The July 24 episode of America’s Got Talent found the final 12 acts taking to the stage hoping to prove to America that they were worth voting for to send through to the semifinals. (For the record, most were “painfully entertaining.”) Horse demonstrated his superhuman powers, while Eric Dittelman used his mind-reading powers to take a jab at Howie Mandel. Other acts, like Lindsay Norton, delivered stellar dance moves, while Sebastien “El Charro de Oro” supplied the charm.

Here’s a rundown of how everyone fared this week:

David “The Bullet” Smith — Human Cannonball

He’s attempting to go the distance, further and higher than ever before. He takes the audience outside (in a pre-taped performance) for a death-defying stunt as he is shot from an over-sized cannon down the length of a football field for a 40-yard field goal. Is he successful? Sure. Is it entertaining? Not in the slightest.

All That! – Male Clogging Group

You would never imagine that a group of hunky men would be cloggers (or even tap dancers, for that matter). Decked out in crisp multi-color button-ups, they tapped their hearts out to Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” and earned themselves a roaring applause from the studio audience. That certainly was quite entertaining. Sharon advised them to take on a Magic Mike kind of performance with leather and no shirts. (Yes, I approve of this.)

Ulysses – Singer/Impersonator

He spiced things up tonight with some female dancers as he performed the American Bandstand theme song. Within the first 30 seconds, both Sharon and Howard pushed their big red X’s. It was like he took a trip back to the 1950′s, but instead of being entertaining, it came off like a cruise ship act. Not worth $1 million.

Joe Castillo – Sand Story Artist

He started his routine with a sand painting of the world and slowly created various animal portraits — including a lion and an elephant. He quickly segued into an artsy take on a peering human eye with a tear. He sculpted, crafted, and touched the panel’s hearts with a special message about conservation.

Sebastien “El Charro de Oro” – Young mariachi singer — “Kiss Me, Kiss Me Much”

He wants to bring mariachi to the forefront of the American mainstream. “Just because I haven’t been in love, doesn’t mean I can’t sing about love,” he said in his pre-performance package. He took the stage with a full mariachi band behind him and crooned his way in the panel’s hearts…again. (Yup. This kid has charm and oodles of talent, to boot.)

Eric Dittelman – Magician/Comedian/Mind Reader

With his own version of Deal or No Deal, he targeted Howie in his routine. He also involved Howard and Sharon as he eliminated rows and cases, until it came down to Howie picking the #4 silver case. “America will be talking about Dittleman tomorrow morning,” Sharon commented. (How does he do that?)

William Close – World’s Largest Stringed Instrument

With a giant harp constructed on the stage, he plucked a delicately stirring song that was accompanied by raucous drums and vocals. The ethereal atmosphere combine with true artistic talent to garner him a standing ovation from the panel and the audience. (Kudos!) “We’re done. You won the whole competition,” Howie critiqued.

Unity In Motion – Contortion Troupe

Despite the pressures of the competition, the troupe of seven girl contortionists delivered a smooth performance set to music from Requiem for a Dream. Their routine was swift, and their execution was like gulping a tall glass of filtered water. (They deserve a spot in the semifinals.)

Eric and Olivia – Acoustic Duo — “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz

They took an acoustic twist on a well-known pop song. Her quirky vocal tone brought a freshness to a cool performance that could have very well fell dead in the pan otherwise. However, the judges were just not into the arrangement and delivery, saying the duo made a big mistake tonight.

Lindsey Norton – Solo Dancer — Cirque du Soleil Theme

Donning a bedazzled body suit, she flitted, floated and flipped across the stage. Her moves were similar to an Olympic floor exercise, as Howie pointed out. “It was original, but it was not,” he commented. She also used mirrors to enhance the performance and add an air of beauty. (Bravo.)

Horse – Daredevil

He envisions his talent as a super power, he commented in his pre-performance package.   Wearing a red, white and blue colored costume, he was man-handled across the stage performing various ball-busting stunts. “He’s painfully entertaining,” said Sharon.

Olate Dogs – New York, NY (Performing Dogs)

Six cute and fluffy canines balanced on moving metal wheels, slide down a slide, and tossed across the red carpet. Is there anything cuter? It was certainly enough to get the judges to their feet.

And that’s a wrap! Tomorrow night, three acts will be voted through by America with one act being selected by the panel.

