Spoiler alert! Acts from the July 7 episode of America’s Got Talent are discussed below. All Season 21 episodes can be streamed with a Peacock subscription.

Simon Cowell looked as dashing as always in his America’s Got Talent uniform of a skin-tight black tee and tinted glasses, but who would have thought his red-tinted eyewear would cause such a kerfuffle as Season 21’s fifth night of auditions aired on the 2026 TV schedule? Suffice it to say I was shook — and so was Cowell — after one card trick Tuesday went off the rails.

Darrell Moten took the AGT stage as the second close-up magician of the evening, so Simon Cowell — who has used both of his Golden Buzzers — along with Sofía Vergara, Mel B, and Howie Mandel, really needed this act to be mindblowing. Moten asked Cowell to pull a card and not show anyone. He pulled the 5 of Hearts, but when the magician returned to the stage and showed him a 5 of Clubs, Cowell wrongly confirmed that was his card. Much confusion followed, as you can see below:

Simon Cowell seemed to feel awful after Darrell Moten said he messed up and left the stage. The judge felt responsible because his red-tinted lenses messed with his vision. He turned to the audience and said:

The vibe in the auditorium was super awkward, as a producer came out to say they were moving on, and Sofía Vergara expressed disbelief that it wasn’t all part of the act. Apparently it was, though, because Darrell Moten then appeared on the big screen in front of the judges, asking Simon Cowell to choose a color and number (he went with turquoise and 77), repeating his choices back to him before revealing that video had seemingly been prerecorded.

Darrell Moten then returned to the judges’ table to reveal the former American Idol judge’s correct card — the 5 of Hearts — in his pocket. Even after three of the four judges sent the magician through to the next round, though (Mel B was understandably confused and gave Moten a “no”), Cowell wasn’t over the snafu,

As Terry Crews interviewed the next performer backstage, Simon Cowell was still talking about his mistake with Sofía Vergara and a producer, saying:

Because even though the magician walking off the stage did end up being part of the show (I think?), Simon Cowell had still flubbed the trick by errantly confirming that Darrell Moten had the right card, and it was the Modern Family vet who had to set things right.

I’m kind of with Mel B on this one. I’m not quite sure how much of that trick played out the way it was supposed to — even down to Darrell Moten pulling a Turquoise 77 card from Terry Crews’ pocket afterward — but I guess both Moten and Simon Cowell will get another shot in the next round. Maybe Cowell will leave the glasses off for that one.

America’s Got Talent Season 21 auditions continue (possibly with more fawning from Mel B) next Tuesday, July 14, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Spoilers ahead for America’s Got Talent Season 21’s fourth night of auditions, which aired June 23. You can stream the episode with a Peacock subscription.

It was a night of surprises on America’s Got Talent, as the fourth round of auditions aired on the 2026 TV schedule. Simon Cowell and the rest of the judges started out saying they loved not knowing exactly where the acts were going, but that sentiment fell flat after three straight acts received the dreaded red X. Thankfully Rubén Roldán was there to save the night, and you’ve got to see the act that earned Simon Cowell’s second and final Golden Buzzer of the season.

Season 21 so far has had knife-throwers who had overcome significant trauma, singers who flummoxed Mel B and plenty of magic, singing and acts involving dogs. What we haven’t seen yet is parkour, and definitely not the way Rubén Roldán did it. The contestant stunned the judges by starting his act outside the theater, revealing just before he started that he had a prosthetic leg. The 23-year-old removed his prosthetic, shocking everyone watching from inside, and began jumping from stair rail to stair rail. You have to see this for yourself:

When the act was finished, there was the longest pause of astonishment before the entire crowd exploded in applause for the unbelievably impressive routine. And when I say that Rubén Roldán had everyone’s jaw on the ground, I literally mean Sofía Vergara and Simon Cowell's mouths were fully agape.

The contestant told the judges that he lived in the countryside and had lost his leg as a child in a tractor accident, and Simon Cowell couldn’t wait any longer to give him his flowers — or his pass to the live shows, rather, saying:

Cue the gold confetti, as Simon Cowell slammed down the Golden Buzzer, sending Rubén Roldán into a fit of celebration that had audience members in tears.

This was the veteran judge’s final Golden Buzzer to give out for Season 21, after he awarded his first to 14-year-old Lai Noelle in the season premiere for singing a rendition of Sienna Spiro’s “Die On This Hill.” Howie Mandel and Mel B have also used both of theirs already, with the former Spice Girl's second coming in this episode as well. Now just two Golden Buzzers remain, with Terry Crews and Sofía Vergara each giving out just one so far.

