America's Got Talent

The television airwaves are littered with talent competitions based around singing and dancing. That's great if you're a vocal gymnast or can do a plié – everywhere you turn you can find the chance to win some large sum of money if you perform for the viewing public. But what about the sword swallowers and ventriloquists and contortionists of America? Where is their potential prize money?

Thankfully, America's Got Talent was created to fill that talent competition void. Though the show does feature musicians and dancers, what it also has is a whole lot of variety. Luckily for TV fans faced with nothing to watch this summer, America's Got Talent is back with its third season and a whole lot of new talent for us to ogle.

Returning to the program is host Jerry Springer and judges David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne. They'll be sitting by their buzzers ready to give a giant red X to the acts that fail to entertain or praise to high heaven the performers who America finds endlessly appealing.

America's Got Talent season 3 airs its premiere this upcoming Tuesday and will show the auditions that were held around the country as well as in a “virtual audition city” on MySpace. The most successful acts were sent off to Vegas and we will see them culled down to the choice groups that will be performing live each following week. Viewers will be able to cast their votes each week until only one man, woman or group is left standing, and that person or group will be crowned the winner.

To get ready for the new season we have a few preview clips of some of the unusual new acts that will be gracing our screens. First up is a small yet entertaining performance of a man making shadow puppets. He somehow manages to create Nixon, the Pope and even a moonwalking Michael Jackson out of just his hands.

In this clip, a gymnast steps atop a beam held on the shoulders of two men who then proceed to toss her in the air. It looks completely dangerous, but the gymnast somehow manages to keep from tumbling gracelessly to the hard stage floor.

Last up we have “Flambeaux,” who lights the stage up with fire before breathing flames himself.

The acts look to range from unusually amusing to downright amazing, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Be there on Tuesday, June 17 at 9pm when NBC airs America's Got Talent's two hour premiere. BuddyTV will be here all summer long recapping the on-stage shenanigans and we hope you'll join us for all the fun.

- , BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Photo and videos courtesy of NBC)