As the judges stated in the finals, Kevin didn’t have the greatest voice in the competition. Lawrence Beaman took that honor, but didn’t connect with Americans. And yes, Barbara Padilla, who finished second had a better voice, but America just chose an Opera skinner.  Skinner might need vocal coaching, or perhaps he might need to get his nerves in check. His peak performance really was his audition without all the lights and magic of a big Hollywood performance. Write good songs for him in the Garth Brooks-style he’s most comfortable in and he can get a string of Gold Records.

The future is also bright for Barbara Padilla. Everyone who made the Final will have some opportunity. Voices of Glory could be big in the Christian Inspirational market, freed from the constraints of the show after finishing fifth. The Texas Tenors and Lawrence Beaman should get recording deals though not as sweet. Everyone else who made the top ten and maybe a couple who made the top 20 are going to have some lesser opportunities coming their way, and it’s going to be up to them what they do with it.

What does the show mean for America? When we were in Utah, we heard two callers on a talk show urged listeners to watch America’s Got Talent and vote for Utah-dance group, “The Fab Five.” My wife theorizes now that if Utahans couldn’t put the clogging sisters over the top, they won’t be able to put Mitt Romney over the top. Then again if the Fab Five could spend $40 million….

I digress. The big question for me as a viewer is whether I’ll be watching again next year.

The answer is no.  It’s not because my favorites didn’t win. My favorites in the Finals finished 5th and we’ll be living a happy, well-adjusted life, with a nicer career than headlinging a Vegas show.

Rather, it’s a matter of R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Respect for the audience and the acts that performed. This past season, Susan Boyle of Britain’s Got Talent gave people the idea that they too could follow their dreams and show off their talent. Some of them were correctly dismissed from the show. I don’t have problems with buzzers and things of that sort.

When i say that the judges didn’t show respect, I’m talking about two things that are galling. The first was the deplorable Vegas Verdicts. I’m not mad that they didn’t have them all perform. However, it would have been nice to let the acts have some clue given that the past three seasons they did perform. When the acts heard, “You’re going to Las Vegas,” I doubt most thought that meant they were going to sit in a hotel room while the judges argued upstairs. And they certainly didn’t think it meant, “You’re going to Las Vegas to stand on the tarmac and then go home.”

The not performing part isn’t so bad in itself. On Britain’s Got Talent, they showed how to dispense the news in a way that was quick, fairly painless, and respectful.  On BGT, they got to do the annoying suspense or false ending, “I’m afraid…you’ll just have to stay around a bit longer, you’re through to the next ground.” Bad news, and occassionally good news was dispensed to groups of performers. It took all of 8 minutes.

On AGT, this same process took two 44-minute episodes as the judges decided to turn sleezy and exploitative, putting acts in face off mode, two magicians again one another, two musical instrument players that had become friends against one another in order to get the emotional explosion or breakdown required.

Then there were little things that occurred during the show’s filming. There was the judge’s criticism of acts that varied from the one trick the judges had pegged them at. Dancer Arcadian Broad played the piano as part of an energetic dance routine and Piers Morgan chewed his ear off. One of the most talented dance couples on the show dared to do a different routine and the judges complained about not seeing a 120-pound woman lift a 250-pound man for the third time.

Kari Callin, who was left on the runway is debating whether to audition in Vegas and writes, “So the big question is: do I really want to deal with the B.S.?” For many performers, the answer is no. Lots of people get opportunity to sing, and even record a CD without “making it big.” I know of a Gospel Quartet in the Boise area that’s eeked out a modest living that way. I’ve been in concerts in the park with wonderful talent. It may not be glamorous, but there are some part-time careers in entertainment that provide less aggrevation and can be more rewarding personally, even if financially, it’s not as big as AGT. And honestly, if 15 people of the tens of thousands who auditioned getting anything out of the experience, that would be quite high.  There’s far more dignity in making it small.

As a viewer, I’ve got to ask that question as well.  Piers Morgan was heard saying that, “We’re the judges and we can do whatever we want.” Yes, you can, but when the rules of the game are 1) changed without notice, 2) never explained, and 3) thrown out the window when inconvenient, it really isn’t fair to viewers. Of course, the argument goes that this brings drama to the show, but not in a good way.

A 9th Inning Home Run to win the game, and the Umpires deciding to call players that are out safe both create drama, however one is positive, and the other is not. Over at the AGT Examiner, Michael Ross is calling for the judges to be fired, but there’s no way they start throwing judges overboard on a show that was number 1 throughout the Summer.

While I became involved with the acts that I saw and wanted to follow their stories, next year is another year with fresh auditions full of new strangers. However, I won’t be watching because the audience and the talent deserve more respect than AGT is willing to give.

I’m a viewer, and after all…

I can do whatever I like.

Cannon did this twice. The most interesting part of the results show was when they showed a behind the scenes look about the Judges’ decision (or should I say indecision) the week before.  At one point, Piers Morgan said, “We’re the judges, we can do whatever we want.”

