(S04E11) "We can only put the best of the best through." - The Hoff
With the auditions finally over, it's time for the judges to get down to business and select the Top 40 acts amongst those -- 160 amazing, good, bad, and WTF? acts -- they let through to the "Vegas Verdicts" week. What the performers who were told they were going to Vegas didn't know is that the judges would be making cuts even before the performers could make their final plea to Sharon, Piers and David, for a chance to make it to the Top 40.
The performers were broken down into four groups. Groups A, C and D were told they would go through to the next round of judging. As expected, some people that didn't show real talent got through while Group B, which included acts such as guitarist Tallan Noble Latz, 8-year-old singer Ciana, singer Kari Callin and the Lake Houseton Performing Arts dance troupe, is going home.
What Groups A, C and D didn't know is that the judges would be making their final decision without them having to perform a second time...
Acts that were sent packing to go back home:
- Watching Keith Johnson go through the agonizing wait to know if he would make it or not and then be told he would be going home made me ponder whether the judges should 1) let less acts go through to Vegas, 2) send more groups packing OR put more people in the group that is sent packing. Why? That way, less people would have their hopes go up and then quickly down. Plus, less performers would have to individually face the judges to be sent packing. Do you agree?
- The judges saw the light! They sent 74-year-old Tony Ferrante, free-style dancer from Audition show 7, packing. I was afraid the judges would suffer from temporary insanity and let Tony through as they did in previous seasons with acts such as Boy Britney.
- The judges claim they have to let the best of the best go through. Then why did they send home The Spiritual Harmonizers (Audition show 7). They offered a solid performance, had great background vocals, and the lead singer was fantastic. I get that they don't want too many singing acts in the Top 40, but there is a difference between a singing group and a solo singing act. The latter would make the show too similar to Idol. Even if I said in past reviews that the show should not allow people to audition more than once, I hope they make an exception with this group.
- I don't understand why the judges don't let more magic acts through. Those would make fantastic Vegas shows. In past seasons, they sent packing some extremely talented magicians who offered unique and amazing acts. Why not let the two magic acts go through and cut a singing number to make it 40 acts? Even though I put Joseph Constantine's (Audition show 4) act in my "I don't know what to think of" category, I would have liked to see more of them. Good luck to both of them because we know they're going through a rough patch.
- Other acts that were sent packing include some dance crews, a belly dancer, a martial arts dance act, and burlesque acts.
Acts that were sent packing to go to Hollywood (aka Top 40):
- It's not surprising that Pete, the Obama impersonator, got through to the next round, since he is potentially the best of the impersonators that are in the "Vegas Verdicts" round. Plus, Obama is really popular, so having a good Obama impersonator on the show can only help.
- Arcadian Broad (Audition show 2 and his official website), the 13-year-old Kevin-Bacon-in-Footloose prospect impressed the judges enough to go through the next round.
- Editing and tricky scripting made it look like wacky and energetic breakdancer Hairo Torres (Audition show 4) would not make it to L.A. Bad editors, Bad! I don't see him going beyond the Top 40 but he surely brings in uniqueness and weirdness to the show.
- As you know, I didn't care much for Kevin Skinner's (Audition show 3) performance, and I don't like that AGT has too many singing acts in the Top 40. Therefore, I hoped that Kevin would be sent packing because there are better singers in the 160 acts who went through to Vegas. The judges have their doubts about Kevin, too, but that doesn't mean the Chicken Catcher can't become the next Susan Boyle. He and Lawrence Beaman (Audition show 5 and his official website) both made it to the next round.
- As I've said above, I would have liked to see both magic acts go through. At least, the judges kept one -- they could have easily sent both packing. Let's hope Drew Thomas (his official website) wows the judges and the voters next week so we can vote him through the Top 20 and show the judges and the producers that we want more illusionists and magicians to go through.
- Other Top 40 include a basketball act, dancers, percussionists, funny singer David Johnson (Audition show 1), the young ballroom dancers from Audition show 2, girlband G-Force (Audition show 2), Mosaic (Audition show 10, YouTube clip), the singing cowboys, Manuela "singing dominatrix" Horn (Audition show 2), and tap dancers. I can't believe that they let acts like the singing dominatrix go through and sent Ciana and Kari packing!
Acts that were given a second chance to make a first impression:
- Since the judges weren't able to make a decision as to which dance crew(s) would go through to the Top 40 round, they decided to have Euphoria, Destined 2 Be (Audition show 8, YouTube clips) and Breaksk8 (Audition show 10, official website) fight for a spot in a dance off. All were given the same song and twelve hours to come up with the best routine they could. We will learn tomorrow which dance crew(s) make it through.
