For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers
Unfortunately, Spencer Horsman didn't make the semifinals, despite his near-perfect wildcard performance. However, Eric Dittelman and Puck did make the semifinals. Eric Dittelman (Now simply referred to as "Dittelman" by the show and viewers) was first up, competing in the first of the two semifinals.
How Did Dittelman do?
For his semifinal performance, Dittelman used judge Howard Stern as his volunteer. Using the Self-portrait Howard had drawn in his Audition, Dittelman got him to color various parts of the picture in with marker pens of several different colors. As Howard did this, Dittelman did a brief self-working mentalism trick with his audience, where he got them to think of two primary shapes inside one another and revealed which two the audience were thinking of. After Howard finished coloring in, Dittelman revealed a prediction of which colors Howard would use where. This was another effective and original piece of mentalism. I would love to see Dittelman in the final.
What did The Judges say? Sharon and Howie both gave Dittelman a standing ovation. Sharon called him "Fascinating". Howie called him "Amazing" and praised him for drawing the audience in. Howard said his performance was more entertaining then his last ones and that he deserved to go through.
What is the Competition Like?
Dittelman has two problems which could hurt his chances of making the final. First of all, this is a very competitive semifinal. Second of all, only three acts can go through instead of the five who normally make the next round. The judges were very critical this week, with favorites like Andrew De Leon, Turf and Academy of Villains receiving negative comments that could really damage their chances. Donovan and Rebecca, Bria Kelly and Todd Oliver fared well with the judges, but aren't likely to gain many votes from those not part of their fan base. Edon wasted his talents on a One Direction song, whilst The Scott Brothers were precise and energetic, but not memorable, and Joe Castillo doesn't look like he'll make it through with such intense competition and such tough opponents. Tom Cotter has a strong fanbase, but I have never found him particularly funny. The best act of the night, however, was instrumentalist William Close, who was a exciting and creative as usual.
What are Dittelman's Chances? Dittelman fared very well with the judges and viewers and has a moderate-to-high chance of overcoming his tough competition and making the final.
For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers
In the Americas Got Talent Wildcard round, escapologist Spencer Horsman and musical illusionists Jarrett and Raja were among the twelve acts competing for the last spots in the Semifinals.
How did Spencer and Jarret And Raja do?
Spencer Horsman went back to doing what he does best-escapology. For his performance, he was chained into a steel-suit restraint by 8 padlocks and placed in a giant glass tank, which was filled with wet cement. He managed to escape before he drowned, and best of all, escaped in style. The threat was real and the escape was genuine.It was a real return to form and I'd love to see what Spencer can do in the next round.
Jarrett and Raja also returned to form, as they did a trick similar to the one they did in Vegas. Here, Raja got into a box with a large piano inside and played it as Jarrett shut the box and it was lifted into the air. After a pause, the box was blown open to reveal that Raja and the piano had vanished from the box and reappeared in the audience. Though it wasn't particularly original or hard to figure out, I liked the creative presentation and I think that they can at least leave the competition with their heads held high.
What did the Judges say?
Spencer Horsman received a standing ovation from the judges. Howard, who chose him, called his act "Entertaining and Interesting",and praised the sense of danger to the performance. Sharon said he "Definitely Delivered" and had clearly improved from last time. Howie said he heeded the criticism he had been given in the liveshows and exceeded expectations.
Jarrett and Raja were also praised for their performance. Howie, who chose them, said their performance was "Great" and said he couldn't wait to see what they would do in the next round. Howard said the duo "Redeemed themselves" and said their trick was "the kind of illusion I'd pay to see". Sharon called them "Spectacular" and claimed they delivered.
What was the Competition like?
The wildcard heat was the most competitive night of the series so far, with no X's given, although some acts can be ruled out right away. Cristin Sandu fell off his Rola-bola tower again, Horse has reached the end of the road , Jake Wesley Rogers was dull and forgettable, and All That and Lindsey Norton didn't really stand out in my opinion. The other six acts all have a good chance of making the semifinals. The Bandbaz Brothers did a very dangerous balancing act that went to plan, but it was too short and too shaky. Todd Oliver blended the topical material Howard recommended with his family-friendly sensibilities, and his political routine had a couple of laughs. Sebastien "El Charro de Oro" did a Mariachi version of "New York, New York", and Ben Blaque shot an apple of his head blindfolded, a trick that has been tried before on Americas Got Talent, but not done this well. The only act certain of reaching the next round is Andrew De Leon, singled out as a potential winner by the judges.
