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by Sheila Franklin Published: September 3, 2006
Sheila: How did you find out about America’s Got Talent? Vicky: There was a posting on craig's list about the show, but we had also heard from friends that Simon Cowell was doing a new show. Nic: I found out about it on the NBC.com web site as I was looking for ideas to promote my short film, "Gym Rhythms." Sheila: Why did you want to be a contestant?
We thought it would be great exposure, and might lead to a deal in Vegas, our ultimate performing dream. Nic: I didn't exactly know what it was about until after they called, but I liked the idea of a venue to showcase this new act I had been working on, so it seemed providential. Sheila: How were you notified that you had been accepted? Vicky: They kept calling and asking us about our song choice. We were never really told we were on the show until 2 days before. Talk about unorganized! Nic: They called by phone directly. Sheila: How many times did you have to audition? Vicky: Just once. Nic: I didn’t audition. I sent in a video to NBC. Actually I thought I was sending it in to The Tonight Show and am still a little confused on how I wound up on America's Got Talent. I think someone at NBC saw my video and referred it to the show. Sheila: How many others did you audition with and where did that occur? Vicky: It was in some hotel in downtown LA, and there were thousands of people - it was over 3 days. We were lucky enough to cut in line; we only had to wait 3 hours. Some people had to wait all day. Sheila: Tell me about your appearance on Talent. Vicky: There was a big problem with the bathroom on the day of the shoot. We basically were told we couldn't use the women's bathroom because there were children using it. So we were asked to use the men's bathroom. All the crew used this bathroom, even Simon and Hasselhoff. So it made for a very uncomfortable situation. They also did not provide a vegetarian option for our lunch. They ordered Subway and it had meat on it and Vicky Boofont does not eat meat! So that was a bit of a problem, especially after being on set for 12 plus hours. Also, the pilot episode was filmed over 2 days. We performed on the first day, towards the end of the day, and sitting in costume for 12 hours was not our idea of fun. I am shocked how well we actually looked and performed for sitting so long in the audience. They asked us to come back the next day for continuity shots, but we declined. They even called us the next day asking where we were, but we just didn't want to go and sit all day again for nothing. Most of the people they let go did not come back the next day. Nic: My act was about combining the rhythms of drums and boxing. They were synchronized by my left hand playing percussion against the ternary beats of the speed bag to introduce a new rhythmic dimension, which to my knowledge, no one else has ever done. The show was the second time I performed my act in front of a crowd. It was a lot of fun to be on the show. I think they have some good energy going there because the acts can be unexpected and fresh, although there are some that are a little off. It has good crowd appeal and the people seem to find something they can relate to in the show. It is also more of a humor/entertainment tang to it than the other reality shows on TV that tend to be more dramatic. However, this show hasn't totally worked out its identity yet. There are some "professional" acts and some people are amateurs, so the playing field is not exactly level. I don't have an agent although I noticed many people did. Also, my act was described along with others as "weird and wacky" and "not quite worth a million dollars" but after watching all the episodes, I am not sure what the criteria are that distinguish our category from the regular acts that are eligible to win $1 million dollars. Sheila: Did you ever meet any of the judges and/or Regis before the actual show? Vicky: We met Simon that day in the hallway and he was very sweet. Nic: On the last dress rehearsal before the show, I met Regis in person. He is a people person; he tries to set you at ease. The judges saw the last dress rehearsal too, but I did not meet any of them. Sheila: Do you think you were treated fairly? Vicky: I think they did a great job editing the show, because we actually sang a lot more before they buzzed us. I did not think that Piers' comments were fair. He called us "Freaks" but they edited that out for TV. He wasn't a nice person on or off-screen. Nic: Everyone was very nice. The producer who organized the contestants, Robert McCloud, was great to work with and others in his support staff seemed to work very hard to make such a production with so many different acts happening. However, if I could change one thing I think it would be to have my act in the center stage like the other acts performed. I had my speed bag stand and drum set off to the side of the main stage because of logistics, and it did not work for me in terms of being voted on by the audience. One half of the audience could see me well; the other half had to look on a single plasma screen (about 3 feet wide and 2 feet high) to get a good idea of what I was doing. Because my act was voted on by the audience, I am not sure half the audience saw if very well, although the camera work helped the television viewers see it. Sheila: Did you get paid for your appearance on it? Any other perks? Vicky: We did not win anything. Other contestants were flown into LA and put up in a hotel with a per diem for food. We got nothing, zip, zero, because we live in Los Angeles! Sheila:You did get that sandwich. Nic: There was no cash involved but they did pay for my trip to Los Angeles. I would call the exposure my act received a perk. Sheila: How has your life changed since your appearance? Vicky: More e-mails in my inbox. But we did get a gig at a piano bar, The Gardenia. We had been trying to book it for 3 years, and finally they saw the show and called us. Nic: A lot of people I know but didn't tell about the show in advance, saw my performance. That was fun for them to ask, hey, didn't I see you on AGT? That was great! I am trying to build on the recognition from the show to do more things with the Gym Rhythms concept. Sheila: Any final thoughts? Vicky: Even though it was a bad shoot day, overall it was great exposure. Brandy was very sweet; we sat next to her all day and she talked to us during breaks. I am glad we did it. Nic: I hope this show continues to stay fresh by bringing some original acts and ideas to the national stage. To tell you the truth, I had the impression that they are making up some of the policies/rules as they go. For instance, I never knew that the winner in my category would win a car until it was announced the next week after our performances. So maybe they were securing sponsors up until that point. I think you have to expect some of that with a new reality show, but I am betting next season will be much more defined. Sheila: How can your fans get in touch with you? Vicky: www.boofontsisters.com Nic: www.nicolasabramowicz.com Sheila: Vicky and Nicolas, thanks for all the juicy details. Vicky:Thanks for asking me! Nic: Thanks for contacting me. Note: I also have been in contact with Leonid the Magnificent who, because of contractual obligations, is not yet allowed to talk to the-trades. Tune in at the end of the month to find out what he had to say about his experience. Previous Episode Recaps: Week 9 | Week 9 Results Week 8 | Week 8 Results Week 7 | Week 7 Results Week 6 | Week 6 Results Week 5 | Week 5 Results Week 4 | Week 4 Results Week 3 Week 2 Week 1 |
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