Not pulling your leg.
My inquiry was if you could rule out stooge work (I absolutely assure you nothing was pre-arranged with the judges), would that change your opinion?
Nothing you have pointed out requires the mentalist to pre-arrange anything with the judges. The AGT format is challenging though because volunteers can not be randomly selected (by say, throwing a ball(s) out into the audience), the performer must use the judges.
If YOU were the volunteer and you KNEW for a FACT that nothing was pre-arranged, I assume you would be pretty astounded? That is how the judges felt and the reason these performers moved on and why my boy Oz did so well last year (shoulda won).
Mentalism is ASTOUNDING when performed correctly.