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- A weekly talent competition where an array of performers -- from singers and dancers, to comedians and novelty acts -- vie for a $1 million cash prize.
- British singing competition in which contestants sing cover songs to try and impress judges and voting viewers.
- Aspiring singers perform auditions in front of four coaches who have their backs turned to them. Coaches who like the voices they hear turn around, and the contestant gets to decide which coach will mentor him/her.
- The RVP 2015 was staged at the Royal Albert Hall for only the 2nd time in the show's history and was attended by Prince Harry for the 1st time. It was also the year that the EABF changed its name to the Royal Variety Charity.
- Contestants are challenged with going without sleep for one week -- their actions are constantly monitored.
- British version of the game show in which contestants partner with a celebrity and try to guess the hidden talents of eight mystery performers for a chance to win a cash prize.
- Contestants pair up with celebrities to try to uncover the secret talents of the eight mystery performers. Will they be able to guess who has what talent based solely on the performers' appearances and some intriguing clues?
- Will two more contestant and celebrity pairings be able to match the talents to the performers to win a big money prize?
- As Game of Talents continues, Vernon Kay welcomes Stephen Mulhern and Emma Willis, who will each be teaming up with a contestant.
- "America's Got Talent" returned for a fourth season on Tuesday night, and it was less than 30 seconds into the opening montage before there was a Susan Boyle sighting. New host Nick Cannon, replacing Jerry Springer -- who'd replaced Regis Philbin two years ago -- promised the biggest and baddest season to date, and we got started with a two-hour season premiere. The stakes once again are a $1 million grand prize and a chance to perform in Las Vegas. The unruly crowd was back for the audition round, which started in New York City. A singer and dancer named Ray Schwarz got it all started for the summer season. Poor Ray was doomed from the start, hitting notes that were as wobbly as his dance moves. A montage of bad performances followed, ending on a hot note when a fire dancer's hair went up in flames and stage hands had to run out on stage with extinguishers to put out the blaze. Just like that, we were whisked away to Chicago, where we found Moses Lam, who claimed to have a talent that could only be done by him. He warned viewers not to try it at home. His talent: walking with his feet turned a full 180 degrees. He was sent home. A dance group calling themselves the Footwork Kings came on with an inspiring story about getting out of a bad neighborhood and following their dream. The Chicago crew put on an impressive display of high-speed choreography that brought the crowd to its feet instantly. The judges loved it and put the group through -- the first "yes" vote of the season, 20 minutes in. And what inspiring story on "America's Got Talent" would be complete without R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" playing in the background? The "C'mon Get Happy" soundtrack could only mean one thing -- a family act from Wisconsin named Shine was up next. They butchered "Walking on Sunshine," and David and Piers X'd them quickly, but Sharon held out and let them finish. Another montage of bad acts followed. Peter Peterkin, a Barack Obama impersonator calling himself "The Rock n Roll President." After a funny intro, he launched into James Brown. Peter said he does about 300 impersonations and plays about 15 instruments. The crowd was chanting for him to be sent to the next round in Vegas, and the judges finally relented and put him through. Forty minutes in, two "yes" votes. But the Obama impersonator brought hope with him, kicking off a group of acts that were put through by the judges, including a percussion group, a vocal percussionist and a dance group. Debbie Victor said she had a talent that would blow the judges away, which rarely turns out to be true. She went on stage and said she does animal sounds. It took about two seconds of Debbie's barking dog for Sharon to hit her "X" button. Tony Hoard, a factory worker with an impressive friend, Rory, took the stage and put on an amazing display. Rory is Tony's Australian shepherd, and was trained to catch Frisbees tossed in any manner of ways. The crowd roared its approval and Tony and Rory were on their way to Vegas. The auditions moved on to Seattle -- technically Tacoma, but few people outside the Pacific Northwest would get the distinction. Brad Byers said his dream was to leave