run for the exit.
And the whole laughing at your own jokes thing seems really childish.
I really thought the finals would be Siro-A vs the Regurgitator.
I liked Piff, and I really like Mr. Piffles.
So now that my favorite (Siro-A) is no longer in the running, I’m hoping that Piff wins.
Paul Zerdin FTW!
That was beyond hilarious. I was quite literally in tears.
I’m not sure who’s taking from whos act, but I saw Nina Conti do a similar stunt and thought it was better.
I agree it was great – but I keep flipping back and forth on whether Howie was forewarned. Yes, he pulled off being grumpy about being made to look foolish, but then, he’s an actor. And would Zerdin have risked just anyone being willing (or able) to fake dance an Irish jig?
Hmmm… I’m suddenly disappointed with the idea that he might have stolen the idea. I hope he is the creator.
With regards to forewarning, I suspect the judges are told (and maybe contractually required) that if the act wants them on stage to go with it (within reason I’m sure).
…
I also loved Piff. Man that guy is funny.
…
And the Reguritator. Just awesome.
…
Ladder guy. Yeah, sorry man, even if there were a spare 90 seconds, it really wouldn’t be fair to give him a do-over. Glad he’s ok. You could really tell he wanted them to stop talking so he could get his extra 90 seconds. He was clearly very upset, but I have to say I think I would be pretty upset too. It might have been a little unprofessional to just storm off, but again I wonder if maybe I would have done the same.
Yeah, I felt bad for him too. It wouldn’t have been right for him to get a second attempt, but I feel that the viewers that enjoy his act that much will vote him through anyway, despite the fall.
FWIW, here’s a youtube of Zerdin doing the human ventriloquist dummy gag five years ago and another one that’s even older. The remote control version we saw last night was new to me.
Phew. That makes me feel much better!
So…uhh…
Paul Zerdin FTW!!! 
Those videos are hilarious. And actually I think those videos kind of show that when put on the spot people will kind of just go with it. I think Howie’s reactions were legit.
I’m happy. Piff and Mr. Piffles are safe.
One day I may actually vote on this. Or not. I don’t mind watching this and The Voice, but I don’t vote.
I just watched the show, no results yet, so getting in my votes before watching results.
Yes, I think Howie was going along with the act, but not prepped. I agree, it’s probably in their contract to cooperate. He’s a comedian, and that act was funny, and he played along to make it funny. As for risking the fake Irish jig, Howie didn’t do that badly, and really if he had done very poorly, so what, that’s part of the humor. As long as the person cooperates and doesn’t refuse to do anything, you’ll get entertainment.
Now for the rundown…
Paul Zerdin: Original, hilarious. I loved him voicing the assistant, too. But one quibble with the praise, he doesn’t have a lot of unique individual voices, this voice was basically the same one as his primary dummy. But despite that, this act was hilarious.
Freelusion: I do have to slightly agree with Howard, in that some of the dance was less intriguing, but as a whole package, complete with the robotics and the visuals and the crazy ending, this was spectacular.
Gary Vider: Very funny, and he did increase the pace slightly. I hope he doesn’t get lost at the beginning of the show.
Piff the Magic Dragon: He was very funny. Taking the simple gimmicks and magic humor, then delivering on the trick - pretty good. It did work out really well. The camera fucked us a couple times, first with his “vanish” where he pitched the card and the camera was too tight, second when he’s doing the spread for Heidi’s pick.
It looks like Mel’s pick is a force by fanning to the card he wants and hoping the timing masks that he kept going beyond what she said. I assume Heidi’s was the same. Then Howard’s works by picking a card from a set in his case when he goes back for the coffee pot. I was thinking the coffee thing could have been great timing, but more likely rigged with an RF trigger. Of course with a force the toast is easy. Then the card with Mr. Piffles, I think it was a really well timed video recording.
I did enjoy his act.
Alicia Michilli: Overall, she’s a true professional. As Howie said, she was hitting her marks perfectly. She’s got a great voice, but this song wasn’t quite what I wanted. And yes, the lasers got a bit distracting.
Daniella Mass: Very theatrical, which detracts from my enjoyment. She does have a spectacular voice, and deserves a career.
Regurgitator: He does have a unique and creating and entertaining act. I just don’t find it quite as interesting as some of the others. He also messed up, in that he claimed he had smoke to expel by dropping the egg, but he didn’t have any smoke come out. I don’t think he swallowed the soap, but mixed it in his mouth. The later bubbles all happened in his hands.
Alondra Santos: She’s a very good singer, got a great voice, and she had a lot of confidence. Ultimately, not my style of music, but she has a future.