Are you happy with the judges' decisions? Are there some acts that were sent home that you would have liked to see in the Top 40 and vice versa? Which dance crew do you want to see go through tomorrow night? Share your comments below.
America's Got Talent' Photos
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Judge David Hasselhoff.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Judge Piers Morgan.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Judge Sharon Osbourne.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Swinging Rat Pack.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Swinging Rat Pack.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Indiggo.
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AMERICA'S GOT TALENT Shelia-Shelia Of The Jungle.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
7-29-2009 @ 12:27PM
John McPherson said...
I lost a lot of respect for the show when they let Ciana and Kari go and kept Manuela and David Johnson. I'm very disappointed and have lost a lot of interest in the show.
Reply
7-29-2009 @ 7:39AM
Joanne Rashell said...
I am absolutely bewildered that Kari Callin was in the group "sent packing home". This woman has such a voice, the likes to which I have never heard and cannot fathom that she wasn't chosen to go through. I am so upset. How are the acts chosen to be in a group? How did Kari end up in the group to go home? And why bring these hopefuls to Vegas in the first place, only to kill their dreams on National TV????? Talk about torture....
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7-29-2009 @ 8:21AM
Isabelle Carreau said...
I don't get why Kari got sent packing either when comparing her to some of the acts that were left in the show. My only answer would be that producers wanted variety which is why the dominatrix yodeler stayed. However, Kari could have been AGT's Susan Boyle...
Well, they've done it every season so far, so we shouldn't be extremely surprised that the judges let through people who didn't deserve it and sent packing ones that should have gotten to Hollywood.
I don't get either why they bring all of them to Vegas if it's not to have them perform a second time. It must cost the show loads of money. It would have been cheaper to have them sit at home while the judges rewatch their audition and make a decision. Have Nick and a camera crew go to different locations to see people react to the fact they are going through or not to Hollywood.
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7-29-2009 @ 10:46AM
John said...
You're so right! It doesn't make since to make them go to Vegas only to send them home as soon as they get there. Is there some kind of sadistic theme here in watching the losers cry and suffer. And what's with all the drama in making the losers go though that drawn out decision process where they taunt them; really sick. Just show the winners.
7-29-2009 @ 8:33AM
BOB said...
I do not get how Kari Callin could not br given a chance for America to judge .She has WONDERFUL voice this was my ist year of watching the show and my last .The judges should have looked at their own coments and the standing ovation they gave her
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7-29-2009 @ 8:54AM
Suzanne said...
After watching only the beginning of America's Got Talent for the Vegas Verdict show, we immediately changed the channel choosing not to watch. All those contestants in the B group were promised they were "going through to Vegas", only to be turned away as soon as they arrived, without having the chance to be voted off.
I cannot imagine how the once-hopeful, no-longer-contestants must feel. No more America's Got Talent for us!
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7-29-2009 @ 9:24AM
watch anime online said...
After observation only of the beginning of America of 's.A. obtained the talent for the exposure of verdict of Vegas, immediately changed us the channel choosing not to observe. All these disputing in the group B were promised that they were intervening with Vegas , to only be turned far from that they arrived, without being likely to be voted with far.
I cannot imagine how one time-full with hope, no-length-disputing must feel. More America of 's did not obtain the talent for us!
Reply
7-29-2009 @ 10:32AM
jjsings68 said...
Your comment made no sense at all.
7-29-2009 @ 11:51AM
CMart said...
Looks like watch anime online simply took the previous comment, translated it into a different language (Japanese perhaps) and then re-translated it back into English, sort of like that site Garfield: Lost in Translation (garfieldlostintranslation.blogspot.com/)
The question that remains, though is why it was done.
7-29-2009 @ 9:54AM
Rhonda Hughes said...
The Vegas Verdict was nothing more than deceitful and disgusting. The performers and the audience were clearly led to believe the acts would perform again - "You're going to Vegas!!!"
If they chose too many acts, why not let the viewers decide who goes home? That's a perfect internet publicity ploy. If the internet leaves too many, then send on the obvious and let the doubtful perform again. Those horrible "interviews" were too cruel to watch. Actually I am done with the show because I really don't care now who wins.