his job and perform full-time. His skill: putting things through his nostrils. First, he put a large hook through his left nostril and coiled it through his throat and out of his mouth. Then, he pulled out an electric drill and put it through his nose. Sound bizarre? Then, how about the fact that Piers and The Hoff voted to put him through to Vegas. The acts got even stranger as the Seattle audition wore on, but a trio of sisters were ready to unleash their singing skills. The EriAm Sisters, ages 11 to 15, thrilled the audience with their rendition of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." The Hoff said they were the most talented group of kids he's seen on the show "since the beginning." They're on to Vegas. A tumbling group, an urban choir and a fire act all got green lights. A guy named David Johnson performed an original song about a crush he'd developed while watching "Baywatch" in high school. It was all about his admiration for David Hasselhoff. After "X"-ing him early in the performance, The Hoff gave the guy a "yes," but Sharon said she couldn't stand to hear that song again, but Piers let David through to Vegas. It was an "America's Got Talent" love story when aerialist Bruce and his assistant (and soul mate) Simone took the stage. The act consisted of the soul mates writhing around on each other inside a suspended hoop, a device Nick said he might have to get for his bedroom. The Hoff said no, but Sharon said yes. Piers said yes, and they were going to be hooping it up in Vegas. And it was back to New York, where the NYC Gay Men's Choir got things started on a positive note. Joseph Maracina said his impersonation skills were unmatched. He was right, but probably not in the way he'd hoped. It was a resounding no from the judges. A married acrobatic dance duo calling themselves "Paradizo Dance" stunned the crowd with some moves that involved the wife lifting her husband, who was at least twice her size. Piers asked, flat out, how much they each weighed. Her: 100 pounds. Him: 240. Piers said it was one of the most extraordinary things he'd ever seen in his life. With 10 minutes left and one act remaining and soft piano music playing, it was time for the most heart-warming story of the night -- and this one didn't disappoint. The family group called themselves Voices of Glory -- two brothers ages 16 and 13, and their 9-year-old little sister. The oldest brother explained that their mother was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver and they started singing to her as a group when she slipped into a coma. Their mother made it through and was in the wings of the stage watching her kids wow the crowd with their harmonies on "God Bless America." The audience and the judges rose to their feet in applause and Sharon cried. Piers called them "the pride of America, tonight." Their mother was brought on stage in her wheelchair and Sharon wept as she told their mother how proud she must be of her children. The judges gave a unanimous yes, with Piers calling it one of the most powerful moments the show has ever seen.
- The search for America's greatest new act continued Wednesday night on "America's Got Talent," and the second night of the fourth season started in Seattle. Manuela Horn, a mother of two, said she wanted to show her kids what mommy could do besides washing clothes and taking care of them. Then she walked on stage in a patent leather suit and a whip, saying she was going to dominate us "in a very special way." The singing started very ominously, but kicked into an odd bit of yodeling that the crowd didn't seem too keen on the act but also didn't "boo." The judges let her finish and, somewhat surprisingly put her through to Vegas. A trail of "yes" votes followed, including the Comic Bots, a robot group variety act; Tom Durnin, a retired firefighter turned dancer and magician; and G-Force, an all-girl rock band trio, ages 7 to 11. Rafael Serrano, a 40-year-old bouncer who talked about having to be tough to do his job, wanted to show the world what he could do. When it came time to sing his song, he tore into Donna Summer's "Last Dance." He ended it with an impromptu splits. Sharon said yes, leaving Rafael's fate in the hands of Piers and The Hoff, who both said no. Erik and Rickie, 8-year-old dance partners who'd danced together for four years, impressed the socks off the crowd and the judges on their way to a unanimous "yes" vote and a trip to Las Vegas. Welcome to Miami...: From the northwest corner of the country to the southeast, Miami got a chance to show what it had to offer. Up first was Jennifer Guadix, who rolled a suitcase on stage and declared she was going to do something totally different, she