Uzeyer Novruzov: Even with the glitch, better than the band. I thought the ring was interesting, how he got it to go back up from down low. Yes, he did fall and ruin the trick. No, he doesn’t get an extra 90 seconds. Actually, I went back and he already got an extra ~60 seconds. I timed it at 2:32. I don’t know what he was trying to do, either.
3 Shades of Blue: Wasn’t horrible, but I still don’t love the singer’s voice.
Sharon Irving: This is where I diverge from everyone else. I don’t see how there was anything right here. First, how do you do “Imagine there’s no heaven” as a gospel song? Second, I didn’t like her slow, pausing style. I’ve never liked the disconnect between the tone of the song and the claimed hope presented by the lyrics. This performance just didn’t work in so many ways for me. And then everybody loved it? She’s got a good voice, but song choice and style killed it for me.
So, that’s my order. Howard bumps Sharon Irving up over Alicia and drops Freelusion in favor of the Regurgitator. I suspect America will agree on Sharon. What about the Regurgitator? What about Freelusion?
Does it bother anybody else that America voted for 9 out of 10 of the acts and in each case voted for a solo white male performer? The Craig Lewis Band is the only exception, and the judges chose them.
Confirmation bias? Have you got more data than one season’s finals to base your concern on?
The big surprise - Uzeyer got put through on the Dunkin Save. I’m mildly surprised that Sharon Irving wasn’t put through, not even in the vote off. Not that I’m disappointed, but that’s wildly at odds with the audience last night.
America is apparently fascinated by the Regurgitator.
Paul Zerdin is a strong candidate for the win, but the Regurgitator and Piff are pretty strong, too.
Hadn’t noticed that, but I don’t think it came down to sexism. To me it looks like the country has gone off singers, period. Maybe they’re coming around to thinking like I do: there are already many shows explicitly for singers, let’s let some other types of talent shine. (Ditto for solo/pair dancers, IMHO.)
If you count Ira as a singer (which I do), eleven – exactly half – of all the acts in the semis were singers.
And just two of them made it to the finals.
I’m suprised the Regurgitator is so popular. Is he “new” to this generation? I’ve seen this guy do his same act since the early 80s when he was on “That’s Incredible!” and he seems to pop up every few years.
He’s also been on “Britain’s Got Talent” years ago as well as the Czech, German, Italian, and French versions of the show.
I think I saw him on Leno back in the 90s also.
That’s one thing I find disappointing about the show. I find the show most enjoyable when they’re discovering new or overlooked entertainers, but they rave over acts that have been around forever and had a lot of exposure. The Regurgitator is such an old act, and now he’s just making the rounds of all the world’s talent shows. He’s even wearing the same gold jacket he wore on “That’s Incredible!”
Even Zerdin is pretty experienced and polished. I saw him do the gag he did with Howie years ago on some show, so while I think he’s great, it seems like just a polished professional doing his bit. The professionals make AGT seem like a standard variety show rather than a talent competition.
Additionally, my theory is that the judges are locked away in a dark basement between taping each season so that any audition they see is fascinating and new. They’re astounded by things that most of us have seen many times on TV or at the county fair (motocross jumps, acrobats, knife throwing, archery tricks, etc.).
The problem is there doesn’t appear to be any screening by the show to limit to amateurs or people who haven’t seen the limelight. A previous contestant was a country music singer who had previously had a record deal and worked in Nashville. He wasn’t some country guy living at home who happened to sing well, he was a professional that hadn’t been able to keep the quality going.
The Regurgitator seems fresh and new to the young generation, and he has added tricks to his act to seem more impressive. He’s doing some sleight of hand and some other tricks to punch up his act, make it look like he can do more. For example, the trick with the lock and key, or the rubix cube (in the promo package, I’m fairy certain he does the turns in his mouth with his tongue). But because he’s reaching a wide audience that hasn’t seen him before, and he’s come up with something novel and found ways to punch it up, he’s doing well.
I do feel that sometimes the judges do seem out of touch, lauding acts as unique that are not, like the motocross jumpers. Yes, they are a real danger act, but they aren’t unique. There was a big show that toured with monster truck rallies, I can’t find references or recall the name, but I thought it was something like “space junkie cowboys”. I coulda sworn it, but googling variations isn’t finding anything.
I get that they’re looking for “talent”, and often that does come in the form of carnival acts or cultural displays or whatever. I’ve accepted that. But they react like they’ve never heard of some of the stuff, when it’s fairly common.
Since the “reality” in reality TV doesn’t mean much these days I wouldn’t put it past the producers inviting and paying Stevie Starr (the regurgitator) for his performances since he = good ratings.
I’ve heard the show has contestants sign contracts so they pretty much control them and their earnings ala American Idol, however I couldn’t see an established guy like Stevie Starr who probably has his own agent already signing any newbie contracts.