I generally don't watch competition talent shows anymore. Once AMERICAN IDOL became SO YOU WANT TO BE IDINA MENZEL? I got off the train. And general talent shows often serve up acts to be used as cannon fodder for humiliation.
Plus, I'm tired of the format. Tired of the panelists desperately searching for new ways to say the same things over and over. Even Howard Stern fell into that trap.
Oh, and by nature I'm cynical -- especially when it comes to reality shows (since most are fake).
But I have to say, this act melted even my dark heart. Ventriloquism is becoming a lost art. Longtime readers of this blog know how much I admired Shari Lewis, who could do things with her tongue that women earning a thousand dollars an hour couldn't do. Years ago ventriloquists were in such high demand that one even had a national radio show (Edgar Bergen -- Candice's dad). Think about the absurdity of that for a moment. That's like a radio show where a guy does card tricks.
But I digress...
Recently on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT a 12 year-old girl from Oklahoma did an amazing ventriloquist act. So much so that I thought I'd share it.
I predict big things for Darci Lynne. She's such a remarkable ventriloquist that someday I could see her even getting her own podcast.
Enjoy.
That was adorable. And she's got a million dollar smile. Hope she goes far.
ReplyDeleteWhat's even more absurd than a ventriloquist on the radio? Paul Winchell did a sketch on one of his shows where he was a ventriloquist IN A SILENT MOVIE!!! The guy was a genius.
ReplyDeleteWow. I've never watched the show but that young lady was special.
ReplyDeleteEven Oklahoma?!
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you, Mr. West Coast "There are states in between California and New York?" Elitist. Oklahoma has spawned more than a little talent, including Ralph Ellison, Tony Randall, James Garner, Brad Pitt, Will Rogers, Johnny Bench, Patti Page, Van Heflin, Woody Guthrie, Jennifer Jones, Mickey Mantle, Iron Eyes Cody, Jim Thorpe and Bill Moyers, among others.
Dennis beat me to it, Ken. Although he missed the most obvious: Carrie Underwood, winner of American Idol. She's sold a few records.
ReplyDeleteBill Moyers is from Marshall, Texas...replace him with Reba McIntyre
ReplyDeleteWhen you have to pad the Oklahoma Performing Talent Hall of Fame with three athletes and a weeping fake Indian, the verdict is in.
ReplyDeleteWow, people. I'm being facetious with the Oklahoma thing. If the girl was from California my headline would have been "Even California has talent." It's a humor blog. Have we gotten so sensitive that we can't poke fun at a state?
ReplyDeleteAnd Wendy,
I firmly believe the only reason SNOBS didn't get picked up was because the lead actor was terrible and killed it.
Anonymous Pam Handle said...
ReplyDeleteWhen you have to pad the Oklahoma Performing Talent Hall of Fame with three athletes...the verdict is in.
Since when does athletics not count as talent? Iron Eyes Cody, I'll give you. The guy claimed for years and years to be a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, but he was lying. He was an Italian from Louisiana. But Johnny Bench? Mickey Mantle? What they could do wasn't talent?
Hey Ken - you mentioned Edgar Bergen on the radio...how about one of your all time favorites...he was kind of a ventriloquist?!?!
ReplyDeleteJackson Armstrong and the Gorilla!!
America's Got Talent is so different from most of the reality shows because you never know what the next ACT is going to do. And yes, I too am a huge Shari Lewis fan and I'm proud to have two of her shows in my private collection from her classic NBC days including one with Margaret Hamilton. Her Talent was unbelievable.
ReplyDelete"Years ago ventriloquists were in such high demand that one even had a national radio show (Edgar Bergen -- Candice's dad). Think about the absurdity of that for a moment. That's like a radio show where a guy does card tricks."
ReplyDeleteI think it's a testament to Bergen's talent that there was more to the act than merely throwing his voice. The humor transcended the gimmick.
I'm much too young to remember Bergen's radio show (though he still occasionally did television in the 1970s.) But I know one of the recurring jokes in his act was Charlie McCarthy (Bergen's dummy) mocking him for moving his lips. That might have played even FUNNIER on the radio, where you could have imagined an embarrassed Bergen frantically trying to keep his mouth in a state of paralysis.
Not just adorable, but how does she belt out a song keeping her mouth that closed? If there were moments like that, I'd watch these shows more often. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI never thought Oklahoma had talent, but then all those cowboys started singing and dancing. What a beautiful morning! What a beautiful day!
ReplyDeleteEric said..'Since when does athletics not count as talent?'
ReplyDeletePam Handle never implied that, her comment was based on the Oklahoma Performing Talent Hall of Fame being supposedly about show biz 'performers', and Pete and Dennis, what the hell is wrong with you?
Look over your shoulder, Jeff Dunham.
ReplyDeleteI saw it at the time and I was STILL touched in rewatching it
ReplyDeleteEric:
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Pam Handle said...
When you have to pad the Oklahoma Performing Talent Hall of Fame with three athletes...the verdict is in.
Eric said...
Since when does athletics not count as talent? Iron Eyes Cody, I'll give you. The guy claimed for years and years to be a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, but he was lying. He was an Italian from Louisiana. But Johnny Bench? Mickey Mantle? What they could do wasn't talent?
Public Figure Eric,
I don't watch a lot of "America's Got Talent" or "American Idol." So tell me, how many undiscovered bunters, sluggers and double play combos have they showcased over the years?
None of you defending Oklahoma mentioned Kristin Chenoweth, that little giant from Broken Arrow (who had a short-lived NBC sitcom -- no height pun intended -- that Ken directed)?
ReplyDelete