David Hasselhoff and Sharon Osbourne talk about finding talent

(18 Jun 2009) 'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT' SEEKS ITS OWN SUSAN BOYLE
"America's Got Talent" has got a problem: Susan Boyle.
Will the NBC talent show, which begins its fourth season June 23, be able to find its own version of the 48-year-old Scottish singing sensation?
Boyle's first appearance on the British edition earlier this year generated millions of YouTube hits and sparked an immeasurable amount of attention. The show's judges are putting the onus on the auditioning public.
"'America's Got Talent' has gone completely crazy," said judge Piers Morgan. "We've had some of the most deluded, mad acts I can ever remember on any talent show in the world, but that's part of the magic. We've also had some great talent. I think the Susan Boyle effect has had a huge effect on the show because what she has done is lay the gauntlet down to America. Beat that. She's the biggest star from any talent show ever. See what you can do, America. I like that."
Among the acts the judges have seen so far this season that may reach Boyle status stateside: a trio of siblings called Voices of Glory who serenaded their comatose mother, an impressive singer who said she was turned away from auditioning for a cruise line because of her appearance and a chicken farmer who clucked one mean Garth Brooks tune.
"It's kind of weird, wacky, wonderful, crazy long days sometimes because you never know whose coming through the wings sometimes," said judge David Hasselhoff. "We're doing a gig with MySpace, so we're kind of at the mercy of the internet, you never know what's going to jump out at you. It's been pretty wild today, some pretty good acts. Nothing fantastic so far in Los Angeles, but we've seen a lot of people from all over the country. We've got a great show. It's funny this year, most of the talent is really young. Really young from 7 to like 18 years old and then there was an 86-year-old-guy who is singing a Gene Autry song. So we've run the gamut this year, but some of the most amazing talent are the children."
This season, the show has scoured for Boyles of all kinds - comedians, contortionists, jugglers, magicians, dancers and singers - in nine cities: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Boston and Houston.
Former host Jerry Springer was replaced by actor-rapper Nick Canon, who says he was welcomed by the show's judges.
"It's like a family here," said Canon. "Literally. I've known each judge individually for a while, you know, Hollywood-know, like, 'Hey, how you doing?' But to come here and them just receive me with open arms and treat me like I'm part of the family is great."
The show's previous winners - tween crooner Bianca Ryan, ventriloquist Terry Fator and operatic insurance salesman Neal E. Boyd - haven't become household names, in the vein of Boyle, after winning the $1 million (US dollars) prize. It's usually the odd acts that have viewers talking each season.
Sharon Osbourne said the wackiest she's seen so far is a man with a dancing toe.
"He made this little theatre to put his toe in," said Osbourne, "and he put a little wig on his toe, but the wig fell off, and you couldn't see his toe in his little theatre. It was just insane."
"America's Got Talent" premieres in the US June 23 on NBC.

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