
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.
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.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?

Anyway, watch and vote! Especially if you agree with me!



Though South Carolinian Noah Guthrie was a cast member of the popular television series, Glee, he was basically a bit player who garnered no great fame or fortune from that experience, so I have no real problem with him competing.
Da Republik, from the Dominican Republic grates my soul with the Soviet style spelling of their name and their bull squeeze sob story about being so dirt floor poor. Their women's hair, their costuming and their ability to internationally transport and house that many people belie their claim of poverty.
If the spitters, who were wisely voted out last week were the stupidest act in the history of AGT , as Simon proclaimed, Yumbo Dump has to be a close second. Just because they made it to the semifinals of Asia's Got Talent is no reason for them to be sent to the semi's of America's Got Talent. They should have NEVER been advanced to the quarterfinals ahead of such talented American acts like French Accent and Hamster Wheel.


.
Belgian Aaron Crow, who has already carpetbagged France Got Talent, as well as Britain's Got Talent, I believe I remember reading.
Da Republik, from the Dominican Republic. I'd have problems with supporting any group of any kind with such a socialist sounding and spelled name. And I am sick to death of their boo hoo sad sob story of abject poverty and no opportunity in their homeland. If they're so dirt floor poor, how are they affording passage to and accommodations in the U.S.?
Hans, from Heidi Klum's native Germany. Hans is perhaps the consummate entertainer in this season's lineup, much like Prince Poppycock was a few years back. But he , like Prince Poppycock is just too flamingly flamboyant for my tastes, even if he were American.
Junior New System, from Manila, Philippines. Another all male dance group with the gimmick of dancing in stiletto heeled ankle boots. A tale of woe and worry about basic survival, though they got themselves across the Pacific Ocean, after competing in Asia's Got Talent. Wonder why they haven't seemed to perform in Pillipinas Got Talent?
Lord Nil, Italian born European.
Mochi, from Japan. I really like this guy and his act with the Diabolo. But all in all, it's yo yo tricks. I can't imagine it remaining entertaining for the length of a Vegas headline show.
The Sacred Riana, from Indonesia. She is mystical and magical, and she's already won Asia's Got Talent.
Shin Lim is an aMAZing magician and totally likable fellow. Ethnically Korean, born in Canada, raised in Singapore but has been in America for the past fifteen years, so I won't disqualify him for being an interloping foreigner. But I would disqualify him for being an established professional performer, who lives in a Massachusetts mansion, drives a fifty thousand dollar Porshe and has a net worth of a million dollars. I thought that AGT was supposed to be for undiscovered, new talent, not for people padding their resumes and purses.
UDI Dance, an all male troupe from Siberia, Russia. Probably spies.
Rapper Flau Jae, GBed by a guest judge who later regretted it when he couldn't award such honor to Glennis Grace, a truly talented singer. First and foremost, rap s a faux art form for people without the talent to produce actual seven fine arts music. I will give this girl props for being a profound poetess, but that belongs in a college coffeehouse, not on the biggest talent show on Earth.
Christina Wells has preposterous pipes and can belt it out. But in this type of competition, with the prize being what it is, visual is as important as vocals. Christina is more suited for The Voice and doing work like that of the woman who did the singing for Wendy McKenna in Sister Act.
Voices of Hope Children's Choir was the good Golden Buzzer selection of guest judge Dr. Ken. They are inspirational and enjoyable to watch, but their most direct competition is superior.
Hostess Tyra Banks gasped that she needed to collect her breath and get some oxygen when she came out of the wings to hit the Golden Buzzer for gymnastic/ acrobatic dance group, Zurcorah. They are truly breathtaking and if they build on what they accomplished in their audition, I shall be voting then through to the finals.
Guest judge Olivia Munn made maybe the most magical Golden Buzzer moment with her selection of Angel City Chorale. Though their song selections have been rooted in political correctness, they are astoundingly and astonishingly entertaining and inspirational.
If she can keep bringing the funny, my pick to win is comedienne Vicki Barbolak. I always pull for the comics, and as Simon said she is the funniest. Howie Mandel said that she fills the female comic void created by the passing of Joan Rivers. I say that she is the 21st century version of trailer park trash, redneck Roseanne, except better.
Glennis Grace is a beautiful woman and an astounding vocal artist, who should have been guest judge Chris Hardwick's Golden Buzzer.
Us the Duo is a visually and vocally attractive and appealing pair of married singers/songwriters.
We Three is a second generation sibling band who performs their own original moving music.
Self-deprecating stand-up star Samuel J. Comroe is reminiscent of season ten runner-up Drew Lynch.