Well, they finally got rid of the burnt-to-a-crisp David Hasselhoff, replacing him with Howie Mandel.
So, with Sharon Osborne and Piers Morgan, we’ve got two Brits and a Canadian judging America’s Got Talent.
Heh.
Funny. I didn’t even know Howie is Canadian.
Well, it was already British created, owned and produced to a large extent. So it’s not really much of a change.
I don’t think one’s nationality affects one’s ability to tell whether someone can sing well or not.
well, I like Howie - and the fact is, a martian would have been an improvement on Hasselhoff. (and I dislike him too much to be bothered to google the correct spelling of his name …)
So, has anyone been watching this? I just saw the 2nd part of the New York City auditions. That magician act was amazing!
I always see Alice Tan Ridley singing in the Times Square and Union Square subway stations, so as soon as I heard them announce her name I knew they were in for a strong performance. I had no idea she was also Gabourey Sidibe’s mother!
Ditto on both of these. The magician and Alice Tan Ridley. I knew she was Gabourey’s mom. She knocked At Last out of the freakin’ ballpark. Yayy!!!
Yeah I’m watching.
I created a thread a while ago to see if anyone wanted me to have a weekly thing about it, but I didn’t get much response.
I think I’ll start one once we get past the auditions.
I like Mandel’s demeanor on the show and am enjoying his contribution.
I was glad when they didn’t send the little girl singer (in red with backup dancers) through. I think “you’re talented but not ready” is a perfectly valid result.
I’m looking forward to more from Fighting Gravity. As powerful as Alice Tan Ridley’s performance was, I’m inclined to root for other types of acts since there are so many more opportunities for singers.
Just like American Idol, why do they spend so much time showing the crap?!
I mean, every once in awhile showing a bad act might be funny, but on the most recent show, the first half of the hour was nothing but horrible.
Seriously, there have to be at least enough decent acts to fill the hour - maybe not great, but not a train wreck. Are they seriously implying that of the thousands who seem to be waiting to perform, there was nothing even slightly entertaining (that might not have been good enough for the final show) that would have at least made you watch with mild interest?
If they didn’t show the painful ones it might take me more than 25 minutes to watch an hour of it using the DVR. I really get irritated when they do the lo-o-o-ng intro. They might as well throw up an on screen graphic that says “This act will be painful to watch.”
Yes - those long intros drive me nuts as well. Even if the act is good, I don’t give a damn if his parents were eaten by wolves; if he has 38 diseases unknown to medical science; if he has an artificial heart, lung, kidneys and silicone testicle implants. Just sing, dance, impale yourself with hot pokers or whatever…
Even with the weak parts, this show is very entertaining. Howie Mandel is a great replacement for Hasselhoff. He’s changed the whole vibe of the show. Instead of the cheezy, self-aggrandizing ‘hoff’ jokes and commentary, we’re getting someone who not only loves comedy and performance and takes it seriously, but who also has a serious rebellious streak. He’s not the guy who will buzz an act just because it’s bizarre.
He said recently in an interview that one of the reasons he agreed to do the show is that he thinks there’s a real vacuum in entertainment right now for really bizarre, yet charismatic performers. Think Tiny Tim, Rip Taylor, Emo Philips, Pee Wee Herman, Andy Kaufman. We’ve always had performers around who were just a little over the edge in one way or another. Howie thinks this show is the only real vehicle left for discovering that kind of talent, and he’s there to find it and help push it through.
And I really like that he doesn’t tear people down. He gives them honest commentary, or if they’re really bad he just gives them a gentle, “I’m sorry, no.” Yet he’s still plenty funny - often by taking sarcastic shots at the show itself or creating a gag with the contestant, like he did with “Howie Mendez” tonight. It’s really kind of turning into the Howie Mandel show, with the other judges sounding increasingly useless.
And Nick Cannon is getting more airtime this year, and he’s funny as hell. He’s got great comedic sensibility. In one scene tonight some contestant was being a spectacle and he just looked into the camera with the most deadpan gaze, and held it just long enough, then just a bit more to kick the effect up a notch. He’s pretty good.
I’ve never seen the show before and only caught the NY auditions but I have to say that Howie Mandel was the best part of the show. My favorite was the last (?) act – some sadsack ‘magician’ and the joy you could see in Mandel watching him. Good ole time prop comedy.
I can only watch this show on DVR since I don’t care a lick about these people and their pasts. I’ll maybe care if they advance…but aside from that? No, no I don’t care.
It’ll be interesting to see how two “freak show” acts work out in the end since they approved one earlier in the season, and one again last week.
If I remember correctly, last year at the 20 contestant mark there were a decent variety of acts.
At the 10 contestant level it was ALL singers. 
Not really…don’t forget about Drew Thomas magic, the Slam Dunk guys, tap dancing sisters, some dancing dudes, and my personal favorite the junkyard rock/drummer guys.
Huh. Well, I just checked on Wikipedia, and this is who they have in the final ten:
1 Voices of Glory Sibling singers; sang “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston. 5th Place
2 Hairo Torres Contortionist dancer; danced to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Rufus Wainwright and “Closer” by Ne-Yo. Eliminated
3 Lawrence Beamen Bass singer; sang “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” by Barry White. Eliminated
4 Bárbara Padilla Opera singer; sang “O Mio Babbino Caro” by Giacomo Puccini. Runner-Up
5 Fab Five Sister cloggers; danced to “Circus” by Britney Spears. Eliminated
6 Texas Tenors Country–classical singers; sang “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. 4th Place
7 Drew Stevyns Singer (and guitarist); sang “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders. Eliminated
8 Grandma Lee Stand-up comedienne; performed a varied routine, picking on her children, her (fictional) ex-husband, Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell Eliminated
9 Kevin Skinner Country singer; sang “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. Winner
10 Recycled Percussion Junkyard percussionists; played “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris. 3rd Place
So, only six singers, plus two dancers, a comic, and a percussion band. (The magician and the basketball guys went earlier.)
Well, it just seemed like way too many singers. 
Are they all smoking crack? I can’t believe they put those air band guys through. Who’s going to go to see an air band performance in Vegas? Sure the kite kid and hand-whistling granny aren’t going to draw crowds but at least what they did was unique. I can go to any party with a keg and see guys do air bands.
Well jeez…I could have done that if I took the time to actually look too…
Well done…surely beats my memory
Does anyone know for sure that all of these trips to Vegas are paid for by the television show, or do the contestants have to pay out of their own pocket?
Just wondering, as they seem to be putting through huge groups and lots of other people. So far, they have to have at least five jumbo jets of people going to Vegas, not including the rooms they have to book.
I mean, nice for our local economy here in Vegas, but I can imagine the producers looking at those flight bills, hotel bills, buffet bills - and freaking out.