America’s Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network.
It is a talent show that features amateur singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of US$1 million.
The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer television season.
The show concept can be traced back to the British talent contest Opportunity Knocks, which started as a radio program in 1949 before moving to television in 1956.
Among its significant features were that it gave an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers and its results were decided by a public vote.
For the audition round, each of the three judges has a button in front of them that they can press when they do not want the act to continue; in season one, the button rings an electronic bell and a large red X with the judge’s name lights up over the stage. A louder buzzer indicates the third judge’s button was pressed, and the contestant’s performance is terminated. In season two, only a buzzer is heard when a judge hits his/her button. If all three judges hit their X in season 2, the performer is illuminated in a lonely blue spotlight, indicating that they’ve been struck out. This is not as significant as it might be, since the judges occasionally cheat and press one another’s buttons to abort even if a consensus of disapproval has not been reached. Then, the judges are asked whether the contestant should continue to the next round, with the approval of two out of three judges required. The button voting is not final, and occasionally a supporting judge can talk a disapproving one into switching sides. From there, the contestant is either rejected or passed to the next round of performance. The process is similar to the classic spoof amateur show The Gong Show, except that an act was ended by just one judge on Gong with no deliberations to follow.
The acts who pass the auditions will attend a Las Vegas bootcamp, where they will have a chance to perfect their craft. At this point, acts are divided into 2 groups, “music”, and “variety”. The music acts consist of singers and instrument players. The “variety” group consists of other acts. The “music” acts performs first, followed by the “variety” acts. Each act will perform for 3 minutes, and their performance will not be terminated, as the judges have no buttons to press. After each group has finished, the judges will split the groups into lines, either a “yes” line, or a “no” line. The ones who the judges said yes to will go to the short list of 35 acts. The acts which the judges have said no to will go home. After that, the judges will cut the short list of 35 to 20 final acts. In the semifinal episodes, the 20 acts will be first split into 2 groups of 10. America will vote and eliminate 5 out of the first group, than 5 out of the second. The remaining 10 will perform head to head in the next round, where the field will be narrowed each week.
Season 1 Process
For the audition round, each of the three judges has a button in front of them that they can press when they do not want the act to continue; the button rings an electronic bell and a large red X with the judge’s name lights up over the stage. A louder buzzer indicates the third judge’s button was pressed, and the contestant’s performance is terminated. Then, the judges deliberate over the act and decide whether they pass over to the live semifinals. In the semifinals, the judges have X’s and checks. Acts are divided into 4 groups of either 14 or 15, and only 10 of those acts in the group perform. They do not have the power to terminate an act in the middle of his/her performance. At the end of the performance, the judges give the act a check for approval, and an X if they did not like the act. At the end of the episode, the judges would pick an act and automatically move them through to the live finale. Then, the viewers at home would vote another act through to the finale, and that act would be announced in a live results show the next day. There was also a fifth wild card episode, where the judges picked ten acts who were previously eliminated and give them one more chance to perform. In the finale, there is no judges’ choice, and the voting is entirely handed over to the viewers.
Season 2 Process
The Audition process for the second season is very similar to that of the first, except that only a buzzer sounds when the X is pressed. When all the judges X’s have been pressed, a lonely blue spotlight centers on the act, indicating they’ve been struck out. Unlike the previous season, the acts who pass the auditions then attend a Las Vegas bootcamp, where they have a chance to perfect their craft. At this point, acts are divided into 2 groups, music, and variety. The music acts consist of singers and instrument players. The variety group consists of other acts. The music acts performs first, followed by the variety acts. Each act will perform for 3 minutes, and their performance will not be terminated, as the judges have no buttons to press. After each group has finished, the judges will split the groups into lines, either a yes line, or a no line. The ones who the judges said yes to will go to the short list of 35 acts. The acts which the judges have said no to will go home. After that, the judges will cut the short list of 35 to 20 final acts. In the semifinal episodes, the 20 acts will be first split into 2 groups of 10. America will vote and eliminate 5 out of the first group, then 5 out of the second. The remaining 10 will perform head to head in the next round, where the field will be narrowed each week until there are four, which the viewing audience at home votes on. In the second season, the judges may terminate a performance any time they want with an X. The checks are eliminated from the game and the judges may only have comments. There is no judges’ choice in this season, as the voting is entirely handed over to the viewers.