With an attitude like that, you know that it’s only his British citizenship that has stopped Morgan from getting on the Supreme Court. 

Thoughts on the five who made it, the five who didn’t, and how the final shakes up.

Going Through:

Barbara Padilla: Padilla did a beautiful performance of Ava Maria. The only flaw in her act was her sprawling dress, which was over the top. Padilla’s voice was perfect. stage presence perfect, and a wonderful story to boot.

Lawrence Beaman: Beamanstepped it up from his previous performance and showed off his range. I’m with Michael Ross in saying  that I don’t think we’ve seen the best Lawrence Beaman has to offer. He’s an intriguing finalist.

HairoTorres: Torres mixed a solid, practically effortless performance with some good contortionist moves. It’s tough for a single dancer to make it this far.

Drew Stevyns: As he did two weeks ago, when he came out of literally nowhere to claim a spot in the semi-finals as one of Simon Cowell’s wild cards, Stevyns’ performance was all heart and charisma. That carried him through to the finals.

Recycled Percussion: I didn’t actually think their performance this week was as good as their quarterfinal performance, which had more lights and pizazz. Still, it was interesting to see them gather the materials to make their own percussion equipment.

Going Home:

The Eri-Am Sisters: This was the most disappointing decision to go home. I think they were much better than their Quarter Final appearance, and I loved their song choice. I think they could have a very good future and folks in the Northwest should watch for them to be future stars.

Erik and Rickie: Great eight and nine year old dance duo. They were good, but not good enough last night. I liked them, but I have to admit having kids that young perform in Vegas is always problematic.

FootworKINGz: They took a gamble, by doing a dance to the tune of Power Rangers. It was funny and quirky, but it just wasn’t what America was looking for.

Jeffery Ou: Jeffery Outook Sharon Osbourne’s advice. Big Mistake. He came off with a huge ridiculous looking wig to give her her mad scientist look. Ou missed nearly every note. It was completely forgetable.

Mario and Jenny: I think Mario and Jenny completely transformed their act-and not a good way. They made it through based on Mario’s daredevil acts, playing with fire, juggling chainsaws. Last night he tap-danced. It was so disappointing.

The Finals: Looking Ahead

Of the ten finalists to make it, you can categorize most of them and a picture of who might contend to win it all becomes clear. Each of these acts finished in the top 4 in the Quarter Finals (no Judges’ choices made it) and the top 5 in the finals. To finish 4th or 5th can be done by capturing a niche audience such as seniors, or people from Utah.  In the finals, you have to finish first. There is no second chance. You have to capture the heart of the plurality of Americans.

Looking at the acts who’ve made it, I think you can divide them into several categories:

Not Enough Talent:

Texas Tenors-They made it through a relatively weak semi-final, but even the best performance isn’t going to be enough for the powerhouses they face.

Grandma Lee-Maybe she’s the funniest woman on Earth, but I can’t help but feel she made it as far as she did on Senior Citizens’ votes and I’ll be very surprised if she comes up number one against the type of talent we have up this week.

Recycled Percussion: They’re not quite there, but they’re not far off. However, I think in this competition, that’s just not going to be good enough.

Drew Stevyns: Stevyns has shown a lot of heart, and barring a disastrous finals performance, his professional singing dreams are going to come true. However, Stevyns against the type of singing talent that’s in the final reminds me of the phrase, “Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.”

Not Likely to Do What It Takes

I think Voices of Glory has the potential to win it all, but so far they haven’t shown the willingness to actually do what it takes. Ever since their audition of “God Bless America”, the group’s been office, except when the little sister, Nadia, sang.  The judges in both the quarterfinals and the semifinals told the boys they needed to take a backseat. In the Semifinals, Voices of Glory responded to the criticism by having the brothers dominate the first half of the performance. The results weren’t pretty, as they ended up in that now infamous judges’ non-choice. If getting beaten by Grandma Lee and the Texas Tenors doesn’t make them address the weaknesses in the act, I don’t know what will.  It’s easy to be dismissive of the judges as they’ve handed out some awful advice (exhibit A: Jeffery Ou), but you know what they say about broken clocks.

America’s Just Not That In To Your Thing

Hairo Torres and Fab Five

America’s Got Talent is a variety show, officially, but all of the last three seasons’ winners have been singing-based, so while I think both of these acts have got plenty of talent, I don’t see a dance act winning this show. Torres may have  the better shot of the two as he’s a very unique performer, but I just don’t think his appeal is broad enough.

The Spoiler:  That role belongs to Kevin Skinner. To be honest, I don’t think either of Skinner’s performances has lived up to his audition. However, the story of the unemployed chicken catcher down on his luck has a big appeal in the current economic conditions. He’s got a real down to earth presence, and a very strong online following. His challenge is that the Texas Tenors could split his potential constituency.

The Contender: Lawrence Beaman has been strong throughout the show. For Beaman, song choice will be critical. He has an incredibly powerful voice, that I thought “Old Man River” really showcased. His other two song choices have really felt like he’s holding back. There can’t be any of that in the finals.

