America’s Got Talent 2016 – Judge Cuts #1 – Live Blog and Videos

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT -- "CBS Radford Auditions" -- Pictured: Jon & Owen, The Passing Zone -- (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

America’s Got Talent 2016 – Judge Cuts #1 – Live Blog and Videos

Judges Simon Cowell, Mel B., Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel begin the four part Judge Cuts tonight! Which acts will move on to the live shows?

Singer/songwriter Ne-Yo will be guest judge and choose an act to save. We’ll be live blogging the Judge Cuts Part 1 right here.

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Ne-Yo chose Jon Dorenbos, Philadelphia Eagles football player by day, magician by night. That guy is good, so I’m not surprised. Actually, there were literally no surprises tonight in terms of who advanced to the live shows, and who did not. Tonight’s results are at the bottom of the page.

Host Nick Cannon tells 20 acts that they need to be reduced to 7. “You gotta be better than the person next to you…don’t be the act that disappears.” Well. So much for a pep talk! Guest judge Ne-Yo is REALLY excited about finding real talent!

After Ne-Yo takes his seat, he tells the crowd that he’s looking for “passion” above all else. He tries out his Golden Buzzer. Who will he choose?

Hara – Illusionist – Growing up in Japan provided no role models for magic, so he taught himself, using nature as inspiration. As soon as he finished his audition, he went to work on his next incredible act which involves FIRE. This is very different from his audition which was more performance art with light and shadows. This time, he’s Houdini, escaping a box filled with knives. Where did he go? He pops up in front of the judges and scares the crap out of them. “I peed a little bit” confesses Howie. Ne-Yo says he’d pay to see him. Simon calls both auditions “brilliant.” Hara is quite a showman!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnWvZx2W92Q

Phillip and Marie-Lee – Dance/acrobats  – The panel teases them about being exes.  It’s a good thing there aren’t too many hard feelings, the way Phillip tosses Marie around. The acrobatics are effortless. No props, just balancing and gymnastics stitched together with dance moves. At one point, Marie balances atop Phillip’s head on one hand. Simon called it a “gold medal” performance. “If I had to do that with any of my exes,” says Ne-Yo “There would be broken bones.”

Edgar – Family band featuring a singer who flamed out of Christian music after she became an unwed mother. Now, she’s married to a man who adopted her daughter. The three sing together.  They perform “Let it Be” by The Beatles. It’s one of the first songs they ever sang together. Their harmonies are beautiful. The mom is far and away the best singer, though. The judges notice too. She could be a solo. Not sure why she isn’t. Ne-Yo calls it a fantastic audition. Simon says they need to find their lane. “I really like you. You deserve to be here,” he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uaa70W7WQgI

Ne-Yo was sorta booed off the stage at Showtime at the Apollo! Wow. He said the experience was good, because it toughened him up.

Miniotics, a hip hop dance troupe perform to a Spice Girls song – Simon calls the act “amateurish.” Jumpers in Command do fancy jump roping. Mistakes galore! One chick falls on her ass. Simon calls it “a mess.”  Both are nos for sure.

Christopher – He’s the dude who dances with life size puppets. In his initial audition, he played the Indian in the Village People. This time they’re all dressed in Navy garb and lip sync “In the Navy.” At one point, he unveils a photo of Simon Cowell as Uncle Sam. “It’s stupid but I like it,” says Simon, who adds that Christopher probably can’t compete with the rest of the night’s acts. Mel B. notes that the new audition is just like the first. And that’s the problem. It’s not an act, it’s a party trick.  When asked which was his favorite puppet, Christopher quips ” the one behind me.” OK then!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV53yRuc1po

Brennley Brown – Fourteen year old sings a slow soulful  “Stop in the Name of Love.” That had way too many runs, and was more imitative than heartfelt.  Mel B is impressed with her “control.” Simon wasn’t “mental” about the song choice, but he likes her voice. In her video package she describes meeting Simon Cowell at 10 and asking if she could sing for him. She did and the experience encouraged her to keep performing.

