Watch for Springs stunt cyclist on 'America's Got Talent'
- Details
- Created on Saturday, 23 July 2011 01:37
- Written by Dena Rosenberry
By Emily Wilkins, The Gazette
James McGraw describes his style of bike riding as half gymnastics and half figure skating.
Sharon Osbourne just describes it as “Wow.”
Osbourne had a chance to see the Colorado Springs resident in action when he auditioned for “America’s Got Talent,” a reality TV show where people compete for a million dollars and a chance to perform in Las Vegas. McGraw will perform again on the show in two weeks.
“There’s so much potential to come out of this,” McGraw said. “At 41 and retired from competition, if I can go back and make a living doing what I’ve always done, this will be a dream come true.”
McGraw is a flatland bicycle motocross rider, but stunt man would be a more accurate term. McGraw doesn’t ride a bike; he performs with it. He rarely sits, instead twisting his body around the bike’s frame, often while balanced on a single wheel. His most famous trick is standing on the handlebars of his moving bike, backward.
“I’m passionate about it,” McGraw said. “I found it to be an extremely enjoyable sport.”
He is the only flatland rider in the Yellow Designs Stunt Team, a group of riders who have performed at fairs, parades and during NFL halftime shows. “America’s Got Talent,” with 15 million viewers, is a chance for McGraw to popularize the sport he has dedicated 27 years to.
He is heavily invested in preparing for the group’s appearance on the show, designing the bike ramps and choreographing the routine. Being a part of the show — seeing the auditions
in Atlanta and Las Vegas as well as watching from home — has been both humbling and motivating.
“You get a better understanding of the passion and the dedication these people have. You go into this and think ‘We’re really good, we’re gonna kill it,’ and then you see all these amazingly talented people there and it’s humbling.”
McGraw’s wife, Laura McGraw, was shocked when she first saw her husband and his group on TV.
“I didn’t really believe it until I saw it happening,” she said. “It’s such a huge accomplishment for them.”
Yellow Designs Stunt Team made it past the initial round of auditions to make it to the top 48 acts. Each week for four weeks, 12 acts will compete for a spot in the semifinals.
SEE JAMES RIDE
The Yellow Designs Stunt Team will perform on "America's Got Talent" at 7 p.m. Aug. 2.
Read more about James and see photos and video of his stunts at his website.
PHOTOS: Courtesy of James McGraw
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