Auditions 2
June 11
(C-Note: some of the acts that you are
about to read involve real danger in front of a live audience. They were
designed, practiced, and supervised by professionals, taking the
contestants' safety into full account. They are extremely dangerous and
should NEVER be attempted anywhere, by anyone, at any time.)
Talent. The final frontier. These are the
voyages of four celebrity judges. Their continuing mission: to explore
strange new acts. To seek out new singers, new dancers, and new
magicians. To boldly judge where no judge has judged before.
As a reminder, with the panel now up to four, it will
take THREE yeses to make it through to Vegas.
SAN ANTONIO
Lila Cockrell Theatre
We begin with Howie arriving with a
mariachi band.
First act of the night is Travis Pratt
(32; Tifton, GA; musician), a singer who was put up to it by his
girlfriend. Singing gives him the ability to dream, but will he turn
into a nightmare once he gets on stage? The song... "O Mio Bambino, Caro"...
in the original soprano key. It's just so hard to believe that a voice
like that comes out of a mouth like HIS! The Fifth Judge loves it. Howie
is still skeptical... but that was all him. Howard calls it a freak in a
good way, while Mel B says "Perfection". Howie asks for the
girlfriend... and congratulates her... right before Travis PROPOSES ON
STAGE! He's got a trip to Vegas AND a fiancee! EVERYONE SAYS YES!
Will they say yes to this couple of
contortionists? Yes. Leeza & Ryan, the ballroom dancers? Yes.
Ruby & Jonas (9, 10; ballroom dancers)
are auditioning against Ruby's brother and HIS dance partner as well. So
who's got the better set of shoes on the floor? Let's burn it up? First
up, Ruby & Jonas (who were in the Untouchables from LAST season) salsa
dance to Santana's "Oye Como Va". Mel B thought it was amazing. Heidi
didn't want it to end. Howard is digging. All four say YES! Now what
about Deangelo &Amanda (14, 13... and ALSO back from The Untouchables),
who are swing dancing to "Straight Up" by Brian Setzer? That was ALSO
entertaining. The judges also had good things to say about these guys.
While the younger set were playing it straight, the older set were
cutting up. ANOTHER SWEEP!
More mariachi. This time they're here to
compete. It's Mariachi Nueve Stillo AVM (mariachi band). Howard,
admittedly not a fan. They mariachi up Flo Rida's "Low"... and LMFAO's
"Sexy & I Know It". Howard says it's bigger than mariachi and it's
something he loves. Heidi calls it fun. Mel didn't know what to expect.
Howie votes... Si! Mel B... Si! Heidi... Si! Howard... Si! CUATRO SIS!
Next up with guns a-blazin', Pistol
Packin' Paula (48, Western entertainer), who twirls a six-shooter... and
shoots it. The girls buzz her off... While Nick gets on stage to
volunteer for a whip act, which goes off well enough. Howard calls it
classic Americana. Mel B wanted to see something else. Howie thought it
was "county fairish". Two nos, time to ride off into the sunset.
Brad Byers (53, works for the University
of Idaho) likes to swallow swords. His fiancee has a medical background,
so if anything goes wrong, she's on standby. We also have a fluoroscope
to prove that the sword he is swallowing is indeed real. Sorry, make
that swordS. As in nine double-edged 27-inchers go down his gullet. At
once. Howard thinks that there's a place for this on AGT. Mel B wanted
to throw up. It's up to Heidi. And she says... rather quickly, no. Right
before saying yes. So it's 3-1 yes.
Back in SA with Collins Key (16,
student), a magician and a mindreader. His biggest supporters: his
parents. His act: close-up magic using a dollar bill and Nick's lunch. I
don't think he's a magician. He takes the dollar bill's serial number,
right before he tries to teleport the dollar bill from his hand to
inside the bag of popcorn. Unsealing the bag gives us...the dollar bill
from previously. He's going to need either a smaller stage or a bigger
act. That was too much set up for too little payoff. Howard says
he's got the good and the charisma. Mel B wants more. Heidi wants more
snacks. Howie believes that at 16, he's stepped into the future. All
four say yes!
We kick off hour #2 in...