opened the suitcase and inside was contortionist Jessica Guadix. Drew Thomas, a 40-year-old illusionist who'd worked several odd jobs to support his wife and son, said his dream was to perform in front of a packed theater every night. His act thrilled the judges. The Hoff said "finally" there was a magician on the show worthy of a $1 million Vegas act. Sharon called him one of the best illusionists she'd ever seen, and Piers said Drew had a real shot at winning the whole thing. A trio of blond sisters from Poland dressed in white and carrying violins called themselves Alizma turned in a raucous version of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." The judges didn't care much for the singing, but their violin playing was impressive enough to earn them a ticket to Vegas. Janifer James, a 30-year-old dance teacher, did African bohemian dance, was X'd out by the judges before she finished her shaking and shimmying routine. With the sparkling, indigenous costume, The Hoff said he felt like he was being attacked by a rosebush. A string of terrible performers followed. Arcadian Broad, a 13-year-old kid who said he lacked confidence and was bullied in school before he found dance. He wanted to "show everyone that I do have something great inside me to give out." He was an American take on Billy Elliot, really, and the crowd rose to its feet in approval. The judges gave a unanimous yes, and The Hoff shed a bit of a tear as he saw Arcadian running and jumping around the stage afterward.
- Vernon Kay welcomes Joel Dommett and Oti Mabuse, who face off in a showdown to win their contestant partners big money.
- Vernon Kay is joined by two brand new contestants, as well as two more celebrity partners - Jonathan Ross and Katherine Ryan.
- The "America's Got Talent" auditions headed back to New York City on Tuesday night in search of the country's greatest new act and the eventual winner of the $1 million grand prize. Carol Lugo, a 62-year-old supermarket cashier from Jersey City, N.J., who said dancing was her soul, was ready to prove you're never too old to follow your dream, gave some kind of mish-mash collection of dance moves that sent the crowd into hysterics. The Hoff said she had "amazing talent" and that she was terrific. Piers Morgan was ready to crown Carol the savior of America"s recession. With three "yes" votes, Carol was heading to Vegas. A montage of green lights followed, including a 21-year-old yo-yo spinner named "Yo-Yo Joe," a group of drag-queen dancers called The Diva League and a guy named "Coney Island Chris." Jay Mattioli, a 27-year-old guy who was hanging on to his dream of becoming a famous magician, dazzled the crowd and the judges with some illusions in which he made the microphone stand float and one in which he disappeared in a box. The judges liked his upbeat stage presence. All three judges voted "yes," sending Jay on to Vegas to continue his dream. The auditions jumped to Chicago, where we found a county judge from Detroit named Franklin Sane who rejoiced in the opportunity escape from a stressful courtroom through music. The crowd didn't waste any time turning in their verdict, heckling and booing Franklin shortly after he started singing. Thia Megia, a 14-year-old singer from Tracy, Calif., took on Jennifer Holliday's "I Am Changing." Piers said it was a "big song," but she showed a strong, mature voice that surprised everyone and earned her a standing ovation. Piers said, "Right now, you are the best singer I've seen in the competition." Thia got through with a unanimous vote from the judges. A short guy named Jeffrey kicked off a montage of "Talent"-less contestants whose dreams ended quickly. A group of sisters calling themselves The Fab Five, ages 23 to 35, put on an impressive display of high-energy, choreographed tap dancing that ignited the crowd and the judges. With three "yes" votes, the Fab Five were headed to Vegas. It was the end of the night, which meant it was time for an inspiring story. Kevin Skinner, a singer and acoustic guitarist, said he used to work as a chicken catcher. He made the crowd in Chicago giggle with his country boy shtick, but it went silent as he captivated the audience with his rendition of Garth Brooks' "If Tomorrow Never Comes." Piers, perhaps shooting for that Susan Boyle parallel, said that there's a moment every season when someone comes on stage and appears to be a "total car crash" and wows everyone with his or her voice. He said this was that moment, and called it "one of the most emotional, powerful performances I've seen in a long time." Sharon said she could tell Kevin was a "very genuine man," and The Hoff said "America deserves to see you." They will ... in Las Vegas.
