Blog Posts by Rachel Stuhler

Things went a little south on this week's AGT, and by south, we mean straight to Tampa Bay, Florida, where the temperatures were high and the talent pool was decidedly lacking. Between the "real Edward Scissorhands" and a plethora of dancers with no dancing skill whatsoever, even sweet Sharon resorted to yelling "NO!" to get one of them off the stage. But let's skip those bad auditions and take a look at the few hidden gems that had the judges talking.

Most Surprising: All That
"All That" is a big name to live up to, but these country-music cloggers sure did it justice. And really, who's ever heard of such a thing – macho, tattooed, country-music clogging? These guys need to be seen to be believed.

They're With the Band
The Distinguished Gentlemen of Brass are former theme-park employees who found themselves without jobs and still with an excess of talent. They decided to put their skills to use and formed a new band – to "make their own fortune." These showmen are ones to watch in theRead More »from America's Got Talent, Week 3/Night 1

Last night on "America's Got Talent," it was New York City's turn to shine. The city that never sleeps lined up for the chance at a million dollars, bringing out the weird and talented alike. This season of AGT is already shaping up a little like Freaky Friday, with the Howard Stern we expected switching roles with the normally calm and respectful Howie Mandel -- though we did get a peek of the old shock jock mentality when Stern made a cherub-faced, 7-year-old rapper cry. Let's take a look at New York's most memorable acts.

 

Most Surprising: The Return of the Shock Jock

We've all been watching this kinder, more thoughtful version of Howard Stern, at times wondering where the shock and awe had gone. Last night, Stern seemed to find his old voice -- and used it to make a little boy cry. Here's hoping one bad critique doesn't make Mir Money hang up the microphone for good.

 

Taking Flyte

Season 7 is lifting off with more variety than the last few years, as

Read More »from 'America's Got Talent': Week 2, Night 1 Recap: Tears for Mir

Four acts earned a spot in next week's finale (Trae Patton/NBC)Thousands auditioned, waiting overnight in freezing cold temperatures, just for the opportunity to perform for Howie, Sharon, and Piers. But by the start of Week 15, just 10 acts remained to battle it out for the last four spots on "America's Got Talent." Before the show, the judges and host Nick Cannon hosted a party to celebrate the accomplishments of the final 10, a brief but welcome respite before their toughest challenge yet. Let's look at the lucky four who just took one step closer to $1 million.

Most Surprising: Silhouettes
Silhouettes is one of two acts everyone saw as a contender for the "AGT" crown. But last week, the judges weren't quite as blown away by the act, so for the Top 10, Silhouettes returned to its roots -- sweet, sentimental, and All-American. The return clearly paid off.

Read More »from ‘America’s Got Talent’ Week 15 Recap: The Final Four Emerge

Were you impressed by Silhouettes? (Lewis Jacobs/NBC)It's the second of the semifinal weeks on "America's Got Talent," and there's no question that every remaining contestant has earned his or her place here. We're no longer weeding out dubious acts, rather sorting through the best of the best -- and the ones who can control their nerves in front of the millions of viewers. It wouldn't be an episode of "AGT" if Piers didn't keep a twitchy hand on the buzzer, but his choices were again vindicated by the voters. Let's take a look at the last five finalists.

Most Surprising: Landon Swank
Landon Swank has had a tough road on "AGT." He showed such early promise, but then had a disappointing finish with the voters. When Piers brought him back for the Wild Card show, Landon was ready to win America over. This week, his act was so nerve-racking that Sharon's hands shook uncontrollably, and she accidentally bumped her buzzer.

Read More »from ‘America’s Got Talent’ Week 14 Recap: Last Five Finalists

Team iLuminate lit up the semifinal round (Trae Patton/NBC)You thought the quarterfinals would never end, but we're finally here: the semifinals of "America's Got Talent." Thousands auditioned and were whittled down to just 24 contenders, all vying for a million dollars and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show. The first round of 12 semifinalists performed this week, and the stakes are higher than ever. Piers Morgan continued his tradition of "X"-ing anyone who bored him for even a half-second, but at the close of Wednesday's show, five acts were still in the running. Let's take a look at them.

Most Surprising: Team iLuminate
You'd never guess that Team iLuminate was borne from a small Brooklyn apartment. In the early rounds, everyone marveled at the "dancers in the dark," and now we can marvel, too. This week's performance mimicked a '90s video game and had the audience on their feet -- and rightly so.

Read More »from ‘America’s Got Talent’ Week 13 Recap: Semifinal Standouts

J. Chris Newberg cut Piers down to size (Lewis Jacobs/NBC)It was wild card week on "America's Got Talent," and things were, in a word, wild. The judges were each allowed to pick four acts that were previously sent home and give them one more chance to impress America.

The animosity between Piers and Howie took center stage as Pier declared that every one of Howie's choices was worthless — and a waste of the viewers' time. Though Piers was ultimately vindicated when three of his four picks were voted into the semifinals, Howie got the last laugh. His choice, comedian J. Chris Newberg, used his time to "roast" Piers. Let's take a look at those acts rejoining the competition.

Read More »from ‘America’s Got Talent’ Week 12 Recap: Wild Card Round

Bicyclist Matt Wilhelm lit up the stage (Chris Haston/NBC)For the talented masses who couldn't make it to an "America's Got Talent" tryout in person, the show also opens its doors to YouTube submissions. And so, after 10 weeks of the fire-eaters and jump-ropers we've been following since tryouts, this week the show unveiled the best of the online auditions onstage and in person from Hollywood.

Piers was in an especially bad mood this week, buzzing four acts in a row -- including an adorable pint-size gymnast. Luckily, Sharon and Howie were there to offset his grumpiness, helping America find four acts to advance into the main competition. Let's take a look at them.

Most Surprising: Matt Wilhelm
This year seems to be all about the acts in the dark. Just last week we had Team iLuminate, and this week we have Matt Wilhelm, a black-light stunt bicyclist. His act would be charming and cool in full light, but in the dark, it becomes extremely dangerous -- and maybe even worth a million dollars.

Read More »from ‘America’s Got Talent’ Week 11 Recap: YouTube Auditions