NEW ORLEANS
UNO Lakefront Arena
It's Mardi Gras on AGT...
On deck, it's Megan Piphus (20,
Nashville), a ventriloquist who likes to act and tell stories with her
puppets. Her mom is a teacher, her dad a pastor. They don't believe that
she can play-act for an audience as a living. Let's see how she pans out
with a tribute to Whitney Houston. If Gordon was typing this, he'd
qualify this as a singer. This is more of a... yeah, it's a singing act.
(Gordongram: THANK YOU.) And a pretty good one at that. Heidi thinks she
has star quality. Howard thought she had an incredible singing voice for
not moving her lips. Howie says she's stunning. We've got four yeses!
The X is loud out there. Hopefully it's
not too loud for our next act, Jonathan Allen (20; Lawrenceburg, TN;
unemployed), a singer who was kicked out at 18 for being gay. Two and a
half years later, they STILL haven't seen him since. He sees music as an
escape. Let's escape with him on a round of his classical popera styling
on "Time to Say Goodbye". Wowzers. He's got pipes on him. Bra-va. Howie
says that "this show has become his family". Howard says that the
parents, who may or may not be watching, have a wonderful son with an
amazing talent. Mel B, who sang with Pavarotti himself, says the man
would be so proud of him. EVERYONE says he's going to Vegas.
Alexandria the Great (51; Medway, MA) is
doing something "unique". By profession, she's a teacher, but growing
up, she had a hobby she gave up to have a family. Now it's back to the
hobby she enjoys so much. That act... being an escape artist. This act
takes us to the natatorium on the campus of the University of New
Orleans. Her appendages are shacked. She is chained with eight padlocks.
She will have 90 seconds to escape with only the air in her lungs to
ventilate her. Needless to say, this is extremely dangerous. And if
you're thinking at all of trying this out for yourself.... YOU'RE DUMB.
But she'll make it. If something bad were to happen, not even NBC would
show it. Ninety seconds have passed... and she's not moving. Six seconds
later... she's DONE IT! Howie says that that was the best escape act
he's seen. Howard calls it a home-run. Heidi and Mel agree, saying it
makes for a good show. YES!
JC Starbright (59; computer programmer)
lives a double life. By day, he's a mild-mannered computer programmer.
By night... he's the next Lady Gaga. He's written a song just for
tonight with the help of a portable recording studio. Howard has to stop
a moment to buzz him. "Listen to the people." The people are booing. And
Howie FINALLY gets tired of the joke and puts JC out of his misery. Then
Nick comes on and performs with him. And... now I'm just sick.
Next up, it's New Orleans, we have to
have a mystic. Andrew Ward (34, student) tells us a ghost story. And
within 30 seconds, all but Mel B are out. She liked it. Everyone else...
not so much. How about Sam Johnson (34; lawnmower repairman), who's
doing a handstand ... from 80 feet in the air on a swaypole. Meaning if
he falls it's over. He gave up the act before because of his son. He
couldn't help but think "what if", though. Paramedics are on standby. He
doesn't need them, he's DONE IT. Judges note that there was wind, 80
feet, no nets, and no tethers. "You sir, are NUTS!" Howard likes the
act, except for the stovepipe hat. That's gone. Everyone else didn't
know what was going to happen, which added to the thrill.
LAST ACT of the day, and we have six
minutes to go. Paul Thomas Mitchell (19; Memphis; student) is bringing
his guitar, that he learned to play himself, to the AGT stage. Both of
his parents were alcoholics. His mother, a drug-addict, left. His father
couldn't support him. So it was basically himself and his guitar. His
father did get clean, though. Paul is singing "My Life", a song he wrote
himself. Dangerous thing to do on this show. In this case, though, it
sounds very mellow and very breezy. Nice work on the guitar there. Heidi
says, "John Mayer better watch out!" Howard says he has star power. Mel
B says that he's going to touch all of America. It's an easy sweep. It's
a yes, and it's a good night from us. The search for more talent
continues NEXT WEEK.
To see tonight's episode in its entirety,
or to apply to be a contestant on the next season, go to
www.nbc.com/gottalent.
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