Maybe we Memphians are used to the acrobatic marvels who are the Beale Street Flippers, but the tumbling crew wowed the judges last night on NBC's "America's Got Talent." Here they are earning standing ovations for their routine to Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean."
The guys might have had an even larger audition audience than usual since "Britain's Got Talent" star Susan Boyle's interview also aired during the telecast.
Here's a full recap of the show, including praise for the Flippers:
Least Annoying Street Dance Act: comin' atcha from Memphis, Tennessee, it's The Beale Street Flippers. Not - as we expected when we heard the name - a collective of dancing dolphins, but a group of lads who were using the power of gymnastics to "escape from the hood".
The Hoff loved them; Sharon Osbourne's porcelain face tried to contort itself into a smile; and Piers Morgan made an attempt at coherent communication. We have no idea what he was trying to say though, as all that came out was the sound of a slug making its way across an oil-covered linoleum floor.
More praise from Entertainment Weekly:
The way they moved...ran counter to my (admittedly weak) understanding of physics. The judges loved it. Said Sharon, "you're raw, you're young, you're fabulous." Even The Hoff, notorious for tuning out anyone without an XX chromosome, was visibly awed. With a talent like theirs, I hope these guys go far. (Especially considering the activity they claim they'd be doing otherwise: "if it weren't for the Beale Street Flippers, I'd be stealing," said one of the members. ...Cool? Honesty is a virtue?)
Cool post, thank you for posting. Susan Boyle is now one of my favorite artists. I am thankful she appeared on Britain's Got Talent, because otherwise I wouldn't have ever known who she was.