Chicago auditions - Recap

It is the final week of auditions for America’s Got Talent and the stage is set in Chicago. The judges are ready to close the auditions and first up to prove that he has talent is Zack Hardy. He wants to show his talent of sneezing and “germ-a-phobe” Howie Mandel wants nothing to do with it. He immediately buzzes before Zack starts and walks away. Zack attempts to make himself sneeze with a Q-tip and it looks like this nose is not going to sneeze. Pierce buzzes him as he still is trying and Howie returns to buzz Sharon’s buzzer. Howie says “That snot talent.” Zack doesn’t make it into the next round.

Next up are eight roommates called “Strickers All Stars” want to impress with their love of dance and show off the different skills that they have from dancing together. They start off and right away everyone in the audience including the judges are all amazed! With perfect timing and amazing moves, they dance their way into Vegas. Sharon is amazed and gives them a WOW. Howie tells that it was amazing and Pierce says that they have it all and they were amazing. The dancers make it to Vegas on a high note and are excited to show that they have more then what the audience and judges saw.

This set off a montage of good acts that included Gentlemen of NUCO who with their classical instruments and popular songs impress the judges to give them a yes to Vegas. “New Covenant”, a gospel singing group, impress with their soulful sounding voices and Naison who has the talent of dance and gets through to the next round in Vegas. To add to his favor, Sharon asks to see Naison’s tattoos only to see him with out his t-shirt. Chicago is proving that they have what it takes to get through to Vegas and are definitely representing for their city.

But this is short lived when a 50 year old man that calls himself “The Spellbinder” wants to “attempt” to win over the audience and judges. Confident in his act, he starts to put a handkerchief in place to the exact spot, to which Sharon buzzes. His act doesn’t impress the way he wants it to when he uses the handkerchief in the act and has it “dance”. It is not at all impressive for Vegas and the judges all tell him that it is not going to happen. This doesn’t damper “The Spellbinder” or his spirit. He walks off the stage returning back to home to try his “magic” somewhere else.

This triggers a montage of bad acts that include Tom Zemke that thinks that dancing around in his underwear is a good thing, Lara Earst that feels that bouncing around in a bubble ball attempting to juggle, to which Howie thinks is genius to have being the germ-a-phobe he is. But the act is not at all impressive, and “Buddy Holly Cheese Head” whose singing is horrible. The auditions have hit a snag and it is hard to tell if it is going to be possible to redeem.

However, hoping to get Chicago out of the slumps, Carlos Aponte from Peurto Rico is ready for the chance and despite his ability to speak English that well, he feels that he has a voice that will do just the trick. He walks on stage and proves that he is not versed in the English Language and is going to sign a Spanish Opera. He starts singing and it is amazing that such a voice comes out of someone so little. At the end, he receives a standing ovation and Pierce says that Carlos gave him goose bumps. Sharon says that she was shocked and Howie says that he could listen to him forever. He is through to Vegas, but doesn’t seem to know to get off the stage. He is enjoying the moment. He goes off the stage and tells that he is amazed himself.

Next after the break, Polina Volchek is in the middle of her routine and it is a hula hoop swirling talent that impresses everyone. With the crowd showing “Vegas”, the judges tell her that she was amazing. Howie calls her “Hooters on Steroids”. Next after Polina is muscle clad John Batey, who happens to be a registered nurse, wants to impress with his muscles. Lifting a 290 ball of concrete on stage with no problem at all, he starts with bending a skillet into a burrito shape. He then hammers a nail in a piece of board and a license plate with ease and places that 290 pound ball on his lap and bends thick nail. Howie and Sharon are impressed but pierce buzzed throughout John’s performance. Pierce tells that the skillet was a weak one. Howie gives Pierce the skillet to bend it back. He is unable to do it. Still confident, Pierce challenges John to bend it back. He does. John gets through to Vegas to which an embarrassed Pierce says yes as well.

Closing day one of the Chicago auditions is Debra Romer. She tells how she ran away from home at 17 and has been living waiting tables and wants to make her career as a singer. She starts singing “In the Arms of an Angel”, she is pitch perfect throughout the whole song. However, Howie tells her that he didn’t sense that the performance was strong enough. Pierce tells her that he loved it and Sharon allows her to go through to the next round but tells her that she has to own it next time. Day one comes to a close and the judges feel that it was a good audition day for Chicago.

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