07.01.09 THE AMERICAN SUSAN BOYLE? HARDLY.

In its second week on the air, “America’s Got Talent” surged beyond expectations and kicked ass in the ratings against a competitive field of programming.  Perhaps viewers tuned in hoping that Nick Cannon would die gruesomely in a runaway thresher accident.

“Got Talent” (12.9 million viewers, 3.7 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) went up 16% from last week’s premiere against a competitive field that was largely unchanged. This is also the highest total viewer draw so far this summer in all of TV, broadcast or cable, excluding sports. [The Live Feed]

Anyone who tuned in last night saw the clip posted here, of unemployed farmer Kevin Skinner (who described his occupation as “chicken catcher”) wowing the audience with a Garth Brooks song.  And everyone’s comparing it to the Susan Boyle Moment from “Britain’s Got Talent” — probably because it’s edited and delivered the exact same way as Susan Boyle’s initial audition.  And sure, he’s a good singer and all, but everything about this show — from Sharon Osborne’s snickering to Nick Cannon doing anything at all to the hobo poncho Skinner wears to the stupid audience reaction shots — just makes me happy I don’t watch the show.  Get bent, NBC.

(Sorry about the video platform, Canadian readers.  You’d think Hulu would at least let you watch their videos on Canada Day.  You should start a campaign to let the public know aboot this unfairness.)