Final Show of the Year. Maybe Forever for Me

The performing talent in America's Got Talent's 13th season Final was as good as and better than any that came before in the previous twelve seasons.   Of course, that should be expected, as this year, the show scoured Earth and Cyberspace for these professional performers to enter the competition.   After calling last night's episode "The Results", Tyra stated that just a few short months ago, these ten acts blindly auditioned, just like the hundreds of thousands of Americans who did go to open auditions with hope in their hearts and no deals in their back pockets.  Part of the show's opening was voice overs of auditioners telling their hometowns, which were all in the USA, despite the fact that a  third of semi-finalists and thirty per cent of the finalists are foreign, as well as professional.  If that is going to continue to be the format, I suggest that next year, the show invites my favorite singing group, Celtic Woman to appear.  Sure, they've been professionally performing for fifteen years, have toured the world, including America SEVERAL times, have sold millions of CD's and DVD's and been nominated for a Grammy.  But they're not all that widely known in America, mostly to PBS viewers.  I'm sure that the show could bill then as four poor little Irish women just looking for that big break.  As Simon said later in the show, "It's not America's Got Talent.  It's America welcomes talent.  Yes, we do, Simon.  We always have.  Evidenced by the fact that you've become a gazillionaire off of that exceptional American openness.  But it shouldn't be welcome in a show that is ostensibly an outlet for "the best new talent in America", as was always stated in the early years of the show... though foreigners did perform and occasionally win even then.   But this year, it just seems that there has been an overabundance of non-American talent showcased.   Coupled with the revealed high level of professionalism among the contestants, there is a lot of dismay and disillusionment among the fans.  I am now convinced that all ten of these acts were determined and decided before last Winter's and Spring's open auditions for the aforementioned amateur Americans.   Just as I am convinced that the finishing order to be announced in tonight's Finale' has been decided, relative to what will best benefit Simon's record label/ production company.  But, for poots and giggles, let's recap the show 

 Brian King Joseph was a tremendous choice to open the show.  He is always so entertaining and enjoyable.  He IS a violin virtuoso.  But he is not the best, as Mel, in her ignorance of violinists so stated.  He may be as good as, but he's not better. 

He is astounding and astonishing, uplifting and inspirational and he is one of my very favorites in The Top Ten.  And he is American.

  Daniel Emmett has probably endured more and jumped through more hoops than any other performer in the show this this year...or maybe any year.  He had to basically double audition in his first appearance.  He was given about an hour to learn a new song of which he had never heard.  He was judge cut, to be brought back as a wild card.  He survived one of those dumb mass Dunkin' Saves.  Of course, as I type this, I wonder if that were all part of the scripting, since he doesn't seem to have the same type of boo hoo hoo sob story that so many of the other acts have.  And Howie's comment about the "luck of the draw" of having to perform right after BKJ's blow the roof off the joint show opener is just so much more bull squeeze and balderdash, as the order of appearance was obviously scripted, just like all of the other production values within the episode.  As always, last night, he was proficient and professional, as he should be, being a professional singer in Las Vegas.  Though I do greatly appreciate classical music in general and Daniel's renditions of it, I can't say that he one of my faves.  But he is for much of the viewing and listening audience, especially the feminine part. 

 Some fans were writing on-line that Vicki Barbolak is not the trailer park trash she portends to be, because hers is a true 'mobile home community' with paved streets and a swimming pool.  Others were lamenting about how inappropriate and family unfriendly she was. What a bunch of dumb masses.😂  Comedy is, of course, probably the most subjective of all of the types of talents presented.  For this grumpy old, she brought the funny, making me smile, smirk, snort, chortle, chuckle and Laugh Out Loud.  Simon, if you do develop a show for her, make it a scripted sitcom with her as head writer, as well as star.  Vicki, I adore you and admire you.  You are bright and beautiful, soulful and sensuous, fabulously funny and infinitely feminine.  You remind me so much of my beloved late wife....except that her big boobs didn't fall down like a broken mini-blind.  I LOVED that joke.