Lori Mae Hernandez – Thirteen year old comedian. Her friends only know her as the quiet kid in the corner! She tells tween jokes. She’s feeling nostalgic about being 5. She’s still very cute and clever. She flirts with Ne-Yo! The training bra jokes are next. “If you don’t believe me, ask Caitlyn Jenner.” OH SHE WENT THERE. “A dad who would go to that length to teach his daughters how to dress right.” This is her thing–she tells sweet age appropriate jokes and then throws in a few edgy zingers. She has good comedic timing for a kid. The judges love her. Ne-Yo was prepared to fake laugh. “But no…you’re really funny!” Howie calls her a comic and a storyteller. Mel B. says she’ll fight for her tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2UiLdDfEMI

We’re warned that the dangerous stunts are next. A montage follows. John Ferraro – The Human Hammerhead – A dude drills himself in the ear while being hit by a two by four. Simon finds the act hilarious. Ne-Yo is speechless.  Howie calls him a “tool.” Simon can’t believe he was buzzed. Yikes. Jon Coll wrestles with a dude in a gorilla suit. He picks up a woman and throws her at the judges. It’s a stunt act I guess? “The gorilla wasn’t great,” says Simon. “That’s why I got rid of him,”  Jon deadpans.

Duo Guerrero – High Wire – Married couple are a fifty+ year old high wire act.  They talk about the various accidents they’ve had. The husband’s brother is paralyzed in a wheelchair. During their initial audition, the sun got in the wife’s eyes and she almost fell. Eep. Howie wonders how they will up their game? The judges “move” outside. It’s night time with lights. The wife puts a hood over her head,  stands up on a chair,  gets down, and walks all the way to the other side. The judges notice that she’s doing “all the heavy lifting.” But then he jump ropes on the wire. Pulling his weight! The last bit has the wife standing on her husband’s shoulders as he walks the wire. “They are mad,” says Simon. Mel B felt the stakes were higher the first time. Howie disagrees. I agree with Howie. This time was more dangerous.  “It was pretty spectacular” says Heidi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFh4bBlANLI

Jon Dorenbos – Magician/Pro Football Player – Jon actually has a really horrible backstory, which we learn about in his video package.  When Jon was 12, his father beat his mother to death and was sentenced to 13 years in prison. WHAT?  He was raised by his mom’s sister. Wow. Magic was his escape. It saved his life. Even more than sports, huh? He has played the last 13 seasons for the Philly Eagles. He’s back with more card tricks. He does a spectacular visual bit that made a card appear to slide out of a deck of cards DRAWN on a piece of paper. Simon is sure Jon has magic powers! Ne-Yo is so impressed HE HITS HIS GOLDEN BUZZER! Jon goes straight through to the live shows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy_z1yxgI9M

The other acts are nervous. There are only 6 spots left.

The Passing Zone – Juggling Duo – Jon and Owen are 49 years old. They’ve been juggling for years. They are the duo who traumatized Howie when they used him as a prop during audition. We see them building a giant prop for KNIFE THROWING. They ask Mel B. to help them out. They built a giant pendulum.  Owen will be blindfolded as Mel swings back and forth on the contraption. A screw falls out of the sky. Oop. Comedy! They haven’t forgotten about Howie. Ha. They have him sitting on a dunking machine. Mel is laughing SO HARD.  So Jon swings upside down next to Mel, juggling as he shouts out to Owen when to throw the knife. The third throw hits a bullseye and dunks Howie. Simon loves that they’re doing “bad things” to Howie and insists that the act use Howie and Mel B. “permanently.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4brog7zIo2E

Julian Davis and the Hayburners – A bluegrass group that likely didn’t make it, even though Simon calls them “100 percent authentic.” The Smiths – The married duo sings “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Montaged. I bet they don’t advance. Their initial audition was also a Marvin and Tammi duet and it’s way too retro.

