These days, talent competitions that aren't "American Idol" have to work hard to gain any credibility for their winners. Maybe you can dance, but it's going to be hard for you to make as much money as Carrie Underwood. But NBC's "America's Got Talent" gained some credibility recently, when last year's winner, ventriloquist Terry Fator signed a reported $100 million contract to take his winning act to the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Now, I'm not saying I believe that number, but it is possible to make some bucks after you win this show. No coincidence that Simon Cowell is one of the producers, and also behind the English version, which was called "The X Factor."
"America's Got Talent" returns to NBC Tuesday night with host Jerry Springer and judges Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff. Springer and Osbourne met with bloggers Friday to talk about the season. A few samples from the transcript...
Question: Sharon, I’m just wondering if you think that most of these entertainers -- whether they make it or not -- have the X factor which also happens to be the name of your show, I know, in England?
Sharon Osbourne: Well I don’t know that they have the X factor, but they’ve got an awful lot of courage to go up and do what they do because I don’t think that people realize how hard it is to go up on a stage and perform in front of, you know, three people on a panel. It’s very - you know, it takes a lot of guts to do that.
Question: Do you think Americans had more talent than the English? You’ve been on both sides of the pond.
Sharon Osbourne: Well there’s just more of you here, so yes there’s more talent because there’s more people.
Question: How attached do you actually get to these contestants and like do you have them coming up to you after the show asking you for management or career advice, or anything like that?
Jerry Springer: Well I make - let me, Sharon if you don’t mind, let me go first on this. I’m in a different position than the judges are because the judges -- to keep the show, you know, absolutely fair -- they do not, you know, congregate with the contestants and they keep their distance. Obviously, they pass them in the hall, they’re polite and everything. But that’s - at this point, they’re not to be involved like that. My role is totally different so I am backstage with the contestants quite a bit and their families.
And the truth is, I do get invested with them, you know, at least emotionally because these are all, you know, these are all really nice people who maybe never thought they would ever have a chance at a career in entertainment. But, you know, wherever they live in the states, their friends and family say hey, you’ve really got some talent. Why don’t you try out? And they’re really hopeful and their families are there pulling for them.
And, you know, just being a normal person you can’t help but really root for them and cheer them on. And, you know, when something - when it doesn’t go their way and their dream seems smashed for the moment, yeah, it’s - you know, they - a good hug sometimes help and so yeah, I do feel a bit personally invested in them.
Question: Now how is it working with Piers this season? Is he, you know, still the same? I know he won Celebrity Apprentice this past season and I don’t know if he’s maybe a little more cocky this season or anything like that?
Sharon Osbourne: Well I can tell you he is definitely a little more cocky this season. I would say he’s extremely cocky this season.
Jerry Springer: I think the most fun is watching him and David because, you know, as you all know, we are privileged to be on the Planet Hoff and all of a sudden Piers is coming on his planet and wanting to be the, you know, the big man out there. So watching the competition between the two of them and Sharon being the one in the middle that’s trying to keep the peace is kind of fun, at least from my perspective seeing them fight it out. Sharon and I share a lot of looks while the two are going at each other.
Question: the past two seasons it seems like when you get down to the Top 10 you end up with a lot of singers. Why do you think that - even though it’s an open-ended talent show - why do you end up with so many singers?
Jerry Springer: It’s a reflection of the culture. Most entertainment, you know, most performance entertainment other than actors are people who sing. Now in the last couple of years we’re starting to get more dancing. ... What is nice about - I think frankly, not nice - what is great about America’s Got Talent, it really is the only show that I know since Ed Sullivan - and back to the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour, it’s the only show in America in the last 30, 40 years that is a pure citizen variety show. And that is what is phenomenal. I mean, just imagine how many young kids today are suddenly starting to, you know, say for Christmas last year they wanted to get a puppet or they wanted to try being a ventriloquist.
Sharon Osbourne: Yeah, it is like - for the younger generation, they haven’t seen these variety acts. They haven’t seen this art form before.
Question: You must’ve got some mimes this year. Any?
Sharon Osbourne: Mime acts?
Question: Yes.
Sharon Osbourne: Yeah, of course we got a lot of mime acts.
Question: And one more question -
Jerry Springer: In fact, some of the singers we wish were mime acts. Hey, have you ever thought about miming?
