http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1902638/americas_got_talent_auditions_day_3.html?cat=2
America's Got Talent Auditions Day 3
Singing, Dancing, and Yo-Yoing Their Way to Vegas
Day three's auditions took America's Got Talent to New York and Chicago. Judges David Hasselhoff, Sharon Osbourne, and Piers Morgan once again got to sit through painful performances, quirky numbers, and true talents. While there was genuine talent tonight, these auditions included some contestants that were passed through on mostly charm, rather than million dollar talent.America's Got Talent also seemed a little heavy on the editing again, not focusing enough on some of the acts. I like Nick Cannon, and think he's funny, but often the show cuts to him in the middle of someone's performance. When the audition is not worth seeing, it's not that big a deal, but some America's Got Talent acts that were given the green light for Vegas were similarly interrupted.
America's Got Talent Auditions: Is Unique Enough for a Million Dollars?
Enter Carol Lugo, a 62-year-old cashier who wants to be a dancer. While Carol had talent, I'm not sure if the America's Got Talent judges were as impressed by her routine as they were by her age. The quick cuts and constant focusing on her face also didn't help the home viewer decide if she was worth watching. Carol's act seemed to be channeling Charlie Chaplin, with the silent film melodramatic facial expressions and short pants. Yes, she has talent, but is it million dollar talent?
America's Got Talent Auditions: Surprises Are Good.
We see a lot of acts, and the America's Got Talent judges see even more, and all of us start to get a sense of when someone is going to be just awful--or at least, not that interesting. So when Yo-Yo Joe hits the stage, you can see on Piers' face that he's not ready to be impressed. We're all cringing, waiting for a moment that Web Soup would dub "That's Un-Incredible!"
Yo-Yo Joe really brought it, though, combining moves akin to break-dancing as he shot double yo-yos around his flying body. It was fun, exciting, and a total surprise.
(EDIT: Another long article cut short)
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http://www.examiner.com/x-11363-Dallas-TV-Examiner~y2009m6d30-Americas-Got-Talent-auditions-does-America-have-its-Susan-Boyle
'America's Got Talent' auditions: does America have its Susan Boyle?
NBC really tried to build up Kevin Skinner throughout the show: they aired him during the promos, teased him throughout the commercial previews, and even played some goofy bluegrass music upon his introduction to the show. His outfit was questionable; his occupation, a "chicken catcher," was even more questionable. By the time the guy was set to perform, everyone expected this guy to be dud.
America, meet your new sensation...maybe. While the producers of "America's Got Talent" obviously wanted Skinner to be the next Susan Boyle, we actually really don't know exactly how much talent he has. Country music is a very comfortable genre to sing, meaning that it is easy on the voice. I fully enjoyed Skinner's performance of Garth Brooks' "Tomorrow Never Comes" and even found it quite moving; but was he actually, as judge Piers Morgan put it, a candidate to win the competition? He certainly has the likability factor if nothing else.
As much as it's difficult to praise singers on this show (mainly because there's a million singing competitions out there), one of the other top performers of the night was 14-year old Thia Megia. Unlike Skinner, she chose a very difficult Jennifer Holliday song and sang it soulfully and wonderfully. However, this show is just as much about your personal story, and hers just isn't as exciting.
Thankfully, there were two other variety performers of the night who were equally brilliant. Magician Jay Matiolli was even better than last week's Drew Thomas, doing two tricks that I honestly have no idea how he did. In addition, there was Joseph Harris (a.k.a. Yo-yo Joe), who had a brilliant yo-yo act but very little time to actually show it. One of the things that makes watching this show frustrating from time to time is the insistence on showing some of the wackier acts. Was watching a court judge embarrass himself really more important than seeing an impressive act? Apparently the show already answered the question for us.
So now we're three shows in and there are starting to be some solid contenders. Do you have a favorite? Let me know with a comment. Check back tomorrow for some more video content in addition to some other TV news and commentary.
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http://www.popculturekitty.com/?p=2922
Aired 6/30/09
America’s Got Talent 4 - Episode 3
We joined host Nick Cannon and judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff as the New York and Chicago auditions continued:
New York
Carol Lugo - Goofy 62 year old dancer. Ok, she was entertaining and I did laugh but the reality is that this woman would have been booed off the stage if she’d been 30 years old. She’s agile but the few real steps she did weren’t executed particularly well. The judges sent her on to Vegas but her AGT trip should end there.
Carol was followed by a succession of Vegas bound acts including a dance group lead by four drag queens (The Diva League), and a guy who eats glass and gushes fake blood from his mouth (Chris Allison - and, by the way, YUCK!). The standout of the group was Joseph Harris a.k.a. Yo-Yo Joe. He did a bunch of Yo-Yo stunts that were really flashy.
