'America's Got Talent': Meet the 20 Finalists

NAME Jonathan Burkin
AGE 18
HOMETOWN Clyde, Ohio
TALENT Baton-twirling
FIRE STARTER ''I usually get a little nervous when I twirl fire around my neck,'' admits Burkin, a member of the U.S. twirling team, ''because if something goes wrong, then my hair will catch on fire.'' (It's happened once: ''But just the one side of my hair was singed,'' he says.) Twirling since age 8, Burkin experienced his fair share of teasing growing up. Has he heard from any of the bullies since AGT discovered his talent? ''I have. A couple of kids said 'sorry' because they never realized, like, how intense baton really was. So, yeah, it's kinda bittersweet, knowing that it takes someone to be on TV for someone to say 'sorry.''' —Mandi Bierly