# America's Got Talent \[season 8 thread\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182 "2013-06-05T04:29:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/1 "2013-06-05T04:29:26Z")
Those of you on the East coast are probably ahead. I’m on the West coast and only saw snake man and the Singer who looks a little like Woody Harrelson. I am so glad he did well. When I heard his wife was behind his being on the show I would have felt so bad if his performance was a disaster. And why do they have four judges? That doesn’t seem like a good thing to me. I hope it’s temporary. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/2 "2013-06-05T04:33:52Z")
Unbelievable rendition of House of the Rising Sun. This years winner. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/3 "2013-06-05T04:51:09Z")
Can’t wait to get that. On the West coast Catapult recently performed and they did a pretty good job. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/4 "2013-06-05T05:21:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Unbelievable rendition of House of the Rising Sun. This years winner. OK, just saw that. WOW. She sure doesn’t look or sound like she’s only 10. Maybe she’ll be this season’s Jackie Evancho. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/5 "2013-06-05T16:03:31Z")
That girl was incredible. She’s clearly a middle-aged woman whose brain and larynx were put into a 10-year-old body. Also awesome was “kid the wiz” and his baseball-cap-dance. Can’t wait to see more from him. I was also as shocked by Special Head as the judges were. Not sure where he goes from here either, but I want to see it. The “call me maybe” orchestra was nice, but will get old fast if all they do is play pop hits as an orchestra/chorus. I was much more impressed by the guy eating whole raw eggs than the judges were, (he reminded me of “Horse,” and I was shocked that at Howard didn’t back him) and much less impressed by the snake-guy and the B-O-O-T-Y song. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/6 "2013-06-05T19:37:41Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > much less impressed by the snake-guy and the B-O-O-T-Y song. Same here. I was shocked when B Double O-T-Y guy and his brother were put through, but then I figured when the first rounds are through and everybody is divided into: Automatically go to the next level, audition again to go through, and automatically go home, he’ll be in the last category. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/7 "2013-06-05T22:25:39Z")
Special Head had a good act. I knew what was coming but he appeared to have the judges and the audience fooled. If he can do other illusions with that level of quality he should do well. If it’s his only trick he only gets one more appearance. I thought the Booty guy was very entertaining, until he started singing. If he makes a comedy act out of the whole thing he might do well. If Piers was there he’d tell the guy to lose his brother. A lot of contestants get through the first round by doing their best stuff. If they don’t have anything different or can’t improve their game along the way they don’t survive. That 10 year old girl still impresses me, just like the winner of the first season did. There’s more acts to see, but if she can sing other songs that way I think she’ll be hard to beat. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/8 "2013-06-06T15:45:58Z")
So I haven’t really followed this show in the past. Caught bits here and there, but didn’t want to commit the time. But got dragged into this episode (with a fair amout of FFW in the parts talking backstage). I was very impressed by both singers. The cowboy guy came out all backwoods hick and goofy, and the judges were cringing at what to expect, but then he pulled out that beautiful sweet smooth song. It was great. The 10 year old girl was also stellar. Just jaw-dropping good. I wasn’t really impressed by Kid the Wiz. I mean the hat drop dance was somewhat unique and he had some talent to juggle the hat like that and not drop it, but I can’t see that lasting. It’s a cute gimmick, but not much more. I also agree the “Call Me Maybe” orchestra is an iffy proposition. I mean, it was interesting for them to do that arrangement, but is that what they’ve got? Redoing pop tunes in that style? Can they make a thing of that? I suppose Mannheim Steamroller has their gig, I guess it’s doable. I was also thrown by Special Head. He was very weird, but it was great stage presence. That was WOW. He pulled the delay just long enough to get us thinking he was a goofy loser, then _Bang_. His limp out with the cane thing had me thinking of the guy in “The Prestige”. I’m also pretty shot on the B double O T Y guy. I mean, it was kinda fun, but I can’t see that going forward much more. I also really enjoyed the comedian lady. She is a great impressionist - she actually begins to resemble the people she’s immitating. It’s like magic, no make up or prosthetic enhancement. They also showed a guy, presumably her husband - isn’t that [Colin Quinn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Quinn)? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/9 "2013-06-07T05:47:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Unbelievable rendition of House of the Rising Sun. This years winner. > [@Nobody](#): > > OK, just saw that. WOW. She sure doesn’t look or sound like she’s only 10. Maybe she’ll be this season’s Jackie Evancho. Haha she lives in my town! Go Henderson! WOOT! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/10 "2013-06-07T06:06:02Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Haha she lives in my town! Go Henderson! WOOT! Cool. 🆒 Has she done any local performances? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/11 "2013-06-07T16:05:12Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Cool. 🆒 > > Has she done any local performances? I live 40 feet from Henderson, and have never heard of her here. Interestingly enough, on this first episode of America’s Got Talent, another winner (female comedian) was also from Las Vegas. Always fun to hear, “You’re going to Vegas!” yelled to people who live here. Howie Mandel is just such an ass…does anyone really find his schtick funny? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/12 "2013-06-07T16:32:10Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Howie Mandel is just such an ass…does anyone really find his schtick funny? The overwhelming evidence is that not a single person on earth finds him funny. ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/13 "2013-06-07T17:28:48Z")
Special Head was really the only act that I was talking about the next day. I don’t know how he did it, but I suspect magic. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/14 "2013-06-07T20:27:45Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Howie Mandel is just such an ass…does anyone really find his schtick funny? He seemed genuinely pissed off when Howard didn’t take a bit of the pepper. I wonder how long that shut him up. What I’m getting tired of is his encouraging terrible acts. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/15 "2013-06-08T00:31:30Z")
So there are four judges. If a person gets two yes’s and two no’s then what do they do for a tie breaker? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/16 "2013-06-08T01:26:49Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > So there are four judges. If a person gets two yes’s and two no’s then what do they do for a tie breaker? So far they’ve said that you need 3 votes to move on. I don’t know if that was just for the first round. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/17 "2013-06-08T01:37:50Z")
Thanks, I missed that somehow. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/18 "2013-06-11T16:00:27Z")
Well, I saw this way later due to forgetting it was starting and not noticing it on the DVR. But wow. I loved a lot of the acts but hated a lot as well. Wth was going on with them letting the snake guy through? I thought that was absolutely ridiculous. At least the B-Double O-T-Y guy made you laugh. A couple of the acts that went through are just to make the next step easier. Let in some awful acts and it’ll be easier to reduce the numbers. I also wasn’t impressed with Kid the Wiz. But whatever, I’m not a judge. Special Head’s act was really annoying all the way through until the pay off. And wow, that totally made up for it. Hopefully he has some other tricks up his sleeves. They’re big enough, so I’m sure there are. Was very happy to see the old country guy go through and of course the girl singer. Both were amazing. I really liked the silhouette act and the three guys from Hawaii who got in like an hour of practice or something ridiculous. Can’t wait to see what’s lined up next. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/19 "2013-06-11T16:47:28Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I live 40 feet from Henderson, and have never heard of her here. > Interestingly enough, on this first episode of America’s Got Talent, another winner (female comedian) was also from Las Vegas. > > Always fun to hear, “You’re going to Vegas!” yelled to people who live here. > > Howie Mandel is just such an ass…does anyone really find his schtick funny? > [@TriPolar](#): > > The overwhelming evidence is that not a single person on earth finds him funny. He was mildly entertaining for about 15 minutes in the 90’s with Bobby, but “This Is Howie Do it” confirmed that TV execs are morons who will stick with what worked exactly once, 15 years ago, untill they’re forced into retirement (see: Adam Carolla). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182/20 "2013-06-11T20:17:19Z")
The rattlesnake guy - it was a dangerous crazy act. We’ll see what he does next. The three guys from Hawaii were great. I suspect they do that kind of thing together a lot, so they may have put this specific routine together in 24 hours, but I imagine they have a lot of practice doing these moves as a group. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-got-talent-season-8-thread/660182.md?page=2)