Jason’s Predictions: Olate Dogs, Lindsay Norton, William Close, Sebastien “El Charro de Oro”

HollywoodLifers, what was YOUR favorite act of the night? Do you agree with Howie that William Close has already won the competition? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

On the June 12 episode, America’s Got Talent headed south to Tampa, Fla., to continue the search for a million dollar act! Did Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne and Howard Stern find it? Well, they certainly found something worth talking about. As the talent was mostly lackluster, there were a few shining gems in the pile of rehashed overachievers who proved to not only bore but willed Howard to want to jump from a window. (Ouch.)

Instead of breaking down the top acts of the night, let’s take a look at the most buzz-worthy of the lot:

5. The Untouchables, Ages 8-13 – Students

(OMG) They danced to Jennifer Lopez‘s “On The Floor.” I just got (somewhat) unpleasant flashbacks to this season’s Idol. (Whoops.) They were decked out in frills, hot moves, and owned the stage. There was so much twirling I could’t quite focus, but it was quite entertaining.

4. The American BMX Stunt Team, Ages 20-44

10 people rode and performed at the same time! “Let’s hope for some broken something,” Howard quipped before they take the stage. The crew soared and plunged across the stage. There was a touch of blood-curdling danger that gripped the audience and engaged them to watch the entire routine. Needless to say, the crowd ate it up! (Nom, nom nom!)

3. Big Barry, 70 – Retired Restaurant Owner

He’s a 70-year-old teenager (OK, then). He had a great personality and oozed confidence, but once he took to the stage, he was pretty bad. The term “lounge singer” would be too generous to use to describe him. On hitting his X, “it was either that or jumping out a window,” Howard joked. (You aren’t the only one, dude.) Shockingly, Big was sent straight on to the Vegas round — presumably for the LOLz.

2. Lindsey Norton, 16  - Student/Acrobatic Dancer

With such ease and grace, she tossed and pivoted across the stage. Her body was made of water! With a lullaby-like song playing in the background, she bent and twisted her body like a pretzel ready for snack time. She made sure to pepper in some more artistic movements to flesh out her concept. Very nice. “I’m just so excited,” she giggled afterwards when asked why she was laughing.

1. Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel

(OMG.) Perhaps, the most adorable animal act I’ve ever seen. Needless to say, it was pretty simply as his owner placed him on a miniature jet ski. Twiggy — grasping the handle bars — rode ’round and ’round in little circles. Real talent? Nah. Entertaining? Heck yes!

Have you not watched the night’s episode? Check out Twiggy’s adorbs audition below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hollywoodlifers, do you now want to own a pet squirrel? And what did YOU think of the nights acts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The June 5 episode of America’s Got Talent brought the team back to Austin, and boy were they in for quite a surprise! There was the usual artistic light show acts and guitar-toting singers, but none of those were the cream of the crop. Andrew De Leon — who is clearly inspired by Marilyn Manson — was, perhaps, the biggest surprise yet of the season. But that’s not all! With the assistance of a pole-dancing Nick Cannon, the panel uncovered several rare gems that should do well in this competition.

Let’s break down the top five acts of the night, shall we?

5. Aurora Light Painters, 38-46

Set to “Fireflies” by Owl City, they bathed the stage in several creative images of a mermaid, spaceship and more by using several different flashlights. It was like a real life Lite-Brite. (Remember that as a kid?) I wouldn’t say this was an “act,” but it was pretty impressive. “It’s a very unusual art form,” Sharon Osbourne commented.

4. Doppelganger Circus Sideshow

The pink-haired lip-pierced girl — after being blindfolded and stuffed like a roasted pig — sat in a chair while her creepy counterpart pulled out a chainsaw. (Oh no!). With an apple clenched in her teeth, she sat there as he carved the letter ‘H’ in the apple. This was perhaps one of the most cringe-worthy acts yet! Plus, she suffered from lockjaw. That’s never a good combo.

3. Eric & Olivia, 20 – College Students, Musicians

She sang. He played the guitar. They performed “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5, and she had such a lovely tone to her voice. Quirky and cool. “You guys just broke through,” Howard Stern told them. He complimented the arrangement and her vocals.

(Note: They are 50 percent “WGWG,” white guy with guitar.)

2. Eric Dittleman – Mindreader

Are you kidding me? He handed the panel paper, pens, and instructed them to draw something “big and bold.” Eric then proceeded to cover his eyes with black duct tape. (What was that?) Nick then collected the drawings and held them over Eric’s head. Without fail, Eric guessed every single drawing: Howie drew an ear, Howard drew himself, and Sharon drew a pair of glasses. (How did he do that?)

