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apocalypsosI didn't wake up until a half-hour into tonight's America's Got Talent. RAAAAAGE.
Anyway ...
Okay, let's see if I remember everybody who was on tonight --
The rodeo guy whose name I can't be buggered to look up -- Okay, here's the thing. I was watching the selection of the top twenty just now on Youtube (and if everybody and their sister who puts up a video of them singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" or dancing like an idiot or doing ANYTHING could stop labeling their videos as "america's got talent", those of us searching for actual show clips would really fucking appreciate it) and I agree with the judges in that I can't see this as a headlining act. Not that I don't enjoy it -- I think he does very well, has great presence, is good-looking with a great smile and is definitely talented, but the rope tricks only go so far, you know?
Robert Hatcher -- He's one of those guys I keep missing. Didn't get to see him in the auditions, didn't get to see him in the semifinals, didn't even get to see him tonight. But in clips he seems really wonderful so for as much as I've seen of him I think he's got a great shot.
Julienne Irwin -- I am really torn with her because she does have a beautiful voice and is a lovely person as well, but if another young girl singer wins I'm going to have fits. (Although unlike a lot of people who watch this show I have no problem with another singer winning, as long as they deserve it.)
Kevin James -- Okay, look, I only saw the clip of him performing, but BWAHAHAHAHA. I don't think there's a single person who saw the hand thing who didn't know how he did it and yet it's amusing as hell because he's got a fabulous dark sense of humor, he's playful, he's funny, and he knows how to play an audience. Still one of my favorites.
Jonny Come Lately -- Okay, out of everybody's look in this competition theirs is my favorite. The haircuts, the clothes, the early garage band type thing, kind of like the Stray Cats except not so rockabilly. (Not that I'm hating on rockabilly at ALL, because it's a style that I love like crack. \o/) I'm a little concerned about the lead singer's vocals but they play so well and have such a great look that I'm willing to let some of that slide. I'm not sure I'd buy a CD of theirs but I think I would rush to buy tickets for their concert and definitely dress up for the occasion. :)
Sideswipe -- I love these guys, and not just because they're hot. They have so much boundless energy and they're just kind of bouncing all over the place, not to mention the fact that the judges told them that they have to step it up and bring it more dancing and it was AWESOME. I'm not sure I agree with the direction the judges seem to be steering them in, which is to completely phase out the martial arts and stick to the dancing -- I adore watching martial artists do their thing more than dancers most of the time -- but I really think they're one of the best dancers/dance groups left, which is almost annoying considering who I'm about to talk about.
Kashif -- Okay, look, for the record, I like Kashif. There's my embarrassing admission for the day. He probably works in his little sandwich shop everyday with Indian techno playing in the background and most of the day he's this quiet dorky dude who makes you your sub and doesn't say much but sometimes when the shop is empty he dances like a goofball for all his co-workers and they all appreciate that he makes them smile. And it's fun and silly and he has a good time doing it.
What I don't like is the judges dragging him along to the top twenty with this misguided idea that he's bringing Bollywood dancing to mainstream American culture. You know what? Thank you, but NO. I like him but there's no way in hell I want him to be the one America looks to when it thinks of Bollywood dance. I mean, God knows you all know how much I love Indian techno and dance music, so I know damn well there are dancers FAR more talented and experienced with the dance steps in question, FAR more charismatic, and FAR more worthy of the judges falling all over them in giddy enthusiasm than Kashif, no matter how nice and dorky I might think he is.
Butterscotch -- How much do I love Butterscotch? THIS MUCH. I haven't mentioned her because again, another one I just keep missing. But having caught up through Youtube she's fabulous. Beautiful, charismatic, fun to watch, creative, and with a great voice. Plus, you know, her name is BUTTERSCOTCH. That's an incomprehensible level of awesome right there.
Glamazons -- All right, I know people have problems with the whole "sexy fat girls" gimmick, but I like the way they're using it here, not the least of which being because of the Redneck Tenors. Why does that even matter? Because I don't doubt that that attitude and that sexiness that we see on stage carries over into real life. I can see those girls gaining real confidence from knowing that they're gorgeous, and probably MORE gorgeous than the skinny half-dressed blonde over there. The Redneck Tenors throw on wigs and overalls because apparently their singing is just not enough to cut it, they've got to resort to a cheap joke to bump it up a notch. *eye roll*
Having said that, their first performance was great. They were a little off but then again everybody is on this show. They love playing to the crowd and that's half the game on here. I think a big sign of where their problem lies can be found in that video of them at the GLBT Expo, with all of them save the redhead performing. It's not the best video or audio in the world, but they're fun and sexy and harmonizing way better than they have for the show so far. Personally, I'm beginning to believe the redhead's dragging them down. (There's a part of me that thinks they keep her around because her statements on growing up heavy are impassioned and sympathetic, which ... seriously, one of the other girls would do fine with that, I imagine.)
Manuel -- You have a very nice voice and you're handsome but you lost me even before you came out with Bryan Adams. Oh, come on! My brother's named after the guy and even I know Bryan Adams is cheesy and lame most of the time.
