They keep calling it a variety show but it's basically just about singers and dancers really isn't it?
That's what's mainly being promoted.

Or X Factor with some dancers too.

The final certainly looks like it's just going to mainly be about singing and dancing.

The only acts I find who represent the variety aspect well who are still left in are Gin the Dog, Scala and Strike.
But then again even though I find Strike to be a very interesting act and really enjoy them maybe you could say they are just dancers too?

I know the first thing many people may say is that it's turned out that way because the non singing and non dance based acts were rubbish.
But you have to consider that the judges chose all the acts in the first place.
Is the only talent in this country based on singing and dancing? Is that all anybody can do generally speaking?

I find it disappointing because I would have liked to have seen a wider representation of 'Variety'. Variety in it's truest sense of the word. Or at least the judges could have selected acts to go to the semis who were better at their genre of act and who weren't just put through as a joke.

What about potential types of acts who could have been put through?

How about....more comedians (who are good)?
More musicians?
A hypnotist?
A turntablist?
A mime artist?
A beatboxer?
A comedy double act?

In hindsight I think it's a shame some acts didn't get through.
The contortionist for example, and personally I would have liked the guy with the football last night. Even though he made a couple of mistakes I still found it to be very impressive.

But now it feels like the only option is to vote for some kids singing mawkishly sentimental songs and who are meant to pull on our emotional heartstrings to get the 'Aww, ain't they cute?' vote.

Do you think the show has missed a trick and has sacrificed the 'variety' aspect to the show which it was supposed to represent?
Too many sob stories which put other acts at a handicap from the start?

Are there any types of acts I haven't mentioned which you think could have been featured and which you would have liked to have seen?

As much as I like Faryl, I hope we don't have another opera-style singer winning. Or a singer at all to be honest.

I know what you mean.
Not many people will be aware of this statistic but there was at least 4 talent shows last year which were won by singers all singing Nessun Dorma

There was the little kid who won on that BBC2 afternoon talent show presented by Brian Conley. Which was a very good show by the way, and was actually better in terms of 'variety'. He sang Nessun Dorma.

There was that talent show on Channel 5 which celebrities performed variety acts. Nessun Dorma wins.

There was Paul Potts.

I believe that there was one or two other shows too as well.

It's as though all you had to do last year on a talent show was sing Nessun Dorma and you've practically won.
Nessun Dorma, money for old rope.

I suppose it's also a strong implication that it's the songs which are sung on these shows which are more important than the actual ability of the singers. Popular songs which the public are already familiar with tend to be an advantage.
Or maybe the voters of these shows thought that they were being 'dead classy' for voting for an opera song?

Too many singers and dancers going through IMO.

They should have done a seperate show for each of those groups to ensure we get two of each maximum.

That seems to be what people enjoy most. Not much you can do about that.

It's a catch 22 situation. There aren't that many good variety acts around as people only see, think, promote and pay singers and some dancers.

I could have been a world class oboist but as I have never been allowed to hold one leave alone play one, we will never know.

Up and coming people have seen nothing but singers and so think that that is all that you can do on a stage and so it carries on.

And when someone does put the effort in and do something different look watch the result is on programmes such as this. Simon screaming about the singers or for second place the dancers but clearly expresses that everything that is not that is 3rd rate.

So another singer will win this year and even if there is a massive shock then a dancer will win.

How will that promote and encourage variety? And why bother going to the effort of learning something different if some child singer is going to beat you every time and you will also get slagged on by the judges?

I'm a VERY strong supporter of variety mainly as I have spent my entire life around singers and I'm sick of them! Give me something, anything even if it isn't that good as long as it's not a blood singer!

But as I said, it's a catch 22 situation - they enjoy singers most as mostly they see nothing else. Most people have not grown up with see variety act at all. They know no difference. There brain is only conditioned to seeing singers and dancers on a stage. God forbid that an act should come along where they might have to think!

To most, a variety act is just something strange and must be done only by people who can't sing or dance.

