Jesse White Tumblers Wow ‘America’s Got Talent’ Judges Again In Quarterfinals Live Show

CHICAGO — After a successful audition in July, the Jesse White Tumblers became one of the acts selected to appear on the live shows of reality competition “America’s Got Talent.”

Chicago’s famous tumbling team appeared on the show Tuesday night and again received raves from the panel of celebrity judges.

Performing to the Jamiroquai song “Canned Heat,” the team quite literally doubled down on their audition performance by having two tumbling mats instead of one, so that the athletes performed their gravity-defying gymnastics in perfect synchronicity.

Tuesday’s performance also incorporated the group’s founder, 92-year-old Jesse White, into the act himself. The enthusiastic “AGT” crowd was on their feet during the performance, as was celebrity judge Mel B.

Celebrity judge Sofia Vergara led off the comments by saying, “This is perfect, what ‘AGT’ loves to have on this stage.”

Simon Cowell added, “Well, I loved your first audition and then I was thinking, ‘Can they make it better on the live shows?’ Can I be honest? It was better.”

“I really, really like all of you,” Cowell said. “I think you are an inspiration to a lot of people.”

“I hope the people at home vote,” said judge Howie Mandell. “You gotta vote.”

Voting for the first round of the “America’s Got Talent” quarterfinals closed at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Magic act Hundred Fingers received the elusive “Golden Buzzer” from the judges Tuesday night to immediately advance to the finals. Mentalist act James and Marina got “buzzed out” by Cowell. The Jesse White Tumblers are still competing with eight other acts to advance to the semifinals.

White founded the Jesse White Tumblers in 1959. The team has provided tens of thousands of the city’s youth with structure, community and opportunities as they appear at parades and events across the Chicago area, and have also traveled internationally to places like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Belize to perform.

The voting results from Tuesday night’s performance will be announced on the “AGT” live results show airing at 8 p.m. Wednesday, streaming on Peacock the next day.