The Frontrunner:  Barbara Padilla is the closest thing to flawless in this competition. Each act has set a standard. She’s got an incredible voice, and has an amazing story of being a cancer survivor. She’s the closest thing America has to a Susan Boyle. Unlike Boyle, she doesn’t face a relentless tabloid press in America, because the focus on AGT is not as intense as what happened with Britain’s Got Talent. The only weakness for Padilla is that last year’s champion, Neil E. Boyd also was an opera singer. While America has chosen singers each year, it went from an 11 year old child singer on Season 1 to a singing ventoliquist, to a young opera singer. Will America choose similar acts in back to back years? Tough to say.

At this point though, it’s safe to say that Beaman and Padilla will both have good music careers regardless of who wins. Kevin Skinner will probably get a very good record deal out of his experience. And the rest will be at the least given opportunities to advance their careers.

America cast some interesting votes that suggested perhaps the show might need to be renamed, “America Lacks Good Taste”  and #4 and #5 standing before the judges were young singing group Voices of Glory and cloggers The Fab Five.

After a three minute break, the judges came back and Sharon Osbourne declined to make a decision. Then so did David Hasselhoff. The whole thing went into a huddle and Piers Morgan announced that there would be no judge’s choice and that both Voices of Glory and Fab Five would go to the finals. A happy non-competitive soccer ending to the whole saga that played out on national television.

As happy as I am for both groups, this leads me to think that America’s Got Talent Examiner Michael Ross may have a point when he calls for all the judges to be fired. Or get sacked as two of them would better understand it. Fundamentally, the judges abdicated their only basic role at this stage of the game.

As successful as the show is, it pales in comparison to Britain’s Got Talent.  Other than Kevin Skinner with a Cockney accent, it’s hard to imagine any of the acts that will compete in the Finals from tonight’s show making it through to the final on Britain’s Got Talent.  BGT has more the feel of a genuine talent contest, while on AGT, the whims of the judges reign supreme, and it’s a circus of egos. The sad thing is that there are talented people whose time is totally wasted by the judge-inflicted nonsense.

Putting that aside, I do understand why it was hard for the judges to pick between Fab Five and Voices of Glory (though I believe making tough decisions is what they’re paid to do.)  Both will make interesting Finalists. Fab Five is-well-fab, at what they do. But I don’t think any clogging will be victorious.

Voices of Glory do have a shot at winning this thing. Their problem has been that one of the things the judges have told them they need to do, they’re not willing to do. After their Quarter Final, Piers Morgan told them that they needed to let the younger Sister, Nadia take the lead on the singing. In the semi-finals, they split up the vocals pretty much evenly, and they ended up falling behind Kevin Skinner and the Texas Tenors.  The boys voices are not up to the level of their little sister on these big songs they’re performing. Their harmonies worked great on, “God Bless America” in the audition. But, they’ve gotten so far on her talent, and they’re chemistry. In the finals, the brothers need to step back if they want to win this thing in two weeks.

More thoughts follow on the rest of the evening’s contestants. 

Moving On:

Kevin Skinner: Skinner gave another moving performance. I’d like to see some more confidence from him. However, if the second semi-finals turn out the same way the first one did, with fairly weak competitors advancing, Skinner could win it all by default. 

The Texas Tenors:  Their semi-final was a big step up. I think they had a pretty good mix of voices. They also had a singer identified by Sharon Osbourne as being quite hot lead off the show and take a prominent role. They may not have the most talent, but they really did a good job making the most of it.

Grandma Lee: This has got to be the decision I disagree with the most on the “through” side. I must concede that  she appeals to a big segment of the country though to finish in the top 3. I just tended not to view her “dirty old woman” act as being all that funny, and somewhat repetitive from her Quarter Finals performance.

Going Home:

Acrodunk: This was really the biggest mistake America made in my humble opinion. Acrodunk gave the performance of the night. They came to play. Through a series of injuries to members of Acrodunk, they put on a stunning performance, doing a slam dunk into a burning a hoop and then doing a dunk, jumping through a burning hoop. I don’t think there’s anything they could have done. America was just more into a woman in her 70s telling dirty jokes.

Drew Thomas Magic: I actually cast quite a few votes for Drew Thomas Magic. His act really went for people’s heartstrings, with some soft music, and including his daughter in the act. Piers Morgan gave the act a tongue lashing, reducing Thomas’ daughter to tears. The hard lesson learned for Thomas is that while this trick would be okay in a longer form act, on America’s Got Talent, what’s expected of magicians is thrills and excitement.

Paradizo Dance: I really liked their new routine, which was a little more comic acrobat dance than their previous pieces.  This may have been part of the problem. If there’s a lesson in this season that future acts should take is that if America likes you enough to vote you through, don’t mess with the performance because you’ll lose some of the people who sent you through in the first place. Thus Paradizo Dance, Arcadian Broad, and Drew Thomas may have been able to do very diverse performances fairly well and going home, Grandma Lee is doing similar performances over and over again and moving on to the finals.