Season 3 Process
Season 3 is similar to Season 2 in the audition process, except that the auditions are held in large theaters across the nation, there are three more auditon episodes, and two more audition sites. The Las Vegas bootcamp continues, but they are divided into more groups, such as ventriloquists, impersonators, male singers, female singers, opera, instrumental music, bands, and other variety acts. There are forty acts that pass through, instead of twenty. The semifinal process is still unknown.
Season 1
Main article: America’s Got Talent (season 1)
In June 2006, NBC announced the new show. The audition tour took place in June. Auditions were held in the following locations: Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, Chicago, Illinois, and Atlanta, Georgia. Some early ads for the show implied that the winning act would also headline a show at a casino, possibly in Las Vegas; however, this was replaced with $1,000,000 due to concerns of minors playing in Las Vegas, should one become a champion. More than 12 million viewers watched the season premiere (which is more than American Idol got during its premiere back in 2002). The two-hour broadcast was the night’s most-watched program on U.S. television and the highest-rated among viewers aged 18 to 49 (the prime-time audience that matters most to advertisers), Nielsen Media Research reported.[3]. On the season finale, there was an unaired segment that was scheduled to appear after Aly and AJ. The segment featured Tom Green dressing in a parrot costume, and squawking with a live parrot, to communicate telepathically. Green then proceeded to fly up above the audience, shooting confetti streamers out of his costume onto the crowd below.
In season one, the show was hosted by Regis Philbin and judged by actor David Hasselhoff, singer Brandy, and journalist Piers Morgan.
Winner
* Bianca Ryan (Viewers’ choice, July 27): An 11 year old singer.
Other finalists
* The Millers (Judges’ choice, July 12): A musical group consisting of two brothers. Cole, age 20, plays guitar, and L.D., age 12, plays harmonica.
* Taylor Ware (Viewers’ choice, July 13): An 11 year old yodelist.
* Realis (Judges’ choice, July 20): An acrobatics mixed pair performing hand-to-hand balancing and releases.
* At Last (Viewers’ choice, July 20): An a cappella act, performing R&B songs with a hip hop beat.
* Jessica Sanchez
* Rappin’ Granny (real name: Vivian Smallwood) (Judges’ choice, July 26): A 73 year old rapper.
* The Passing Zone (Judges’ choice, August 2): A comedy/juggling act.
* Celtic Spring (Viewers’ choice, August 3): A family Irish step dancing/fiddling act.
* All That (Judges’ choice, August 9): A clogging ensemble.
* Quick Change (Viewers’ choice, August 10): Clothes-changing magic act.
Season 2
Main article: America’s Got Talent (season 2)
After initially announcing in May 2006 that the second season of America’s Got Talent would debut in January 2007 at 8 PM on Sunday nights, with no separate results show, the network has changed its mind and pushed the show back to the summer, where the first season had great success. This move will keep the show out of direct competition with American Idol, which has a similar premise and is more popular. In AGT’s place, another reality-based talent show, Grease: You’re The One That I Want, began airing on Sunday nights in the same timeslot on NBC beginning in January.[4] In March 2007, NBC announced Jerry Springer as host,[5] with Sharon Osbourne (already a judge on Cowell’s UK show The X Factor) succeeding Brandy as a judge. This means the show, ironically, has two British judges and one American one.
The second season has no results show, replaced by results on the performance show night instead; in addition, each Tuesday broadcast was repeated (along with The Singing Bee episode that followed the 90-minute editions of AGT) by NBC the following Saturday.
The finale of the season was shown Tuesday, August 21, 2007, and the results are shown below:
Winner
* Terry Fator – ventriloquist/impressionist/singer from Mesquite, Texas.
Other finalists
* Cas Haley – singer/guitarist from Arlington, Texas. Second place.
* Butterscotch – beatboxer/singer from Davis, California. Third place.
* Julienne Irwin – 14-year old singer from Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland. Fourth place.
* Jason Pritchett – singer/guitar player from Independence, Missouri. Top 8 contestant.
* The Glamazons – group of plus-sized female burlesque singers. Top 8 contestant.
* Robert Hatcher – singer from Cincinnati, Ohio. Top 8 contestant.
* Sideswipe – Martial Arts group; made an appearance in Season 1. Top 8 contestant.
* The Calypso Tumblers – tumbling act. Top 10 contestant.
* The Duttons – family band. Top 10 contestant.
