Dish Of Salt: A Good ‘Talent’ Show (July 13, 2006)

by Laura Saltman

If you watched closely last night, you may have seen me sitting behind David Hasselfhoff on last night’s “America’s Got Talent.” Of course, if you blink, on those wide shots then I never had a chance of being seen! I’m actually not sure if I enjoyed being in the audience knowing the camera’s might capture me. I kept forcing myself to make interesting faces while the judges were giving their critiques. There’s the “absolutely I agree with everything you said” smile. Then there is the “Piers is right quit booing him” angry stare. I also perfected the “wow, you really did do bad” frown. Maybe I’ll teach a class on audience reaction faces.

I also got to hang out a little bit backstage during the show, purely to scarf down the craft service food. Walking around it was just like being at “American Idol”. Most of the same production team works on this show. It makes sense considering Simon Cowell is the creator and executive producer, though he was not at the taping. Apparently. he’s off working in London on his million other shows. Instead the other executive producer, Ken Warwick, who is also the EP of Idol, runs the ship. I cracked up silently to myself when his cell phone rang and his ringtone chirped out, ‘You had a Bad Day!” Only true Idol fans would get the joke. That’s the song they play at the end of the results show when the Idol gets the boot.

Now, is it just me or does anybody else think we could use a bit more of Regis Philbin on the show. As soon as I heard his name was attached to host, I predicted the show would be a hit for the network. I just think he needs to interact more with the performers once the judges are through with their comments. Reege is used to doing a live show but shooting this show took nearly three hours! I asked him how he was dealing with the slow pacing, ” It’s a tough one, it really is especially when you come out of live television as I do. I love our show. We go on the air. We do it for better or for worse. This show is complicated with judges and talent that’s got props. So it just takes time.”

Props to him for keeping the audience entertained between commercials and breaks. He’s a true gentleman. Without that, I think the audience could have turned ugly because it was about a thousand degrees inside the studio. After nine performers came and went, the audience had just about enough and was ready to throw in the towel. The energy level was pretty low but then bang out comes the Millers boys. That little LD kid got the crowd going nuts with his incredible harmonica playing. Though both Brandy and David Hasselhoff thought the brother should stay, I agreed with Pier Morgan that the kid is the star and the brother’s got to go. A story like that is what makes for great compelling reality television. I hope he takes Pierce’s advice and ditches the brother and just comes out whaling on his harmonica at the finale. Be sure and check out the “America’s Got Talent” video story for my interview with Pierce on how feels about making an 11-year-old cry!

Let me leave you now with David Hasselhoff’s full story of how he busted up his arm. If you watched the show, last night, then you saw the black cast on his arm. We ran a little of the story on our show Monday night but with out limited amount of time, I had to chop it down significantly. The story was all over the papers last month about his freak shaving accident. I mean you know its a slow news day when that’s front page news. Here’s his account in full, “I busted up four tendons and an artery. It was a very surreal experience because I was getting ready to shoot a commercial in London. I was at a very trendy hotel, very dark looks, like all the lights are dark and have these flowing drapes. I went over there to have a steam so I can look good. Because I’m vain. I’m shaving. I lifted my head up, hit my head on a tiffany lamp and went whoa, wow, missed that bullet and looked down and cut it open. Then the first girl, it was really early in the morning, I was like help, help and I went over with blood spurting everywhere and she started to faint. I said no, no, no, don’t faint. I grabbed her with my foot, I said can you tell me the number for 9-1-1 in London and she was out. I call my agent. He didn’t answer. I called my assistant. He answered. They took really good care. So, it’s going to take about 6-7-8 weeks for this to heal.”

Questions or comments for the Dish of Salt? E-mail me at [email protected]