Jay Mattioli - Magician (pictured above). I agreed with Piers that we’d seen stuff like Jay’s disappearing box trick before but the levitating microphone stand was very, very good. The kid also had a nice bravado about him so he was definitely worth another look in Vegas. I also liked that, while he followed the new tradition of the “rock & roll” magician, it was toned way down from the Cris Angel excess. (EDIT: SAME OLE SAME OLE')
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http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/07/01/americas-got-talent-chicken/
REVELATION! “America’s Got Talent’s” Chicken Catcher
By Steven Tarlow, your America s Got Talent chicken catcher news sourceAnother underdog for us to chew on
The world likes to pretend that it loves the underdog. Susan Boyle of “Britain’s Got Talent” is a great example. When she appeared on the television program and sang “Climb Every Mountain” or whatever song it was that she sang (See? Memorable), the response was overwhelming. She was a great story: a housewife from a small town, with dreams of becoming somebody. People were swept up in the hysteria, claiming that her performance filled them with strong emotions. It was “the most amazing” thing they’d heard in some time. It made them weep and take out no fax payday loans and no fax cash advances for soft Kleenex. For what, I won’t say.
I didn’t buy it then, and I don’t buy it now. And mind you, I’m an idealist who likes to believe in happy endings. But I encourage fans of Susan Boyle to take a look at themselves in the mirror. Not long after Boyle was voted off the show, signs that she is a normal person began to emerge… she became belligerent and was hospitalized due to exhaustion. Where are her fans now? Most have disappeared, writing the woman off as another flash in the pan. It’s cynical and it proves that such fans are hypocrites hypnotized by the flashing of their own media screens. Be realistic, people. Susan Boyle was a regular person with some vocal talent. I wish her the best.
So who’s the next Susan Boyle?(because you know you want one)
That would perhaps be Kevin Skinner, the “America’s Got Talent” chicken catcher. Isabelle Carreau blogs for TV Squad that America “definitely got some magic” during the recent “America’s Got Talent” audition show. Kevin Skinner had a lot to do with that, although Carreau claims that overall, the performances were good. Here are a few of the highlights (lowlights?), capped by the Kevin Skinner performance of Garth Brooks’ “If Tomorrow Never Comes.”- Jeffrey Johns, the Singing Librarian - Here we have a tiny librarian (5-foot-3). The man had good stage presence and energy, but his voice didn’t quite captivate. Subscribing to my underdog theory (that people pretend to love them when they really don’t care), this guy would be kept around long past the time he should be
- Carol Lugo, the Dancing Sexagenarian - She’s 62 and loves to flit about with lots of oomph. Gotta have that oomph to draw in the audience, particularly when the rest of your show doesn’t follow any definite plan. I love how judge David Hasselhoff said she had “amazing” talent. Of course we all know the Hoff has “amazing” talent, otherwise he wouldn’t be one of the best-selling pop artists in Germany
- Joseph Harris, the Yo-Yo Yenta: Well, I don’t truly know whether he’s a gossip monger or not, but clearly he bounded all around the stage. Gotta do the old razzle-dazzle if you’re going to rise above Tom Smothers’ old “Yo-Yo Man” act. Next time, bring along Y0-Yo Ma to play Bach cello suite number one behind your act. It’s infinitely hopeful, and you need hope
- Thia Megia, the Singing Teen - She’s 19 and has that big voice that can knock you out of the box at first. Then you get up and realize you wouldn’t buy her albums. If she proves me wrong, great. Carreau thinks this girl is a front runner on the show
- Kevin Skinner, the Man of the Hour - Give him the Susan Boyle treatment immediately, so that people other than me have something to blog about. Oh, wait… I’m a hypocrite. That’s right.
"Go for it, chicken catcher!"
Kevin Skinner appears to be a simple unemployed chicken farmer who’s looking to make more of his life. I applaud the effort and must say that I didn’t find his Garth Brooks take to be unpleasant. Over length, the holes become apparent, but he certainly did a better job than I would have been able to do approximating Neko Case. Carreau thinks his looks and accent were “a barrier” to her appreciation of this man, but I say “Fah!” You probably loved Susan Boyle, and she had plenty of both of those.
===================================================http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090701-ENTERTAIN-90701019
'America's Got Talent' recap: Kevin Skinner is our Susan Boyle!
Former chicken catcher from back woods of Kentucky can really sing
Editor’s note: The following TV recap was written by musician Fred Dame Jr. of York, Maine, who auditioned in Boston for this season of “America’s Got Talent.”
Last night's edition of “America's Got Talent” started off in New York City on a good note, with the likes of 62-year-old supermarket cashier Carol Lugo.Led by a dream of being a dancer, Lugo started the night's auditions with a bang, her wild and sometimes possessed dance routine whipped audience and judges alike into a excited state to push her through to the next round!
Lugo also gave a tribute to the late Michael Jackson by working the King of Pop's patented move into her routine known as the Moonwalk (note: This segment was recorded before the news of Jackson's death hit the media).
