Michael Grasso was a magician from Season 5 of America's Got Talent. He was eliminated in the Vegas Round, but he returned for the Wild Card Show. He was later eliminated again in the Finals.
Background[]
With the coming of the new millennium, magic has ushered in a new age of creativity and prominence. At the forefront of this rebirth is Michael Grasso. A native of Philadelphia, Michael's unique fusion of classic stage manipulation with live music has captured the imaginations of audiences around the world. His talents have also been featured on numerous television series and specials broadcast ...on both cable and network television. On TLC's series "Magic's Greatest Illusions", Michael introduced a crew of his Gen X Magical Peers to the world. This led to starring roles on two seasons of the hit NBC "Hidden Magic" series, "Them", and the ultra-cool MTV series, produced by Ashton Kutcher, titled "Room 401".
Michael began studying magic almost 27 years ago and has since been on a personal quest to push his art to the highest level of skill and originality. He's not about tricks. He's about real magic. With his powerful and cutting-edge style, Michael has gained international notoriety, performing around the globe in diverse venues for crowds as large as twenty thousand.
From Hollywood's Magic Castle, nightclubs in New York, the beaches of Aruba, the bustling streets of India, and major casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, Michael has established himself as a dynamic stage presence captivating audiences with his skill and charm. 1
Audition[]
Michael Grasso's audition in Episode 504 consisted of creating the illusion of his assistant being trapped in a box, the assitant replacing him while he disappeared, and then him being revealed to be in the box. Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel all voted "Yes," sending Michael to the Vegas Round.
Vegas Round[]
Michael Grasso was one of the Judge's Favorites in the Vegas Round. He was sorted into the "Magicians" category. His performance in Episode 511 consisted of performing sleight of hand tricks such as seemingly pulling playing cards and an umbrella out of nowhere. The act was set to Télépopmusik's "Breathe". Michael's audition was not strong enough for the judges, who believed he had taken his act a step down from his previous performance and went small-scale, to send him to the Quarterfinals, eliminating him from the competition along with William Scott Anderson.
Wild Card (Quarterfinals)[]
Michael Grasso was brought back by Sharon Osbourne for the Wild Card Show in the Quarterfinals. His performance in Episode 523 consisted of creating the illusion of making two assistants appear from the top of a small box, which was originally inflamed, spiked, and had one of the two assistants trapped inside. Michael received enough votes to be sent to the Semifinals in Episode 524 instead of Kruti Dance Academy, Rudi Macaggi, and Swing Shift Side Show.
Semifinals[]
Michael Grasso's Semifinals performance in Episode 527 consisted of creating the illusion of his assistant disappearing from an elevated cage, his assistant "replacing him" on stage, and then appearing behind the judges after the reveal of his assistant replacing him. Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel all gave him standing ovations, He received enough votes to be sent to the Finals in Episode 528 instead of Debra Romer, MURRAY, and Nathaniel Kenyon.
Top 10[]
Michael Grasso's Top 10 Finals performance in Episode 529 consisted of creating the illusion of an assistant escaping from a clear box with swords trapping her in, a different assistant appearing in the box moments later, and then Michael being revealed to have replaced a "masked" assistant. Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel all gave him standing ovations. He did not receive enough votes to be sent to the Final 4, eliminating him from the competition in Episode 530 instead of Prince Poppycock.
After the Show[]
On the Season 5 Final 4 performance episode of America's Got Talent on September 14, 2010, Michael Grasso performed in Episode 531 as one of six of the "hottest variety acts from America's Got Talent 2010."
Trivia[]
- Michael Grasso was the only magician in the Top 10 of Season 5.
- He was also the only Wild Card act in the Top 10 who did not participate in the Quarterfinals before the Wild Card Show.
- He was the oldest contestant in the Top 10, being 36 years old. The second oldest, Prince Poppycock, was 32 years old.