Given how often a Golden Buzzer winner goes on to win the entire competition, I’ll be excited to see who the final two acts are to get them. Tune in to find out, as new episodes air at 8 p.m. ET each Tuesday on NBC, available to stream the next day on Peacock.

It’s been so much fun to see Mel B back on the America’s Got Talent judging panel since Heidi Klum left. She’s not afraid to stand out, as several times so far on the episodes airing on the 2026 TV schedule, Mel B's been the group’s lone “no” vote. On the flip side, it’s amusing to see which acts grab her attention, and that was definitely singer Isaac Atkins on Night 3 of Season 21's auditions. While it was an absolute trip to see her fawn over the Army sergeant, I don’t agree with her using the Golden Buzzer.

Isaac Atkins is a 23-year-old member of the U.S. Army who has found a bit of TikTok fame as the “Singing Soldier.” Atkins posts videos of himself singing as he drives to and from his daily tasks, and as of this writing, he’s got more than 87,000 followers. His Army brothers encouraged him to audition for AGT, and Mel B was certainly glad they did. Check out his performance below:

You can see that Mel B appeared smitten with the Singing Soldier and his beautifully deep speaking voice before he’d uttered a single note. In fact, she asked him to repeat his name just so she could hear more of him. She then leaned over to Sofía Vergara and whispered:

Then it was Isaac Atkins’ time to shine. He sang Måneskin’s “Beggin’,” but he didn’t need to beg Mel B too hard, because when he finished the song, she hit that Golden Buzzer and made sure everyone knew who to give the credit for sending him through to the live shows. She said:

I respect the hell out of Isaac Atkins, especially because he had to take leave from the Army just to make it to the auditions, and his voice was the right mix of beautiful and gravely. Did it deserve a Golden Buzzer? I’m not so sure. The song was a strange choice for competition, because while it allowed him to show off some speed, “Beggin’” doesn’t have a whole lot of range. Also, the music was pretty overpowering, making it hard to hear any intricacies of his voice.

My Golden Buzzer winner might have been a different act that had Mel B in awe — the magicians Young & Strange. The duo performed an up-close grand illusion, and the Spice Girl wasn’t the only one in the audience covering her face as one contestant jammed wooden spikes into a box holding his partner. You can see that one below:

I thought this was a pretty unique trick, and Young & Strange infused plenty of humor into the act. Mel B actually liked their illusion so much that she told Simon Cowell:

It’s a good thing for Isaac Atkins that she didn’t. Young & Strange came just two acts before the Singing Soldier, and while she had both of her Golden Buzzers available, it’s unlikely that Mel B would have used them both so closely together.

All’s well that ends well, though, because both acts made it through — the Army sergeant getting the better end of the deal, of course — so hopefully we’ll get to see what both of them bring in later rounds of competition.

Tune in as the auditions continue at 8 p.m. ET next Tuesday, June 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Spoiler alert! This discusses acts from America’s Got Talent Season 21 premiere. Stream the episode with a Peacock subscription if you haven’t watched yet!

America’s Got Talent is back, and when Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B (remember, no Heidi Klum anymore) took their spots behind the judges table for Season 21, they were itching to hit that Golden Buzzer. In fact, three deserving acts from the talent show’s 2026 TV premiere got sent straight to the live shows, but it was a couple of knife-throwers who I can’t stop thinking about after hearing the terrifying story of what they had to overcome to get there.

It’s not rare to see seemingly dangerous acts on America’s Got Talent, but the knife-throwing and crossbow-shooting that Tyrone and Margo did was especially scary because they were aiming at each other in motion. Margo had to dodge knives at an unbelievable speed, and afterward, Simon Cowell had to ask if anything had ever gone wrong during their stunts. Tyrone shocked everyone when he said it had:

Mel B. — who had a strong reaction to a Season 20 crossbow performance — and Sofia Vergara were rendered practically speechless, but the panel gave Margo credit for being brave enough to continue.

But is she OK now?, they wanted to know. Margo told them:

What a terrible thing for the husband-and-wife team to have gone through. It was difficult even to watch them tell the story, because you could see how emotional Margo got talking about it, and Tyrone looked heartbroken about what happened.