- The journey across the country to find the next great act continued Wednesday night on "America's Got Talent." The show ventured deep into the heart of Texas for the first time, landing in Houston to see what the south had to offer this year. Divani, a 29-year-old Russian who now lives in New York, brought her unique voice to the stage with a rendition of Whitney Houston's "Queen of the Night" that sent Piers Morgan reaching for his buzzer. Divani was quickly on her way. Host Nick Cannon said Houston's record turnout didn't make for record talent, kicking off a montage of bad performers that included a guy balancing a running lawn mower on her his chin while Nick tossed produce into its blades. Lake Houston Performing Arts Center, 27-member dance team from Houston, all girls from 8 to 14 years old donning big, puffy, orange wigs, wowed the judges and the crowd with their high-energy group routine. The choreography was impressive, and the judges loved it. The Hoff called them an inspiration to all kids across America, and they got through to Vegas with a unanimous vote. Pam Martin, a widow who came to dance with her dog, Viva, amazed the crowd with the moves her dog was able to do, including standing on her front two feet, jumping onto Pam's back and spinning around in circles. The Hoff called it one of the best dog acts he'd seen. "There's one thing I want to say," Piers said. "Viva ... Las Vegas." It was off to Miami for the second half of the show, to see if the beach town had the talent the show was looking for. Up first was Marti Brill, who was convinced he was the best undiscovered talent in the country. He said the magic world will never be the same. It was a pretty awkward routine that earned buzzer hits from Piers and Sharon, and the crowd booed relentlessly. "The reason they're booing is because you're the most annoying man in Miami," Piers said. A guy named Brandon hit the stage reading what he called poetry about ex-girlfriends. That was a bad sign, and so were the three X's the judges sent his way. A couple more terrible acts followed, including some wrestlers who vaguely threatened to take out Piers after he said they weren't exactly "spring chickens." Joseph Constantine and his wife, an illusionist pair that has fallen on hard times because of the recession, had a compelling story and his act wasn't bad, either. The judges enjoyed it, but The Hoff played tough guy and said he'd seen it a bunch of times before and ultimately said it wasn't worth it. He voted no. Piers, who'd said the show was all about giving ordinary people a chance, voted yes. Sharon, of course, gave the second yes vote that was needed to send Joseph to Vegas. A series of dance acts, which all earned tickets to Vegas, followed. They included a belly dancer named Fuchsia FoXXX, a teenage trio of girls called Circus R Us, and a martial arts dance crew of ripped dudes called The Hurricane Tricksters. A breakdancer named Hairo Torres from Grants Pass, Ore., made the journey across the country to prove he had what it takes to win the million dollars. He vowed to show the judges something they'd never seen before. He did it, impressing the crowd with jumps straight onto his upper back, and displays of double-jointedness that made Nick Cannon utter at one point, "I don't think he's got any bones!" Three yes votes later, Hairo was headed to Las Vegas.
