America’s Got Talent 2024 Recap: We’re live blogging Auditions Week 8
America’s Got Talent 2024 season 19 auditions come to an end on NBC tonight with Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara on the judges panel. Terry Crews as host. See the new acts vying for the 1 million dollar prize.
America’s Got Talent 2024 Spoilers Auditions 8 – Meet the Acts (Photos)
The new season features more Golden Buzzers than ever before, as each judge gets TWO buzzers and Terry can pick one. That’s a total of nine Golden Buzzers for the new season.
Terry introduces Kelly Cheung and Sarah Hughes, Beach Volleyball Olympians. They hit the Golden Buzzer, which lights up the stage in Gold.
Xpogo – Pogo stick artists
The group dreams of pogo stick becoming a new xtreme sport. Pogos aren’t even being manufactured anymore. They are on a mission to save the “sport.”
The act is what one might expect. Major tricks on the stick, as they jump high and perform flimps and tricks. I bet the pogo stick you had as a kid didn’t go that hard.
Sofia is petrified. “It looks so difficult.” Simon has a “good feeling” about the act. “all ages are going to love it.” Heidi calls them “epic.” Howie believes pogoing would make the perfect sport. Gaba gaba hey! – 4 yeses
Prilepin Quartet – Acrobat/Hand balancing
The group is from Russia. They have known each other their whole lives. The start the act dressed in suits. Surely they will tear off the clothes? But no, they perform hand balancing and acrobatics in a suit and tie. The quartet builds intricate towers that obviously take great strength to create and sustain. It’s impresive.
The panel are on their feet. “That was so exciting,” says Sofia. Heidi notes their suits. “It was incredible.” Ha! Howie calls their outfits “Beatle Suits” a thing that crossed my mind too (The iconic band’s early 60s matching outfits). Simon is impressed by their strength and precision. – 4 yeses
Black Peppers – Comedic group
An interpreter explains that he had Olympic dreams, but a childhood injury kept him from persuing gold. But as it turns out, it’s comedy, which features another comic…and then another and another…performing a weird routine on the parallel bars. It’s weird and clever. as bodies seem to pop out of nowhere.
“I don’t even know what that was,” says Simon. “There were other people!” Simon compares their act to the Alien. He thought it was funny, despite being confused. Sofia calls it ambitious. Heidi loves their humor. Howie agrees that Japan has the best humor – 4 yeses
Haley Viloria – Aerialist
After attending her first circus at 16, Haley has been obsessed. The California native, who works as a full time circus performer and coach, performs with straps that pull her high into the air. She performs dangerous aerial stunts that could go wrong at any time. The crowd roars. At one point she, spins so fast, seh turns into a blur.
Haley explains that she’s self-taught. Sofia loved the danger. Heidi felt her fighting for a spot. However, it didn’t make Howie go wow. He calls her efficient. “It wasn’t for me.” Heidi says yes, Sofia says Yes. Howie says NO, Simon says yes. But suggests she develop more of a personality – 3 yeses 1 No
Kelsey Jane – Aerialist
Also an Aerialist. But by day, she’s a dentist in Las Vegas. She explains that she had orthodontics done as a kid, and it helped her confidence. Through Miss America, she earned scholarship money for school She discovered performance. And she did both for a while. Now she wants to be a full time aerialist.
Kelsey comes at her act as a storyteller. Her routine is graceful and even emotional. It pulls the audience in, in a way Haley’s may have not. At one point she drops, and it looks like she’s going to fall. A deliberate jump scare. Howie looks impressed this time.
Sofia calls it “spectacular…beautiful…refreshing.” Howie calls her “amazing” and quips, “You should drop into people’s mouths.” Heidi could have watched her “way longer than two minutes.” Simon often finds these acts dull. Simon loves her backstory, and thinks it added to her act. – 4 yeses
Journeyy – Kid singer
Nine-year old Journeyy lives in Jersey City with his family. His mom, dad and sister watch backstage. Simon explains that his friend Leroy pointed out Journeyy’s video. In the meantime, casting already found him. The young singer has a solid following on social media.
Journeyy performs an original for the crowd. Simon, noting his nerves, gives the singer a little pep talk before he performs. Accompanying himself on electric piano, Journeyy sings his original song. It’s not great? He probably would have been better off singing a cover. But he’s such an unusual and mature singer, it probably won’t hurt him.