1. Andrew De Leon, 19

He was such a breath of fresh air. Despite his Marilyn Manson-like attire, he proved that he has the talent to go far. Once he took the stage in all black and opened his mouth, I was awestruck. He had a lovely operatic voice. While I wasn’t completely blown away, there’s definitely some talent there. Can you believe this was his first time performing for anyone?!?!

In case you missed it, check out Andrew’s jaw-dropping audition. You just might cry.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some people are just made to audition for America’s Got Talent, and this week’s golden contestant came in the form of Tim Poe, a Texas native who suffered a debilitating injury during the war in Afghanistan which left him with a severe stutter. Fortunately, Tim doesn’t stutter when he sings, so he had the entire Austin auditorium — wait, make that all of America — eating out of the palm of his hand June 4 as he crooned a smooth country ditty.

OK, now let’s talk about six other acts of note from the evening…

Sebastian de la Cruz, 10, and his mariachi band:

Dubbed the ”little Mexican male Jackie Evancho” by Mr. Howie Mandel, this kid opened the show and had the entire crowd on its feet. It wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I’m not surprised the judges put him through to Vegas. Howard Stern probably didn’t want to make another little kid cry.

Acrobat brothers:

I’m not going to pretend like these two didn’t impress me, because they did, but I can’t help compare them to another acrobatic act we saw earlier this season — Donovan and Rebecca, the couple with the amazing balancing act — and these guys paled in comparison.

Ganbaatar’s contortionist sisters:

These two beautiful, flexible ladies weren’t just crowd pleasers — they were Howard pleasers.

LuLu, the plus-sized pole dancer:

OK, this lady didn’t make it to Vegas, but I can’t not talk about her. Her name is LuLu and she’s a pole dancer. The catch? Well, look at her:

At the very least, I expect this woman to get a show on TLC.

Joe Castillo, the sand man:

The first thing you should know about me is that I friggin’ LOVE sand art. And not only did Mr. Castillo create a beautifully patriotic story with his sand, but he even set it to Lee Greenwood‘s “God Bless The USA.” Seriously, a more patriotic song does not exist. Of course he’s going to Vegas.

David Smith Jr., the human cannonball:

There isn’t much to say about this guy, except he’s obviously out of his mind… with talent!

OK, Americans, what was YOUR favorite act of the night? Vote below, then drop a comment with more of your thoughts!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

“Does New York have talent?” host Nick Cannon boomed at the top of the hour. Judges Sharon Osbourne, Howie Mandel and Howard Stern took to the streets of New York City to an answer that question and find their million-dollar act. Arriving in their luxurious limos, they did not know what to expect. Surely, what they did not expect to find was that rap fever had struck the Big Apple.

Let’s break down tonight’s top five best auditions, shall we?

5. Mir Money, 7 – Rapper
Adorable. He’s a tad too young for such a grueling competition, but his rapping skills were admirable for a seven-year-old. He entered the stage with such swag that I was sure he would wow the judges. Unfortunately, for Howard and Sharon, he just wasn’t their cup of tea. Howard called him “brave to get up there,” but that only sent lil’ Mir into a waterfall of tears. Mr. Stern then leaped onto the stage to comfort the future rapper. It’s OK that he did not move forward in the competition; his future looks promising.

4. The Olate Dogs
This feisty dog crew impressed the panel with a series of cute stunts and tricks as the canines performed backflips, dodged blue flags, and jumped hurdles. They even formed a samba line! Howie dubbed them the “best animal act he’s ever seen.” With the recent crowning of a dog act on Britain’s Got Talent, this act could go very far in the competition.

3. Horse, 25 – Bouncer
This was by far the most off-the-cuff audition of the season. As the man with the tough-as-steel groin, he endured multiple kicks — including a few from Nick– a cinder block being hammered and crushed to dust, and a leap into the air on top of a long piece of wood. He was a dare devil, there was no doubt about that. The concern was: How was that physically possible? All three judges were incredibly impressed with his “talent.” The most dangerous stunt, yet? Perhaps so.

2. Wordspit, the Illest – Band
This unlikely rap group was a breathe of fresh air after a montage of battle of the band wannabes. Their audition began as a bizarre hodgepodge of electric guitar, violin, R&B and rap. Midway through, however, it all came together. The lead singer worked the crowd with such high energy, it felt like a concert. It will be interesting to see if they can keep up the momentum going into the Las Vegas rounds.