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7-29-2009 @ 10:19AM
dave said...
this was the most heartless act I have ever seen,your going to vegas,but only to the air port then were sending you home with out another audition.A most Disgraseful act if I ever saw one.It shows me their ineptness,poor planing,and heartlessness.the judges are a bunch of bozoos and should be replaced.If I were simon cowel, I fire them for that.I will not watch this show again.BOOO
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7-29-2009 @ 10:25AM
Marie said...
I as many of my friends and associates were disappointed in some of the judges decisions. Some should have never gone through in the first place and sending them to Vegas gave them false hope and more heartache thinking they had a chance. MORE TALENTED people were sent home than others who remained. We agreed as music lovers and some musicians that TALLAN NOBLE LANCE was a self taught master at guitar at his age and certainly thought he would be a major contender in the finals. The hearbreak of watching truly talented contestants sent home for those with questionable talent has caused us to put Americas got Talent on the bottom of our list of must see shows. Judging IS DIFFICULT however shame on them for letting some TRULY TALENTED contestants slip through for others that were much less talented.
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7-29-2009 @ 4:56PM
susan Jaffe said...
Yes it was cruel.I am wondering if some of the dismissed acts might reappear/The guitar kid was great and kari certainly deserves a chance with a real orchestra and some making over.Wasn't there a wild card somewhere in the shows history???
7-29-2009 @ 10:40AM
Marie said...
My friends and I were very disappointed in what happened in Vegas. Some contestants should not have been put through in the first place and sending them to Vegas only gave them false hope and more heartache at being rejected. Many talented people were sent home as they kept those with less talent. Zallan Noble Latz being a self taught guitarist and at his age to be so VERY TALENTED was one we thought would be a major contender in the finals as most of our musician friends agreed. Judging IS difficult however some of their decisions have put AGT on the bottom of our must see favorite shows. ROCK ON ZALLAN and those other MAJOR TALENTS that were unjustly sent home.
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7-29-2009 @ 11:18AM
Russ said...
Several acts were put thru to Hollywood I never dreamed would make it that far, and several acts were cut that I thought deserved to go thru. But nothing caught me by surprise as much as the stupidity of canning the young Tallan Noble Latz, the 8 y.o guitar player. There's no reason to even start trying to compare that kid's talent to many others, it needs no explanation. The kid was clearly in a class by himself in many ways. My wife and I both lost complete respect for the show over this one, and we've already even cancelled the DVR setting to continue recording the program. Our TV's will NOT be tuned into this program ever again. The show has clearly lost it's way. And to bring people out to Vegas and then sent packing w/o even a chance to perform again was cruel and ranks right up there with the stupidest things I've ever seen.
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7-29-2009 @ 11:43AM
TBone said...
I haven't watched this show before. Is making some of them go to Vegas only to be sent home while still on the runway the norm? I, like others have stated, find this appalling. Also, the one million dollar prize is placed into an annuity to be dealt out over 40 years! That's 25K a year, which I am sure you have to add to your income for tax purposes. America's got ripped off!
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7-29-2009 @ 11:43AM
Amada said...
I agree with Suzanne. I had to change the channel after they sent Kari home and then Keith Johnson!! He had a great voice and would have went far if left up to America. Then I hear that they kept the yodeling dominatrix??? No more AGT for me!
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7-29-2009 @ 11:53AM
xtinemichele said...
I almost don't feel as if I can comment about the show, because for 60 minutes, I was distracted by Hoff's saggy man boobs in that horrid sweater.
But, during commercials, I could ponder that the immediate turn around for an entire group of contestants was cruel. Especially because Kari and Tallan, who had some true talent, didn't even get a second chance and that overly precociuos "Annie" reject and the eccentric elderly dancing lady are still there (although I don't think they'll make it into the final 40.)
And, where the heck did Nathan Burton go? He is the most talented magician of the bunch (and already does a show in Vegas, which may be why he was given the heave-ho...)
All I have to say is "Go Lawrence!"
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7-29-2009 @ 11:59AM
Mitch said...
The show is working because everyone is complaining about what happened. Does anyone really believe that these judges made the decisions themselves? Does anyone really believe that these people arrived in Vegas and then where immediately sent home? Come on people this is all trick editing and fooling people into believing that a moron like Sharon Osbourne and an idiot like the Hoff can recognise talent. They want different acts to get through so that people will do what evevryone is doing which is talk about what happened.
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7-29-2009 @ 11:52PM
kitty said...
You may be right about its being a trick. I think in this case they miscalculated. A lot of people are sufficiently angry to switch channels. I only watch on Tuesdays anyway as I much prefer SYTYCD on Wednesdays.