- More than 160 acts were given passes to the Las Vegas round on "America's Got Talent," and Tuesday night we finally got there. The performers landed at the Las Vegas airport, where it was decided that some of them wouldn't even leave the tarmac. Some of the acts would be cut by the judges as soon as they got off the plane. The rest would continue in the running for the final 40 spots in the Hollywood round. The airport hangar setting made for some increased drama as the judges debated during their flight from Los Angeles to Vegas about the futures of some of the contestants. Host Nick Cannon split the hopefuls into four groups and he said the news they'd get from the judges wasn't going to be good for some of them. A private jet carried the three judges from L.A. to Vegas, and a pair of Hummer limos flanked the jet as the judges disembarked -- and how's your carbon footprint feeling today? David Hasselhoff delivered good news to the first group o f performers, which included the high-flying group "Acrodunk." Sharon Osbourne told the second group they'd be going home. It included Kari Callin, the 43-year-old singer from the Seattle auditions who'd grown up with a cleft pallet, and and 9-year-old guitarist Tallan Noble Latz. Piers Morgan built up the drama as he announced the judges' decision to the remaining two groups. As slowly as he could, he finally told them that both groups would remain in the competition. The initial cut removed 25 acts from the process before they even left the airport, and the rest were off to discover the wonder of the Vegas strip. While they were off enjoying themselves, the judges were huddled up making more decisions. Finally, the judges called for a some individual acts. The first was singer/guitarist Keith Johnson and impressionist Pete Peterkin. Piers told an emotional Keith that the judges "concluded there are better singers," and that he would not be moving on to the next round. Peterkin was in. Next up to see the judges was 13-year-old dancer Arcadian Broad. He swung a triumphant fist in the air as The Hoff told him he was moving to the Hollywood round. Other acts joining him (in a montage): Acrodunk; the Platt Brothers (mimes, acrobats and dancers); Recycled Percussion; David Johnson (The David Hasselhoff song guy); singer 14-year-old singer Thia Megia (who sang "I Am Changing"); G Force (the young girl rock band that sang Pink's "So What?"); 8-year-old dance couple Erik & Rickie; a capella group Mosaic; the Texas Tenors; yodeling dominatrix Manuela Horn; and clogging sisters The Fab Five. Anthony Ferrante, a 74-year-old retired barber turned dancer, went to see the judges next. He talked about what a dream come true it would be for him to continue to the next round. He was out. Three dance crews -- Euphoria, Destined 2 Be and BreakSk8 -- were called to the judges' room, where they were told they wouldn't all go through and would have to face each other in a dance-off. They were given the same piece of music and asked to come back later to vie for a spot in the next round. Similarly, a couple of illusionist acts -- Drew Thomas and Joseph Constantine -- were put next to each other. Piers questions whether there was room for two such acts in the Top 40. Piers broke the news to Joseph, who hoped to bounce back financially from this show, that he would not continue to the next round. Drew, on the other hand, was sent through to Hollywood. A capella group "The Spiritual Harmonizers," a group of postal workers who have sung together for 10 years, were told they didn't make it to the next round. A montage of acts who were sent home followed. Breakdancer Hairo Torres was put through torture by Sharon before she finally told him he would be moving through to the next round. Singers Lawrence Beamen (the deep-voiced Southerner who sang "Old Man River") and Kevin Skinner (the chicken farmer and guitarist who sang Garth Brooks' "If Tomorrow Never Comes") were the last two acts to learn their fate. Lawrence was told first that he was through to the next round while viewers waited and wondered what happened with Kevin. The Hoff finally told him he was going through, as well. The Las Vegas round concludes Wednesday.
