America's Got Talent: Season 5 - Wildcard Show

Here's a recap of last week's results (or you can just scroll down to get to this week's performance show):

• Pup, Pizza Patt, Maestro Alexander Bui & Austin Anderson are up first:
• Maestro Alexander Bui - Advancing to Semifinals [Predictions: 1/1]
• Pup - Eliminated
• Pizza Patt - Eliminated
• Austin Anderson - Eliminated
• Evolution of Dance's Judson Laipply
• Dylan Plummer, Dan Sperry & Booker Forte are up next:
• Dan Sperry - Advancing to Semifinals [2/2]
• Dylan Plummer - Eliminated
• Booker Forte - Eliminated
• Lin Yu Chung performs Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You"
• Ryan Rodriguez & Jackie Evancho are up next:
• Jackie Evancho - Advancing to Semifinals [3/3]
• Ryan Rodriguez - Eliminated
• PLUtonic, Cam Hodges & Kristina Young are the final three acts:
• PLUtonic - Eliminated
• Judge's Choice:
• Howie - Cam Hodges
• Sharon - Kristina Young
• Piers - Kristina Young
• Kristina Young - Advancing to Semifinals [3/4]
• Cam Hodges - Eliminated
• My Predictions: I got three out of four correct.

America's Got Talent Season 5: Wildcard Show

Airdate: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 [9-11pm]

1. Kruti Dance Academy [Bollywood Dancers; chosen by Piers]: When it comes to dancers on this show, I have always favored the Bollywood dancers, and Kruti Dance Academy proved why. Their choreography, music and costumes are on a higher level than regular dancers this show has had. I don't know what the other acts are going to be like, but Kruti may have a good shot.
2. Rudy Macaggi [Danger Act; chosen by Sharon]: If I recall correctly, he spent most of his previous performance talking and showing no content until the final few seconds. And the same thing happened this time (so boring). The danger act this time was stupid and didn't seem that dangerous compared to the blade of death he did before. He's gone for sure.
3. CJ Dippa [Child rapper; chosen by Howie]: He was rightly eliminated in the quarterfinals, and should not have been brought back. The song was terrible, and his dance moves were nothing extraordinary. When the judges were commenting, it looked like he was getting emotional; I believe he was faking it to get the sympathy vote (that's the sort of thing he would do).
4. RNG [Young female dancers; chosen by Sharon]: They were terrible last time; not just with the moves, but with the cheesy story as well. They did step it up somewhat since when, such as getting rid of the story and adding the attitude, but they're still not that great. So far, Kruti is the act to beat.
5. Harmonica Pierre [Harmonica player; performed Lady Gaga's "Alejandro," chosen by Piers]: On the night of his quarterfinal performance, he was the only act that was perfect from start to finish, and was wrongly eliminated. I love that he chooses current songs that everybody knows, tonight being Lady Gaga's "Alejandro." There were times that he was great on the song, and a few cheesy moments when he wasn't playing and decided to sway his hands. So while overall I would give him a B+ or A- (as opposed to an A last time), he is still better than all but one act so far tonight.
6. Michael Grasso [Magician; chosen by Sharon]: The judges wrongly cut him back in Vegas, and he proved tonight why they should have kept him in. I loved his sleight of hand magic in Vegas, and he has impressed me as well this time with a stage illusion. He's the best so far tonight.
7. The Hot Shot Tap Dancers [Tap Dancers; chosen by Howie]: There was nothing special about their tap dancing. If you listened to the sounds of their tapping, you could tell they were not always in sync with each other. And at times, it seemed like they weren't really trying all that hard.
8. Doogie Horner [Comedian; chosen by Piers]: Something weird just happened: I actually laughed a few times (but only slightly). But even so, he still bombed during the other 95% of the time. So, at this point, I have no idea what to make of his chances.
9. Connor Doran [Kite Flyer; chosen by Howie]: I was surprised the judges cut him in Vegas, because they always fall for the stories (people's backgrounds). There is just something about what he does that hooks you in and be enchanted by the kite movements. I believe the viewers and voters are and will be behind him, and he has a good shot at advancing.
10. Anna and Patryk [12-year-old ballroom dancers; chosen by Piers]: They are another act that was wrongly eliminated. They are one of the best acts this year. They were brilliant ballroom dancers, not just for their age, but for any age. They better get through this time, or I will wonder if the rest of America was watching the same show as I was.
11. Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon [Acrobats; chosen by Sharon]: This acrobatic pair were brilliant. The various moves they did up in the air on that rope were extremely impressive. Now, while there was a moment where I along with the judges and the audience thought Ashleigh had actually fallen (though only for a moment, because if it was real, they would have had people out there so fast on her, and would have cut to commercial), it was obvious they did that to put the attention on them. But no matter, they were excellent, nonetheless.
12. Swing Shift Side Show [Danger Act; chosen by Howie]: Oh, come on! Why, oh, why did Howie bring them back? That was a waste of a spot. Not much happened: there was a couple blow darts shot out and a few swords swallowed. Whoopee! Nobody cares about this act, and that will be proven on Wednesday night.

Favorite Performances: Michael Grasso / Anna and Patryk

My Votes: Michael Grasso [10 votes by phone] / Anna and Patryk [10 votes online]

Predictions to Advance: Michael Grasso / Connor Doran / Anna and Patryk / Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon

My Season 5 Vote Tracker:
Fighting Gravity: 20 votes

Harmonica Pierre: 20 votes [eliminated in quarterfinals]

Jackie Evancho: 20 votes

Michael Grimm: 10 votes

Alice Tan Ridley: 10 votes

Prince Poppycock: 10 votes

Murray: 10 votes

Michael Grasso: 10 votes

Anna and Patryk: 10 votes

Total: 120 votes cast so far

Even though Piers made the best selections (for the most part) over the other two judges, it seemed like the producers were cohorts in their decisions so that each judge could have at least one of their chosen acts advance.

Initially, I would have chosen Kruti Dance Academy to make it through, but after seeing the rest of the show, I had to unfortunately cut them from my predictions, since they performed first and may get lost in the shuffle. But you never know; anything can happen. Michael Grasso was the first act of the night to guarantee himself a spot in the semifinals. The only other act that I believe is guaranteed a spot if Michael Lipari & Asheligh Dejon. And I also believe that Connor Doran and Anna & Patryk deserve the final two spots. I have not gotten all of my predictions correct in a little while now, so there will most likely be at least one act that I just mentioned that will not make it. And if that happens, the only other act I could see taking a spot is Kruti Dance Academy, but knowing this show, it will be Doogie Horner. I have a bad feeling that if Doogie is one of the final acts that the judges have to decide on, they may choose him. But that all depends on who the other act is, though.

I am so glad that the quarterfinals are finally over, because I and everyone online have been grumbling that this show seems to just keep going on and on and on with no end in sight. So, I'm looking forward to the next round to finally start next week.

Tonight, four of these Wildcard acts will advance into the Semifinals. And we will see guest performances by country music star LeAnn Rimes, and Las Vegas magician extraordinaire (and one of my favorite magicians of all time) Criss Angel. Speaking of Criss, I'll be getting a double dose of him tonight, since right after the result show will be the next episode of his A&E show, Mindfreak, from 10-11pm. See ya then...