Tony Hoard & Rockin’ Rory:  Tony Hoard chose to quit his job of twenty-four years to follow his dream after his employer refused to give him unpaid time to go on the show. This makes me feel especially sorry for him given the final result. Hoard and Roary stepped it up considerably from the Quarterfinal where they really didn’t deserve to move on. At this level, the act just couldn’t cut it.

Arcadian Broad: Arcadian did a solid performance of a “High School Musical” themed performance, with a lot of energy. I think the act really had a strong potential appeal to teenage girls, which are often big voting blocks in these talent contests. I think he really hurt himself when responding to some unconstructive criticism from Piers Morgan declaring that Arcadian had not done as well as other acts. Broad lashed out at the producers, saying he hadn’t wanted to do a “High School musical.” performance.  Host Nick Gannon repeated that the acts had final say in what they informed. This is correct, but producers are going to have a lot of influence on inexperienced performers who are planning their first or second national stage performance. From a voter standpoint, what Broad did is come off as a bit of complainer, and not quite there maturity wise. In addition, crossing Simon Cowell is not a great career move in the entertainment industry.

The rest of the characters at Sterling Cooper each have a unique niche in the show and add to the storylines within and outside the agency. The assorted spouses, girlfriends and boyfriends add drama and intrigue to a perfectly slow and evolving narrative. When the topic of Mad Men is raised, the conversation invariably includes the words “stylized” and “sexy” – like so many other period pieces. Somehow though, Mad Men has busted the mold. It’s not a regular television period piece. In that regard, it’s different from regular motion picture period pieces as well. It’s much more than “stylized” and “sexy” and that makes the story and its myriad of plotlines incredibly interesting and thought provoking. The show provides a unique glimpse into the recent past while sending an undeniable message to its viewers.

No doubt, the show is sexy. Set in 1960s New York City, Christina Hendricks as “Joan” and January Jones as Don’s wife “Betty” make sure sex appeal is on the menu. Much of the show’s dialogue barely keeps a lid on the innuendo and often embarrassing behavior of the players. The inclusive yet lonely setting of the City equals a potent cocktail of just-restrained sexuality. Speaking of cocktails, Mad Men has plenty of them and the drinking, without a doubt, adds to the style and inherent appeal of the show. The men on the show, all dressed neatly and stylishly, drink cocktails liberally and smoke cigarettes constantly as they march forward in their path to success (basically searching for the almighty dollar). The women do as well. It is impossible not to notice the propensity for drinking and smoking on the show. Pregnant women also partake. It adds to the style; to the, almost, foreign feeling of the show. Viewers want to scream at Betty for smoking and drinking while pregnant but instead dismiss it as an almost harmless vice for a woman under pressure and wronged many times by her wayward husband, Don. However, sex appeal and style alone do not a successful television drama make. Mad Men must be more than that.

Mad Men provides an exceptional glimpse into the decade of the 60s; a decade often discussed and memorialized on television and in film but never looked at so intimately and in such in a unique way. In most episodes, either via a television or radio in the show, the viewers of Mad Men get a glimpse into world events and how the cast is affected by them. The viewer listens in as the characters discuss Camelot; the White House of President John Kennedy and his beautiful wife Jacqueline. Viewers watch as Sterling Cooper and the City are transfixed and terrified with the events surrounding Cuba and the Soviet Union. Subsequently, the show eases out of the crisis and shows the characters easing out of it as well. In one episode, Don is sitting at his desk reading the newspaper when he is interrupted by a colleague at his office door. When asked if he has a free minute to talk, Don jokes about a minute being all he has. It begs the question: Is Don Draper, a successful, wealthy playboy with a beautiful home, wife and family, scared of the threat of nuclear war? During another revealing series of moments, Don must play peacemaker between a brash and often vulgar comedian and the family behind the production of a popular chip marketed by Sterling Cooper and Don. In perfect Don Draper style, he saves the account, repairs broken relationships and, of course, benefits himself and his firm immeasurably. Don is a savvy business man, a powerful force within a powerful organization; it’s about the bottom line. In other words, he and Sterling Cooper operate under the same motivating factors present today. Further, even though Don and his colleagues didn’t use email or videoconferencing and have no idea what the internet is or the threat of greenhouse gases, how different are they from us? A period piece only works if the viewer can see him or herself in it and yet, at the same time, it must provide an entirely unique perspective on the condition of human nature and the world. The combination of these two essential elements is rare. Thankfully, Mad Men possesses both.

The most recent subplot in the show involves Betty’s father Gene and the family’s inner-battle on how to handle his deteriorating health. Betty’s brother wants Gene sent away to a “place for people like him”. Betty won’t hear of it. Tired of dealing with the issue, Don decides Gene will move in with them but Gene’s home will not be sold, thus removing a large part of Betty’s brother’s motivation for a move in the first place. Now Gene is in the house and acting a little crazy. The entire subplot is not at all unique. It can be argued that the drama surrounding the issue is being blown out of proportion. It is a mundane topic. Nothing about the issue is particularly interesting. Yet, somehow, the viewer is pulled into the storyline. One can’t help but wonder how it will be finally resolved. Will Don eventually give Gene the boot? Will Betty change her mind? Will Gene get better? It is truly unbelievable such a mundane seemingly off-topic plot line is so captivating; unbelievable unless one understands the appeal of Mad Men.

