“Battle of the Light”America’s Got Talent: All-Stars“The stars are angry.
Top acts from the international “Got Talent” franchise continue to go down as they set their sights on NBC’s super-competition (Monday, 8 EST/PST) finale. Among the judges of the program – Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel — only Cowell had the ability to hit the golden buzzer on Monday, securing an acting spot in the finale. (Second place in the finals will be decided by a voting panel of “superfans”, while eight other hopefuls face elimination once again.)
Here’s how the evening unfolded:
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Mike E. Winfield, a comedian from Season 17 of “AGT,” returns to crack up the judges. He joked about his stepson, whom he called “Stepman” because of their similar age, for staying out so late. “I went around the corner to pick him up (from the party), I got home three hours later,” Winfield said. His wife said, “‘Michael, have you been ‘drinking’?” I’m like, ‘We’ve got the same friends. Everybody was there. He’s still there. I’m going to get him again.'”
“You are that ray of sunshine, and I love you,” Klum said. “You’re hilarious.”
Had Winfield performed the evening routine earlier, Cowell predicted, “It might be a completely different story, because you’re back to being fun, more confident. I can also see in your eyes how important it is to you now.”
“It means everything,” Winfield said. “I’ve always wanted this. I wanted ‘AGT.’ I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and you get ignored, then you finally get a platform. There’s no time to step up or put on the brakes. I’m here to play.”
Seeing the audience’s adoration for the standup, Cowell awarded him the Golden Buzzer. “You know, Mike? I love, love, love people who compete,” Cowell said, “and I didn’t expect to do it, but I’m going to do it.”
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Saxophonist Avery Dixon hits all the right notes
Saxophonist Avery Dixon, a contestant on Season 17 of “AGT” who earned a golden buzzer from then-host Terry Crews, returned Monday.
The young musician, who picked up the saxophone after being bullied about his voice, said he was competing for his mother: “I’m here to take her home and win it all.”
Dixon gave herself a fighting chance when she and her band performed a lively rendition of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” that brought Klum to her feet.
“How do you do it!” She said with a smile.
Mandel praised Dixon’s development. “You outgrew it,” Mandel said. “You went from an amazing piece of talent to an amazing show. You are a show!”
Veer Khalsa is an almost unheard of act for Kovel
Veer Khalsa, a group that performs dangerous stunts that first appeared in Season 14, showed up ready for the “All-Stars” with a terrifying act Cowell found hard to watch.
For a while, a blindfolded member of the four-man group took a sword and a shredded coconut to the neck of another member. “I can’t take it!” A concerned party said.
For another move, the blindfolded member smashed coconuts and watermelons, outlining his accomplice’s body with a sledgehammer. “I can’t watch,” Mandel said, putting his hands on his head.
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When the sledgehammer came close to smashing a watermelon off a group member’s head, Cowell covered his eyes. After one swing, Cowell, who had walked off stage, asked, “Is she alive?”
For the group’s final feat, a blindfolded man cuts an apple between the two partners’ heads with a chainsaw.
“It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Mandel said.
“Never!” Klum agreed. “It was exhausting to watch! You guys are so crazy, and it was wow—it was so much fun. It was so good. I couldn’t look away.”
Cowell said the group would get their votes for the finals.
Who did the superfans pick?
Spreading the suspense of team selection, the team revealed their top 3 for the finals. (Remember that they can only select one action to proceed with.)
As much as Veer Khalsa impressed the judges, the group was nowhere to be seen. The parties disclosed to Dixon; Singer Karen Montero, who will win “Dominican’s Got Talent” in 2021; And mind-reader Peter Antonio from season 16 of “AGT,” who Cowell said lacks showmanship, were the panel’s top picks.
But it was Dixon who was advanced to the next round by a fan vote.
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