I think I'm a little embarrassingly addicted to this show but then again I like the idea of a cheesy reality variety show.
Anyway ...
Okay, let's see if I remember everybody who was on tonight --
The rodeo guy whose name I can't be buggered to look up -- Okay, here's the thing. I was watching the selection of the top twenty just now on Youtube (and if everybody and their sister who puts up a video of them singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" or dancing like an idiot or doing ANYTHING could stop labeling their videos as "america's got talent", those of us searching for actual show clips would really fucking appreciate it) and I agree with the judges in that I can't see this as a headlining act. Not that I don't enjoy it -- I think he does very well, has great presence, is good-looking with a great smile and is definitely talented, but the rope tricks only go so far, you know?
Robert Hatcher -- He's one of those guys I keep missing. Didn't get to see him in the auditions, didn't get to see him in the semifinals, didn't even get to see him tonight. But in clips he seems really wonderful so for as much as I've seen of him I think he's got a great shot.
Julienne Irwin -- I am really torn with her because she does have a beautiful voice and is a lovely person as well, but if another young girl singer wins I'm going to have fits. (Although unlike a lot of people who watch this show I have no problem with another singer winning, as long as they deserve it.)
Kevin James -- Okay, look, I only saw the clip of him performing, but BWAHAHAHAHA. I don't think there's a single person who saw the hand thing who didn't know how he did it and yet it's amusing as hell because he's got a fabulous dark sense of humor, he's playful, he's funny, and he knows how to play an audience. Still one of my favorites.
Jonny Come Lately -- Okay, out of everybody's look in this competition theirs is my favorite. The haircuts, the clothes, the early garage band type thing, kind of like the Stray Cats except not so rockabilly. (Not that I'm hating on rockabilly at ALL, because it's a style that I love like crack. \o/) I'm a little concerned about the lead singer's vocals but they play so well and have such a great look that I'm willing to let some of that slide. I'm not sure I'd buy a CD of theirs but I think I would rush to buy tickets for their concert and definitely dress up for the occasion. :)
Sideswipe -- I love these guys, and not just because they're hot. They have so much boundless energy and they're just kind of bouncing all over the place, not to mention the fact that the judges told them that they have to step it up and bring it more dancing and it was AWESOME. I'm not sure I agree with the direction the judges seem to be steering them in, which is to completely phase out the martial arts and stick to the dancing -- I adore watching martial artists do their thing more than dancers most of the time -- but I really think they're one of the best dancers/dance groups left, which is almost annoying considering who I'm about to talk about.
Kashif -- Okay, look, for the record, I like Kashif. There's my embarrassing admission for the day. He probably works in his little sandwich shop everyday with Indian techno playing in the background and most of the day he's this quiet dorky dude who makes you your sub and doesn't say much but sometimes when the shop is empty he dances like a goofball for all his co-workers and they all appreciate that he makes them smile. And it's fun and silly and he has a good time doing it.
What I don't like is the judges dragging him along to the top twenty with this misguided idea that he's bringing Bollywood dancing to mainstream American culture. You know what? Thank you, but NO. I like him but there's no way in hell I want him to be the one America looks to when it thinks of Bollywood dance. I mean, God knows you all know how much I love Indian techno and dance music, so I know damn well there are dancers FAR more talented and experienced with the dance steps in question, FAR more charismatic, and FAR more worthy of the judges falling all over them in giddy enthusiasm than Kashif, no matter how nice and dorky I might think he is.
Butterscotch -- How much do I love Butterscotch? THIS MUCH. I haven't mentioned her because again, another one I just keep missing. But having caught up through Youtube she's fabulous. Beautiful, charismatic, fun to watch, creative, and with a great voice. Plus, you know, her name is BUTTERSCOTCH. That's an incomprehensible level of awesome right there.
Glamazons -- All right, I know people have problems with the whole "sexy fat girls" gimmick, but I like the way they're using it here, not the least of which being because of the Redneck Tenors. Why does that even matter? Because I don't doubt that that attitude and that sexiness that we see on stage carries over into real life. I can see those girls gaining real confidence from knowing that they're gorgeous, and probably MORE gorgeous than the skinny half-dressed blonde over there. The Redneck Tenors throw on wigs and overalls because apparently their singing is just not enough to cut it, they've got to resort to a cheap joke to bump it up a notch. *eye roll*
Having said that, their first performance was great. They were a little off but then again everybody is on this show. They love playing to the crowd and that's half the game on here. I think a big sign of where their problem lies can be found in that video of them at the GLBT Expo, with all of them save the redhead performing. It's not the best video or audio in the world, but they're fun and sexy and harmonizing way better than they have for the show so far. Personally, I'm beginning to believe the redhead's dragging them down. (There's a part of me that thinks they keep her around because her statements on growing up heavy are impassioned and sympathetic, which ... seriously, one of the other girls would do fine with that, I imagine.)
Manuel -- You have a very nice voice and you're handsome but you lost me even before you came out with Bryan Adams. Oh, come on! My brother's named after the guy and even I know Bryan Adams is cheesy and lame most of the time.
I think I'm a little embarrassingly addicted to this show but then again I like the idea of a cheesy reality variety show.
