Before you continue reading this post, it's important that you know that I enjoy America's Got Talent and have been entertained by it since the first season. However, I, and I know a lot of fans too based on comments left here on the site, am not that happy with how the current season turned out.
Dear America's Got Talent producers, here are a few suggestions from myself and TV Squad readers on how you can improve next season.
(S04E26) This is it, people. The time has come to name the winner of America's Got Talent, the world's biggest talent search. The two-hour (!) final results bash included performances from Britain's Got Talent sensation Susan Boyle, The X Factor's Leona Lewis, Thelma Houston, Cirque du Soleil, Rascal Flatts, and Shakira. Sadly, none of the previous AGT winners performed.
Based on the TV Squad poll I've included in my review of the Top 10 performance show, 35.1% of the voters, including myself, said Barbara Padilla would win. Kevin Skinner received 22.2% of your votes, while Recycled Percussion placed third in our poll with 19.4%. The other contestants all got under 7% of your votes. (Note that these results were accurate at the beginning of the results show.)
Did the TV Squad poll results match reality? Official results coming up! If you haven't watched the finale yet and do not want to be spoiled as to who won the competition, it's time to click elsewhere now!
(S04E25) The biggest talent search in the world started its competition three months ago. After a summer of questionable judges decisions, talent performances and Hoff-isms, it's time to crown the winner of the show's fourth season.
But before the America's Got Talent winner can be announced in the live season finale to air on Wednesday, featuring a guest appearance by Susan Boyle, the Top 10 acts needed to perform one last time for America's votes. My comments and predictions coming up!
(S04E24) Nick asked the crowd who they'd like to see in the finals, and of course, it was impossible to tell which names they yelled out, since all of the acts have their fans at this point.
Tonight we learn who's taking the last five spots in the finals. Nick also reminded us that the next show will air Monday, Sept. 14, and that there's no judge's pick tonight. The five who go through will be the five that America voted for. As it should be, in my view.
After a brief recap of last night's show, Nick asked Piers why he X'd the acts he did. Piers said it's a simple formula -- a game of the good and the not-so-good. Sharon gave another shout out to Barbara Padilla, whom she absolutely loves. Hoff said, "I'm Hoff crazy!" He also reminded us that they've seen a hundred thousand acts and it's getting down to the wire.
(S04E23) There were mixed feelings amongst viewers last week when the America's Got Talent judges announced that they couldn't decide who, between Voices of Glory and Fab 5, should get the fourth place in what was supposed to be a final round of the top eight acts of the summer.
It wasn't much of a surprise when Nick announced at the beginning of this week's performance show that there would be no judges' pick. It wouldn't make sense to have a Top 9, eh? I'm happy that more acts -- aka the same number as last year -- will get to perform in the finals. But what I'm happier for is that America will pick the final five acts to enter the next round. No judges' pick. The results will be solely based on the number of votes.
How did the ten remaining acts perform this week? Which acts should move on? My two cents, Piers' many Xs, and your comments coming up!
This week's results show featured a special performance from The Hoff himself. Did he give a performance worthy to be Xed, or did he deliver the goods? My two cents, as well as which first four acts are moving to the final round coming up!
Don't worry. Nick Cannon won't necessarily be packing his bags any time soon, but former host Jerry Springer is coming back to America's Got Talent. He's slated to host that Planet Hollywood live show in Las Vegas Cannon has been pimping every week.
Springer originally left America's Got Talent to appear on Broadway in Chicago, but that gig has since wrapped. I'm not sure what that means for next season of the talent show. After a shaky start, I think Nick Cannon has emerged as a capable and fun host for the wackiness of AGT. He's got a natural sense of humor about everything, which is essential when talking to "The Hoff."
(S04E21) "We're getting down to the wire." - The Hoff
This week's performers needed to up their games big time because some of them did not impress viewers that much in the past four weeks when each performed for a place in the Top 20. And, as The Hoff pointed, we're getting down to the wire and will soon crown the season four winner of America's Got Talent.
The first ten acts to show their talent in the semi-finals are from performance shows one and two of the Top 48. This way of breaking the acts allows diversity as we were treated to dance, acrobatics, singing, canine tricks, comedy and magic.
Do we have a potential winner amongst tonight's performances? Did the judges Piers X anyone? Comments and Top 8 -- yes, you read correctly no Top 10 -- predictions coming up!
(S04E20) "I think the talent this year is "Hoff" the charts." - The Hoff
The Hoff must not be watching the same show we are, eh? Because the talent is definitely not off the charts. Yes, there are some very good acts but compared to previous seasons, this year's Top 48 was rather poor in talent.
The last Top 48 acts performed earlier this week and now came the time to reveal who would fill the remaining five spots in the Top 20. Except for three or four acts, this week's performance show was so-so, making it difficult to predict how America would vote.
Did your favorite acts make it to the Top 20? Results coming up!
(S04E19) A few of you told me that I was wrong by claiming that last week's performance show was electrifying. I agree with you that we have seen much better performance shows in the past. However, when you compare the third performance show of the season with the two previous, you have to admit that it was the most electrifying.