- The second day of the Las Vegas round on "America's Got Talent" would determine which acts would make it to Hollywood to compete among the final 40 for the $1 million prize and a chance to have their own act in Vegas. The first act to see the judges was husband-and-wife dancing duo, Paradizo Dance, who were told they made it through to the next round. Up next were Isharra, the Bollywood dance group made of college friends from Berkeley. Another dance group, FootworKINGz, hoped for a spot in the finals. Piers drew out the drama before telling both groups they were going to L.A. High-intensity pianist Jeffrey Ou and harpist Rashida Jolley had become good friends and were up to see the judges together. Sharon strung Rashida along before telling her she wouldn't be going to the next round. Rashida, stunned, still reached over and congratulated Jeffrey with a warm hug. A montage of acts going home followed, including the husband-and-wife whip act from Christopher and Laura Camp; bald-headed balancers Duo Design; father-and-son acrobats The Kalinins; jugglers and acrobats The Flash; contortionist Arthur Gulkarov; and brother-and-sister guitar and singing duo Kara and Corey Britz (although Corey was gone to pursue another opportunity, and Piers said the act wasn't strong enough without him). Precocious 8-year-old singer and keyboardist Eleisha Miller went to see the judges. Piers remembered how funny she was at her audition. She squealed when Piers told her she'd be moving on to the next round. Chainsaw juggling act Mario & Jenny learned they would be going through. The next act was Marcus Terrell and the Serenades, who earned mixed reviews in the first round as Piers suggested Marcus might one day have to ditch his backup singers, but Marcus said they'd go all the way to the end together. It was time to make the choice. Sharon told Marcus "it's the girls that are bringing you down." As Marcus cried, one of his backup singers stepped up and asked if the judges would put him through alone, and the judges said they would. The other backup singers agreed, and sent Marcus through to the next round alone. The three dance acts that the judges had previously challenged to a dance-off were back to show their stuff. U4IA went first, followed by BreakSk8 and Destined 2 Be. In the end, it was BreakSk8 that made it through. Singing sibling trio Voices of Glory got a green light from a giddy David Hasselhoff. More green lights were handed out to opera singer Barbara Padilla; light-bulb eater Chris Allison; Frisbee-catching dog act Rockin' Rory; dancing dog act Pam Martin and Viva; 62-year-old dancer Carol Lugo; singer/keyboardist Charles DeWayne Dorsey; gymnastic dancers Pixie Mystere; dancers African High Flyers; singers EriAm Sisters; singer and tap-dancer Anthony Morigerato and Matt Lucas; and comedian Grandma Lee. Blond triplet violinists Alizma, who played "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," started to bicker a bit before the judges announced their decision -- they were through to the next round. Mia Boostrom, who made it to the Vegas round last season and came back for another shot, pleaded with the judges about how much she'd worked this time around. Kelli Glover, who'd missed the top 10 in the first season of "American Idol," stood next to Mia as they learned their results. Kelli broke down in tears when Piers told her she wouldn't be moving on. She later shouted at the camera, "It's not fair. I can sing better than anybody here." Mia, meanwhile, broke down in tears when the judges told her she was moving on. As the judges flew back to L.A. on their private jet, they received a phone call from executive producer Simon Cowell, who said that after reviewing their choices for the Top 40, "we have a very, very serious problem here." The judges didn't react, and the credits rolled. Guess we'll find out next week.
- The judges picked the final 40 contestants last week for "America's Got Talent," but the episode ended with an ominous phone call from executive producer Simon Cowell, who said, "We have a very serious problem here." He sent them a list of the acts he thought they should reconsider. Host Nick Cannon might have given something away in the intro, when he declared that 12 acts would perform Tuesday night. Twelve doesn't go into 40 in any even way. Could we be looking at 48 finalists? "For the first time ever in 'America's Got Talent' history, eight acts have been given the ultimate second chance," Cannon said after Simon's full message was revealed. The Diva League and Lake Houston Dance were the two wild cards given another chance. They would compete with singer Thia Megia; the Platt Brothers; dancer Arcadian Broad; AcroDunk; comedian Grandma Lee; singers Mosaic; dancers BreakSk8; Drew Thomas Magic; yodeling dominatrix Manuela Horn; and singer Kevin Skinner. The 12 acts on Tuesday would perform for five spots in the next round, and it started with BreakSk8. BreakSk8: The roller-skating dance crew pulled out all the stops, with props and extra dancers for their quarterfinal performance. With a bit of a tribute to the King of Pop, they performed to Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal," and included some his signature moves -- including a moonwalk on roller skates. Piers said there was a reason Michael didn't dance on skates, "it slows it all down. It's too slow." Sharon thought they were great and asked them to bring "longer, faster," and whatever Piers wanted next time. The Hoff said he wanted to see "more radical skating." Thia Megia: The 14-year-old singer dreamt about the chance she now had in front of her and Piers wanted her to try to step out on her own rather than trying to imitate more famous people. Thia sang Miley Cyrus' "The Climb." It actually made Miley sound good. Sharon said Thia "did not disappoint." The Hoff called her "a shooting star" and said she "nailed it." No comments from Piers? After the spiel about the phone numbers, Nick went back to Piers, who called