Prince Poppycock From 'America's Got Talent': Who Is This Guy?
If you haven't been watching 'America's Got Talent' over the summer you have missed out on quite the sensation: Prince Poppycock.Then again, even if you haven't watched, you probably at least read headlines on sites like TVSquad or heard about him around the watercooler at work because Poppycock has been a serious contender for the 'America's Got Talent' crown as early as his New York audition and is now part of the Top 4 finale airing next week.
This unique and colorful singer not only boasts an amazing opera voice, but isn't afraid of ridicule and knows exactly how to entertain a crowd. He makes opera fun!
So who is behind all that powder, wig and glitter? Let's meet one of the most unusual and popular 'AGT' contestants!
Prince Poppycock is portrayed by 32-year-old John Andrew Quale. He is a store clerk by day and singer by night.
Quale landed his first professional singing gig when he was only 11 years old. From then on, he continued to train and perform with musicals and choirs. He starred in the musical 'The Beastly Bombing,' which won the LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Musical and was also performed off-Broadway.
In 2006, Quale was asked by a club to perform the song 'Largo al Factotum, which is about a fabulous hairdresser at a club. Their only demand was that he wear a wig while singing. Instead of just donning said wig, John put on powder as well -- thus creating Prince Poppycock. The Prince quickly became a sensation and John was asked to open for bands and sing at extravagant events. While Poppycock is a flamboyant and extroverted singer, Quale himself is softspoken and shy. The contrast is quite impressive, as you will notice in the video at the bottom of this post.
When John first walked on stage at his New York audition (see video below), the crowd and judges seemed wary of the performance they were about to see. But after a few seconds of singing and performing, Poppycock won everybody over -- he even got a standing ovation.
Over the summer, Prince Poppycock won over the 'America's Got Talent' viewiers, crowd, and judges, thanks to solid, fun, and entertaining performances that allowed him not only to gather quite the fan base and popularity but also secure a spot in the Top 4. In our poll asking TV Squad readers who will win next week's finale, Prince Poppycock is in second, just few tenths of a percent behind heavenly young opera singer Jackie Evancho (results as of 2:30PM ET.)
John Quale's solo debut album, titled 'Worldview,' is available on iTunes. You can learn more about Prince Poppycock and John Quale on the Prince Poppycock Official Website and by following him on Twitter.
Prince Poppycock and the other Top 4 contestants will perform in a 60-minute 'America's Got Talent' live show, Tues. Sept. 14, 9PM ET on NBC. The live two-hour finale will air Wed. Sept. 15, 8PM ET on NBC.
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