Save for a few of tonight's acts, such as Ishaara and Barbara, the third performance show is still the best performance show we've had so far this season.
My comments on the fourth performance show and my predictions coming up!
(S06E01) The producers of Top Chef must have listened to the criticism from the last edition of the show, the one set in New York with the contestants housed in Brooklyn. Despite being in perhaps the most exciting culinary city in the world, TC-NY was pedestrian. Well, Top Chef season six, is in Las Vegas and judging by the premiere, the stakes -- as they said a few times -- have been set very high. The round-up of players was filled with James Beard awardees, Michelin star cooks, people who have restaurants already... and a couple of others who have something to prove.
(S04E15) Before I comment on this week's performances, in case you missed it, I posted the list of the eight wild cards that they judges picked. I feel robbed of talent that should have been given the chance to be part of the now Top 48. I promise you, however, that it's the last time this season you'll have me say that the America's Got Talent judges made oh so wrong decisions, which, based on some of your comments, actually had people stop watching. Now that I know who is part of the Top 48, I've decided to embrace these acts and stop complaining. Otherwise, I'll end up not enjoying the season.
Last week, Arcadian Broad (judges' pick), Acrodunk, Drew Thomas Magic, Kevin Skinner, and Grandma Lee made it to the Top 20 -- I got four out of five right. You? Who will join them this week? My comments, Piers' Xs and predictions coming up!
Nigel Lythgoe really was serious about wanting to work with Paula Abdul again. Lythgoe used to be executive producer on American Idol, before he left to devote his full attention to So YouThink You Can Dance. This upcoming week, they'll be filming "Vegas Week" for the upcoming fall season six of the hit summer series.
But before that starts, Lythgoe has invited Paula Abdul to fly down to Vegas this weekend so they can talk about her possibly becoming a part of the show. He'd love to have her, of course, "If I can afford her," he says. The question becomes: was it the money over at Idol, or the fact that she felt disrespected?
As to what capacity Abdul could be involved in the show as it takes Idol's time slots in the fall, she could be very involved. Hell, if they agree to things quickly, she could be a part of the judging panel for "Vegas Week," meaning she'd only have missed the initial auditions, and she could certainly join the choreographer pool immediately.
Based on the comments you left on last night's review, a few of you decided to stop watching the show because the "Vegas Verdicts" process was too cruel. How can the judges tell people they are going to Vegas and not have them perform a second time before they are sent back home? How cruel is it to get performers' hopes up by telling them they are going to Vegas when, in fact, most of them will have done the trip just to hear that they weren't good enough? Why did the judges send talented people such as Kari, Ciana and Tallan home and keep acts such as the dominatrix yodeler? On a side note, we shouldn't put all the blame on the judges. I'm sure the producers are pulling a few strings.
Be truthful, even if you vouched you would never watch America's Got Talent again, you couldn't help yourself from taking a peak at tonight's episode, eh? If you decided to not tune in to watch the last "Vegas Verdicts" cruel fest but still want to know what happened, here come the results!
(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.
(S04E24) Nick asked the crowd who they'd like to see in the finals, and of course, it was impossible to tell which names they yelled out, since all of the acts have their fans at this point. 
(S04E23) There were mixed feelings amongst viewers last week when the America's Got Talent judges announced that they couldn't decide who, between Voices of Glory and Fab 5, should get the fourth place in what was supposed to be a final round of the top eight acts of the summer. 
(S04E22) It's time to narrow down the talent field to the Top 8 acts who will perform in the final round of this season's America's Got Talent. They'll get the chance to win a million, as well as perform on the Vegas Strip in a special show hosted by ex-AGT host Jerry Springer.
Don't worry. Nick Cannon won't necessarily be packing his bags any time soon, but former host Jerry Springer is coming back to America's Got Talent. He's slated to host that Planet Hollywood live show in Las Vegas Cannon has been pimping every week.
(S04E21) "We're getting down to the wire." - The Hoff
(S04E20) "I think the talent this year is "Hoff" the charts." - The Hoff
(S04E19) A few of you told me that I was wrong by claiming that last week's performance show was electrifying. I agree with you that we have seen much better performance shows in the past. However, when you compare the third performance show of the season with the two previous, you have to admit that it was the most electrifying.
(S04E15) Before I comment on this week's performances, in case you missed it, I posted the list of the eight wild cards that they judges picked. I feel robbed of talent that should have been given the chance to be part of the now Top 48. I promise you, however, that it's the last time this season you'll have me say that the America's Got Talent judges made oh so wrong decisions, which, based on some of your comments, actually had people stop watching. Now that I know who is part of the Top 48, I've decided to embrace these acts and stop complaining. Otherwise, I'll end up not enjoying the season.
Nigel Lythgoe really was serious about wanting to work with Paula Abdul again. Lythgoe used to be executive producer on American Idol, before he left to devote his full attention to So YouThink You Can Dance. This upcoming week, they'll be filming "Vegas Week" for the upcoming fall season six of the hit summer series.
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