"America's Got Talent" Wants YOU for Season 2

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

who was the artist that did the paintings with his hands??? he smacked the canvas.

[pablo]

R.I.P.

That was Denny Dent, who died a few years ago. The comedian Howie Mandel owns the rights to his bio, and is talking about making a movie about him.

There are now at least 4 guys who copy his show. I'm not one of them.

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

Denny Dent

I looked at Denny's website and he is the person i saw years ago on Donahue painting John Lennon and MLK Jr. Michael Moeschen was on the same program with the triangle bounce routine.

My girlfriend saw someone on AGT and i thought it was him but as i now know, he is with us no longer.RIP

Thanks Pablo

[Kenny Ahern]

Denny Dent

I saw Denny Dent showcase at the 1991 NACA National Conference. It was one of the best shows/showcases I have "ever" seen. The ripoff acts I have seen, attempt his style, do not even touch his greatness.

[Pele]

Originally posted by UCO

Ever since American Idol came out and got the intrest of the public from Simon being a dick. ( you can tell him I said that) Every producer in LA LA land has been trying to get on the wagon to try to expose new talent. But are you really looking for talent, or are you just looking for ratings.

If you read the credits, Simon *is* a producer on the show.
It is formulaic at best.

However, I agree with alot of the directoral comments of the Brit guy on this show but his delivery was purely hollywood.

I'm on a group with Michelle (the burly-q "dancer") who was on the show. According to her, the whole Knight Rider dance was actually contrived of by the producers and she didn't want to do it.

The quick change artists also had an hour of material but were told to do the quick change as that's what they "auditioned for and needed to stick to." (though they were a bit full of it too, with a lie caught on tape).

I digress.
Many of the acts on there were very talented.
Those who made it to the end were, for the most part.

For us to get on there though...eh.
The "judges" already have their minds made up about unusual and variety acts, most of which involve the statement "Go back to the boardwalk/circus/street faire."

And as for exposure.
There are many of us here who have appeared on television. Discovery, History, A&E, MTV, etc...
I can say from experience, the "exposure" is a bunch of bs (even as a starting out act) and all it does is look good on a resume, if anyone actually asks to glance at it before putting it in the circular file and moving on to a video...and getting a copy of a video from a producer is harder than pulling eye teeth from a rabid starving lion.

IMHO of course.

[Stephon]

Denny Dent

I was also lucky enough to see Denny perform many years ago. It was an amazing show.

He was supposed to open for Dennis Miller, but Miller wasn't feeling well, so he went on first. (I think he just didn't want to have to follow Denny).

[le pire]

The absurd contract for AGT(1) is in the Pnet library:

It's 45 pages and 7megs:

http://www.performers.net/junk/agreement.pdf

[Rachel Peters]

I'm curious to hear how many P.netters are getting contacted by AGT to audition.

That is all.

Carry on.

[Isabella]

We've been contacted for the past couple of years. We're hearing a variety of stories on "they hate aerialists and deliberately edit them to look bad" to "we want to assemble an aerial act out of a bunch of unrelated girls and act like they're a company, wanna be in it?" to "we want your company to audition and you don't have to wait in line." So far, we have not been able to connect on a date and location that would work for us to audition, and we don't think it's a good enough gig to travel special to get to. But the producers have been nice on the phone, and one of our girls made it to #11 last time, so we get a sense of how it works. Last year, they really wanted a singer to win, so the top ten was all singers. This year they are talking about variety. Who knows

[martin ewen]

Jay, you would be dead meat if you went in, a sitting duck. Do diligent research, see what kind of acts have won historically. Historically acts that win are presented like stuffed pigs to whichever dinosaur record company can exploit them for short bucks before the tabloids rape them and they fulfill the usual destructive narrative arc.
If you want to devise a couple of subtextural layers to yourself, Like Clay Atkin did simply by being Clay Atkin, plus have a genuinely singular talent at something that is prepackageable in a commercial sense, rather than what most of us have which are balls and the bravery to exist on our own terms. Then it's my opinion, [and that's all it is.] that you will be used as snarkbait by simon. Anyone not subservient needs to teach the viewers who's in control. [hint, their show, their ratings, your attempt at a show that exists without them, you work it out]

just running my mouth, hope alls well.

[Cate Emily]

I've had a number of friends and acquaintances go on this show. Their experiences were pretty mixed, but personally, I don't think it's in most variety performer's best interest to be on this show.

My former roommate, who has a good, but very standard Russian Bar act was invited to compete after making it to the finals in the French version. They did really well and made it to the finals before having to pull out due to an injury. The judges gushed and gushed about how amazing and unique their act was and I think the exposure did help them... However, Vladik, who could be considered one of the top jugglers in the world, who has been working in Vegas since he was nine and recently replaced Viktor Kee in Drailion, was told that he "should go to Santa Monica Bvld" and that he "is good, but not good enough for Vegas". Ivan Pecel was also mocked and humiliated by the judges but The Passing Zone did really well.

So, it looks like you could do decently or you could be completely humiliated. It might help a little with bookings and probably won't hurt too much, even if they do make fun of you (Ivan is still doing fine and Vladik is with CdS). However, to get that marginal increase in bookings you have to sign your life away, go on national TV, risk being humiliated in front of millions of people, all for what? A hotel room and a plane ride*? Someone's going to make a million bucks off of you performing for free and you're going to get, "exposure"...

I say stay home and make some money.

Cate



*because you surely will not win the American version if you're a variety artist, in Europe maybe, but no the US.

[Devinthejuggler]

Ok, think of me as a bad guy, but I have no problem pirating music (american music that is, always buy south african cds..cos well, lets get real, they play american music on the radio here...thats messed up) because I have done my fair share of exposure gigs to make up for the karma.

its not right, this talent show thing is a very good way to get free entertainment. a whole show filled with weeks of performers but you only have to pay one guy at the end! brilliant idea...unless you are an artist. I'd rather be the guy who makes someones day on the street than be 'hey arent you that guy from the talent show on t.v?i thought the guy with the levatating pig was better'
they had the same thing here, south africas got talent, apparently the word has got around that we dont need to pay people for performing anymore.

its disgusting.
everyine should read the book buy ben eltons book: 'chart throb' it does a nice job of showing the other end of talent shows.

Devin.

[reidbelstock]

Big time AP. Let's be clear on a few things.
-YOU are scouting professionals. We are not scouting you.
-YOU are offering no compensation(paying ones corporate rate is very reasonable), and demand a release of all rights FOREVER.
-EVERY act that has won was musically oriented. Even the Ventriloquist.
-David Hasslehoff has announced publicly that he hates jugglers. Why would we put ourselves out there to be humiliated without proper compensation?
-Your show has a long history(4 seasons not) of having judges who are not qualified to judge vareity artists. It shows in the abuse, poor choices of who passes, and who fails to pass but should.

Many if not most of us on this list are full time performers. Performers who have been doing this for a very long time, and have more to lose by coming on your show for no compensation and being humiliated than to gain by it. Again, if you paid well(what we are worth) most of us wouldn't care. After 4 seasons, you still don't seem to understand that. Your show should be called Americas Got Amateur Talent. Than at least you could go after people who are ready to be abused and manipulated.