Michael Grasso on AGT

[Magic Newswire]

As we all know, Michael Grasso is the final magician in AGT's Top Ten. He's about to perform on this weeks "Top Ten" episode. Will he continue to wow the judges? We are about to find out!

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-------------------SPOILER ALERT------------------------
DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS
THE SHOW HAS ALREADY AIRED IN YOUR TIME ZONE!
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Once again, Michael stepped out of his comfort zone performing an Illusion that he had never performed before.

The judges ended up on their feet.

Sharon: Every week you step it up and you always deliver. It is incredible. I really hope that you are one of the four that goes through.

Howie: I crown you the king of magic! I gotta know how you did that!

Piers: America has an impossible job! You are the best magician that we have ever had on the show!

 

[joshrobarts]

PREPOSTEROUS!! WE ALL KNOW THAT CHRIS KENNER IS KING OF THE MAGICIANS!! HOW DARE SUCH UNINFORMED CRETINS BESTOW A FALSE CROWN!!!!

oh and also...
bring sperry back.

 

[Zenn_Darkfire]

That was amazing... not gunna lie I was surprised!

 

[joshrobarts]

okay i have to be honest. im not a big fan of Michael Grasso's and im becoming less and less of a fan of the show. It seems like they are more interested in a sob story or back drop than actual talent. And as for Grasso, its just like watching a million other stage shows, its like they are all cut from a mold with the same tricks, some props and same illusions. Heck most of them use the same lame poses and personalities. And for the love of GOD do we really need the terribly overdramatic "look how sexy and magical i am" poses from the female assistant? especially when she looks like a retiree dominatrix? i just want something new, fresh and original and something with personality and general content. I guess im really stretching for a reality show, i guess i'll just go back to the jersey shore, less drama.

 

[Magic Newswire]

If you missed it live, here's the video:
http://bit.ly/9s5oBZ

 

[Liderc]

i don't want to say too much because i don't want to be accused of "Exposure"

but that was another lame trick by Mr.Grasso.. with methods so transparent it's not even funny ( least we forget last weeks where the camera was trying to cut away but didn't in time) and then this one tonight.. so predictable

 

[mehar]

i don't want to say too much because i don't want to be accused of "Exposure"

but that was another lame trick by Mr.Grasso.. with methods so transparent it's not even funny ( least we forget last weeks where the camera was trying to cut away but didn't in time) and then this one tonight.. so predictable

i watched it on youtube twice and I figured it out.. very disappointing..

 

[scarecrow1]

Come on guys, chill out. So what if you figured it out? Of course you did, these switches have to have misdirection, as soon as someone leaves the view of the audience, of course we know what happened, but people won't see it the first time, because they were misdirected. And as for his tricks being transparent, then how come all the laypeople who talk to me about Grasso on AGT say he amazes them everytime? I get people talking to me about him a lot, saying he's amazing. It's only because you are magicians that we see where the switches take place and such.

I would like to see half of you go out and perform on a tv show that large and not loose your cool. Don't be so quick to jump on the band wagon and diss Grasso just because everyone else is. I would enjoy watching some of you perform for an audience of only twenty people and amaze and entertain them. Besides, as soon a Grasso did a stylized performance, the judges kicked him off the show. Then sharon brought him back as a wild card. The judges only like big proppy stage illusions.

 

[majikx007]

I can't believe all the criticism and cynicism about Grasso on both the nbc.com site and here. Listen most of you hateful, inferior wanna be magicians. Firstly, I'm more impressed that Grasso has friends and family much like w/angel who are actually part of the show! I have great difficulity just thinking how lame most people in society are not wishing me a happy birthday on facebook? But forget that, this guy has a small group or team by his side working to change or add another dimension to classic illusions most of you could not even afford. So the general public and other magicians need to place their want to be 12" *'s in a skillet and let it simmer until cooked! Mediocrity always attacks excellence!! NOW STOP SAYING HOW POOR MICHAEL GRASSO WAS, I HOPE THAT HE WINS & IF HE DOESN'T AMERICA HATES MAGICIANS. All the judges seemed to love him. Remember he is not a rich performer who can seem to afford those very expensive props which all the big shots have. It takes time, time, time. Do I have to say it again..?...TIME.

 

[joshrobarts]

dude chill out. we are expressing opinions, your going on a rant. Stop being a fanatic. and to those of you challenging us to do what Grasso does, i say this. I can entertain a crowd of 4 or a crowd of 100, and have and i dont need huge ridiculous props, just a deck, coins and a pen. My issue isn't entirely with Grasso, more towards Stage Magic in general which has become an over-dramatic redundancy of the same tricks repackaged. And without interaction with the audience its hard to get excited about the same illusion. At least with close up you have the interaction and personality of the performer to entertain you and watch, with stage magic its just waiting to see which crappy techno song they picked while they posed. I am merely asking for substance, personality and originality. I will use some examples, compare for instance Grasso's illusion to a dozen other stage magicians and the differences are few and minor. Compare instead a Bill Malone Close up set to that same trick list as presented by say, Michael Ammar or David Blaine and the two don't even seem comparable or to be the same material. Im asking to see that kind of difference in stage magic, and i dont believe Grasso is conveying that element or is deserving of the heaps of praise bounding upon him, when he could just as easily be subbed out for another 10 or 20 magicians with an almost identical set list. I want something new in stage magic, for a good example of someone who brought that and deserved recognition look up some videos of Florian Zimmer or my favorite Topas. and im tired of all the baggage that comes along with the intro. Its AMERICA'S GOT TALENT!! Not grey's anatomy, i dont need a medical history on every contestant.


edit- this should in no way be a slight against Grasso personally. I recognize him as an accomplished performer who's technique is sound and im sure he is talented, rather i am just not seeing the wow factor.

