'America's Got Talent' recap: Halfway through the top 40!

Welcomeback for the second night in a row where Jerry looks entirely too excitedto announce the next 10 contestants. Now, there were some questionson Tuesday as to whether Hoff was drunk or not. My theory is, how couldn’the be? It’s probably the only way he could have made it through thatshow. But last night, we had 10 more, and I had high hopes for the newcrop of talent. But first, the results from Tuesday! Four of the winnerswere chosen by the audience, and one was chosen by the judges. The choices were pretty obvious, and even though I was glad the judges chose James Gang over Elite, it should be known, again,that AGT makes little girls cry. But of course, we needed an emotionalstart because who knows if we’ll get another moment like that inthe next hour and 45 minutes?

So now,the next 10, all of them suffering from crippling mediocrity. BeyondBelief Dance Company would have been better if I weren’t so obsessedwith America’s Best Dance Crew. My standards are higher now, and I’mpretty sure these guys wouldn’t have passed Shane Sparks’ criticisms.They barely survived Piers’, who looked as if he was about to losehis mind at any moment. ZOOperstars! entertained a bit as well, but they killed theirown act by claiming the only reason Piers didn’t like them was becausehe was British. Hoff seconded this sentiment, telling them not to listento his critiques because he isn’t even American. Because people fromother countries clearly don’t know anything about talent. I mean,look at Germany, right Hoff?

Jerry introduced Jonathan Arons (see clip below) as “a man doingbizarre things with a trombone,” making me wonder if we’ve somehowbacktracked to his other show. You couldn’t even hear his tromboneover the canned horns of “Let’s Groove Tonight” and “September”,but the boy could dance. Piers described him as “one sandwich shortof a picnic.” I couldn’t have described that act better myself.And after Daniel Jens, Piers just wantedthe Slippery Kittens (can you even say that on television?), the all-momburlesque group, to put their clothes back on. But it’s probably becausehe’s British.

After George the Giant chained himself up and got himself beaten up bychildren (you heard me), we finally had Queen Emily. (Watch her performance below.) I actually yelled”yes!” when they announced her name. I needed some good soul aftertonight. She belted “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and blew everyother act out of the water. Okay, so they saved the talent (not tomention the only person performing on key) for last. Point to you, AGT.

So did youthink tonight’s crop was better than Tuesdays? Are Americans better atjudging talent than the Brits? And how long before Piers Morgan justcracks?