America's Got Talent - Semi-Finals Part 2

It’s the second week of the America’s Got Talent semi-finals, and I’m beginning to think the TPTB really want a variety act to win this year.

The panel went on and on about how awesome the variety acts were compared to the singers. Well, Duh. It’s been that way all along. It’s just that finally, at the semi-final stage, the judges are critiquing the singers honestly.

Debra Romer, who sang a tepid, off-pitch rendition of “Make You Feel My Love” and Nathaniel Kenyon, who is totally the Tim Urban of America’s Got Talent (but not nearly as likable) were called out on their mediocrity tonight. The show is done with them!

Alice Tan Ridley, the mom of Gabourey Sidibe, opened the show with a passable Whitney Houston impersonation, but it was nothing remarkable.

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The only singer to get big props was the creepy little kid faux-opera singer, Jackie Evancho. There was a really good article in the LAT this morning that compared young Jackie to Charlotte Church, the Welsh kid singer who burned out in her teens, and is considered an unremarkable singer now that she’s hit her twenties. Jackie could meet the same fate if her parents aren’t careful.

Maybe a magician will win this year. Both Murray and Michael Grasso acquitted themselves quite well with showy magic acts. The aerialists, Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon are like So You Think You Can Dance meet Cirque Du Soleil and managed to hit an emotional sweet spot.

Young classical pianist, Maestro Alexander Bui, went for more accessible fare this week, but there’s still an emotional component missing there.

The dancers: Haspop is a fairly decent popper, but his act was a little dull tonight. The kids, Studio One Young Beast Society are talented and have tons of charisma. They could win.

The judges gave stunt bicyclist, Jeremy Vanschoonhoven, a huge break tonight. His act went wrong at the very start and never really got back on track. But the injury he recently sustained probably affected his performance.

And closing the show, Fighting Gravity, the eerie black light act impressed the judges once more. It’s a clever idea that probably could be fleshed out into a longer Vegas act. I think they are contenders.

The acts I predict will go through to the Top 10: Jackie Evancho, Fighting Gravity, Studio One Young Beast Society. The next two acts will probably be Murray, Michael Grasso, or maybe Nathanial Kenyon for the upset. Michael & Ashleigh have a shot, too.

Video after the JUMP…

Alice Tan Ridley