"America's Got Talent": Neal Boyd rocked everyone

Neal Boyd, photographed by Don Frazier for OFF! Magazine back in '05.

10 p.m.

The producers of NBC's "America's Got Talent" thought enough of Sikeston's Neal E. Boyd to give him a long introductory segment telling his story of growing up poor in Southeast Missouri before making his performance the climax of this season's first show.

They saved the best for last, it seems.

And the judges and audience in Los Angeles agreed with the producers.

Boyd performed at the end of a program that featured everything from singing Romanian twins to dueling hip hop violinists to male Britney Spears impersonators. After the tenor sang, judge David Hasselhoff said "right now you are the frontrunner" of the competition.

Host Jerry Springer said Boyd was the best talent he'd seen on the show. Judge Piers Morgan called Boyd "a very, very special talent."

The audience gave Boyd a standing ovation.

Next he'll move on to Las Vegas to continue the competition and a chance at $1 million and his own Vegas show.

Boyd's performance was extremely beautiful and touching -- by far the highlight of the night. My wife cried.

If he wins, it seems to me victory can't come to a better guy.

9:35 p.m.

New York, then Chicago, now Hollywood.

I just saw what may have been the world's most talented drag queen -- a dude named Derrick who did a killer Britney Spears. If his jaw was just a little less masculine, you couldn't have told the difference (except that neccesity dictates he wear more clothes than the pop princess).

Only in Hollywood.

9:30 p.m.

That kid could really twirl!

If you didn't see it, a young man (who has, of course, been ridiculed his whole life) just blew everyone away with a twirling-flaming-baton routine to "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

9:15 p.m.

What I just saw showed me why most people are actually evil, simple creatures (not really). That crowd was cruel (but of course not to the Burlesque show Slippery Kittens).

8:56 p.m.

Kaitlyn is a truly talented person. I never imagined a 4-year-old could remember every word and every beat of an entire song, and stay on melody, and do it in front of thousands of strangers.

Quite amazing.

8:50 p.m.

An 80-year-old tap dancer. I'm mean, seriously.

Mary Bly was a sweet old lady, but I have to agree with The Hoff and Piers that she just didn't belong on that show. Quite a strong person, though, to get up on stage in front of all those people at that age.

The crowd loved her.

8:37 p.m.

One set of siblings was quickly followed by another, and Nuttin' But Stringz wasn't weird or weak -- some of the most original material I've ever seen. Two brothers blazing away on the violin hip-hip style.

My mind has been blown. Neal has some tough competition if he's going to win this one.

Here's the duo's Web site.

8:30 p.m.

Did I really just see that?

Two weird twin vampire chicks (did anyone else find their intro a little odd and sick?) from Romania, with absolutely no singing talent, just got passed on to the second round after flirting with David Hasselhoff and that Piers dude.

Surreal. Can't wait to see what comes up. Never watched this show before, really, but now I'm fascinated.

8:15 p.m.

I'll just say this: If Bill "Serious Mysterious" Curlee is indicative of the talent, Neal Boyd will have no problem. I've never seen a worse Elvis/Tom Jones. At least The Hoff admitted, he was entertaining.

Afternoon

"America's Got Talent" starts up tonight, with Sikeston native and Southeast Missouri State University alumnus Neal Boyd hitting the stage.

I'll be watching tonight to see what Sharon Osbourne, The Hoff and that other dude have to say about Neal.

You can get a preview of tonight's show here. The video called "The Sensation Returns" has a heavy dose of Mr. Boyd.

Check back later to give me your reviews. The show starts at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Neal Boyd's performance on YouTube