Season 6 of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT auditions continue at a rapid pace, with auditions already wrapped up in Los Angeles and Atlanta (among several others… highlights to come). While LA proved its inhabitants (or at least those who traveled there to audition) had some level of talent, the Atlanta stop yielded no legitimate talent whatsoever.
This time around Sharon, Howie, Piers, and Nick scouted the fantastic Pacific Northwest city of Seattle, but did the find talent?
The Seattle auditions kicked off not with an act, but with Howie shown driving around the city in a truck shaped like a foot. Apparently lost, he’s shown stopping and asking various ‘Seattlites’ how to get to the Paramount Theater. Since the bit made no sense whatsoever and wasn’t all that funny, my inner suspicion is that our ego-powered super host needed to see if anyone around town would recognize and make a big fuss. It’s the only explanation why he’d ask some random housewife for directions instead of his smartphone.
Thankfully, the episode’s slow start was worth the wait. Once the auditions started, things got much more interesting.
Melissa Villasenor, Impressionist/Comedian
Let’s be honest for a minute. Anyone who’s watched AMERICA’S GOT TALENT will know that comedians have a real disadvantage compared to other acts. Comedy acts, in my opinion, needs more time than what you get in an audition to really warm up an audience and get jokes rolling. That, and most of the good comedy acts go for LAST COMIC STANDING instead of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT. Instead, we get the likes of Doogie Horner and Grandma Lee.
Thankfully, Melissa was a bit of fresh air compared to previous comedians and impressionist… meaning she actually sounded like who she was trying to sound like. Her Barbara Walters may not have been 100% perfect, but her Kathy Griffin was unreal. It didn’t hurt that her material was actually fairly amusing, too.
My prediction: Assuming she’s got a repertoire of voices, she’ll make it to the finals. Plus, the producers showed child photos and gave a lot of back-story… something they never do for the acts that get kicked off quickly.
A+C Twins, Singers
I learned a lot from the A+C Twins about becoming a professional singing act, like be sure to talk the talk, look the look, and dress for success. What else? I learned that two identical people who can’t sing isn’t better than one, and if singers can’t sing you get buzzed off the stage quickly (and oddly enough earn a singing threesome with Howie.)
My prediction: ‘Howie and the A+C Twins’ sounds like a pretty nifty act… don’t you think?
Mr. Mystic PTP, Magic Act.
“Here’s a great idea! Let’s combine a terrible magic act and terrible rapping at the same time to make something awesome!”
Awesomely terrible is what they meant. Thank goodness this abomination isn’t coming back.
My prediction: “My Mystic: Part-Time Plumber”
Anita McCoy, 69 Year Old Something
AAAGGGGHHHHHH!
You know the scariest thing? Howie loved it and said he would definitely go see it. Why you’d want to watch a 70 year old do the splits I’ll never know.
Zuma Zuma, Dance/Tumbling
These boys from Kenya came, saw, and relatively kicked some tumbling ass. I say relatively because I’ve seen most of the things they’ve done before, although these guys did it with an energy and hunger that most auditions lack. Plus, they practically folded some dude in half! Props for that.
My Prediction: Live shows, but won’t make it to the final weeks
Pop Life, Band
At first I wasn’t sure what to think about Pop Life. They’re a band of youngsters consisting of 5 guys and one girl… not that you could really tell she was a girl until she started singing. On the positive side, she was a decent singer and managed to pull a standing ovation from the crowd. On the negative side, I have to agree with Piers that her “band” contributed nothing to the performance. In the end, Piers said no unless she agreed to go solo, while Howie and Sharon opted to let them all pass to see if the band will step it up.
My Prediction: I think the band is out after and the girl will go solo from there. Not only is it the right move for the girl, it adds drama and controversy (and therefore ratings).
The Daring Jones Duo, Aerialists
These aerialists showed up in a quick montage of talent, so I didn’t get to see the whole act. What I saw was fairly boring, standard fare for this kind of act. They made it through, but I can only assume this act isn’t going to go the distance.
My prediction: Out in Vegas.
Sadie, Singer
Little 8 year old Sadie’s got that swing, and it’s a style of singing you don’t typically expect from such a little person. Whether or not this little swinging girl can get votes based on talent alone is a mystery, but I’m guessing what we’ve seen is the extent of this cutie’s singing talents.
My prediction: She’ll swing in to, and right out of Vegas.
The Elektrolytes, Dance Group
The Elektrolytes are dancers, of what little we saw of them, reminded me of a boy band without the singing and high-end clothing. The music and energy was good, at least.
Piers also seemed to think it was ‘fresh,’ but what does that “really” mean coming from Larry King’s replacement?
My prediction: Another Vegas cut.
Mauricio Herrera, Showman
Mauricio dared to mutter the four words that almost always means their terribleness is about to wash over the stage like tsunami, “I won’t disappoint you.”
Disappoint was an understatement. He got the buzzer from Piers quickly and the audience booed louder and louder as the audition continued , but somehow Howie managed to convince Sharon that Mauricio is more like comedy act, and they need to bring him back just to see another gaudy outfit.
Allegedly this 33 year old “showman” has already achieved some high level of celebrity at some point down in Costa Rica. Even if true, all it proves is that Costa Rica needs better talent.
My prediction: He wears a normal shirt in Vegas and loses Howie’s support in the process.
The Paper Horn Man, Paper Horn Player
Carlton Baltimore, aka “The Paper Horn Man,” was a seriously controversial finishing act for the Seattle audition. His namesake stays true to the act, Carlton played a homemade paper horn while singing a little ditty proclaiming The Paper Horn Man is indeed in town.
Apparently, Piers was not amused the act lasted more than 10 seconds (not uncommon), but this is the first time I’ve seen him get up and head backstage in the middle of an act with no intention of returning. Howie loved the act (of course), and tried to convince Nick that Piers would vote pro Paper Horn Man had he still been seated. Ultimately, the producers had to coerce him out his dressing room to come back and give his vote, which he did in with a 10 foot thick layer of mean spirited (but genuinely hilarious) sarcasm.
The funny thing is that I kind of liked The Paper Horn Man, and the crowd did, too. No, I didn’t think it was a million dollar act, but he was better than many of the other acts put they’ve put through so far this season.
That’s a wrap for Seattle. Next up… Houston and Minneapolis.
Missed an audition? Catch up on Season 6 of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT in our previous posts.