Johnston’s got magic: Native wins $1M prize, Vegas headlining gig

Alex Viscusi
Posted 9/25/14

America has learned that Johnston’s got talent.

University of Rhode Island graduate and Johnston native Mat Franco was crowned the season nine winner of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” on …

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Johnston’s got magic: Native wins $1M prize, Vegas headlining gig

Posted

America has learned that Johnston’s got talent.

University of Rhode Island graduate and Johnston native Mat Franco was crowned the season nine winner of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” on Sept. 17. Along with the title comes a $1 million grand prize and a gig headlining at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Sept. 26-27.

The win is a first in the show’s history, as a magician has never before taken the top prize. In the finale, Franco bested country singer Emily West, pint-sized powerhouse Quintavious Johnson, singer/guitarist Miguel Dakota, Boston-based band Sons of Serendip and the acrobats AcroArmy.

Week after week, Franco performed on the show and was voted into the next rounds with ease. Performing card tricks with the judges and celebrity guest Rosie O’Donnell, he wowed the live audience and those watching across the country.

“You have to be a showman … the audience could see his humility and that he is genuine,” Johnston High School teacher Greg Russo said.

Russo, who reads the school’s morning announcements, said he would remind the student body to watch the show and urge students to take out their phones and vote. The school sign also wished Franco luck throughout the competition, and currently wishes him congratulations.

“It can’t get any better,” said Franco’s eldest brother, Corey, who was in the audience in New York City supporting Mat with the rest of his family for several performances, including the finale.

Magic has always been a large part in Franco’s life. He was known for doing tricks in school, and has attended magic camps in Las Vegas since childhood.

According to Russo, Franco “ate, slept and drank magic.” As a teenager, he was hired to perform for the Society of American Magicians National Convention in Las Vegas.

After his victory, Franco had performances scheduled in Virginia and Missouri along with appearances on “The Today Show” and “Live! With Kelly and Michael.”

“It’s just so much all at once. You have winning the show. You have being the first magic act to win ‘America’s Got Talent.’ You’ve got the Vegas show that’s coming up this month … It’s almost like this whole million-dollar thing is an afterthought. It’s like, ‘Oh, yeah that’s right, and there’s this whole million-dollar prize,” Franco told NBC 10’s Dan Jaehnig in an interview last week. “It’s really too much to take in all at once.”

Franco also thanked all those whose support led him to his recent success.

“There’s a lot of luck involved, and there’s a lot of time and effort involved, but really it’s just a lot of people’s support … They’re the ones that brought me to this point,” he said.

According to his brother, Franco was rehearsing in Vegas until Wednesday, when he then planned to jet off to New York for some appearances only to be back in Vegas to perform this weekend.

After that, there’s no telling what Franco’s future holds. Both Corey and Russo want to see him back in Johnston.

“I want him to come back for the homecoming parade,” Russo said.

The eldest Franco brother is waiting for the dust to settle so that he can spend some time with his little brother. We’ll see if Mat will be able to conjure up some free time.

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