Maybe.
But it didn't always used to be like that.
Winners of 'Opportunity Knocks' had all sorts of winners. Lots of comedians.
There was a guy called Tony Holland who I see in retro shows that go back in time and he won by being a muscle-man who used to pop his muscles to music.
I think it went right through to the early 90s too that the more obscure act was just as likely to appeal to the public as anything else.

I noticed a trend on the X Factor forum when I read it a few months ago that there were many people who actually seemed to admit to voting what they thought other people liked. Seriously.
They were trying to actually second guess which acts had more chance of a career according to them and whom Simon was promoting as having more chance of a career.
It felt like many people were voting based on suggestions of perceived popularity rather than what they felt in their heart. It felt as though many people vote, from what they were saying, based on wanting to conform to what they think the majority might like.

Last Christmas I remember some young guy in my home city doing street entertainment. He was in the middle of the shopping precinct and he was there in the freezing weather with his shirt off apparently dislocating his own joints and popping them back in. It was a great act, very uncomfortable to watch, but the guy had great charisma and a sense of humour and drew a massive crowd. He really entertained us.
Now I'm sure that act would have translated fantastically to a TV show like BGT.
I swear, he was great.

So I'm left wondering how this show really selects their talent.
Do they just go to some agency and select from acts on their books, or go to some stage school, or do they really allow enough genuine unknowns a chance?

I'd say that the majority of the children acts I've seen on BGT appear to be way too polished and predictable, as though they're from some stage school system. And the adults mostly seem quite conventional and average, except for one or two exceptions.

Don't get me wrong there's been a few acts which I've thought shone out and entertained me from the more quirky end of things, but it feels like they very much represent the minority of acts selected for this show.
I just get the feeling that there's plenty of great 'unprofessional' acts out there which simply aren't getting picked up by this show.

I was thinking the same really. I think instead of the guy going through last night that the football guy should of instead who, although dropped it twice, was still talented and different than just putting a singer thorough.

Totally agree re: the singers (but not the dance acts).

Last night was a poor choice by the judges. Andrew simply doesn't stand a chance of winning. He was so average. So why not give us a bit of variety and select the football trickster instead?

Other worthy finlaists, in my opinion, were the Hoopla trio.

I would also have liked to have seen more comedy acts, impersonators, children playing musical instruments (what happened to the young pianist?), illusionists, cartoonists and so on....

Huh?

He DID get through to the next round

No, Andrew the singing plumber was chosen instead.

I am old enough to remember Bob's Opportunity knocks but not Hughie Green's.

I recall a Welsh comedy duo by the name of Rosser and Davies, they were very amusing and I believe they went on to win the series against odds - they were up against a very young girl singer called Toni Warne, I believe she was about 8 at the time and, like Connie, she was amazing, but I think the public wanted something different.

As much as I like Andrew and Faryl I am hoping that Kate and Gin or Strike will win the day. Thing is, surely the acts that won their heats outright stand a better chance with the public than their runner up counterparts?

Far too many singers gone through this time and I bet Madonna goes through tonight. Yawn.

I completely agree.

I dont understand why these singers go on Britains Got Talent but not on X Factor...is it because theres ALOT more competition on X Factor?

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a turntablist?

Lol. Is it a dj cum record scratcher?

No he didn't, on account of him dropping the ball twice. It would be no good if that happened at the RVP and it rolled off the stage. He was very good though, but too risky for the big night.

Oh yeah - lol

Well I don't know that's why I asked!

Only three singers (Andrew J, Faryl, and Andrew M), unless I have forgotten somebody.

I think you'll find that many of the people who apply for any of these TV shows apply for all of them.

I mis conveyed that, I should have said too many had gone through to the semies - but there will most likely be another tonight which means singers make up nearly half the final acts.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Andrew J and Faryl (not keen on the other Andrew) but I would just like to see a different act win this year. There has been lots of dancers too!

Maybe so.

I just feel you have more chance of getting through on Britains Got Talent than X Factor because you dont have thousands of other singers as your competition.

Basically a DJ doing all that scratching stuff on record Turntables.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turntablism

That's three too many