“You’ve just got it, haven’t you? I really liked you,” said Simon. Heidi is impressed, “Very well done.” Sofia calls him one of the season’s “really cool kids.” Howie thinks he has the voice and the talent. “You’ve got a God given talent, says Simon – 4 yeses
Alejandro Licea Pellon – Rolla bolla/Hand balancing
Alejandro is very close to his mom, whom he calls from backstage. Currently living in North Carolina, Alejandro is originally from Cuba. Sofia translates for him–he’ll be performing a balancing act.
Alejandro performs on top of a platform using rollas. He stacks five on top of each other. He balances, using the smallest rolla as leverage. He could topple at any moment. Next, he sets slim bars on top of his rollas. His first try fails, but then he hand balances successfully. His act takes SKILL.
Sofia calls it nerve wracking. Howie calls it scary and dangerous. Heidi calls it incredible “one amazing move after the next.” Simon calls it difficult and dangerous. He’s looking for a progression, but says yes – 4 yeses
Jonathan Burns – Comedian
Jonathan is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He says he moved to California because it’s hard to go viral among the Amish? There are more than Amish people in Lancaster! He’s in his 40s and has a couple of little kids.
Heidi and Sofia join him on stage to help his magic act. The act involves slices of cheese, which Heidi counts out into Jonathan’s hand. Sofia does the same. He uses a weird thingy to magically transport cheese from Heidi’s bra to Sofia’s. Along with the magic, there is comedy.
Howie calls him a great comedian. “We finally found Waldo!” Sofia calls him adorable. Heidi loved that he brought something unusual. Simon liked him, but isn’t sure about the act. The crowd boos. Howie and Heidi says yes. The crowd convinces Sofia to say yes. He’s weird! But kind of funny.- 3 yeses (Simon says No).
Airfootworks – Dance/Acrobatics
It’s another group from Japan. Former winner Kenichi is their mentor and on stage helping them set up. The group performs an intriguing dance routing using a metal “box” as a prop. This group performed on Japan’s Got Talent Season 1 as a duo and made it to the Finals in 2023. The dance moves combine hip hop and acrobatics for a fluid and mesmerising performance.
Heidi calls it “really really entertaining.” Howie “you guys thought INSIDE the box.” Sofia says, “You guys looked amazing…the energy…everything.” Simon calls it creative and difficult. “You did it immaculately.” – 4 yeses
Corkey Miller – Comedian
Corkey is 63 and lives in Tennessee. She trains and rescues animals. “I sleep with 6 dogs.” On AGT she will “try” stand up comedy. Her routine involves jokes about being a cat old lady person who does not understand the internet. Oops.
Heidi calls her likeable and funny. Howie loves her “freshness.” Sofia compares her to a “nice friend.” Simon wasn’t expecting her naughty internet stories – 4 yeses
Sophie Lennon – Singer
Sofia’s performance is montaged. Simon suggests she belongs on Broadway, so apparently the answer was no.
Brooke Bailey – Singer
Brooke watched Sophie from backstage. She’s 19 years old, and works at a gym. Her goal is to be a recording artist and perform live on stage.
NBC previewed this act last week. Brooke performs with a big voice. Her upper register is a little thin, but she hits the notes and her tone midrange is rich and pretty as she covers Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” As she finishes, Brooke becomes emotional.
Heidi says “You had me right at the beginning.” Howie calls her instrument “amazing.” Sofia says “It’s spectacular.” Simon is impressed with her persistence. He thinks she needs to perform with a band rather than a backing track – 4 yeses
Nick Manning – World record holder
Australian Nick is an author and record breaker. The Guiness guy is with him, and the world record he’ll try to break is the “most underpants pulled on” in 30 seconds. The underpants are lined up in a straight line. He races through, pulling on the pants. These records are rarely broken on TV, and indeed, he fails.
So, he tries for another record. “The most people gathered in one place wearing underpants on their heads.” Which is the real record he wanted to break, probably, for the laughs. There are underpants attached to each seat. The judges, including Simon, get in on the act. EVERYBODY MUST PARTICIPATE FOR A FULL MINUTE. Heidi and Sofia only place the folded up pants on the top of their heads.
The record to beat was only 350. The big auditorium easily beat that number, even with some deductions. However, despite all the fun, the judges say no – 4 nos
OH BIG TWIST. Each judge will get a golden buzzer in the LIVES SHOWS. Their picks will go straight to the finals.
