The final quarter final show is coming up in just a few days, and I am anticipating it with great eagerness. In the past two shows, I have been overall delighted. Each week, the three acts for whom I voted moved forward, though two of them had to sweat through the dumb mass Dunkin' Save process. And three of the four acts whom I disliked the most got sent home.
Speaking of the Dunkin' Save, it is a flawed system. First and foremost, it largely excludes viewers in the western time zones. That, in and of itself might not be such a bad thing, considering how left coasters tend to vote in public political elections. Secondly, the system hardware can and does get overloaded, preventing viewers in the eastern half of the country from casting all the votes they might wish to cast. It's merely a marketing gimmick to give a primary sponsor additional exposure. As long as the vote count following the live performance show is accurate and truthful, there is no objective reason for having a second, time compressed vote. If contestants are moved forward and ultimately win because "America has voted", it should be left at that. If an act garners the sixth or seventh most votes, it advances. If it finishes eighth, it's finished. If the Dunkin' Save is designed to give the judges one more say, it hasn't worked well this season's first two quarterfinals. Revamp it to the Dunkin' Deliberations, wherein they choose a wild card act to join the twenty-one viewer chosen acts, as has been the practice in past seasons, to have an equal number of acts to split between each semifinal show. That decision would be announced at the beginning of the first semifinal live performance episode, with some video of those deliberations, like they show in the judge cut episodes. They wouldn't necessarily have to choose an act that finished eighth in the voting in any of the quarterfinal shows. They could bring back a mysteriously missing since the audition round act like the "freaking hilarious" Francois Raphael Edgar Norbert Celestine Herbert Absalom Correntine Clement Emmanuel Nathaniel Tellus IV, who made AGT history, having two judges withdraw their premature red X's. More than once, Amanda, Alesha and even Simon have taken back their X's on Britain's Got Talent, but I think that this is the first time it's occurred on AGT.
Of course, with that, we chance the perverse possibility of acts like the stupid spitters or the obese belly bumpers undeservedly and unwantedly coming back.
Another related thought: As we are permitted to vote ten times by myriad methods for any number of acts whom we like, I wish we were allowed to vote no, OMG no, bloody 'ell, no for one act whom we detest and/or despise.
Let's look ahead to the twelve acts performing in the upcoming, final quarterfinals show..
Aaron Crow, Belgian daredevil. It's a no for me.
Australian entertainer Hans. Too...campy to be my cup of tea.
UDI Dance from Siberia. They're no Silhouettes. Could be Russian spies. I vote Nyet.
I was SO pleased when Tyra came out of the wings to award the first Golden Buzzer of the season to Zurcorah. They received a Golden Buzzer last year, as well, in France's Got Talent. When the group's director told his story of fleeing Brazil, I mistakenly assumed that he came to America and founded and formed this amazing, astounding, astonishing act with kids from somewhere like LA, Houston or Miami. Nope. Gotzis, Austria. As much as this act thrills me, I'll probably be jingoistic and nationalist and cast them no votes, after all.
Christina Wells is an astonishing singer. She tells her sad story of being cut from a show as a teenager, because she was too big for the costuming of that show, despite the fact that everyone agreed that she had great pipes. She shared a picture of herself at that age and she was a B-U-T-FUL full figured young woman in the way of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, et al., but nevertheless, a big girl, but not "a great big fat person", as in the words of Buffalo Bill of Silence of the Lambs, or as she has become, as she refused to take the criticism constructively. Instead of recognizing and accepting that we no longer see Rubenesque as the ideal and working to slim down, she opted to let completely go to become morbidly obese and raise two sons to be the same. This career dream she pursues relies on visual appeal, as well as vocal appeal, contrary to Simon's politically correct remarks after her performance. You can bet dollars to Dunkin' Doughnuts that he would never produce her work. As I said, she is a wondrous songstress, but as she is, she's only suited to the type of work where she is heard and not seen.
The Future Kingz are not my taste in any way, much like Flau Jae. I'm generally not a big fan of dance acts, especially all male dance acts. And I'm definitely not a fan of their style of dance. And I have no respect or positive regard for anyone or any group who pluralizes nouns by adding the letter 'z'. This would be this week's act for whom I would vote no, OMG no, bloody 'ell no.
Singer/pianist Joseph O'Brien from Columbia, TN is, for me, unremarkable and unmemorable.
The same is true of illusionist Rob Lake.
Wild card classical/crossover singer Daniel Emmett basically had to audition unprepared and unrehearsed at Simon's insistence and blew the roof off the joint. He definitely deserves consideration and votes.
Simon's Golden Buzzer selection, male vocalist Michael Ketterer spellbound the audience and me with his persona and performance.
Both of these young men are truly gifted music makers and remind me of the only two male vocalists from previous seasons whom I truly remember; 2011 season winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. and season 11 fifth place finisher, Sal 'The Voice' Valentinetti.
So who does that leave us about whom to be excited?
Us the Duo. I LOVE this pretty pair! But as the judges said in the judge cut round, their audition performance was better, mostly based on song choice with which I agreed. I hope that they return to that upbeat, uplifting sound this week.
Brian King Joseph has a happy and hopeful demeanor and disposition which are as inspirational and enjoyable as his electric violin music is electrifying. He is a violin virtuoso in the same world class with Mairead Nesbitt and Vanessa Mae. Man alive, wouldn't I LOVE LOVE LOVE to see and hear the three of them perform together, perhaps playing a trio rendition of Dueling Violins and/or Strings of Fire.
Anyway, watch and vote! Especially if you agree with me!
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