Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-1650307-20160623041146/@comment-25581497-20160710003803

JayDK103 wrote: You think Turf had any chance in hell of even making it past the quarterfinals had it not been for his story and the massive push from the producers? Yes. And if the producers were pushing for him so much, why did he perform second (out of 12 acts) instead of last? And in the semifinals, he could have been given the pimp spot...

Sob stories usually don't bother me, as long as the contestant has above average talent. I am already aware the producers allows contestants with such stories to pass through the auditions every season. If you have broken legs, speech impedement, or poor eye sight, go ahead and tell us your story. I do agree with those that say these contestants should share their emotional story after their performance.

I have read a theory that female contestants with sob stories are less likely to get voted through than males. For instance, DeDeanna DellaCioppa vs Jonathan Allen in the third quarterfinals of Season 8. Jonathan advanced, DeDeanna didn't. Third quarterfinals of season 9: Anna Clendening vs Paul Ieti. Paul advanced, Anna didn't.