"America's Got Talent" - August 17, 2011 - Did America and the judges get it right?

• Almost, but not quite! (50%, 6 Votes)
• Yes, absolutely! (25%, 3 Votes)
• I thought this show had been cancelled! (17%, 2 Votes)
• Not even freaking close! (8%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 12

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Twelve acts got a second chance during America’s Got Talent Wild Card performances. Some of them completely squandered that extra chance (I’m looking at you, Avery and the Calico Hearts), while others made up for falling flat in their Top 48 performance (The Kinetic King and his Fetal Position of Victory). Still others, like most of my picks for this week, delivered strong performances that should shame America and the judges for not picking them the first time through.

Speaking of my picks for this week, they are Landon Swank, Summerwind Skippers, The Fiddleheads, and the Yellow Design Stunt Team. Most of my picks the last two weeks have made it through. Hopefully America and the judges are ready to make my night yet again. That said, I wouldn’t be overly upset if The Kinetic King or Those Funny Little People went through in place of The Fiddleheads and the Yellow Design Stunt Team.

But fail to send through Landon Swank and Summerwin Skippers, and a forehead vein warning may end up being issued.

I’ll be blogging the results live after the jump.

Going through to the Top 24: West Springfield Dance Team, The Kinetic King, Landon Swank, and Summerwind Skippers

Nick Cannon takes the stage to kick off the results show. He reminds us that the semi-finals begin next week. Since the semi-finals has a total of 24 acts, that means another four acts from last night will go through.

Howie Mandel says most of the acts last night stepped it up a notch, to which I say Howie has overdosed on medication.

The first group to take the stage is Shevonne, Yellow Design Stunt Team, and West Springfield Dance Team. Shevonne has a very intersting voice, but she lost the key halfway through the song and never got it back. Yellow Design Stunt Team can do some amazing BMX stunts, even when they fall. West Springfield Dance Team still needs to find their rhythm as a group. All three of the acts were Sharon Osbourne’s picks, which dismays her to know end.

America has voted. The act going to the semi-finals is West Springfield Dance Team.

This does not bode well for my forehead vein tonight.

After the first set of commercials and a peak into the Orville Redenbacher’s lounge last night, the cast of Les Misérables takes to the stage to sing “One Day More” to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the debut of the musical on Broadway. I’ve never had a desire to see this musical, which might put me in the minority. But I do enjoy the song and performance. If I only had to pay attention for five to ten minutes at a time, I might actually watch Les Misérables.

Another set of commercials is followed by another set of acts to find out their fate. Nick calls Avery and the Calico Hearts, Charles Peachock, Those Funny Little People, and The Kinetic King. This lineup further destroys my picks to make it through tonight, though I have previously said that I would be okay with The Kinetic King or Those Funny Little People going through. Neither Avery and the Calico Hearts nor Charles Peachock deserve to go through after last night’s performances.

Piers Morgan threatens to leave America for good if Those Funny Little People make it through, which now makes me want to see them go through.

America has voted. The next act going to the semi-finals, after the requisite 20-minute pause for the camera to pan through each and every person in each act, is The Kinetic King. Nick prompts him to give us the Fetal Position of Victory. Piers goes up on stage to bow down to The Kinetic King.

Pompous Brit.

I can live with The Kinetic King going through. But I still have three acts out there with only two spots left.

We go straight to Landon Swank and Seth Grabel being called out on stage, which means this is the competition of the magicians. This should be a no brainer. Seth’s performance was all show and little substance, with the mini-judges stealing the show away from him. Landon did an actual magic trick that, on danger level alone, deserves to see him go through.

America has vote. The final act that America has sent through to the semi-finals is Landon Swank.

Piers stands up, points at Howie, and laughs at him. Yes, Piers, you brought Landon back for a second chance and we thank you for that. But show some class.

Pompous Brit.

My TV feed is acting up as Nick introduces a female singer onto the stage. I’m too lazy to look up who it is cause, frankly, I don’t really care and she is singing off-key. After so many seasons of this show, I would rather see a past contestant coming back to entertain us.

What seemed to be an extraordinarily long set of commercials come to an end, which brings the three final acts to the stage: Summerwind Skippers, The Fiddleheads, and J Chris Newberg. Even though two of my picks are in this final group, I feel this is an easy decision, but it will depend on which act is sent home prior to taking the vote to the judges. I suspect The Fiddleheads will be sent home.

America has voted, and surprisingly, J Chris Newberg is sent packing. I’m grateful for this, since it means one of my two picks will be sent through. Piers made his dislike for The Fiddleheads known after their performance last night, though Howie was the one that brought them back. This means that it may come down to Sharon to decide.

That’s frightening.

After another long commercial break, the judges make their picks. Piers points out that if The Fiddleheads don’t go through, none of Howie’s Wild Card picks will make the finale while he will have three acts.

Pompous Brit.

Piers, of course, picks the Summerwind Skippers while Howie, of course, picks The Fiddleheads. I really expected Sharon to spite Piers, but she ends up picking the Summerwind Skippers as well.

Nice Brit.

So there you have it. The last four acts made it through to the semi-finals. Are you happy with who went through? Or are you, like Rickey from Rickey.org, ready to blow a gasket?

Vote in the poll at the top of the blog entry. And leave your thoughts in the comments below.

And speaking of Rickey, join him and me tonight at 11 PM ET / 10 PM CT for the Idol Radio Show.