PEABODY — Tuesday night is about as big a night as it gets for Peabody resident Anthony Denucce.
The Woburn mailman will be at home with family members, anxiously watching his appearance as “Anthony the Molar Man” on America’s Got Talent (AGT), billed by NBC as its top-watched summer show.
The program, which runs from 8-10 p.m., features performers looking for their 15 seconds of fame with acts ranging from singing, dancing, comedy, magic and stunts.
Denucce’s talent doesn’t exactly fit into any of those categories. His talent? He plays music on his teeth.
“People think it’s gimmicky, but it suits my personality,” said Denucce. “I never really planned something this strange and weird. I’m just glad to make people smile.”
You name it, Molar Man’s teeth can play it.
His music spans genres from classical music like the “William Tell Overture” to theme songs of nostalgic television shows like The Addams Family, the Andy Griffith Show, The Lone Ranger, Jeopardy, The Brady Bunch, The Muppet Show and The Flintstones.
Denucce is a huge Disney fan, his favorites being “Zippity Do Da,” “Under the Sea,” “The Bare Necessities” and “It’s a Small World.”
“Disney and kids’ stuff is my forte,” Denucce said. “I’m passionate about all things Disney.”
The AGT auditions started with more than 2,000 performers. Denucce had two preliminary Zoom auditions, the first in early February.
“I watched the others fail for about three hours, then finally it was my turn,” Denucce said. “I thought the producer liked me.”
A week and a half later, the show’s executive producer asked Denucce back for a second audition. After that it was pay dirt.
“It was about three weeks after that when the executive producer invited me, all expenses paid, to Pasadena during April vacation for a final tryout.”
Denucce was one of 200 contestants selected to audition live before AGT host Terry Crews and celebrity judges Howie Mandel. Heidi Klum, Sofía Vergara and Simon Cowell. The trip was hectic, with a 10-hour social media day, photo shoots, social media promotions and commercial shoots.
“It was cool,” Denucce said. “Hearing the promotion for ‘watch Anthony the Molar Man this Tuesday’ was incredible.”
Just minutes before performing, Denucce received a text from his daughter Ava.
“It was the best news,” said Denucce. “She just got her letter of acceptance at Essex Tech. I was really emotional and nervous, but once I got on stage I settled down. It was funny because Howie asked me who my biggest fan was, and I told him it was my daughter even though she thinks I’m quirky.”
Denucce said the response to sharing his story about what it was like to deliver mail during the pandemic was incredible.
“I got an emotional response from the audience — a standing ovation — and said, ‘What the heck. I have to go on and perform now?'” Denucce said.
Denucce is one of 140 contestants who will be featured on the audition shows this summer. A Burlington native, he has been playing his teeth since he was in elementary school.
He is hoping the AGT appearance will expand his fame.
“I don’t know how long they are going to put me on for. It could be six seconds, it could be two minutes,” Denucce said, who is forbidden from revealing the name of the songs he performed. “I’m hoping to get a couple of minutes out of it.
“My segment will be attached to their social media so there will be some serious exposure. This is the most-watched TV show in the summer, so I hope to get noticed.”
Denucce is no stranger to television, with appearances on The Gong Show, The David Letterman Show (Stupid Human Tricks) and the Let’s A$k America game show.
Denucce won’t know until later this summer if he is one of the 44 contestants who will make the cut for the final competition, but he’s okay with that.
“A lot of the contestants are professionals, but I’m just a regular guy with a weird talent,” Denucce said. “Even if you don’t make the final show, you still have opportunities because of the exposure you get from the audition shows. I told them my goal would be to do some of those gimmicky commercials you see, maybe in the dental industry. We just have to wait and see.”
To judge Denucce’s talent for yourself, go to his YouTube channel, Anthony the Molar Man, or visit him on instagram, @anthony_molarman. Saturday marked the debut of Denucce’s live streaming “Mixin’ it up with the Molar Man” YouTube show. The show features the “Molar Minute”: a 60-second break every 15 minutes when Denucce entertains his audience with a song.