Tyrone’s concern was teased ahead of their act, when they were shown backstage. Margo asked her husband if he was nervous, and he said:

Oof, points for honesty, but moments before taking the America’s Got Talent stage is a pretty terrible time to lose your confidence. Hearing that story is going to make me even more nervous if they take the stage again, which is a strong possibility, because Tyrone and Margo received a “yes” vote from all four judges. You can check out their act below:

The AGT Judges Had Itchy Buzzer Fingers For The Premiere

It’s not rare that the AGT champion is one of the performers who received a Golden Buzzer during auditions, and the judges picked three great acts during its Season 21 premiere. Fourteen-year-old Lai Noelle stunned the judges (and me) with a gorgeous vocal performance. Her singing voice was so surprisingly different from her speaking voice that Simon Cowell couldn’t help but steal the Golden Buzzer moment from Sofia Vergara, who had told him she was going to hit it.

Then it was Terry Crews who beat her to the punch by hitting the buzzer for the Acro Crew, who incorporated dogs into their impressive tumbling routine. Finally, Howie Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer for rapper Luke Taleno, who manifested the moment by telling Simon Cowell a year ago as an audience member that he’d be back to get the Golden Buzzer.

America’s Got Talent is off to a strong start, so be sure to tune in for the next round of auditions at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 9, on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Throughout America’s Got Talent’s 21-season run, the talent competition series has seen judges and hosts come and go. No one has been on the series as long as it’s been on. The show, however, has been somewhat consistent in recent years in both categories, with last yar's Season 20 marking the first change in judges since Season 15. Heidi Klum left AGT ahead of the milestone season, and that exit is continuing with the upcoming 21^st season, airing on Tuesday on the 2026 TV schedule. But why exactly did she leave?

The Queen of Halloween initially joined AGT in Season 8 alongside Mel B in 2013. She left after Season 13, but was brought back in Season 15 and stayed on until Season 19. In February 2025, Deadline reported that Klum would not be returning for Season 20 of AGT. News came not long after it was announced that she would be returning to Project Runway, eight years after she stepped down.

Almost the entirety of Klum’s initial run on AGT was when she was on Project Runway, but it still couldn’t have been easy going back and forth. On top of both shows, Klum has also been hosting and executive producing Germany’s Next Top Model since 2006, so that’s even more work to do. It’s unclear why Klum departed from AGT, but sources say it may have been a business decision due to her high salary. In a statement, an AGT production rep said:

Along with the original AGT, Klum was also a judge on AGT spinoffs The Champions, All-Stars, and Fantasy League. Whether she’ll return for any future spinoffs remains to be seen, but luckily the series didn’t have a hard time finding a replacement. Former Spice Girl Mel B returned to AGT with Season 20 and, like Klum, was a judge from Seasons 8-13.

As for Project Runway, the fashion competition series made its official comeback in July 2025 after a six-year hiatus, premiering on Freeform, Disney+, and Hulu. Klum was once again the head judge, joined by returning judge Colombian fashion journalist Nina García and celebrity stylist and Project Runway newcomer Law Roach. Fashion designer Christian Siriano came back as a mentor, with Michael Kors returning as a guest judge. The show’s longtime mentor, Tim Gunn, who departed Project Runway in 2018 along with Klum, did not return.

While Klum will not be appearing on Season 21 of America’s Got Talent, the show is in good hands. Terry Crews is returning as the host, with Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Vergara, and Mel B returning as judges. The new season premieres on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Talent competition shows have been a thing for years, and are still going strong with series like America’s Got Talent (which just ended its milestone 20th season), The Voice, and American Idol, to name a few. You never know what kind of people will audition and if they will be good or bad, and what the favorites will be, but that’s what makes it all entertaining. Unfortunately, the shows don’t always end up a success, such as Netflix’s newest take on the genre on the 2026 TV schedule.

The streamer’s reboot of Star Search, which originally ran from 1983 to 1995, is not living up to the hype of its competitors. Premiering on January 20, the new series failed to crack Netflix’s Global top 10 charts in the first week, according to Deadline, bringing in less than 2.3 million views with its first two episodes. That being said, it did reach No. 5 on the U.S.-specific Top 10, with South Africa's charts being the only other place it popped up, coming in at No. 9 there.

Considering the series is hosted by Anthony Anderson with judges Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chrissy Teigen, and Jelly Roll, it’s unknown why it’s flopping and hard. The original series was a huge success, and featured dozens of future stars such as Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Aaliyah, Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, Dave Chappelle, Rosie O’Donnell, and Adam Sandler. Even the aforementioned reboot host and reality TV obsessive Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Star Search, streamed live to give viewers the opportunity to vote from home using their remote controls or phones, highlights contestants in all genres of music, dance, and variety/comedy. It’s hard to tell if the live element harmed the show, as it could be a hit or miss with Netflix, but the fact that viewers at home are able to still vote could also help. The series was previously rebooted in 2003 and ran to 2004 on CBS, consisting of four seasons.

