Did anyone see America’s Got Talent last night?

[Lisa's Tiki]

I watched this show, but got tired and went to bed. As soon as I went to bed my husband comes in and tells me an African Grey was going to be on the show, so I turned it back on. This bird was VERY smart and made all kinds of sounds and noises upon be asked. Like running water, bubbles, etc, etc, etc. Well the STUPID judges voted them off right away. The one judge said that the bird was just mimicking the sounds and if she gave him the bird he could have him doing the same thing in AN HOUR!!! Obviously this man has never been around parrots before! I was SOOO MAD!!!! The next act that came on was a dog act like you would see at the circus and all three judges were VERY excited about this act and said how wonderful it was. Today if you go onto NBC’s website they even have a video you can watch of theses “Amazing” dogs! HELLO NBC, don’t they realize how much harder it is to teach a parrot the things this parrot knew compared to training several dogs to do tricks!!!! I got so mad, I told my husband to turn off that show and I am NEVER watching it again. I am also preparing a letter to send to NBC about my thoughts about how STUPID Piers Morgan, Brandy, and David Hasselhoff are for not being able to tell how smart that bird was compared to those dogs! Piers Morgan even said that he would have been more impressed if the Grey would have spoken in COMPLETE SENTENCES and SANG A SONG!!!! I guess so, I would have been REALLY impressed with that too! All I can say to him is “What an IDIOT!!!!!”

UGH – Can you tell I am pissed!!!!!

[Ty&Lucy]

Was the bird by chance named Einstein? If you ever watched Pet Stars on Animal Planet, they had some really cool birds on there. Unforunately, most birds didn't win. Dogs almost always won. I do believe that Einstein did win the night he was on. I just shrug my shoulders and comment that most people have no idea how difficult it is to train a parrot. I think its a fight we can't win. Maybe that's a good thing! Can you imagine if someone only got a parrot to do tricks? What if it didn't? Another bird into rescue! Pick your battles. Meanwhile, I'll keep enjoying my "dumb birds." Pam

[Lisa's Tiki]

Okay, here is the email I sent to NBC about the NERVE of them voting off the African Grey act:

Last night I was watching America’s Got Talent and I WAS really enjoying the show until the lady with the Congo African Grey came on the stage and was so RUDLEY voted off. It is VERY obvious that Piers Morgan, Brandy, and David Hasselhoff know NOTHING about how smart parrots are, especially Congo African Grey parrots. Have they never seen Alex, the Congo African Grey parrot that Irene Pepperberg has trained or what about Einstein the Congo African Grey parrot that knows over 1000 words! Parrots are exceptionally smart creatures. The lady on your show should have been given a chance to finish her show, like the guy the judges let through that kept dropping everything he juggled! This African Grey was NOT mimicking as Piers Morgan so rudely put it, he ACTUALLY understands what he is being asked. Also I would LOVE to see Mr. Morgan just TRY and teach just a few things to a parrot in an hour, like he stated he could do! It takes YEARS of commitment, love, patience, and time to be able to teach a parrot as many things as this Congo African Grey knew. The real kick in the pants was the judges allowing the next act – the dog act that your website has so PROUDLY provided a link to watch – to continue on to the next round. Granted this was a good act, but it wasn’t any better than what you would expect to see at a local circus. Dogs are MUCH easier to train than parrots and I was appalled at how much the judges were “amazed” at how wonderful this act was! If they would have given the lady with the Grey a chance to finish her act and give her a second chance then American and your darn judges would have found out the TRUTH about parrots. Dogs may be “Mans best friend”, however parrots are more than friends, they are like a child to the owner, a VERY smart child! After the judges so enthusiastically voted the dog act through to the next round after they so rudely dismissed the African Grey act, I immediately turned off my TV and vowed to never watch this show again.

One VERY mad bird owner/lover,

Lisa Fiducia


I doubt that this letter will do any good, but at least I told them what I thought!

Oh by the way, No this was not Einstien, just another really smart CAG.

[Lisa B]

good for you Lisa.

[featherduster]

They were so so rude!

I'm not watching the show again either. Great idea writing them a letter, think I will do the same.

Oh grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

[LMPego]

I didn't see that part, but any show that uses David Hasselhoff to judge talent is a waste of airtime.

[Dustin]

Originally Posted by LMPego

I didn't see that part, but any show that uses David Hasselhoff to judge talent is a waste of airtime.

Not if it is 1990!!!

[cfulhage]

I also saw this...the CAG was Wazoo ("bird" in French, although not spelled the same), and has also been on Pet Star like Einstein. I was also angry about what the judges said and how rude they were. Many people just don't understand that it takes a lot of time and effort to teach a parrot to perform on command like that. They think that parrots are born to do that and its not talent. Makes me so angry!

[bekfreak]

I'll still watch it as it's just plain old stupid stuff on tv to watch, but with that bunch of anal critics I would of had Wazoo actually talk besides his name. But I loved the sound effects either way and that Wazoo did these on command. That's alot of hard work, but the world seems biased to birds sadly. And the rapping granny managed to move on! :p

[stan23]

I saw it and i did not like the way wazoo's trainer was treated . I could not believe the rapping granny made it and got kudos