What are Spencer and Jarrett And Raja's chances
Of the two, Spencer Horsman was better. His chances of making the next round are good, but his early performance slot might mean he might have to face the judges. Jarrett and Raja's chance's of making the next round are low, but the fact their performance went to plan is a success in itself.
For British Viewers, This article may contain spoilers
The wildcard round in Americas Got Talent is often exciting for magic fans. The two most successful magicians in Americas Got Talent history, Michael Grasso and Landon Swank, both came through the wildcard round after initially being eliminated, and there is a real chance that could happen again this year. Two magic acts have been selected this year; Spencer Horsman and Jarrett and Raja. Both appeared to have serious potential going into the liveshows, but disappointed in their heats. This is an opportunity to make up for the mistakes they made then and reemerge as contenders
What Does Spencer Horsman Need To Do?
One of the reasons Spencer Horsman disappointed in the heats was the fact that he turned from an escapologist risking his life in front of millions to a magician pretending to risk his life in front of millions. This meant that, unlike his thrilling and dangerous performances in the audition rounds and Vegas, his live performance was devoid of suspense. If we all know he's going to make it out alive before the escape even starts, where's the fun in watching it? Spencer is not that bad a magician, but if he entered the show an escapologist, he should leave the show an escapologist. Anything else seems like a downgrade. Therefore, he needs to get back to escapology and give the most exciting performance he can. The viewers, myself included, love his escapology and want to see him do the most exciting escape possible. If he does, a place in the next round is almost certain
What Do Jarrett and Raja Need To Do?
Jarrett and Raja are enjoyable to watch and undeniably creative- which is why it was such a shame to see them bomb in the heats. Good presentation means nothing if the secret is made too obvious, and it was frustrating to see a pair of seasoned professionals botch their trick, especially after having performed so well in Vegas. Therefore, what Jarrett and Raja need to do in the wildcard round is to rehearse thoroughly. If, in rehearsals, the Magic towels (Or whatever they'll use to conceal their trick this time) show the assistant's legs before they're supposed to reveal themselves, they need to spot the mistake and correct it before they go on air. Furthermore, they need to up their game. Producing a whole orchestra is hard to top, but they could at least give us a performance that doesn't feel like a light-hearted interlude in their show. They're not that likely of making the next round, but they should at least aim to finish on a high note (No pun intended).
Who will they be facing?
In the wildcard round, each judge chooses 4 acts. Howard chose Spencer Horsman, whilst Howie chose Jarrett and Raja. But who else has been chosen to compete?
Ben Blaque (Chosen By Howard) Ben Blaque's skills with a crossbow are impressive, but it's going to be hard for him to up his game, or turn his talent into an act.
Horse (Chosen By Howard) Watching Horse getting kicked in the groin was funny the first time, but it's already wearing very thin. No one in their right minds thinks this will make the next round.
Todd Oliver (Chosen By Howard) When ventriloquist Todd Oliver performed in the heats with his two dogs, Irving and Lucy, Howard recommended he use edgier, more topical material. It's good advice, but will Todd take it, especially as families are probably a huge part of his voting base?
All That! (Chosen By Sharon) Sharon liked All That! so much she picked them almost immediately after they lost the judge's vote in their heat. They're precise and energetic, but need to try and stand out more.
Lindsey Norton (Chosen By Sharon) Lindsey is a great gymnast, and might be spurred on by the success of the U.S gymnastics team at the Olympics, but can she make her routine more exciting?
Jake Wesley Rogers (Chosen By Sharon) Jake is a good singer, but his song choice wasn't great last time, and he may struggle to stand out against more exciting and dangerous acts.
The Bandbaz Brothers (Chosen By Sharon) The Bandbaz brothers were eliminated at the very start of Vegas week, because they were less professional and more nervous than their immediate rivals. However, they have hopefully used the time since their elimination to practice hard. They are the unknown quantity of the line-up.
Sebastien "El Charro de Oro (Chosen by Howie) Sebastien is talented, but Mariachi singing is unlikely to impress the majority of viewers, so he might struggle for votes.
