America's Got Talent determined four additional sixth-season semifinalist acts during Wednesday night's live broadcast of the NBC reality competition series.
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Fatally Unique, a hip-hop dance team from Rockford, IL; Zuma Zuma, a tumblers act from Las Vegas, NV; and Team iLuminate, glow suit dancers from New York, NY, were revealed to have finished as the Top 3 vote-getters after Tuesday night's performance show which featured the season's fourth group of 12 quarterfinalists performing for home viewer votes, automatically earning them a spot in America's Got Talent's sixth-season semifinals.
America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon also revealed that variety act The Kinetic King, singing trio Avery and the Calico Hearts, dancer Sam B., singer and guitarist Taylor Davis, magician Scott Alexander, BMX bike tricks act Yellow Designs Stunt Team, and variety act Frank Miles had received the seven lowest home viewer vote totals.
The announcements then left America's Got Talent judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel with the task of deciding which of the two acts that had received the fourth and fifth highest vote totals -- Charles Peachock, a juggler from Kent, OH, or Melissa Villasenor, an impressionist from Los Angeles, CA -- should become the fourth act to advance to the semifinals.
"I tell you Nick, this is not easy because I see both Charles and Melissa, you both want it so bad and I can feel it from you right now. I can see what you're both going through. You know, I agree with you Charles that juggling should not just be in a circus tent. It should be in theaters, it should be more on TV. I appreciate the art form of it, and you have updated it. You really have," Sharon said.
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"I mean listen, anyone who sets themselves on fire at an audition deserves to be here. Melissa, you've done impersonations I haven't seen before -- Drew Barrymore, Owen Wilson -- it's very current. I like that about you, and my decision tonight is going to be Melissa."
Piers then disagreed with Sharon and cast his vote for Charles.
"Well, Sharon's right. It's very difficult because we don't get many good jugglers and we don't get many good comedians. Everyone knows that if you watch the show, and when we get them, you really want them to both go through. And so, I'm disappointed actually that one of you has to leave now, but we've got to do our job as judges," Piers explained.
"My personal view is that on last night's performance, no doubt, Charles I thought you were terrific last night -- very talented, you carried it off brilliantly, good showmanship -- and Melissa, I thought you were a little bit disappointing. I'd much prefer the audition."
"I thought your routine was patchy last night. So, then I'm thinking, "Okay, put last night to one side. In the totality, who do we want in the semifinals? Who's got the better chance honestly of winning?" And I think, honestly, the best chance of winning -- I think -- would be Charles," he added.
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The decision then came down to Howie, as one judge had voted for each act.
"Here's the thing. Last night, Charles, I think what you do is amazing. I think what you did is amazing -- not necessarily last night -- but I go for what I think will stand out. I think [Melissa, you] were more amazing also in your audition before than you were last night," Howie said.
"But I go for uniqueness and buzz and memorability. And I think you can do something memorable if you light yourself on fire, but I believe that I have to go with originality and something people are talking about, and that's why I am going with Melissa."
Next week, America's Got Talent's sixth-season semifinals will continue with performances from 12 acts that were selected via the show's YouTube auditions. Eleven of the acts were selected by the judges while the twelfth will be the act that received the most votes from online voters.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski