America's Got Talent...I Swear I Didn't Know

     AGT, as it is affectionately known, is currently in its seventh season and, apparently, has undergone some major changes. I say "apparently" because I have never seen the show before this season (I had mistakenly assumed it was a bastardized version of the Gong Show) and had to rely on friends, who have watched the show since its beginning, to verify a statement by the show's executive producer, Simon Cowell, that I read somewhere promising a "top to bottom makeover". According to my friends, swapping Piers Morgan for Howard Stern at the judges table does not a "top to bottom makeover" make. The show looks the same to them, right down to the acts that look suspiciously like slightly modified ghosts from seasons past, and some of them, I won't say who, want Mr. Cowell branded an oath breaker, or worse (I believe one of them muttered something to the effect that drawing and quartering was too good for him). To this I say...THBPBPTHPT! and stop picking on my new favorite show.
     How can anyone not love this show? It has everything. It has ordinary people with extraordinary talent and, in some cases, stories with the power to motivate you or maybe even break your heart. What's that you say? American Idol already has that? Why yes it does. It also has its fair share of talentless hacks, some of them also certifiably delusional, who beg the judges for a chance to prove they really do have talent after they've already proven, often in a way that's spectacularly cringe-worthy, that they don't. But what American Idol doesn't have (anymore) is a panel of judges so entertaining that we hang on their every word.
     Sharon Osbourne has a wicked sense of humor tempered by a gracious charm that cracks me up as it puts the contestants at their ease. She is someone that you could take to your obnoxious, Christmas hating in-law's house for the holidays and a good time would be had by all.
     Howard Stern, her polar opposite and AGT's much hyped "larger than life personality", keeps viewers and contestants alike on edge as we all wait on bated breath for whatever profanity laden or politically incorrect (or both) atrocity that past history tells us he is easily capable of spewing with or without provocation. So far, he seems to be on his best behavior. I credit NBC's fine people in charge of editing for the kinder, gentler version of him that we have been treated to thus far because something (past history again) tells me that once the live shows begin airing we are going to get the rule breaking Howard Stern that should make NBC honchos fear the wrath of the FCC. I, frankly, will be disappointed if we don't.
     And then we have Howie Mandel. There is something about the sound of his voice that makes me laugh as soon as he starts talking, and the things he says never fail to be hilarious. He has a sharp mind, a quick wit, and an impulsiveness that makes him the most fun of the three judges and the one that I hope Mr. Cowell keeps the next time he decides to do a "top to bottom makeover".
     Of course, no show of this nature would be complete without a host, and if there's anyone out there more adorable in this capacity than Nick Cannon I don't know who it is. Whether he's outside amid the crush of hopefuls, backstage with the contestants' families, or onstage with the contestants themselves, he is always interested as well as interesting (not easy to pull off), supportive, caring (all those nervous kids got themselves a great temporary big brother), and, best of all, he's game for anything...check out his turquoise duct tape bikini top wearing self pole dancing with Lulu on YouTube if you don't believe me.

     As for the acts, it turns out that America really does have talent. Among my favorites are musician William Close who played what he called an "earth harp", a giant instrument with strings that spanned the entire length  of the Orpheum Theatre, and escape artist Spencer Horsman who managed to extricate himself from a straight jacket while hanging upside down beneath a giant steel trap being held open by a burning rope with only eighty seconds of life before it was extinguished, springing the trap. Both performances were seriously cool, but the act that made me cheer out loud (and draw unwanted attention of the creepy variety to myself) was Andrew De Leon's. ***Note to self...never watch AGT in the electronics department at Walmart.*** It was amazing. Now, I do not like opera and don't allow it to be played in my general vicinity (it's one of my hard and fast rules), but I was mesmerized by Andrew's performance. It could have been partly due to shock. He confessed to the judges that he was self-taught and had never performed for anyone before, not even his family. Since this is almost never good, I cringed. He looks like he could be Marilyn Manson's kid brother so I broke another hard and fast rule of mine and, adjusting my expectations to his appearance, waited for him to belt out Personal Jesus or Disposable Teens. Then the most amazing aria poured from him as effortlessly as most people talk. It was powerful and filled with raw emotion, and I couldn't have walked away from its beauty if I had tried. It would have pulled me back. I have never heard anything like it before but will get to again on Monday. ***Reminder to self...NOT at Walmart.*** I can't wait.
     So, what do you think? Are you a new fan or an old fan or no fan at all? Have you picked an early favorite for the win? And how about those judges? Are they the funnest bunch of people to watch, or what? You've seen it. It's fair game. Let's talk about it.