As a period drama, Mad Men is unprecedented. Other than a couple wonderful and truly unique shows on HBO, Mad Men is the best show on television. It is stylish and sexy but it is so much more. It is a glimpse into the Big City in the 1960s. It constantly reveals human shortcomings in an interesting, almost therapeutic way. The behavior of the cast of characters can make the viewer feel better about his or her own shortcomings and feel both empathy and anger for them at the same time. The lives of the characters on Mad Men are very different from the lives of similar Americans today. At the same time, under the surface, no matter the exterior, – thin ties and seer-sucker suits or jeans and t-shirts – the lives involved in Mad Men prove no different than our own.

The judge’s choice was a hard one that many will disagree with. For the third time in four weeks, the judges eliminated a singer. (In week three, both acts facing the judges were dance acts.) This week the unfortunate singer was Mia Boostrom. Instead, 8-year old ballroom dancing duo Erik and Rickie advanced.

Doubtless, they’ll be howls over the judge’s choice. However, I think they got it right this time. Erick and Rickie are a very talented dance duo, beyond their years, and beyond many adult acts made the show. They showed incredible energy and poise.

Boostrom sang well, but certainly wasn’t in the same league as Lawrence Beaman or Barbara Padilla. While she’s a figher who persevered and came back from last year’s Vegas elimination, the behind the scenes footage that was shown on the show, as well as her Vegas Verdict this year portrayed someone who was almost always on the edge of an emotional breakdown if things didn’t go her way.

Erik and Rickie clearly are just having a blast. Enjoy dancing together. Enjoying the moment. That really makes them a lot more fun to watch, and I think explains why they went on instead of Boostrom.

Here are thoughts 0n the rest of the Quarter Final results:

Moving On:

Barbara Padilla: As soon as Padilla stepped on stage, you knew she had it. She has an incredible story. She came back from cancer, and she and her husband adopted a child. She has vocals  better than Susan Boyle. She’s got the talent, the story, and the heart to go all the way.

Drew Stevens: The first and only wildcard act to make it to Vegas. He only showed through brief clips in the auditions. He was eliminated in the Vegas Verdicts and brought back by Simon Cowell. He didn’t have any known supporters, and Piers Morgan was right that he’s not the most talented singer in this group on par with Kevin Skinner or Lawrence Beaman or Padilla, but he really put a lot of passion and heart into his performance, and sitting a home, he really connected with me. He’s got incredible charisma, and decent talent. That could be a potent combination.

EriAm Sisters:  A wholesome trio of Seattle-based tween and teen sister singers who delivered a good performance, that’s not the best they’re capable of.  There was an apparent goof at the start of the show where both they and Stevens were brought forward right at the beginning and announced Stevens as the next to move on to the semi-finals. They assumed they’d been eliminated and graciously hugged Stevens and wished the best to all other acts before finding out they’d gone on. If it was a trick or staging from Simon Cowell, it was a kind of cruel trick.

Recycled Percussion: When seen during the audition, the group was banging on ladders and paint cans. They kept the paint cans but added a lot of different elements in terms of dressing up the team. It was  a big transformation.  And I think that it was the same type of noise, intensity, and energy that put Mario and Jenny through last week.

Going Home:

Matt and Anthony: This pairing of an okay guitar player with a truly great tap dancer was a favorite of mine. But if I’m honest, it was because of the tap dancer, not the guitar player, and I think the lack of balance in the act led to problems.

Pam Martin’s Top Dogs: I can’t help but feel that Pam Martin’s Top Dogs act was hurt by the controversial decision to allow Tony Hoard and Roary into the next round. It’s a shame because watching her last night, it was apparent that Martin had the far better dog act. She reminded us that there is talent to the dog act, and not the dog’s talent. Rather, Martin is a real dog trainer, who has developed relationships with several dogs. Her talent is training dogs to do something entertaining. And had she been on Week 1’s show, she may have moved on.

African High Flyers: A group of Kenyan-born dancers who stepped it up from the first round. They had the misfortune to follow Barbara Padilla and were buzzed by Morgan for not stepping it up enough to be competitive. To me that was an abuse of the buzzer. This is another group that may have made it in week 2 or week 3, but I think Morgan’s comments coupled with the quality of the dance acts already voted through, plus the depth of tonight’s talent really hurt them.

Ishaara:  What can I say? America’s not quite ready for Baliwood and I don’t think Ishaara was quite ready for America either. They were deserving quarter finalists, but I think they’ve got a ways to go before they’re a world class act that can be a serious contender.

