On America’s Got Talent, 22-year-old Christian Stoinev wowed judges and audience members with a death-defying act of hand-balancing so much that he was advanced to the semifinal round: one step closer to a $1 million grand prize and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show. This great feat was accomplished with no small part to Stoinev’s pet 11-year-old Chihuahua, Scooby.
After Stoinev opened his act with balancing on two small square pads attached to poles, an enormous picture of Scooby’s face appeared on the screens behind him, parting to reveal the dog himself. The dog crawled all over Stoinev’s body, moving along with him as he aligned himself for some awe-inspiring balancing positions.
To the amazement of the crowd, Scooby ran all the way up Stoinev’s legs to the soles of his shoes, turned around and smiled at the audience. As Stoinev dipped his body down, Scooby also descended and waved with both paws.
Stoinev was brought up in a circus family and being constantly on the road, had no real friend. His parents bought Scooby for him as a 3-month-old puppy for companionship. However, Scooby’s playfulness inspired Stoinev to incorporate him into his act. “I would like, lay down to watch TV and he’d lay on my chest and I’d roll over and he’d walk on me and so then it just kind of developed into what it’s become.”
After the performance, Judge Heidi Klum said, “It was one of my favorite acts of the night. I love Scooby and you’re not too shabby either there without a top on. I loved it.”