1. Burton Crane , 77 – “Grandfather of Rap”
Decked out in an all white suit, Burton took to the stage with his Casio keyboard to entertain the crowd. According to him, he’s been rapping since 1972 and is the “grandfather of rap.” Within seconds, he had the crowd captivated with his confidence and uncanny ability to create a clever hook. To be honest, I did not expect him to be as good as he was. That’s the funny thing about shows like this; you never know what to expect. Yes, I’m now going to have “whatcha gonna do?” stuck in my head.

Hollywoodlifers, what was YOUR favorite act of the night? Did you enjoy the “Grandfather of Rap” as much as I did? Sound off in the comments.

— Jason Scott

Returning judges Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne proved, once again, to be the right celebrities for the job of searching America for the best undiscovered talent. In the two-hour America’s Got Talent premiere – led by poster boy and host Nick Cannon — the talent ran the gamut from over-the-top exotic male stripping, impressive tap dancing, dog puppets, and raspy vocalists. The ensemble scoured the country visiting Los Angeles and St. Louis in tonight’s grand premiere and focused solely on the audition rounds.

What this show is able to do, unlike many other competition shows, is pull the viewer in and keep them wanting more. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Day 1 – Los Angeles Auditions

Aoni Jackson, 34 – Magician:
Magic is always a crowd pleaser. The performance began as family-friendly showcase, but quickly turned sour. Aoni asked to borrow someone’s ring, and when Howie offered his, he made his way onto the stage. Aoni drug out the act to incite boos from the audience. Howard was having none of it and quickly pressed his “X” button. The dude, in an attempt to save his act, went back behind a curtain and emerged as a male stripper! Who ordered this ridiculata?

“Are you a stripper or a magician?” Sharon asked. (FYI, he’s both.)

Miss Les, 55, “Bird Lady” – Music Teacher and Bird Trainer:
This was her first performance with 22 cockatiels. She headed on stage with all of them perched on her shoulders. Turned out, she’s a “singer,” and I use that term loosely. Certainly, she wasn’t terrible; she’s quite decent. Her birds assisted with the background chirping. Howard presses his “X” and was able to deliver legitimate feedback without being mean. Quirky and fun, “Bird Lady” was just not quite right as a million-dollar act.

Montage #1:
Dude with Guitar
Guy in Sparkle Ensemble
Gorilla Man
Zebra Dancing
Guy on Keyboard
Blonde with Ukelele

“Sexy Sax Man”:
Shirtless and flaunting his assets, this guy came out on stage with too-much-to-handle confidence. Too bad his talent didn’t quite sync up. In the brief clip, his saxophone playing was quite enjoyable. After getting a “No” from the judges, he made his way into the audience, up the center aisle, and out the front door.

William Close, 42 – Musician:
He brought his five-month pregnant wife Sara along for the ride. He played a ginormous earth harp, and the strings were draped across the stage up to the balcony.Unlike previous acts, his crafty musicianship earned him a standing ovation from the judges. His hands worked rapidly across the larger-than-life strings to produce a jaw-dropping performance. The crowd went wild and chanted “play it again.” He was easily one of the best and most original acts of the night.

(Thank you, DVR! I can now play that on repeat.)

Elements Dance Cru, Ages 12-18
They take clogging and adapting it to different themes and genres. The bang their routine with some impressively intriguing tap dancing. Decked out in what can be summed up as “gothic schoolgirl,” these girls brought the heat. They’re performance was crisp and melded into a complete ensemble to create a captivating piece of art. Afterwards, the crowd ate it up and the judges gave them a “Yes.” Howie gave them some great constructive critisicm to fine tune their individual parts but loved it.

Montage #2:
All Wheels Sports
Elizabeth the Aerial Daredevil

Chris Lavar – Freestyle Rapper:
He decided to dedicate his rap to Howard. “Say hi to Beetlejuice,” he speak-sang. He was pretty hilarious, even if his rhythm was pretty pedestrian. The thematic material was, indeed, clever. The judges gave him a standing O. He lets the audience know that it was 100% off the top of his head.

Well, color me impressed.

Jorge Narvaez and daughter Alexa – Singers:
Guitar in hand, he sat on stage next to his daughter Alexa. They are such a priceless act — as she started out the performance with an adorable whistling melody. Their vocals weren’t awe-inspiring, but the cuteness factor was off the charts. The judges unanimously vote them through to Vegas!