The Lollipop Girls: Michael Ross of the America’s Got Talent Examiner said it best, “The judges are owed an apology. While they have been thoroughly incompetent this season, they did at least seem to recognize that America would never vote for a striptease act in this competition.Simon Cowell, however, needs to be struck upside the head with this truth a few times before the next season.” ’nuff said.

Coney Island Chris: A trainwreck of an act that after a disgusting debut in the New York auditions managed to pull off a routine that had all the dignity of Pee Wee Herman coupled with the thrills of riding the merry go-round. Fire eating has been done with far more flare than the lame performance America witnessed. Judge Sharon Osbourne even stated she didn’t know how Chris had gotten this far. Uh, Sharon, I believe that would be your fault.

The good news is that most of the judge’s mistakes have been corrected by America with only a couple weak acts still in the mix. (Grandma Lee and Tony and Roary, I’m looking at you.) The next two weeks should be truly must see TV.

Please understand: my undying affection for Sandler is not simply rooted in his memorable Saturday Night Live stretch. Sandler made me laugh harder in my childhood then any other person with his comedy albums – specifically, “What the Hell Happened to Me”. When I wanted a laugh, I could always turn to The Goat, Tollbooth Willy or Piece of —- Car. Sandler and his cronies never let me down. Many a boring road trip for a basketball tournament or a family vacation turned into a raucous party in my headphones. Then, of course, he starred in Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and, the underrated Bulletproof with Daman Wayans. For me, Sandler is on an exclusive comedy list alongside names like Chris Rock and Dave Chapelle. But his comedic staying power is not his best professional trait. He’s been putting out trash for awhile now. He hasn’t appeared in, produced or directed anything relatively good in a long time. What he’s done successfully over the past decade is grab some fans from older generations by appearing in generic campy romantic comedies (Fifty First Dates, Mr. Deeds). Regardless of the trash he’s produced or appeared in, the thought of missing Sandler’s reemergence as a terrific comic actor is unfathomable. I will always support him.

Well, Funny People is another bomb. His character is uninspiring and cheap, which, I suppose, adds some legitimacy to his attraction to Rogen’s character, a humorless young comedian without any definable skill or trait. As the movie slowly crawls along, and the audience is subjected to joke after tasteless joke about the male anatomy, the entire appeal of the movie – unique insight into the world of stand-up comedy – is never found. The most horrific part of the movie is the ridiculous sub-plot of Sandler’s mysterious disease. The audience is never really clued in to what it is and Rogen and Leslie Mann (Sandler’s wronged ex-girlfriend) never seem interested in understanding what is wrong with him. Overall, it’s a choppy, laborious mess of a movie.

Apatow, once again, struck out. His run as a somewhat popular comedic director has run its course. I don’t think he can be taken very seriously any longer. His movies attempt to reach many different emotional levels, but consistently fall short.

So, as Reed said, Funny People is terrible. It’s an uninspiring, unfunny adventure into…well, to be honest, I’m not sure what the point was. The final scene of the movie is fitting for a couple reasons: it reinforces the ridiculous amount of jokes about the male anatomy throughout the movie and it shows two comedic actors who, far too often, don’t deliver comedy. But I’m sure I’ll see Sandler’s next movie.

The FootworKINGz were a dynamic group of young male dancers from Chicago. Pixie Mystere were a group of grade school dancers. The talent was slightly on FootworKINGz side plus the fact that America is unlikely to send elementary school girls off to do a Las Vegas show, the logical choice was clear.

And the judges didn’t mess it up. FootworkKINGz are taking their eccentric spelling and mad dance moves on to the semi-finals. It’s been a brutal first three rounds for dance troupes. This hasn’t been helped by the fact that many of Simon’s Wildcards (which with one exception have not been the acts that fans thought were unfairly cut) have been dance groups. The only other dance groups to make it were Acrodunk and the Fab Five. Astrodunk’s Athleticism puts them in whole ‘nother category. And Fab Five has that whole “sisters” thing going. Looking to the next round where there will not be the plethora of dance acts that led to a lot of vote splitting in the Quarter Finals, FootworkKINGz could have a lot father to go before it’s all said and done.

More on this week’s other acts that were moving on and those that got eliminated:

Moving on the Semi-Finals:

Lawrence Beaman: He made it through to the top 20 with a performance of “You Are So Beautiful.” I love Beaman’s vocals, but I have to say that last week I suggested that “Voices of Glory”  sung a song that was too big for them. Given his performance of, “Old Man River” in the auditions, I think he sung a song that was too small for his talent. I’d love to see Beaman sing something that blows them away in the Semifinals.

Mario and Jenny: Mario and Jenny are a husband and wife daredevil act. In their audition, Mario juggled running chainsaws. In this act, they played with fire-literally, as Mario juggled flaming guitars and other flaming objects. I don’t usually go for this kind of act, but this was a genuinely good act doing some amazing death defying feats. The only real question is whether to send these guys out again is whether to let them put their lives on the line again. However, that’s not really our choice. Whether they’re voted forward or not, they’ll continue to do what they do. The question is whether they deserve a chance to earn a good living doing it, and I think the audience got it right.

