'America's Got Talent' Recap: St. Louis Auditions Feature an Escape Artist and Puppeteer

NBC's "America's Got Talent" visited St. Louis Tuesday for a round of auditions that included an escape artist, a puppeteer and a woman who walks on broken glass.

Judges Sharon Osbourne, Howie Mandel and Howard Stern once again decided which acts would go home and which would advance to the next round in Las Vegas.  Contestants are competing for a $1 million grand prize and a chance to headline a show in Vegas.

Here's a rundown of some of the show's highlights:

- Puppeteer Tom Bonham arrived on the stage with a small teddy bear on his shoulder. He also produced what appeared to be homemade puppets, fashioned from household items.  The judges were divided over whether to let Bonham advance to the next round.  They decided to send him home.

- A young Michael Jackson wannabe, 6-year-old Isaac Brown, sang and danced his way through "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5. He wowed the judges with his funny quips and cute personality. Isaac's confidence endeared him to the audience. When Howie asked Isaac if he had ever considered running for president, he replied, "I want to be." He advanced to the Las Vegas rounds.

- A 26-year-old escape artist named Spencer Horsman appeared onstage wearing a straightjacket. He was hoisted upside-down above the stage on a claw-like contraption that threatened to crush him. His challenge was to escape before a flame burned through a rope holding the tension. Spencer made it in dramatic fashion, with a second to spare. He advances to Las Vegas where he promises bigger and better stunts.

- A circus sideshow act called The Cutthroat Freak Show is made up of three members, including a woman named "Candy Pants" who walks on broken glass.  A second member of the act lifted up a chair with chains attached to his eyelids.  A sword-swallower completed the act.  The judges found them to be "entertaining and original" enough to advance in the contest.

- Ron Christopher Porter Junior is an actor who creates mock movie trailer voice-overs.  He failed to impress the judges.  Porter was followed by singer Curtis Cutts Bey, who sang the Rick James song "Give It to Me Baby." Bey was also rejected by the judges, but host Nick Cannon brought Porter back on the stage and the two acted as backing dancers for Bey. The audience was on its feet for some last minute fun before the show ended.  Alas, both Ron and Curtis still had to go home.

Other acts moving on to the Las Vegas rounds include a virtuoso violin player; a tap-dance troupe that includes a 5-year-old girl; two singer-guitarists; and an acrobatic act.

Among the acts going home was a female drummer who also sang, a lady who crushed full soda cans with her bare hands and the obligatory man dressed in a chicken suit.

NBC's "America's Got Talent" returns next Monday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.