it "brilliant." Really? The Platt Brothers: The acrobatic dancing brothers had to answer the question of whether they were good enough to sustain a full Vegas show. They certainly left nothing out of bounds, running through a seemingly haphazard mix of dance moves. The Hoff liked the humor and physicality. He suggested they throw the lip-synching out of the act. Piers said, "I don't know what your act is" and called it "unfocused." Sharon agreed, understanding they were "trying to cram it all in" and told them to slow it down and pace it better. The Diva League: The drag queen crew promised something "dark and creepy." The dark lighting didn't help, and Piers buzzed them shortly into the routine. Piers said, "a bunch of lipsticky old drag queens who can't dance is not what America needs right now." Sharon said she loved them and told them to "go for it -- fabulous." The Hoff agreed with Sharon and called it "very entertaining, and I think you guys could sustain a show in Las Vegas." Manuela Horn: The yodeling dominatrix looked remarkably different without her black wig. She decided to bring her two worlds together -- her mom world and her naughty side. She gave her own twist to the Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha," changing the words and the meaning to something about moms. The Hoff and Sharon buzzed her about halfway through. Piers finally did, too, giving us the first trifecta of the quarterfinals. The judges said she changed too much from the character that they put through in Las Vegas. She told Nick she was "devastated." Grandma Lee: The 75-year-old comedian cracked some more jokes about dating at her age before pulling out British-flag boxers and telling Piers she found them in her room that morning. Then she pulled out a patent leather Speedo and told The Hoff she found it in her limo. The Hoff said she was heading to Vegas. Piers praised her wit and stage presence. Sharon told Grandma Lee she was "so naughty," but she loved her very much. Mosaic: The a capella group talked about having tried to make it in Las Vegas. The Hoff said before their performance that they had a lot to prove because they were "good, not great." They dressed in their best newsboy outfits and performed Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," coupled with "I Wish." The Hoff said it started off light, but it got better and better until they "kicked it in at the end." Piers said it was "nearly very good." Sharon agreed it was haphazard at the beginning, but was "smokin'" at the end. AcroDunk: AcroDunk wondered where they'd go after their first audition, but created a routine specifically for this round. Piers gave a warning before the performance that he'd buzz them for one mistake. They didn't get buzzed. With a flurry of flips and a guy walking sideways on a brick wall and big finale, the group nailed it and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Sharon said they proved that they could sustain their act for a 90-minute performance. The Hoff said he didn't think in their wildest dreams they could do better, but they "were awesome." Piers questioned whether they got the last dunk in, but called it "one of the most extraordinary acts I've ever seen on a live show on 'America's Got Talent.'" Arcadian Broad: The 13-year-old dancer vowed to take the chance he'd been given, and talked about adding a new element to his act and he wasn't sure how people were going to take it. He started out playing the piano, showing some fancy fingerwork before slamming the cover down over the keys and surging into a dance routine to the music of "Footloose." The Hoff said "all those kids who teased you at school are watching you now." He told Arcadian "might even win this competition." Piers agreed, but said he never wanted to see Arcadian playing piano again. He said he nearly buzzed him early on. Sharon said, "I love you so much." She said it was nice to see that he wasn't one note, but she agreed the piano playing was a bit too long. Drew Thomas Magic: The magician said he was taking a huge chance by trying something that's never been done before -- and even he hadn't done it before. He first put three ladies into a crate, then Drew had himself packed into a crate. Three masked workers blowtorched the girls' crate and Drew's crate shut before, suddenly, Drew's crate exploded and exposed that no one was inside. Then the workers revealed themselves to be the girls who'd been locked into the crate, and their crate opened to revealed three dudes inside wearing just their boxers. Drew, meanwhile, jumped up from behind the judges' table, shocking The Hoff and Sharon. Piers told him he enjoyed it, but told Drew to step up his wardrobe if he wanted to be the next David Blaine or David Copperfield. Sharon said it was fantastic, and agreed with Piers about the clothing. "Look like a star," she said. The Hoff said he could win the whole thing. Kevin Skinner: The country singer said he'd never been out of Kentucky and was soaking up Hollywood. He again went with Garth Brooks -- or, at least, Brooks' version of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love." The crowd enjoyed it and the judges applauded. Sharon loved that Kevin was such an honest man and she liked his new haircut (without a ball cap). The Hoff said every time Kevin sings, he gets a little choked up. Piers said Kevin gave "the performance of the night." Lake Houston Dance: The young dancing group that was memorable for its big orange wigs in the first audition got a second chance to impress and promised to dance their hearts out. It turned into a pajama dance party when they started grooving to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." The Hoff said he was glad they were back on the show and the judges made the biggest mistake of their lives voting them off in the first place. Piers said he didn't think it was as good as the audition. Sharon loved the song choice, but suggested there were just too many of them to focus on.
