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Storm Large is a singer, author and actor with 30 years of experience onstage. She’s released eight albums, published a memoir, acted in a one-woman off-Broadway show about her life and sold out theaters as both a solo artist and member of lounge-pop bestsellers Pink Martini.
But you know what they say: In show business, you’re nobody until you impress Howie Mandel.
Last night, Large, who’s lived in Portland for two decades, appeared on the NBC competition show America’s Got Talent. It wasn’t Large’s first brush with reality television: In 2006, she competed on Rock Star: Supernova, which was basically a hard-rock version of American Idol, and made it nearly to the end.
On Tuesday, she sang a melodramatic interpretation of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” prompting a standing ovation from the audience and slack-jawed reactions from the judging panel of Mandel, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell—who, based on the introductory banter beforehand, seemed to have no idea who she is. Large isn’t exactly a household name outside Portland, but it’s still funny to watch everyone react as if she’s an undiscovered Waffle House server.
Each judge gave her a “yes” vote to move on in the competition, which means we might have something to keep an eye on after Top Chef ends in a few weeks. We assume, anyway—we’re not really sure how this show works.
Related: The First Thing Storm Large Is Doing When the Pandemic Is Over? Going Out and Getting Laid.