America's Got Talent is only a few episodes into its current season, but it has already showcased some show-stopping performances that have more than earned their standing ovations. America's Got Talent has also hosted some acts that can really only be described as "super weird."
The June 11 episode featured the appearance of Sethward the Walrus, who heaved himself onto the stage in his gigantic walrus costume to attempt some dangerous seal tricks that had him falling straight off the stage.
Yes, really. Now, if the name "Sethward" rings a bell, that would be because he debuted on America's Got Talent as Sethward the Caterpillar. He didn't exactly have what it takes to beat the likes of Shin Lim and Co. last season, but he seemed optimistic about this new season. In fact, he appeared in the June 11 episode twice; first as a giraffe, and then as the walrus.
Hey, as the old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, change out of your caterpillar costume into different animal outfits and try, try again! Take a look at Sethward the Walrus as his tricks go wrong and he falls off the stage:
Thankfully, Sethward the Walrus wasn't injured when he fell hard on the stage or when he eventually toppled off the stage. Maybe the walrus costume has some padding! It wouldn't exactly take a leap for Sethward to figure that he could get injured by jumping on top of balls in an attempt to do seal tricks... dressed as a marine mammal. Oh, AGT. Never change.
Still, it was hard to tell at first if he was actually okay, and the judges looked pretty concerned. Simon Cowell even got up to check on him, and Sethward seized the opportunity to snag a hug. He didn't get enough votes to pass on to the next stage of competition, so maybe knowing that he got a hug from Simon -- even if Simon didn't exactly initiate it -- will help soothe the sting.
Surprisingly, Sethward got close to advancing to the next stage. New judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough were quick to hit the red X, but Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel were both won over by Sethward the Walrus. Although Sethward the Caterpillar and the Giraffe didn't do it for them, the Walrus was enough! They both gave him a yes, and it fell to Julianne to decide whether he would advance or his journey would end there.
Well, Julianne Hough said a definitive no and didn't seem to have any second thoughts about it. Sethward celebrated for a few moments before Julianne's decision really registered. Poor Walrus!
I won't lie: I was lukewarm on Sethward the Caterpillar last season and not the biggest fan of his giraffe, but I appreciated his fearless and utterly shameless determination to getting the go-ahead from the judges. Maybe I've seen him too many times or just watched too many AGT acts; I thought he was pretty funny by the end! What can I say? Sethward made me laugh.
In case you missed Sethward's first performance of the night, check him out in his giraffe getup:
Color me unimpressed! Maybe if Sethward the Giraffe had come prepared with some tricks -- although perhaps not seal tricks, which wouldn't have had the same effect coming from a creature other than a walrus -- the act would have been more entertaining. Sorry, Sethward!
The video cuts off before the best part of the performance happens, in my book, although it technically wasn't part of the act. In fact, it was all Terry Crews (who made an iconic moment happen in the previous episode) rather than Sethward. When the judges wanted him taken off the stage, Crews just went ahead and dragged him away by his costume. Unfortunately, the costume ripped, and Sethward wound up flashing the judges and the audience. The same thing happened during his Caterpillar stage!
Sethward's journey on America's Got Talent seems to be done for now, but AGT does occasionally bring acts back due to audience demand in later stages of competition. Is Sethward weird enough for AGT viewers to want more? We'll have to wait and see. New episodes of America's Got Talent air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