Jeffery Ou: A gracious gentlemen in advancing to the top 40 when the judges brought him with a talented harp players with her leaving and him moving on, Ou did a two part piano act last night beginning with a well-played classical piece and then trying an Elton John number. Unfortunately, Ou brought in back up dancers and one of them unplugged the amplifier by accident. While, I’m not certain if based on a half a performance, he should have gone on, I think its fortune his chances didn’t end on a technical glitch. What pushed Ou through was that he showed a lot of the same manic energy that propelled Arcadian Broad through to the judge’s choice two weeks ago.

Hairo Torres: A very good cotortionist/break dancer. Torres showed a lot of charisma, and energy.  The talk leading up to Torres performance was how hard it was for an individual dancer to make it, but I’ve seen a lot more dance troups eliminated. It can be far easier for a single dancer or two dancers, in the case of Paradizo Dance, to charm their way into America’s heart rather than a dance group.

Eliminated:

Jay Mattioli: Another wild card that flamed out. I absolutely loved Mattioli’s style of magic. It’s a 21st Century version of Jack Cassidy’s Great Santini, a magician who used modern music beats to make his magic act hip. It also has to be said the high standards for magic set by the judges of doing something never seen before is absurd and would be seen as absurd if applied to singers or dancers. That said, when Mattioli pulled out the scarves, I had to groan inside. You need more flare for television and David Hasselhoff made a genuine point that on a Vegas stage, nobody can see the scarves.

U4ria Dance Crew: I was not really a fan of this group, but they did the best they could. I think that what U4ria did last night was put on a flash to compensate for their lack of technical precision. The flash was good, the dance not so much.

Marcus Terrell and the Serenades: Terrell would not have been allowed through with his original back-up singers and refused to fire them. But they resigned out of friendship so that he could advance. Unfortuantely, the new group may have had better vocals, but they lacked chemistry. This may be yet another act the judges set up to get some hate from America due to their poor handling of it.

Bri: She was a very talented singer. Judge Piers Morgan compared her to Katie Perry and Amy Winehouse, and his comparison wasn’t entirely without merit. That’s why she’s going on. Last night, she sounded like every professional female pop singer out there.

G Force: Cute little girls band whose vocals aren’t quite there. I don’t agree with Piers Morgan buzzing them, but they’re just good enough for this level of play. Another act that begs the question, “Why were these girls put through and not Ciana Pelekai?”

Dave Johnson: The judges set him up for failure with a move to the Quarter Finals that was based on the novelty of his “love anthem” to David Hasselhoff. Truth is that at what he does, he’s not half bad. He writes some pretty funny, quirky songs. However, singing about the Golden Girls which has been off the air for 16 years seemed a little silly. Johnson might be able to make a living at what he does if he finds someone more talented to write for, and keeps his material current.

If you had a choice between a promising young musician and a dog who could catch frisbees if not for the fact that his owner’s erratic throws, what would you do? If you’d choose the young musician, congratulations, you’ve got more taste than 2/3 of the judges on America’s Got Talent.

Singer/Keyboardist Charles DeWayne may have had a weak song Tuesday Night, and Roary the Dog is pretty good at catching frisbees but his owner is not very good at throwing them. (Poor Dog.) Judge Piers Morgan said in the midst of the vote after hearing fellow Judge David Hasselhoff endorse sending Tony and Roary on to the next round that if Charles DeWayne didn’t move on, it would be the biggest scandal in America’s Got Talent History.  And he’s not far off from the truth.

I felt sorry for DeWayne who was keeping his composure despite an expression that practically screamed, “I can’t believe I lost to a dog.”

Hasselhoff and fellow Judge Sharon Osbourne were out of touch and showed the type of poor judgment one only usually associates with members of Congress.  A round-up of the rest of the acts follows below:

Moving on to the top 20 Semi-Finals:

The Fab Five: This group of five moms who are Sisters from Morgan, Utah put on a good dance routine to lead off the Quarter Final last night. They’re the closest thing to an Idaho connection in the contest.  I was worried they might not get a fair shake because by the end of the show, the first acts may not be as clear in people’s minds. Fortunately, they’ll make a very wholesome addition to the Semis.

The Voices of Glory: This trio of young sibling singers faltered early on with their harmonies, but picked up towards the end. I think their song choice was a big part of their problem. They sang, “You Will Never Walk Alone.”  The song was too big, but they managed to pull it out against last night’s competition.

The Texas Tenors: They sang, “God Bless the USA.”  I disagree with Piers Morgan about the song being cheesy, but based on the judges’ reaction, they may want to save their next rendition for the 2012 Republican Convention. I think Hoff was right that a sweeping Western ballad would be appropriate for the top 20 and that they do need to step it up in the next round.

Paradizo Dance: I wasn’t terribly impressed by their audition except for the fact that the 120 pound wife managed to support the 250 pound husband.  Their routine on Tuesday Night showed a lot of grace. They have very good relationship on stage that shines through.

