Hey, everyone.
Welcome back to my Review of America's Got Talent. The auditions have heated up and have grabbed my attention even more. The acts that appeared on stage have either blown me away or drove me to a wall (metaphorically). I think I've been more impressed with these acts this season than I have been during my years of watching this show. So let's continue my opinions on what acts I think will move forward (which is the same ones everyone else thinks) and who I think should go back home in shame.
It's Week 2 of Auditions!
Instead of the usual opening with graphics, Nick and the judges’ faces and the show’s logo at the end, we instead get this really nice open of the beginning of Week 2 Auditions. The graphic credits for the producers and director were amazingly superimposed onto the action and the use of “Born to Be Wild” was a great touch.
Now onto my favorites of this week (there will be 8 that I’ll mention, as I won’t have time for all 17 of them):
First up was DM Nation, an all-female dance troupe. And let me just state that their audition was freaking awesome!
Their style, technique, synchronicity and timing were off-the-wall spectacular. And the part in the middle where all members (whether standing or kneeling on the stage floor) SPUN a full 90 was frickin’ mind-blowing! I just couldn’t see them go home one bit (and I bet everyone else who watched and the judges thought so, too) and knew from the moment they started that they were going to Vegas. And they did. Great job, ladies!
Next, Wayne Hoffman, a mentalist from Astral, FL. His audition is on blowing our minds with his tricks on them, involving firecrackers. To save you the boredom, here’s the video to show what it is.
I will say...I wasn’t scared. I knew that firecracker wouldn’t blow up in his mouth. He knew exactly where it was and played us like action figures masturbating. What a ripoff! He should go home! He sucks!!
(Okay, I’m lying through my keyboard/ I actually was scared. He challenged us and made us fear for his life. I knew what would happen and I was still at the edge of the screen. His tricks were fantastic and had my heart racing. I‘m glad he’s going though. I want more of this.) That’s right, whoever plays the music on the show, he DID drop a bomb on us. Great Charlie Wilson and The Gap Band song, too.
Speaking of great R&B classics, The CraigLewis Band, long time traveling duo (and noted lovers of food) from Atlanta, sang James Brown’s iconic “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”. And my God...this brothas can SING. Their vocals and cadence (individually and together) send chills to me, and they just brought me close to tears. And it looked like Howie teared up to when he gave them a standing O along with the audience. They just might make the Godfather of Soul proud. Great job, y’all!
Benjamin Yonattan is 14-years-old, from Kalamazoo, MI. He is also legally blind with horrible peripheral vision with only 4 inches of sight and nothing around it. But that doesn’t stop him from doing his talent, a contemporary dance number using his pair of Google Glass glasses.
Okay...Usually, I don’t factor sob stories into my thinking of who my favorite acts are during a typical season. But most of the time, their amazing skills in their acts make me like them anyway. But in this case, his story made me sob a little, because this kid is just beautiful. His courage, determination, and strength just shines through like a diamond to the sun. Just hearing him talk made me near vulnerable. His words are just beautiful. (Not being funny here, but: Why must most kids have to be blind or deaf or a paraplegic to be nice?)
Now to the act itself: My goodness that was the most beautiful and amazing performances I’ve seen this season. And one of the most beautiful and amazing I’ve ever seen on this show. His dancing was not only spectacular, but also inspiring and powerful. It just amazes you when you watch it, and almost brought me to tears. I swear to you, my eyes hurt hard from all of this emotion. You can just feel the pride and love in his mother’s face as she watches her son give his all on stage, and she isn’t the only one showing it. And you don’t have to take my word for it, because you will feel the same way from watching it. He deserves the love, praise and respect he gets. This kid is talented and definitely deserves to be in the Live Shows. Screw Vegas; he needs to go New York City RIGHT NOW.
I love this kid. I love this kid so much.
Next up is Los Angeles native, 43-year-old Derek Hughes. He's a magician AND a comedian! You don't see this one-two punch very often.
And dammit, he's super hilarious with his comedy AND genius with his magic!
The start with the ping-pong ball was a really smart troll trick and had the crowd fooled, even though I knew he was trolling the crowd at that point.
His card trick involving the 2 of Spades was magnificent! It was first shown in a deck, and (with the rest of the deck coming out of his pants zipper entry) later ending up in his ass!
This man is the truth in magic/comedy and should go to the live shows. In fact I can see him getting residency in Vegas, if not in Atlantic City, and then Connecticut.
And finally the act I should mention, because if I didn't, I might as well deserve a metaphorical beheading.
Freckle Sky (aka Jalen and Olga) are a dance group that pretty much weren't kidding when they said that they were a new, different kind of act. Their audition involved dancing, lighting and water. And from there, you'd think there'd be something blowing you away when it happens. If so, you're right.
Everything about this act is just mind-blowing. The dancing is amazing and the use of water makes it work even more, but it's the lighting that steal the show. The images are absolutely breath-taking and leave you in awe and wanting more. The timing between the dancers and their images is just flawless and the emotion and passion from it all is just beautiful. Freckle Sky is an act that needs to win the entire competition and get their own Vegas show. Which is why Howard (deservedly) pressed the Golden Buzzer to zip them through to the Live Shows. Hell, they don't even need to win or be in the Live Shows; they just need a Vegas show! I just want to give mad respect and props to the mastermind of the operation, Val. He's a damn genius and also deserves praise for the hard work he did to being his dream to life. That was one of the best acts to audition I've ever seen in the years I've watched this show.
Acts That I’ll Mention, But Don’t See Going Further/People I Would Like to See Again for a Little While:
-The Man that Swallows and Regurgitates Things
He has a great talent, but I got a little queasy from watching it. He can be a big thing later in a big showcase somewhere in the country, but not an act for Vegas. And I think many people watching wouldn’t either.
-Ronnie “The Dancer” is pretty funny. His dancing is probably intentionally bad, but it’s still not gonna resonate with me or everyone else (the judges included, since they buzzed him). I can say this: Dude can swerve better than I do! I dance like Groot. BABY Groot.
-This woman Shirley Claine is really, really attractive, whether at her young age or current age of 87. Her singing is really good, but I don’t think I could see her more as it continues. Maybe might reach Week 1 of the Lives and then get eliminated.
Random Thoughts:
-At one part of the episode (after Wayne Hoffman), there was an interstitial showing auditioning dancers in an impromptu dance-off (impromptu being that it was planned, and looked a little planned, too). It was awesome; the dancer were amazeballs, showed some great talent individually and the little Michael Jackson impersonator was amazing with his Smooth Criminal music video dance moves. The end where the male accordion player killed the party like he’s Andy Dick with his music was hilarious. Dude got skills!
Judges Chat:
“Now I feel responsible.” -Howie, on Wayne Hoffman’s mentalist talent during his dynamite trick
“You were just--both of you--ON. POINT. Out of the gate. BAM! And that’s what I like.”
-Mel, to The CraigLewis Band
"...This was, like, the classiest wet T-shirt contest I've ever been part of."
-Howie, after Freckle Sky's awesome performance.
All in all, the auditions I loved this week were so many levels of phenomenal. I've never blown away from their talents and determination to be great at what they do. From singing to dancing to mental games to magic, this week had so much that I can't hold onto without gasping for air in bewilderment. I can't wait to see them again in the Vegas Boot Camps, and more in the Live Shows, if they continue to blow the judges away. This season is going to be the best I've ever seen so far, and I damn well guarantee that I'm gonna be blown fully away until I die of shock and awe.
Well, thanks for joining me for Week 2, and I'll be back at this same time next week for Week 3 of Auditions. See you next week! Goodnight!
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