Season 6 Premieres with Sparking Stun Guns, Slick Ballroom Salsa, and a Surprising Singer on '˜America's Got Talent'

"America's Got Talent" doesn't demand its talents be under 18 or less than 85, nor necessarily only those who sing and dance. The decision of what makes up talent lies between the performers themselves, judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel, and the ever-vocal audience. Variety and surprise, along with piercing and playful repartee between all involved, make it irresistible viewing season after season, and Season 6 premiered with auditions in Los Angeles and Atlanta that again were something different!




Howie Mandel picked right up with his playful war with Piers Morgan , using a bullhorn to remind crowds outside Morgan's trailer that he was trying to sleep, but there was nothing sleepy about the opening audition. Frank Olivier proved that 50 is never too old for flinging flaming torches from his unicycle, gripping onto germophobe Howie's head as if for dear life, but it was all part of his shtick, as he tossed his fiery poles perfectly following Howie's exit, and delighted Piers by making Mandel "stop laughing, talking, or breathing," so, of course, he was voted through to Vegas! Propelled by the love of his girlfriend and son, Ryan Andreas went from nerves to Nirvana in his performance of "Angel," adding more depth somehow than even its writer, Sarah McLachlan, with his rich, raspy tones and pure emotion. His performance was what epitomizes the show's worth. He was so unfamiliar with performing for audiences that he hardly knew the right way to hold the microphone, yet the audience and the judges heard all the promise the singer-pianist had, unanimously voting him through "1000 percent," as Piers Morgan put it. John Jacobsen certainly got an "A" for enthusiasm, but hardly for talent, the "Planet Rock" YouTube video star could not captivate the live audience, and Piers proclaimed that only if the competition was "America's Most Annoying Teachers" would he have lasted! A short series of flops followed, including a cowboy who couldn't mount his patient steed, a screaming teen who thought she was heavy metal's hottest singer, and Louie, an imitator of flatulence, who stunk up the auditions! Landon Swank brought mystique to his magic act, and holds a lot undercover for his future appearances. The Body Poets had the feet to spin and dance for glory, even if they couldn't see, and Olivia Bellafamonte gave the first "rock burlesque" dance audition anyone viewing had ever seen. Debbie and her 21-year-old parrot, Danny, showed just how smart someone with feathers could be, wowing everyone but Howie, who wanted to see more. Frank Miles juggled 1.5 million volts of sparking stun guns in a tub of water! These things make me look the other way, but the audience and judges alike were mesmerized, Piers gleefully inquiring if Miles would "make more attempts to kill yourself" in Las Vegas. Udi Abignale thought he and his act were "Hot, hot, hot," but the overwhelming vote was "Not, not, not," no matter how much host Nick Cannon intervened!




Atlanta sizzled like hot griddle cakes with the ballroom salsa dancing of the Miami All Stars, Sharon Osbourne raving it was great seeing "men who danced like men," Piers saying it was great to see "women who danced like women" and Howie Mandel simply declaring them, "hot and sexy." We'll see more of the troupe, spanning ages 13-43, but the feet and choreography never speak the ages. Scott Alexander's water full of illusion won him passage to Vegas, and we'll see more of 12-year-old Preston Weber's fire dancing later, too. Bicycle chains broke during the Yellow Design Stunt Team's audition, but not their spirits, so they still got a ticket to Vegas. The Sheboss Boys are the three cutest things anyone's ever seen under 4 feet, and their performance of their rap "G.I." (Good in School) exudes their confidence as well as cleverness! Primativo Montoya wanted to leave his water waste management job behind, and show the world he could dance, but his plunge off the stage was truly death-defying, thank goodness, and ended his dream. The Forever Young Dancers thought they were senior-cute in their diapers, I suppose, but no one else did. Metatron was going to show the audience the light with his illuminating pontification, but failed to see the lights marking the edge of the stage, so he, too, took a flying leap to end his audition! Married jousters, Crossed Swords, inspired Piers and Howie to duel it out, with Nick Cannon in on that action, too, but their act itself was "like Medieval Times without the chicken."




Total darkness swept the stage as Team Illuminate combined dance and dramatics to bring the audience to cheers. Their incredible artistry of lighted anatomy in motion created what Piers Morgan called "the most amazing audition ever for its spectacle and originality" and Sharon simply named them "a headlining act" already. After only the first of the auditions, we'll be seeing a few of these performers all the way to the finals!




Tune in next Tuesday and Wednesday for more of "America's Got Talent" on NBC.




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"America's Got Talent" telecast, May 31, 2011 NBC TV.