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America is looking for talent has been deep in the live shows since Season 17, though the qualifiers present a twist this year. Instead of slowly whittling down the groups of semi-finalists, each of the 55 acts who advanced from the auditions has just one chance to make it to the grand finals for a chance at $1 million and a stage show in Las Vegas. Acts need to be bigger, bolder and more dazzling for the audience, but are fans and voters missing out on the spectacle by not watching live in person? Judges Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum shared their thoughts with CinemaBlend, and they don’t 100% agree.
The two judges spoke to CinemaBlend and other outlets following the second night of live qualifying, with the eleven acts soon to be whittled down to just two. When I asked if he thought viewers were missing out by watching on their TVs from home instead of live in person, Howie Mandel specifically mentioned the acrobatic act Duo Rings, who closed their final performance by falling right in front of the judges. He shared his thoughts saying:
Yes! I was telling Simon [Cowell] right after we watched [Duo Rings]. We have a great production team. I think we have the best production team in television and our director Russell Norman is amazing. But I told Simon that part of it is that the act can win a million dollars and get a headlining spot in Vegas, and when you’re looking at like Duo Rings, and they’re three stories up in the air and they’re right above you in the room and they fall a foot away from you, there’s no way – no matter what TV you have at home, no matter how big that screen is, no matter how good your speakers are – there’s no way you’re going to get the feel of what that’s like in a live room. That’s why some of these big spectacular huge acts of daring lose something once they’re removed and don’t live.
Duo Rings were quite spectacular in their live performance, so much so that it would have been shocking that they were cut before the final if the night wasn’t packed with fan favorites and golden bell winners. Madison Taylor Baez (who I ranked in the middle of the group of golden bell winners most likely to win) was cut and she was definitely a fan favorite.
The two moving forward are country music group Chapel Hart after opting for a more daring original song and the magician Yu Hojin. Music and magic acts are definitely easier to experience on the small screen than acrobatic acts, according to Howie Mandel! Singers and magicians are usually popular AGT voters, so the Duo Rings’ fate may have been sealed by viewers who didn’t get to fully experience the drops in person.
However, Heidi Klum has a different perspective on whether fans are missing out by watching from home as opposed to being in the middle of the action. She said:
It’s certainly exciting to be there, but I always – not always, but a lot of times when I get home in time, I watch it again on TV. And it’s amazing because you get so many different angles of the home. It’s almost like when you watch a football game or any sports game, it’s almost better at home than in the room because I don’t know how many cameras they have in that room! You know, you get [the performers], you draw the audience in, you approach it from so many different angles. So I think it’s always great to see him back from home and I’m always like, ‘How come I’m not there as much, I thought, or more?’ [laughs] Just kidding.
While the viewing experience AGT live in person is “exciting,” according to Heidi Klum, it’s not possible to see every detail up close or benefit from an instant replay like what viewers get at home. Although the voters can only use the reactions of the judges and the audience to judge what it really was, they have some advantages in their television screens. Klum continued her comparisons:
There’s definitely a different energy, yes, but it’s the same when you go to a live concert. It’s the same thing. You can feel everyone sweating and yelling in the room, which is good, especially since we haven’t had that in so long. You know, it’s fun to be in the room with so many people.
America is looking for talent was one of many shows to make changes in light of the COVID protocols, which meant some virtual auditions and an absent audience in the previous season. The episodes included a mix of real footage, virtual footage, and footage from past seasons to create the illusion that AGT back to normal. The audience is officially back for Season 17, which has apparently been “fun” for Heidi Klum.
But would acts like Duo Rings be more fun in person, to the point where they’d get enough votes to advance, if more people could get the full experience? Howie Mandel seems to think they’re more of a thrill live, but you can judge for yourself with the video of their qualifying performance:
The qualifiers are still ongoing and several of the golden bell winners have yet to perform to make it to the finals. Madison Taylor Baez’s layoff is proof that the bell is no guarantee of advancement and stand-up comic Jordan Conley is back in the mix after winning the wildcard vote. Be sure to stay tuned to NBC on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET for new episodes of America is looking for talentand stop by NBC voting page by Wednesday morning to help your loved ones move forward.
If you’re still looking for some viewing options as the fall TV season approaches, be sure to check out ours 2022 TV Premiere Schedule. You can also view earlier episodes of AGT Season 17 streaming with subscription to Peacock.
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