whotony

Does anyone besides me think that Horse guy doesnt actually have any balls?

Crocker Jarmen

Really enjoyed tonight's show, made up for that embarrassing YouTube show.

Horse is great, and the judge's WTF reaction shots were priceless.

I like the balance guy, but he still hadn't figured out how to make what he does feel like a act. There is no progression, he just builds it up and jumps on. It seems more like something for the street corner than a stage show.

Wasn't impressed with the magic trick. Maybe it's because I was looking for it, but you can actually see buddy climbing out the back of the box when his partner is spay painting FRAGILE.

I'll be happy with who ever goes through since I feel like all these people have the same chance at winning.

Michael Corvin

Thanks Matto. I caught the second hour. Wasn't too impressed with any of it. I still like Lindsay, but she needs to change up her Vegas-y attire. She was much cuter in the backstage footage in hot pants and a sports bra with her hair "down." She should do more of a street type performance with modern music to change it up.

Was not impressed with the goth singer at all.

Matto1020

Went back and watched it, and you're right, it's obvious when he leaves to run back stage.

The "Hello Puppet Boy" illusionist from YouTube was better than these guys...

sauce07

Yeah, you see him leave the box, go off stage dressed as one of the assistants, then they pull a texas switch and a real assistant walks back out. The piano in the box was obviously fake, it looked like cardboard painted white.

Josh-da-man

I suspect that magic might be difficult to pull off on this program since most involves a lot of elaborate staging (trapdoors, curtains, lighting, etc) to pull off. And then they have to pull all of this off in 90 seconds.

In that particular trick, I'm sure that Raja threw on a hard hat and coveralls and slipped out by blending in with the "construction crew." Why else would they need half a dozen guys in matching outfits swarming around the crate? Any time a magic trick utilizes that, it's pretty much guaranteed that they're using to slip someone in or out of something.

If you look carefully, that looks like a fake piano in the box. Notice that it doesn't appear to have any keys (yet he "plays" it anyway) and rocks back and forth. Probably a balsa wood prop that can be quickly torn apart and hidden in the floor of the crate, which remains intact after the explosion.

ETA: bleh. Sauce beat me to it.

TerryW

I am not impressed with Horse at all. He keeps having other people in his crew jumping on stuff. Who cares about them? And last night he kept jumping on what appeared to be balsa wood which wouldn't hurt anyone. The tire and tennis balls maybe hurt but he's not going through.

My four guess would be: escape guy (no way that was cement, probably just mud), opera guy, balance guys, apple guy.

Even though I think escape guy will go through, I'm bothered by the fact that he tries to pass himself off as another Houdini who was a true escape artist. This guy is an illusionist/magician pretending to be an escape artist. Houdini would get into a milk crate and be thrown into the water bound in chains and try to escape. That's not a trick. There's no music being played with ridiculous backdrops.

Bill Needle

To be fair, I think the other people doing things are there to keep the act moving, so it doesn't experience lulls as he is positioning himself for the next stunt. And I don't think the golf club was made out of balsa wood.

But yes, it isn't about the specifics of the stunts, it's about the fact that this is on TV and in contention to win $1 million on a talent show. That's what I love about it...its mere existence. It proves the terrorists haven't won. I watch this guy get hammered in the balls and I want to stand up and shout "USA! USA! USA!"

freshticles

The piano is obviously fake. Watch the first closeup on him, you can see the piano rocking lightly back and forth.

Deftones

If Horse doesn't go on, I'll be sad. I love this guy. If nothing else, I hope Howard gets him on his own radio show to do stupid stunts.

The only thing I didn't like is the stupid antics of the other guys. They don't need to participate. Just help hit him in the nuts.

There's no way that hood of Ben Blaque didn't have some sort of visor device with video in it so he could aim. It looked like like it. But who cares, it was damn good.

Matto1020

Wow...

Disappointed that Spencer Horsman (escape kid) didn't go through over the guy with the talk dogs...
And Mariachi kid over the Arrow guy? I'm still pulling for Dave Garabuldi and the CMKYs

Matto1020

Are you kidding me? I almost wonder if this is rigged a little so each judge (yes, even Sharon) get's a Wild Card pick through...

I cannot wait to hear Howard talk about this on Monday morning...

flashburn

Who were the other two acts?

Matto1020

I am convinced this show is rigged... Sharon had horrible picks and somehow she had the two in the final decision.

Winners:

Mariachi Kid (over Ben "Arrows" Blaque? Meh!)
Gothic Andrew (Good.. and expected)
Todd Oliver and his talking dog (over the escape kid? Again... meh!)
All That (The Clogging Group... Sharon's pick... this show is rigged)

flashburn

Wow... that's just horrible. Andrew was alright, but the rest of them were terrible.

Deftones

the clogging group? seriously? fucking horrible. at least Stern has the balls to call out some of the shitty choices on his radio show.

Bill Needle

Goth singer who can't actually sing goes through (because he's a goth weirdo?) over Horse. And the substandard ventriloquist (because he uses dogs?) and boring Mariachi singer (because he's a kid?). And cloggers...frigging cloggers. Well FU too AGT voters.

Deftones

fortunately none of those people were really my favorites, but it's sad that some of them were even on this show to begin with. they should've never, ever stacked that last show like they did. stupid ass producers.

Matto1020

Again, they'll never finish in this competition... but these guys are my favorite. And watching his other YouTube videos, the dude is pretty awesome and could be a modern Blue Man Group type act...

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Michael Corvin

The YouTube episode and this judge's picks episode seems pretty pointless.

I definitely think it'll come down to Garibaldi and the Earth Harp guy.

windom

Stern is on vacation next week...and possibly Labor Day week too.

Crocker Jarmen

Surprised with the results. The gymnist girl was nice, but it didn't seem like much of a show, so I was shocked she got more votes then the magicians.

Too bad they couldn't bring the machine back out for Howard to give Horse a few parting nut shots. I was hoping he'd make it through but wasn't holding my breath.

I've lamost forgotten who the "real" acts are, and am looking forward to seeing them again next week. it's been way too long, I've forgotten who I like and who I hate.

sauce07

I think he returns the Tuesday after Labor Day

creekdipper

Seems pretty obvious that any of the 'performance' acts (magicians, artists, gymnasts) could be in serious trouble (vs. the more traditional singing and standup acts). It also helps if you're small & cute (Mariachi kid) even when you are flat and off-key when singing in English.

My theory is that people vote for the more traditional acts for a couple of reasons: (1) Obviously, they're more familiar with this type of act from the many other 'talent' shows such as Voice, AI, etc. (2) They see the comedians and singers (and, to some extent, the dancers) as demonstrating a 'complete' performance (vs. only doing one trick each time).

I kinda think that many voters can't extrapolate from the several performances they've seen from the novelty acts to imagine a complete performance that incorporates a series of stunts/tricks, etc. Of course, Horse was an exception to this, but many viewers just finally realized that, although entertaining, the act of getting drilled in the testicles using a variety of methods is pretty stupid. Only dedicated Jackass fans would pay to watch this, and even Jackass switched it up and didn't just employ the same method of self-abuse repeatedly.

I was pretty amazed by Ben Black (although I doubt that both he and his assistant would have survived the competition) and loved the strong dudes. Wasn't surprised by the ventriloquist (steady patter of jokes, cute dog, familiar territory for audience, easy-to-change routines...all big advantages) going further, but the final two (Lindsey and All That) were not nearly as 'talented' as some of the ones who got sent home with far fewer votes. And the Cisco Kid is winning on charm more than talent (he is a fun little guy).

I'm afraid that some really talented acts such as the sand artist will fall by the wayside in favor of generic female country singers, cute kids, etc. It's like the WGWG syndrome that's become the pattern on AI...the audience seems to go with what's familiar over what's new & challenging. Hard to see some of the 'winners' so far being a Las Vegas act.

Michael Corvin

Just got around to the results episode. Gothic Andrew sounded atrocious, how the hell did he go through?

I would have liked Ben Blaque and his cutie assistant to make it through one more round. That was a cool ass stunt.

And Howard Stern used the phrase "Gee whiz" at one point...