  Of all of the professional performers in The Finals, Glennis Grace is probably the one for whom I would want a front row center seat at DPAC, like I had for Celtic Woman last Spring.  She is breathtakingly beautiful and aMAZingly musical.  BUt because the show went to such great lengths to hide the truth about her nationality and platinum/double platinum career, I didn't cast a single vote for her with the NBC computer system's illegally limited opportunities I was allowed, nor with my phone.  But she was the only vocalist who emotively moved me.  They did give a glimpse of her nationality last week, showing her talking to her son, who was speaking to her in their native language, since evidently the only English he knows is "Yes!  Yes! Yes!  With all of her references to her son and Tyra's dedication to single moms, makes me wonder, "Where's his father?  Who's his father?"   And Howie did reference her successful career in Europe.  Guess they sort of had to do so, though, since it had already been so widely related and reported. 

  Zurcaroh is probably my favorite and the most Vegas ready act in the competition, as Heidi said last week and again last night.  I just wish that when Peterson made the move to flee Brazil, he would have headed to Greensboro, rather than Gotzis.  As always, they were extremely entertaining and even engaging, to the point of emotionality.   I just wish that they hadn't gone to such lengths to be politically correct in their choices of music, movement, make-up/wardrobe and message.  But even for this cynical jingoist, it was heartwarming and hopeful.

 Samuel J. Comroe is comedy.  Maybe even more than Vicki, he brought the funny to The Finals.  A pure comedian or comedienne has never won AGT  and won't this year, either.  They won't even match the runner-up status that Drew Lynch and Tom Cotter obtained.

  

But I did cast all of the votes I could for Sam, before the criminal computer system cut me off.  And though it should be meaningless in a competition like this, Sam's got an almost as good back story as We Three and Ketterer.

 I've appreciated Courtney Hadwin from the moment her music began at  her Golden Buzzer audition.  Yeah, she's sort of a 21st century Janis Joplin, except that she sings way better than Janis and looks waaaaaaaaaay better than Janis.  My only real problem with Courtney is the same as with Glennis and Zurcaroh.  She should be competing for a quarter million pounds and a spot in The Royal Variety Show, rather than for a million dollars and a headline show in Vegas.   Courtney exhibited a versatility last night  not before shown.  I really enjoyed it.  But with as much controversy as shes caused and as polarizing as she seems to be among fans of the show, I think that she will finish low, if our votes really are counted and considered.   

 Shin Lim is a magical magician, but it is, after all, illusion, sleight of hand and production values.  But he is  better at it than any other contemporary. That's how he won the World Championship of the International Federation of Magic Societies and fooled Penn and Teller twice.  And again, it is close up card tricks.  So, unless you have a seat like Tyra did or there's a very good video set-up in the venue in which he's performing, it's a hard act to follow, especially for someone like me, with poor vision.  He does have a fanatical fan following, mostly female.  Assuming that our votes do matter, couple devoted, die hard base with the apparent backlash against singers this year, all could bode well for Shin. 

 For what they do, Duo Transcend does it very well.  But what they do is a circus act or a filler within a bigger show, and not a show in and of itself.  Whether decided by votes or Simon's mandate, I don't see them cracking The Final Five.  I still have trouble with him dropping his wife on her arse, but I must say, as a past university trained and Hollywood experienced stunt man, I have the highest regard and respect for the physical and mental toughness that these two pros present for our entertainment and enjoyment.

 It was absolutely no surprise to me that Simon's Golden Buzzer Golden Boy was chosen to close the show.  Michael Ketterer is a sincere and soulful singer to whom I like to listen.  But not so much so that I'd buy his recordings or go to his shows.  As I've written before, a male vocalist has to REALLY offer something special to get and hold my attention.  Look up the performances of Final Five finalist Sal "The Voice" Valentinetti and winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. from previous seasons.

Michael, or whoever, chose a great, classic song for him to sing.  But Mel B was correct.  It was not a good arrangement.   If votes count, we'll see if his nursing and fathering make up for it.

Overall, the two hour presentation was an epic spectacle.   It was great, grand and grandiose.  All production values for every act was spectacular and fabulously fitting for each performance.  I LOVED it!  Now, let's see how I feel about the results, which is tonight, Tyra.