Day 2 – St. Louis, Missouri:

Ben Blaque, 32 – Crossbow Shooter
“Anything could go wrong today during the performance,” he said in his pre-performance package. His lovely assistant (and friend) came out on stage to hold up targets as he shot real arrows at them. Despite it being incredibly dangerous, she didn’t even flinch once. At one point, she held an inflated balloon in her mouth. He shot with ease and hit it dead on. If wasn’t so nail bitingly uncomfortable, I would have loved it. I was in fear for her life. Howie and Howard gave him a standing ovation. Off to the next round for him!

Light Wire Theatre:
All the lights were turned off. The stage became a dance club with psychedelic flowers, dinosaurs, and flying pterodactyls. Afterwards, when all is revealed, we got to see the people behind the flashy presentation. It’s so refreshing to see something so different from all the other hoopla that people bring to the table. Fantastic.

Montage #3:
Scorpion-Eating Man
Man and His Dog-Puppet Irvine
Stick and Move Dance Crew

Sanjuela Armotta, – Side-Show Performer:
Oh boy, this guy was a little out there. With the assistance of his wife and friend, he perform a stunt the audience would “remember for the rest of [their] lives.” Urging the audience to chant, his friend beat on a drum while Sanjeula stabbed metal spikes into his face. This act was definitely not for the faint of heart.

(Are you a bit squeamish? You might want to skip this one.)

Montage #4:
Kazoo Boys
Stormin’ Norman
“Party-Party-Party” Guys

Loyalty Dance Team, Ages 14-23:
Wearing snappy zebra-striped pants, this group bumped and grinded across the stage. Their fancy footwork and overall smooth moves were impressive. They worked as a whole team and as individual members. Their technique could be fine tuned more, but for an audition, they felt their performance and gave it their all.

“Simply” Sergio, 47 – Opera Singer:
Brimming with confidence, he moved his hips and despite boos from the crowd, he charged forward with a lackluster delivery. His wife and Nick joined him onstage and danced in the background. I’m getting flashbacks at some of the many dreadful American Idol auditions.

Howie hadn’t heard enough and had him sing something else. This time, he sang “God Bless America.” He was a million times better, but I’m still not impressed. Apparently, the audience was watching a different show than me. Even Howard went up on stage to give him a hug. He has a heart!

Shanice, 18, and Maurice, 62, Her Father – Singers/Street Musicians:
They sang a touching rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend.” Vocally, Shanice had a deep and buttery lower register, and her father was just as impressive. Their backstory might get them further in the competition than based purely on talent. However, I want to see more of them. They deserve it.

Acts Voted to Vegas:

Ben Blaque the Archer
Jorge and daughter Alexa
Chris the Rapper
Elizabeth the Aerial Daredevil
All Wheels Sports
Elements Dance Cru
William the Earth Harp Player
Stick and Move Dance Crew
Man and Puppet Dog
Loyalty Dance Team
“Simply” Sergio
Shanice and Maurice

Final Thoughts:

Howard Stern completely impressed me tonight. He gave succinct constructive criticism without being mean. At first, I had qualms about his role on such a big show, but my doubts have been quelched. He’s exactly the kind of voice of reason talent shows need to thrive. I’m anxious and excited to see how he performs the remainder of the season.

Hollywoodlifers, which were your favorite acts? And what did you think of Howard tonight? Drop us a comment with your review!

Jackie Evancho submitted her audition via YouTube — and the huge voice coming out of her tiny body will give you goosebumps! But do you think she’ll steal Justin Bieber’s YouTube crown?

America’s Got Talent did something different on Tuesday night, featuring acts no one had ever seen before, who had to submit videos of themselves via YouTube. One of the acts was Jackie Evancho, a mindblowing little girl who sang, in the words of judge Piers Morgan, “like an angel.” Since then YouTube and Google have been on fire with people wanting to see for themselves. We can’t decide if she’s more like Justin Bieber (YouTube sensation) or Susan Boyle (amazing voice coming from a totally unlikely person), but the judges were clearly blown away.

“We said from the beginning that this was scary,” judge Howie Mandel told Jackie after she finished to a standing ovation, “all we want to do is to find that one moment, that one gem, that one star … and this is the moment. You’re the star.”

Piers called it “one of the most extraordinary performances I’ve ever seen,” and commented that, “tomorrow, America’s going to be going crazy over a little girl who sang like an angel.”

“I feel like I’m going to burst into tears!” Jackie responded to the cooing judges. We know how she feels. We’re right there with her. In fact, we’re going to watch it again, right now.