 

[Liderc]

Cheers JRobarts05 i concur Completely..


and it would be wise to find out who it is you call a "wanna be" before you call them that...

that's all I'm going to say about it

 

[Jacob]

What the hell? Michael grasso got sent home and they put Prince Poppycock through? Wow

 

[Magic Newswire]

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-------------------SPOILER ALERT------------------------
DO NOT READ ANY POSTS AFTER THIS ONE UNLESS
THE SHOW HAS ALREADY AIRED IN YOUR TIME ZONE!
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Grasso goes home and Poppycock moves on to the final 4. Ummm....

 

[Liderc]

He still has a spot on the tour...

he is not even close to "The King Of Magic" though

 

[Jacob]

He is a fantastic magician and I still see no reason why poppycock is in the finals. What a joke.

 

[Magic Newswire]

*******************************************************
-------------------SPOILER ALERT------------------------
DO NOT READ ANY POSTS AFTER THIS ONE UNLESS
THE SHOW HAS ALREADY AIRED IN YOUR TIME ZONE!
*******************************************************
THe most successful magician to compete on America's Got Talent was sent home tonight. Here's a retrospective of his appearances on the show:
http://bit.ly/98eEKF

 

[scarecrow1]

dude chill out. we are expressing opinions, your going on a rant. Stop being a fanatic. and to those of you challenging us to do what Grasso does, i say this. I can entertain a crowd of 4 or a crowd of 100, and have and i dont need huge ridiculous props, just a deck, coins and a pen. My issue isn't entirely with Grasso, more towards Stage Magic in general which has become an over-dramatic redundancy of the same tricks repackaged. And without interaction with the audience its hard to get excited about the same illusion. At least with close up you have the interaction and personality of the performer to entertain you and watch, with stage magic its just waiting to see which crappy techno song they picked while they posed. I am merely asking for substance, personality and originality. I will use some examples, compare for instance Grasso's illusion to a dozen other stage magicians and the differences are few and minor. Compare instead a Bill Malone Close up set to that same trick list as presented by say, Michael Ammar or David Blaine and the two don't even seem comparable or to be the same material. Im asking to see that kind of difference in stage magic, and i dont believe Grasso is conveying that element or is deserving of the heaps of praise bounding upon him, when he could just as easily be subbed out for another 10 or 20 magicians with an almost identical set list. I want something new in stage magic, for a good example of someone who brought that and deserved recognition look up some videos of Florian Zimmer or my favorite Topas. and im tired of all the baggage that comes along with the intro. Its AMERICA'S GOT TALENT!! Not grey's anatomy, i dont need a medical history on every contestant.


edit- this should in no way be a slight against Grasso personally. I recognize him as an accomplished performer who's technique is sound and im sure he is talented, rather i am just not seeing the wow factor.

I would agree with you, but I just felt people were picking on Grasso too much. As soon as he did something on the show with actual skill and uniqueness, the judges kicked him off. Then sharon brought him back, it's just that the judges only like the cliche big proppy tricks that every stage magicians does. You can't use a deck a pen and coins on a huge show like AGT, because as soon as you do, the judges will kick you off, stupid, but the unfortunate truth.

I also agree that stage magic is cliche and tired. I personaly think it's the most boring of magic genres, because it usually performed just like everyone else. Same tricks, same style, same presentation. Blah.

 

[jprace]

Yes, it's sad that Grasso got kicked off. However, I thought his last illusion didn't even make a lot of sense. To me, it would've been a better trick if he was in the box, and not his brother who looks like him from behind. It was way too obvious that multiple things were going on behind the curtain, and if you think about it, all Grasso had to do was get off of the clear box and dress up, so why were they surprised when he was one of the pirate people? Plus, Prince Poppycock is actually very good, and I enjoy watching him more than Grasso.

Don't get me wrong, Grasso was good. But there is some unbelievable talent on that show. Even if Grasso was still on it, I would be rooting for Zero Gravity or Prince Poppycock.

 

[joshrobarts]

yes the judges may be looking for that specific thing, and yes he might of been kicked off for venturing outside that last time, But at what point do you decide to stop pandering to people who dont truly appreciate the art anyways? I mean, its a douche brit, the wife of a guy with more drugs in his system than Rite Aid, and a two bit Game Show host. Why let them dictate what you do. At least Dan had the stones to say, this is me, this is what i do, and if you don't get it, you were never meant to. Thats class, and thats staying true to the art. When you start pandering to everyone else but not staying true to yourself it wont be long before the magic is lost, either within you, or through the lack of conviction and passion in your portrayal.

 

[Magic Newswire]

From Las Vegas Weekly:

I had a dream to redo what Terry Fator achieved on America’s Got Talent. I wanted to also show people I was as good as Nathan Burton was on the show. They really inspired me to keep going. I saw what Terry did and thought, man, a ventriloquist who became the ultimate success story with his own show on the Vegas Strip. I got to know Terry and knew my show had to be dramatic and amazing without turning into a disaster!

http://bit.ly/btoIVt