America’s Got Talent review: Diavolo, Bello Nock, & Judge Cuts #3

The third Judge Cuts episode of America’s Got Talent aired on NBC Tuesday night, and we’ve got Laverne Cox in the midst! She joined the panel hoping to see “passion” and to be “moved” — she’s also got a Golden Buzzer! We’ll get to that later.

As always, we’re going to be reviewing this episode live! Be sure to refresh this article throughout the night for further updates + reviews on the acts. We may not focus on the performances we barely see, just so you know in advance.

Oscar Hernandez – The cheer choreographer went out there with a dance to impress Laverne, and he delivered … at least on entertainment. Oscar’s not winning, but he’s such a breath a fresh air and an inspirational guy. We wouldn’t mind seeing him again just based on the fun alone. Grade: B.

Jeki Yoo – We don’t remember him getting much airtime in the first round, but he’s a wacky South Korean magician who is super creative with his delivery and the way that he carries himself on stage. He’s not the easiest guy to follow sometimes, but it’s always fun watching someone stump Simon Cowell and that’s entertainment alone for us. Grade: B+.

Herbie Russ – Gotta love a 54-year old who sings and plays the saxophone! He’s one of those dudes who you wouldn’t see anywhere else but on this show. Granted, he’s got a challenge since he’s either singing or playing the sax. File that under “well, that’s obvious” and let’s move on. Grade: B.

Mike Yung – The subway performer brought “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and as you would imagine, he killed it. He’s a throwback, but for whatever reason there’s something about listening to him that brings you back to that time and still connects you to the present. Serious talent from start to finish here. Grade: B+.

Final Draft – What happened here? This really just came down to song choice, and the guys picking a key that was too high for them. Some of their high notes really struggled with staying on pitch, so consider this a letdown. Grade: C+.

Brobots & Mandroidz – They lose points for putting a Z at the end of their name for no reason. Aside from that, this was a very good hip-hop routine with some unique movement and probably one of the most creative uses of jackets that we’ve seen. Grade: A-.

Celine Tam – She’s a great singer, but was she the right Golden Buzzer? We vent on that more over here. Grade: B+.

Jay Jay Phillips – The act is completely dumb since it’s basically him coming out and playing the keyboard like some over-the-top rock star. Yet, it’s fun, and Jay Jay seems to have an idea of the character he’s playing and what the judges want from him. Sometimes on this show, knowing your crowd is as important as your talent. Grade: B-.

Diavolo – THIS would’ve been our Golden Buzzer act, given that what they do is incredible and combines the likes of dance, acrobatics, and storytelling. There really aren’t any other performers who are quite like them in terms of what they bring to the table. Grade: A-.

Bello Nock – Let’s make this clear: This guy is a complete crazy man. Yet, it’s hard to give him a low grade given what he was willing to do in order to get through to the next round. The man SHOT HIMSELF OUT OF A CANNON. What else could you possibly want? Grade: A.

Daniel Ferguson – Very good singing impressionist, but it’s basically the same thing that we saw the first time. Grade: B.

Preacher Lawson – There haven’t been too many great standup comedians this season. Thankfully, Preacher came in, changed that, and really pushed the envelope for a family show. He’s got a great look, great delivery, but above all else, an excellent presence on the stage. A genuinely funny guy and a real contender. Grade: A.

Billy & Emily – We’ve seen them many times across several shows, but this was the best performance we’ve seen from them. We still don’t know how you make a full show out of this, but in terms of danger mixed with creativity, this may be the best performance that they can do. How do you top the beard-tugging? Is that even possible? Grade: A-.

Who was your favorite America’s Got Talent act on tonight’s episode? Sound off in some of the comments!

Also, be sure to click here to get some further news when it comes to the show, and that includes the results of all of the performances tonight. (Photo: NBC.)