Following Lugo's performance, a string of competent and formidable acts lit up the stage. Such acts included Joseph Harris a yo-yo technician, The Diva League-drag queen dancers who delighted David Hasselhoff and Chris Allison-Geek magician extraordinaire! (The rest can be read found on the link)
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http://www.examiner.com/x-12169-Americas-Got-Talent-Examiner~y2009m7d1-Episode-3-June-30th-the-passed-acts-reviewed
Episode 3, June 30th: the passed acts reviewed
The producers seem to have taken the criticism of its viewers to heart. At the end of the hour-long third episode of AGT's open calls, only five rejects were given airtime. The presence of these rejects is actually so sparse that I almost feel as if I do not have enough to justify a separate article about them yet.
Eight more acts were revealed to have passed into Vegas, bringing their three-episode total to thirty-two. The criteria used to judge these eight acts is still the same: talent, excitement, variety, appeal to spoiler voters, chances of flopping in Vegas, and potential for an hour long show. They are as follows:
1) Carol Lugo
(text cut out...)
Act: Yo-yo artist
Passed with: Unrevealed
Talent: High
Harris could not have made it through to Vegas as a yo-yo artist if he was not one of the absolute best in his trade. AGT has had yo-yo acts in the past, all of which were made a mockery of in elimination montages. The very fact that Harris made it through to Vegas at all speaks wonders of his talent.
Excitement: Moderate
The reason no yo-yo act has ever made it through to Vegas until now is because the effort that goes into the performance does not always translate to the audience. In theory, Harris could have performed as a twirler with similar results.
Variety: Very high
In four seasons, AGT has never had a yo-yo artist in Vegas.
Spoiler Appeal: Moderate
Once again, Harris gets extra consideration for being a non-musical performer. This is an optimistic level, however, as many viewers may be skeptical about putting their support behind a yo-yo artist.
Potential to flop: Very high
Harris’s potential pitfalls are twofold. On one hand, his performance can fall apart in an instant if his yo-yo falls short of a return. On the other hand, the actual toss and return of the yo-yo is not where the actual entertainment is derived, so Harris will need to push the limits of his yo-yo just to survive Vegas week.
Potential for an hour-long show: None
Eventually the judges, if not America, will have to ask just how much can one man possibly do with a yo-yo.
Chances of advancing overall: Moderate
(as the title suggests, the rest of the article is a review of the other acts)
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http://www.gameshownewsnet.com/prime/agt4/
Auditions: New York City/Chicago
June 30
Last week, the talent came back with a vengeance, but we're nowhere near done yet, as the search for the million-dollar act continues in...
NEW YORK CITY
Back in the Big Apple (and home of the original Trouble Triangle), we begin again with a 62-year-old mother of three, Carol Lugo of Jersey City. She's a cashier, but tonight, all she wants to dance. She believes in following your dreams no matter what. Tonight, her dreams take her (and us, by proxy) to moonwalking, shaking, and doing jigs. Talk about entertaining... The judges think that she's amazing. She's off to Vegas.
Will Joseph Harris (aka Yo-Yo Joe) join him? The things he does with Duncans are legendary. So the answer... yes.
(EDIT; cut short again...check article for the rest)
*CONTINUED, JULY 13*
http://www.tvgasm.com/shows/americas-got-talent/americas-got-ta-2-10068.php
"Time for Joseph Harris, the college student. He wants to be called Yo-Yo Joe, which prompts an embarrassingly dated reaction from the judges. He throws some yo-yos around and everyone freaks out, and a minor stir is caused when David fails to catch the yo-yo Joe tosses to him. Sharon thinks that both yo-yo fanatics in America should be represented by Joe and he's joining Carol in the short-term Winner's Circle."
============================(CONTINUING TO ADD TO THIS ARCHIVE, JULY 13, 2009)
http://www.realitynewsonline.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=1&article=article10303.art&page=1
America's Got Talent 4, June 30: Ad Nauseam
by Tyler Sandersfeld -- 07/01/2009Some of the good acts in this episode could really surprise you. Or at least they could have if NBC hadn't shoved them down our gullets through the commercials. We've seen the chicken catcher, the super-leaning magician (right), and the 62-year-old dancer impress the crowd already, but what about a really short librarian and a light-bulb eater?
Of course, Carol isn't the only performer to surprise the judges. Joseph Harris and his yo-yo skills get three yo's from the judges.
In any case, Kevin is through to Vegas and will probably get second place. Here's who all made it in this episode, along with my rankings.
Full Acts
1: Jay Mattioli, illusionist
2: Thia Megia, singer
3: Carol Lugo, dancer
4: The Fab Five, cloggers
5: Kevin Skinner, country musician
Brief Acts
1: The Diva League, drag queen dance troupe
2: Joseph Harris, yo-yo artist
3: Chris Allison, sideshow comedian
(EDIT some out to get to the point)