- The first 12 quarterfinalists on "America's Got Talent" offered up their best on Tuesday, and Wednesday was the night to see which of them made it to the Top 20. First, a little housekeeping. Judge Piers Morgan doubted on Tuesday night that Acrodunk, the high-flying group of trampoline-jumping slam dunkers, missed their final dunk on Tuesday. He stood by his claim Wednesday before host Nick Cannon went to the replay and proved, without a doubt, that the final dunk was nailed just like all the other before it. Piers apologized. Dunking the competition: To add to the dunking crew's elation, they were the first act to learn they were moving into the Top 20. Acrodunk came to the stage alongside BreakSk8, the roller-skating dance group, which was eliminated. Be our guest: Season 2 "Talent" winner Terry Fator, who signed what the show keeps calling a $100 million contract to perform in Las Vegas, popped by to perform a couple of songs with his dummies and thank the show and Simon Cowell for giving him his start. Later, Nick's wife Mariah Carey visited to perform her latest single, "Obsessed." Nick said, "I don't care what anybody says, that song is about me, because I am obsessed with this beautiful girl right here!" Hubby's new broadcast platform continued to push Carey's new album, with Nick even telling viewers to go to nbc.com to buy it. More results: Nick called three more acts to the stage: Lake Houston Dance, Drew Thomas Magic, and yodeler Manuela Horn. Only one of the three acts would make it to the Top 20. Nick announced that the first of the three acts to be eliminated was Lake Houston Dance. That left Manuela Horn and Drew Thomas Magic to vie for the Top 20 spot. The act advancing to the next round was Drew Thomas Magic. Next up were singer Kevin Skinner and a capella group Mosaic. There didn't seem to be much drama at the announcement of the fact that country crooner Kevin Skinner was the next semifinalist. With just two semifinals spots remaining for the final five acts to share, Nick called The Platt Brothers, The Diva League, and Grandma Lee to the stage. Just one of them would land a spot in the Top 20. The Platt Brothers were the first to be eliminated, leaving Grandma Lee and The Diva League. The next semifinalist was Grandma Lee, who teared up a little after her name was called and said, "This means everything to me." The final two acts were 13-year-old dancer Arcadian Broad and 14-year-old singer Thia Megia. The judges were the ones who got to decide between the two acts. Piers said he wasn't quite convinced with Arcadian's performance, and he voted for Thia. Sharon said they were "both fantastic," and she gave her vote to Arcadian. That left the tie-breaker up to David Hasselhoff. He said, "this show is about talent and diversity," but whoever loses can go on and do well. He told Thia she would "go a long way," but his choice was Arcadian.
- When does it become wrong to just stop and look? How is it normal to avoid seeing each other all day and then desperately seek validation on social media? I hope exploring this is funny and helpful!