Americas Got Talent Semifinal 1- Eric Dittelman

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.