Going Home:

Pete Peterkin: I really was hopign this act would go on. Peterkin does a great Barack Obama, along with other characters.  Peterkin deserves a spot on Saturday Night Live as an Obama impersonator. His act didn’t suffer from poor talent, but from poor writing at the beginning when impersonating Obama. Then he impersonated Obama impersonating Jamie Foxx impersonating Ray Charles. The judges found it hard to follow, but Peterkin’s performance of “Georgia on My Mind” was mind-blowing.

SQ Entertainment: For those who haven’t been following the series, after the top 40 were chosen, Simon Cowell stepped to allow eight eliminated acts back into the competition. So far, none have disproved the judges’ original decision to remove them by making the top 20, but SQ Entertainment came closest with a brilliant dance routine that, if anything, just seemed a bit too dark for America’s Got Talent.

The Beale Street Flippers: Well, they flipped. They flipped good. They flipped some more. And some more. And some more. And they flipped. And flipped. And for some reason, Judge Piers Morgan thought it was boring.

Eleisha Miller: Eleisha unfairly became the target of many fans ire when a better child singer was eliminated. Miller won the audition and made it into the top 40 on the power of pure charisma. In the Quarter Finals, she showed some promise as a dancer and my wife says that Eleisha has “star quality.” I tend to agree. However, her vocals aren’t there yet, though I think Piers Morgan telling her that singing wasn’t going to be her route seemed a tad presumptuous. The girl is nine years old. Her voice could develop over that time.  She had a nice touching scene with “The Voices of Glory” after she learned that she’d been eliminated and they were going on.

Carol Loo: Absolutely destroyed her chances. The 60+ year old had a very appealing audition with a somewhat quirky routine. However, this time she added back-up dancers which distracted from her dancing, and she wore a costume that led Sharon Osbourne to compare her to Madonna. I didn’t really want to see a 60 year old grandmother do Madonna.

Alizma: This group of blonde identical triplets had a good audition with their rendention of, “The Devil Comes Down to Georgia.” The judges agreed their violin playing was great, but their vocals weren’t that hot. So did they come out on stage with an instrumental piece that showcased their violin playing? No, that would have made sense. Instead, they all but ditched the violins, put on skimpy costumes and sang, “Natural Woman.” They deserved and got three Xs from the judges.

As a mid-twenties single white male, I represent the target demographic for Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie “Bruno.” The mockumentary about an Austrian fashion designer was promoted as a follow up to the irreverent character chicanery in Cohen’s hit film “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” However, after viewing the film and conferring with other theatre goers I want my money back.

The film follows “Bruno,” an Austrian Fashion designer on a quest for fame and acceptance in the United States. Interspersed with a grab bag of licentious smut, Cohen uses footage of mainstream celebrities who have been tricked into granting “Bruno” what they think are authentic interviews. Other Americana, such as a Fred Phelps anti-gay protest and a lewd craigslist swinger’s party are portrayed with mirthful indifference.

Mocking stereotypes may have its place in the arts, but “Bruno” is unredeemed proof that anything goes for entertainment if it can put a viewer on the edge of their seat. Yet it may not be anticipation of the next scene that has viewers on the edge of their seats in this case; many are getting ready to walk out of the theatre.

Bruno opened on a Friday night with strong box office returns, yet ticket sales quickly fell 39% on Saturday—a sign that viewers immediately warned their friends against the hype. Scrambling in the UK, “Bruno” producers have re-released a censored version of the film this week in hopes that underage viewers will not be turned away.

Though it appears Universal Picture’s profits are secure, the movie is not the blockbuster that opening night indicated. After one full week in theatres, ticket sales are down 73%. I have to hope and wonder: has my generation turned the corner and started to reject entertainment that flaunts our sense of tolerance by shredding public decency? The box office results of Sacha Baron Cohen’s flick “Bruno” would indicate yes.

The critics aren’t helping either. Owen Gleiberman in Entertainment Weekly writes that, “the movie is a toxic dart aimed at the spangly new heart of American hypocrisy: our fake-tolerant, fake-charitable, fake-liberated-yet-still madly-closeted fame culture.” Yet if Bruno is a toxic dart, then it is poisoned with the same base hypocrisy that Cohen pitches as humorous.

If Sacha Baron Cohen’s film contains a lesson about our culture, it is that humor has been exchanged for disgust, beauty for titillation, and decency for blind tolerance. There is almost nothing left for an irreverent comedian like Cohen to criticize.

Can a tolerant generation survive if it does not censor itself? It will be up to us twenty-something’s in the target demographic to answer this question. Many of our politicians practice democratic morality when they argue about same-sex marriage, abortion, dope, war, peace and taxes, while our pop-culture applauds anything with shock value. But I am afraid that this paradigm cannot last; we are trying to stitch the fabric of a tolerant society together with the cord of a lit fuse.

After all 88 excruciating minutes of Mr. Cohen’s film have passed, the viewer should learn at least one thing from the character “Bruno:” Don’t just aspire to be rich and famous, ask for your money back once in a while.

Editor’s note: For another review of Bruno, click here.