'America's Got Talent' reveals five more third-season Top 20 acts

NBC's America's Got Talent revealed its second group of five Top 20 Round contestants during Tuesday night's live broadcast of the reality competition series.


The broadcast began with America's Got Talent host Jerry Springer revealing that Daniel Jens, Paul Salos, Queen Emily, and The Wright Kids had been the top four vote-getters from last Wednesday's performance show and would therefore be moving on to the competition's Top 20 Round.

During the process, Springer also revealed that Jonathon Arons, George the Giant, Kazual, and Slippery Kittens had received the four lowest home viewer vote totals and had been eliminated from the competition.

Springer's announcements then left America's Got Talent judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff with the task of deciding whether ZOOperstars! or Beyond Belief Dance Company -- the acts that had received the fifth and sixth highest vote totals from the show's home viewer voters -- should become the fifth and final second-group Top 40 act to advance to the competition's Top 20.

"Obviously this is a very difficult decision," Piers said sarcastically.  "You've got some very talented young dancers to my left, and you have on my right arguably the most stupid act in show business history. It's a bit of a tough one."


"I think I can spare you a lot of trouble Jerry by saying that my vote goes with [Beyond Belief Dance Company]," Piers said as he cast his vote for the Mesquite, TX-based dance company.

Sharon acknowledged that both acts were "totally different" and credited the dance company as a "fantastic" group who "nailed it last time" and "were great."

However, despite calling them a group of "silly asses," Sharon voted for ZOOperstars! -- a Kentucky-based group that features men performing choreographed routines in various inflatable mascot outfits -- to move on and credited their unique act as the primary reason why.

"I think they make a well rounded show, and I think every show needs silliness," she said.

As the deciding vote, David looked to the crowd for their opinion before addressing the two acts.


"The first time you were on the show I was one of the ones that didn't vote you through," David told the dance company before he revealed his decision. "But you proved me wrong. You came back with amazing tenacity and amazing talent."

However, like Sharon, David chose the ZOOperstars! as well, calling their act "whacked out," but also "incredibly, surprisingly, weirdly, awesomely entertaining."

He added that he had come to his decision with "grave regret" and predicted future success for the dance company.

"I know that you will go on and not give up," he said.

After the five new Top 20 acts were revealed, the Top 40 Round's third group of performances began and ten more acts performed for the opportunity to advance to the Top 20 Round. 


The five third-group Top 40 acts that will get to advance to the Top 20 Round will be revealed at the beginning of tonight's live show, after which the ten remaining Top 40 acts will perform.

Tuesday's Top 40 Round performers were: 

- The Texas State Strutters, a dance troupe from San Marcos, TX

- Michael Strelo-Smith, an opera singer from Castro Valley, CA

- Bruce Block, a performance artist from St. Joseph, MI


- Shequida (Gary Hall), an operatic drag queen from New York, NY

- The Taubl Family, musicians from New Haven, CT

- Jonathan Burkin, a baton twirler from Clyde, OH

- Sarah Lenore, a singer/musician from Plymouth, MA

- SickStep, a dance crew from Los Angeles/Orange County, CA


- Matthew Piazzi, an impressionist from New York, NY

- Joseph Hall, an Elvis impersonator from Lincoln, NE






About The Author: John Bracchitta