Ronnie Martin – Sixty two year old singer performs “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.” She gave up on her dreams years ago. Now she works in an entertainment law office. No husband or kids either. She’s a good singer. I like the way she’s phrasing this classic, with a nice rasp and NO oversinging. She’s jazzy. Did she really stop singing years ago? Hard to believe, to be honest. “Lord have mercy!” says Ne-Yo. He thinks her talent supersedes her age.  Mel B is impressed with her effortlessness. Simon compares her to Dionne and Gladys. “It’s like the world missed you,” he says. Ronnie cries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yPSYazCf1o

Cory Kahaney – Comic – She jokes about playing the “tramp card.” Nobody in these montage are going to advance, right? “I’m not looking at you,” Simon says to Mel. She attempts to throw a cup a water on him and gets more on herself.

Axel Perez – Balancing Act – He’s a high school student living in Las Vegas.  Mom is teary as she talks about his dangerous act. I can’t stop looking at her bright blue eye shadow, to be honest.  Axel piles up rolling cylinders and balances atop them while performing tricks with hoops.  He makes the pile even higher. It looks like he’ll fall any minute! The mom stands off stage looking really nervous. He jumps off. Dangerous, but not really much of an act? “Nearly gave me a heart attack!” says Simon. He promises he’ll do something even crazier next time.   Mel B. calls it “the perfect audition.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsQlMzXWQHk

Rory Freeman is a martial artist/kickboxer. He’s skilled, but again, NOT AN ACT. Simon tells Rory that he did everything he could possibly have done, which you know is the kiss of death.

Linkin Bridge – A’cappella Group – This quartet grew up in a rough neighborhood, in a tough midwest project. Their neighborhood was crack infested. One talks about being sent to foster care after his mom went to prison. Simon mentions that their audition was one of his favorites. They perform a soulful version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” The audience goes crazy. Very pretty harmonies. Howie feels they hit passion and emotion on every level. Ne-Yo feels they brought the passion he was looking for. Heidi says, “I never want it to end.” Mel B calls them “brilliant.” The group are exactly what Simon was looking for when he come on AGT! They want to CHANGE THE WORLD through their music, one group member says as “Hallelujah” swells in the background. “This is everything the show is about!” declares Simon. TEARS. FEEL GOOD FEELS. Lay it on thick there Simon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn9pQGfCFSo

RESULTS ARE NEXT!

Ronnie Martin, Brennley Brown and the Hayburners take the stage. Only Ronnie advances. Brennley is sobbing as she hugs Ronnie. Fourteen is too young! The panel agrees they hated cutting any of them.

Jon Coll, Phillip and Marie and The Passing Zone are next. And of course, the Passing Zone advances.

Christopher and Lori Mae Hernandez take the stage. Lori Mae advances.

Miniotics, Cory Kahaney, Rory FreemanJumpers in Command, Axel Perez, The Smiths take the stage and are ALL eliminated.

Duo Guerrero, John Ferraro and Hara takes the stage. Hara advances! The judges feel bad about cutting Duo Guerrero and John after they risked their lives on stage.

Linkin Bridge and Edgar take the stage.  Simon pulls the trite “It’s not good news….It’s GREAT news” fake out. Which at this point, fakes out no one. They both acts advance!

Two more hours tomorrow night. Reba McEntire is guest judge!

Three of the seven acts that advance tonight are singing acts! That’s almost half. Hm. Hara and Jon are magicians, Lori is a comedian,  and The Passing Zone are jugglers. I bet we get no dance acts in the end–or maybe just one or two.

Acts Advance to the Live Shows

  • Jon Dorenbos
  • Ronnie Martin
  • The Passing Zone
  • Lori Mae Hernandez
  • Hara
  • Linkin Bridge
  • Edgar

About mj santilli 34829 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!