Season 3
Main article: America’s Got Talent (season 3)
NBC announced in August 2007 that the network had renewed the show for a third season. Auditions took place in Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago from January to April. A televised MySpace audition also took place. Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff returned as judges. Jerry Springer also returned as host. The show premiered on June 17, 2008. It will also be shown in the United Kingdom on ITV2.
Unlike Season 2, Talent became a substantially larger reality competition in Season 3, with seven weeks of auditions, compared to the four weeks of auditions in the previous seasons. Also, the auditions are held in well-known theaters across the nation, unlike last year. A substantial change is the new title card, which features the American flag as background. The X’s match the ones on Britain’s Got Talent, or they have been borrowed for this season. Like last season, the Las Vegas callbacks continue, but there will be forty acts selected to compete in the live rounds, instead of twenty.
The show is currently on hiatus for two and a half weeks for the 2008 Summer Olympics, but will return with the live rounds August 26, 2008.
The show opens with the three judges discussing their favorite acts and debating over who they think should go home. Meanwhile, the final sixty are waiting in the back discussing how nervous they are.
The first person to find out where they stand is our Elvis impersonator, Joseph. Sharon tells them that although she wasn’t quite as impressed with him the second time around, they are putting him through to the next round. He happily leaves the stage and receives a congratulatory hug from Jerry.
The next contestant to find out their fate are singers Kyle and Bryan. Although they are competing against each other, we see them get their results at the same time. Bryan will be moving on, but sadly Kyle will be going home. I’m sad because I really like him.
After the commercial break, we find out that brothers Tory and Damian will be going on to the semi finals, along with several other acts, including the James Gang, Tina Turner and a sibling act.
The Indigo Sisters are the next to find out where they stand and they will also be going to the semi finals! They win my vote for the greatest reaction–they are too adorable.
The Frank Sinatra impersonator is called up to the stage next, and he feels that this is his last chance to pursue his dreams of being in show business. Before he gets his results, he shows the judges the Sinatra stamp his wife made him with his picture on it. (So cute!) After a bit of teasing, he finds out he is on his way to the semi finals, making him the oldest act in the competition. He calls his wife to tell her the good news.
Kaitlyn Mayer, the adorable four year old singer finds out that she will be going to Hollywood. The judges each give her a hug before she runs into her mom’s arms. I think she is going to be one of the ones to watch–not just on the show, but in the future. She is incredible!
Dan, the solider who just returned from Iraq, gets the news that he will be going to the semi finals! I’m beyond thrilled for him, he is another early favorite of mine!
After Dan, we get another montage of acts that made it, including the martial arts girl, Chaquita, one of the country singers and the trombone player.
Queen Emily finds out that she will be going onto the next round, leaving her emotional and causing David to go onstage to give her a huge hug.
Baton twirler Jonathan discovers that he will also be going to the semi finals and is greeted with hugs from his mom and Joseph.
After a bit of teasing from Sharon, singer Jessica learns that will be moving on as well.
Sword swallower Dan is called to the stage after the commercial break. Sadly, he will be going home, but he says it makes him want to go farther as an entertainer. One of the female dance groups, the singing mom (who found her daughter on myspace, little David and the ballroom dancers will also be going home. My heart just breaks for David though–I think America could have fallen in love with him.
America’s Got Talent
Little Country and Page One from New Orleans (the tumblers who survived Hurricane Katrina) are called to the stage and find out that they will be going home as well. David tells them that this is not the end, but the beginning of a new journey for them. Both of them promise that they will continue to make their dreams come true.
The Britney Spears impersonator learns that he will be going to the semi finals.
Sadly, Exclusive will be going home, but he gets kind words and hugs from the judges before he leaves. (I love these judges, they are so kind and constructive)
Donald, the singer who severed his vocal cords in an accident eleven years ago, finds out that he will be going home as well, leaving him heartbroken. He feels as if he let his family down because he wanted his kids to see him succeed.
After the commercial break, we learns that the mascot dancers will be moving on to the next round, along with several female dancing groups, the cowboys and the tap dancing dads.
America’s Got Talent
Opera singer Neal learns that he will be going to the semi finals, along with fellow opera singer, Michael.
Jerry lets us know that each week we will be voting each week to decide who will win.
However, the circus act female was injured after the recording of the show, so now America must decide who will replace them in the Top 40 here on America’s Got Talent. In order to decide, go to http://www.nbc.com/americasgottalent. Have a good night everyone and see you after the Olympics!