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America's Got Talent -- But Not on NBC

Posted Jun 22nd 2006 11:29AM by TMZ Staff

David Hasselhoff and Brandy serve as judges on NBC's This...is...not...."American Idol."

That would have to be the conclusion reached by most viewers of last night's premiere of "America's Got Talent" on NBC, the latest competitive confection from Simon Cowell and his "Idol" partners at FremantleMedia.

Even with the influence of two men – Cowell as executive producer and Regis Philbin as host – who helped make "Idol" and "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" respectively the two biggest summertime TV sensations in history, the show was frequently painful to watch, and not just because the "talents" on stage – among them a rapping granny and a man breakdancing in a giant puffy cow suit shooting milk out of the udders – seemed to be as much working out issues as doing their routines.



As for the judges, they hewed closely to the now-ubiquitous panel formula of Nice Judge-Fawning Female Judge-Mean Judge With English Accent. But the team of European megastar David Hasselhoff, pop diva Brandy, and Brit journalist Piers Morgan had nothing resembling chemistry, though the same could've been said of Randy, Paula, and Simon in the initial stages of "Idol." Still, Brandy's sympathy seemed deeply forced, Morgan's sniping was appropriately dry but almost too so, and Hasselhoff was just plastic and weird, often struggling to find the right response to the performers.

Regis, for his part, appeared uncharacteristically ill at ease with the show, not knowing whether to ridicule the contestants or the judges.

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16. I looked forward to seeing this show for weeks. I was thoroughly disappointed. It was like the Gong Show from yesteryear with too many terrible performances. I did not like any of the judges. They were almost as bad as the contestants, most of which had no talent at all. The judges tried to hard to be like the "Idol" judges. They were not funny, or interesting. I watched for a short while, hoping to change my opinion, or hoping it would get better. It did not. I won't be watching this one anymore.

Posted at 5:08PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Marie

17. I watched the full 2 hours. Of course it's goes much quicker when you have a DVR and you can fast forward through all the commercials. The show is not original but there are better acts then "The Gong Show". I loved that show when I was a kid. I loved listening to the 14 year old singer. She was awesome. Oops that sounds like something Hasslehoff would say. I don't know, but he seems to be lossing his mind or something. He's 57 years old and he's acting like a 75 year old trying to be a 30 year old. Too quick to judge some of the acts and not quick enough for some of the acts that should have been given the triple X. I hope it gets better with the judges but I do enjoy seeing the "talent". It's fun. Stop booing and appreciate these people for having the guts to go on TV and do there thing. Maybe some of you are jealous cuz your not talented or maybe more so and you should be up there doing your thing.

Posted at 7:39PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Danny

18. I agree with most of what everyone has been saying. What were those judges thinking, if anything, and WHAT were they doing? The buzzing of everyone else's buzzers? Childish and ridiculous....most of the acts that sent off weren't even given the time to show what they could do. The bird trainer that was sent off was completely right! DON'T invite animal acts if you can't appreciate how difficult it is to train a species other than human....and that stripper, during prime time and passed through to the next round, while others weren't even allowed to continue to perform. What a mess! A poor effort and imitation of idol, even making the Brit the bad cop. Please. There is so much talent out there. Why do they have to make fools of those trying to show their stuff? Give me the reruns!

Posted at 8:51PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Rachelle Waring-Kuschner

19. The audience was so staged. You could get tickets on line for months now, and they have requested audience members to dress in outragious costumes. The better, the better your seating.Then Regis tells America the entire audience is filled with hopeful auditioners hoping to hear their name to come on stage. Everyone who was on stage last night was sitting in the first four rows and already wearing a microphone. What a mess of a show. Don't try and pull one over on the public!!!!

Posted at 12:14AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Serena Hall

20. I watched this with two teenage grandsons; we were unanimous in our thinking. Very few laughs, horrendous judges, especially Hasselhoff!!! Why did Simon Cowell do this, both to the viewing audience and to NBC? NBC will be smart if it immediately takes this off the air.

Posted at 11:35AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Lorraine Jackman

21. I watched 30 minutes of this crap then changed channels. I want my 30 minutes back! Hasselhoff is a moron and a has-been.

Posted at 1:21PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Adam

22. WOW! - Has Simon Cowell got NO IMAGINATION? - Give us a break! - Think out the box a little Simon!

Why is he trying to make every show he creates "mimic" the American Idol! formula? - Quite clearly the formula does NOT transfer well. America has more brains than that Simon. If you want another show you create to be a success follow some simple steps! STOP! - Do some "real research" into what the American Public want (Not what you believe the American public want) then deliver on what you find! - Continue delivering "American Idol - Re packaged!" and I can assure you it will affect American Idol's ratings - it is now becoming like that great song you hear on the radio! - then they simply play it into the ground! - the song then quickly becomes the song from hell!

Posted at 4:50PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Benton Smith

23. Yes I'll say the same thing this sshow was a waste of my time I don't even see why I watched it I wish that I would have got to see the rest of LA because when they were about to show a commerical and they said well we don't have enough time for everyone,and they are the ones that seemed interesting.

Posted at 11:36PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by christine

24. I am surprised that Simon Cowell would even have his name associated with this how. The best of the night by far was the young girl (Alexis) singing Whitney Houston's I've Got Nothing. She is a star! and should be moved to next years American Idol. Hopefully the network won't let this go on much longer. Regis, PLEASE

Posted at 1:42AM on Jun 24th 2006 by Brian Dailey

25. Ohmygod, David hasselholf needs to crawl into a hole. Did anyone else see him dance? Was he really trying to make people laugh with his jokes, or was he trying to get people to turn the channel? Ouch, what a loser for a show.

Posted at 1:59PM on Jun 24th 2006 by crystal

26. 2 acts then 5-7 commercials - this 2 hour show could have been shown in one hour if they just let the acts come out one after another. They would have still had time to show some commercials. NBC decided to get as much money up front, because the viewers they want will not watch any more.

Posted at 6:35PM on Jun 24th 2006 by Brett

27. i think the show was ok. it was interesting and it kept me entertained but the judges SUCK

Posted at 9:41PM on Jun 24th 2006 by Kevin

28. Booooo!! It won't last long.

Posted at 2:33PM on Jun 25th 2006 by Gabby

29. I hate how they buzzed people before they even did their routine! and I hated how they let some acts thru like the stripper? come on! and I especially hated how they rang each others buzzers.

Posted at 3:27PM on Jun 25th 2006 by Colleen

30. What a joke. I waited months to see this program and it turned out to be a complete waste of time. The judges have taken a good idea and turned it into a joke. Dave Whats-his-face acted like an idiot. Brandy was a Paula want-to-be. The english guy would X a person after 2 seconds.

Posted at 8:15AM on Jun 26th 2006 by Mike

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