windom

So how did the "mind reader" do it? Does he have an earphone and someone telling him what were on the pictures?

dino88

My guess...

He could see out from the bottom of the tape. If you watch it again, notice how he put the first two pieces of tape diagonally across his nose. This leaves a gap below both eyes. When he starts wrapping the tape around his head, he never goes across the bottom. Then when he gets the pictures, he wants to Nick to hand them to him and he holds them right below where he can see. He takes a quick look at the first one and, while describing that one, he looks over the next picture.

DRG

I'm calling it now that he wins the whole thing. Country singer (WGWG!) + war hero + emotional backstory? He's a shoo-in.

starman9000

This could hurt (though it could help if the injury gets substantiated):

Minn. National Guard: No record of combat injury claimed by contestant on 'America's Got Talent'

d2cheer

^ Turns out he is a fraud.


http://www.agtnews.com/controversy-s...poe-is-a-fraud

Deftones

That's too bad, because he had a compelling story. Stern was gushing about this guy on Monday. I wonder if NBC does background checks on these people similar to shows like AI does. I can't imagine they don't.

bdshort

Yeah, just found that story today. Too bad...

Was there no show on Monday? My DVR didn't record anything.

windom

Nope, Stanley Cup finals were on NBC. Howard wasn't very happy about it either.

whotony

That guy seemed a bit to good to be true. My on'y thoughts while watching hm was he really wasn't a stutterer, that he was faking the defect.

bdshort

I consider myself pretty skeptical but even I was taken in by his story. I did wonder a bit when he wasn't stuttering much while talking with Nick afterwards. Now his wife is saying he was injured in a training accident in 2005 and sometimes remembers things that didn't happen. Yeah, right. Because the military would keep someone around like that. It sucks because he's a talented singer and probably would have done just fine without the fake backstory.

Michael Corvin

Sorry, a few episodes behind but:
Sent home for an ear infection?

Oh and St. Louis? You should be ashamed, not a single damned decent act. What a terrible episode.

Nausicaa

I'm going to keep watching this show just for Olivia of Olivia and Eric (or whoever). Damn she was beautiful. That poor guy...

Not surprised at all that military dude was a fraud. He didn't stutter at all after his performance. He was much more natural and it was obvious that was him being himself.

I did want to give him the benefit of doubt, but sad to learn I was right.

Still... Olivia...

Michael Corvin

All caught up. Tampa had some decent acts. The magician with the motorcycle was pretty badass, the BMX group has potential but needs a larger stage. I LOVED the 16 year old "performance artist" (ballet/gymnast). Her attitude, giddiness and smile was so infectious. She was worth sending to Vegas just for that, the performance (which was damn good) was a bonus.

Troy Stiffler

So what's the trick behind the magician's box? I mean, everyone is doing it now. And the judges keep liking it.

I'm more into the stuff that I find really unique. Such as the guy with the gigantic string instrument. Or the light/dance show (which was mindblowing to me last year, when I saw it for the first time). I'm also a sucker for the classical stuff (ballet and whatnot).

That's crazy that the country singer was a fraud. I was a little misty during his interview.

Troy Stiffler

My guess was something more concealed. Like the Morse Code poker fraud in Casino. Single word responses from a third party would also keep the performer's answers more real ("round", "face", "ear", etc.).

Either that, or he worships the dark lord.

Josh-da-man

This one?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GxZbGrjTAv4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The key to magic tricks is what you don't show you.

Notice that there's a lot of play on both sides of the box behind the curtains. You also can't see through the sides of the box. That means there's something hiding there. Also notice that there is no indication that it's actually a working motorcycle, so it's likely a prop that is easily hidden in the empty spaces on the sides of the box. It might also be in two pieces and the girl inside is able to quickly connect both parts together while the curtain is closed.

The Infidel

Look right in the middle of the bike immediately after he lowers the curtain. The bike is obviously in two parts. You can see they didn't put it together well enough, quick enough.

mphtrilogy

you can actually see the back of the bike move after he lowers the curtain as well.. cute trick and plenty of distraction with the ladies to keep your eyes elsewehere, he also stands directly in the middle of the bike...

TerryW

I believe I've seen other mentalists do similar tricks such as this. When the drawings are being done, he can look at the tips of the markers and tell what is being sketched. All he needs is a tiny hole on each side to look through. There can even be a tiny hole in the center of each coin that you wouldn't notice right away. The drawings were done before the bulk of the tape was added.

That'sAllFolks

I usually fast-forward thru this show, but Xfinity on-demand disabled the FF. So I get to sit through endless BS that precedes and ends these acts.

I liked Howard Stern at first, but the constant "I don't really like dance acts, but you are just fantastic" accolades is getting on my nerves. Maybe Piers Morgan did that too, but I think I would rather watch Piers than Stern. Alll the antics with Stern and Nick Cannon is irritating too. When Cannon went on stage with that fat stripper, I was about to give up this show all together.

Brian Gentz

Well that was dreadful, I have to imagine/hope they put a bunch of ringers in the "stand by" group so they can seize the opportunity

I like how the guy that has only sung in his room giving direction on where the microphone should go.

How exactly is the human cannonball worthy of automatic move to the next round, I guarantee that when he performs again the judges will say he just did the same thing/it's not a vegas show.

Deftones

.just started this. The music teacher harp dude didn't make it? Wtf?

Ok I see what they are doing here. Misleading as hell. That Aussie chick Nikki is hot.

windom

It's pretty cruel to invite some of the people to Vegas only to tell them they didn't even need to bother coming! And how was Barry not in that group?

I think the judges are having a tougher time judging without the audience there to guide them. Without the audience so many of the acts seem to fall flat.

Damfino

I was shocked by all of those singers choking like they did. Most of them probably didn't even rehearse.

bdshort

This is what really bothered me a few years ago when I first started watching the show. I really hate how they play with peoples hopes like that, it's just shitty. That's why I like how Howard at least has been voting no on some acts that are perfectly entertaining but are obviously not something you'd go pay to see as a headline act.