Cristin Sandu (Chosen By Howie) In his heat, Cristin fell off his Rola-bola tower as he was mounting it. He didn't get hurt, but it was a disappointment to see him fail. This time, he needs to make sure his routine goes to plan, and he needs to up his game as well. Is there more to his act besides balancing on Rola-bola's?
Andrew De Leon (Chosen By Howie) The act to beat before his shock elimination in Vegas, Opera singer Andrew De Leon is undoubtedly a favorite to go far. But, with the likes of Tim Hockenberry and William Close earning high praise from viewers and judges alike in the heats, is Andrew as likely to win as previously thought?
What chances do Spencer and Jarrett and Raja have?
Based on previous performances and the nature of their competition, Spencer's chances of making the next round are good, whilst Jarrett and Raja's chances are low, but it all hinges on their wildcard performances
For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers
After a three-week break, Americas got Talent returned with the Youtube heat. Among the twelve acts were Rudy Coby, the self-proclaimed "Coolest Magician on Earth", and Close-up magician Puck. How did Rudy and Puck Do?
Rudy Coby proved to be yet another disappointing magic act. Like Brett Daniels from last year's Youtube heat, he had a good strong trick,but failed due to substandard presentation. For his performance, Rudy put a small clown puppet in a box, then went to the side of the stage as a giant clown puppet appeared from the box. It cut the strings holding it with a sword, then went after Rudy, appearing to decapitate him. However, Rudy was revealed to have been the clown the whole time. Though this was a creative spin on a very cliched trick, too much time was spent watching the clown dance and cut itself free of the strings. Furthermore, the music ("Puppet Boy" by Devo) was inappropriate, and ruined any chance of generating the intended creepy atmosphere. The shorter version of this trick he submitted to Youtube was much better.
Puck, meanwhile, chose to do a close-up trick with a handkerchief. At first, his routine resembled the sort of cheap magic the judges routinely reject at the auditions. By the end though, as he made the handkerchief dart in and out of his pockets and leap out of a sealed glass bottle, Puck's routine had reached Vegas Week level. He was the best of tonight's magicians.
What Did the Judges Say?
Rudy Coby received2 X's from Howard and Sharon and was booed by some of the audience. Howard criticized the overlong build-up, telling Rudy "You can't waste that much time. The audience gets bored." . Howie, however, praised the act's unique nature. Sharon, like Howard, criticized the bad timing and Rudy's dress sense.
Puck, on the other hand, gained a better reception. Howard praised Puck's presentation, but said he needed "More wow factor". Howie told Puck "You have Talent and you have luck" referring to the less-the-stellar competition. Sharon echoed Howard and Howie's comments. All three expressed hope that Puck would go through.
What was the competition like?
This was one of the worst live shows in Americas Got Talent History. In one show, we saw almost as many X's as we saw in the last four weeks. Novelty Act Eric Buss, who released spring snakes to music, air guitarist Romeo Dance Cheetah and instrumentalist Cast in Bronze were particularly bad. Also failing were bland rock group Reverse Order, the slow and boring 7 in Unison, and unfunny comedienne Melinda Hill. Several of the Youtube candidates shown on the Americas Got Talent website but not selected, such as Myoa Band, Brett Druck , Dayana Seitz, and Bambi Van Burch (Another magician), were FAR better then this lot. However, the act that won the viewer's vote, singer Drew Erwin, wasn't great either, trading in the unique song choice we saw in his audition video for a dull and generic one ("Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia") . Apart from Puck, there were only three acts noteworthy for the right reasons: Clint Carvalho, trained a parrot to fly from the top of a nearby hotel, into the theatre, and onto the stage, exceeding the expectations set by his dull and generic audition video. Bria Kelly is inexperienced, but has plenty of potential. Last of all were the only act in the whole episode who looked like they really deserved a place in the live shows, let alone the top 24; Academy of Villains, who blended energy and creativity with a routine that easily trumped last years most successful Youtube act, West Springfield Dance Academy. Rudy Coby and Puck were not among the worst acts of the night, but neither would have made the live shows if they had auditioned the conventional way.
What are Rudy and Puck's chance's Rudy Coby has almost no chance of making the next round, but, in the face of such lackluster competition, Puck is guaranteed at least a spot in the top 5. He really has to up his game next time, though.