Reality shows on Netflix tend to do pretty well, and the streamer has been adding a lot of them in recent years. But while live sporting events have done well, specials such as Alex Honnold's stressful Skyscraper Live! climb weren't quite as viewer-friendly. That being said, it is still early in the season, and only a few episodes have dropped, so perhaps Star Search just needs to find its footing and really get that promo out so more people can tune in.

Of course, not all shows can be America’s Got Talent or The Voice, and not even Star Search can be Star Search. Those with a Netflix subscription can check out the reboot themselves and see if it’s worth sticking around for the entire season. New episodes stream live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

Simon Cowell has spent plenty of time in the spotlight on the American side of the pond, with the Brit making a name for himself in the early years of American Idol as the judge who didn't mince words. More recently, he's been sitting behind a table on America's Got Talent, and his highest-profile gigs have left some with a surprising impression: they think he doesn't walk after all that time in a chair. He cleared the air in a pretty entertaining way shortly after the release of his new docuseries in the 2025 TV schedule, available now with a Netflix subscription.

The X Factor creator candidly spoke with The Sun's Clemmie Moodie, and he addressed the rumors that he doesn't walk. The buzz started after he was spotted striding down a hallway, and Cowell described the reactions as "so crazy." He went on:

I can't say that certain fans suspecting that Simon Cowell doesn't walk is as wild as the rumors that Lea Michele can't read, and regular viewers of America's Got Talent can spot him on his feet for everything from standing ovations to participating in the occasional crossbow act.

Still, as he noted, he does spend most of his time on camera sitting behind a desk and pressing buttons (and sometimes golden buzzers), and the commentary about his bike accident faded away pretty quickly. Cowell did go on to confirm one suspicion that fans have about him, however, saying this:

Simon Cowell doesn't always stand on the job, but when he does, he's probably looking an inch taller than his actual height! He recently revealed more of his unseated life in Netflix's Simon Cowell: The Next Act docuseries, which runs for six episodes after premiering back on December 10. Take a look at how he credited The Next Act for showing more of him than can be seen behind a desk:

Simon Cowell: The Next Act initially seemed like competition for American Idol and The Voice, although it hasn't earned enough viewers to crack into Netflix's Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. That list is still dominated by Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which premiered more than a week before Cowell's docuseries and is the show that dethroned Stranger Things from the #1 spot. (Stranger Things is now at #3 after Rowan Atkinson's Man vs. Baby.)

It remains to be seen if Simon Cowell: The Next Act will return for another season on Netflix, whether to restart his journey to find the next hit boy band or continue working with the performers he discovered the first time around. One thing is certain: if there is more of The Next Act on the way, Cowell will probably be getting his steps in rather than only sitting behind a desk.

Warning: spoilers are ahead for the Season 20 finale of America's Got Talent, available streaming next day with a Peacock subscription.

Another season of America's Got Talent has wrapped in the 2025 TV schedule, but this wasn't a normal season of the NBC show, and not just because of Mel B's return as a judge. Not many shows reach a milestone like 20 seasons, so it was no surprise that the finale started off with a grand birthday celebration that incorporated all the finalists before determining which would end the night with a victory as well as the promise of $1 million and a Las Vegas stage show.

I'm happier about the person who won than I thought I would be, but as host Terry Crews was announcing the results, I also found myself remembering a comment from Mel B the night before that might have prevented one performer from getting closer to the grand prize. But let's start with the positive!

Jessica Sanchez Wins America's Got Talent

Singer Jessica Sanchez ultimately accumulated enough votes to win Season 20, beating out improv rapper Chris Turner in second place and singer Jourdan Blue in third. I usually don't root for singers to win AGT (with Season 19's Richard Goodall as an exception) since there are specific music shows like The Voice and American Idol out there, but the stars really did align for Sanchez to win.

On top of performing live on stage while nine months pregnant, she also had been a semifinalist on America's Got Talent's very first season back in 2006. Not only is she an incredibly talented performer, but there's no beating her story in Season 20. So, congratulations to. Jessica Sanchez!

There weren't actually many surprises in the finale, as far as I'm concerned. Following all of the live AGT finale performances, these were the final rankings:

1. Jessica Sanchez
2. Chris Turner
3. Jourdan Blue
4. Leo High School Choir
5. LightWire
6. Team Recycled
7. Micah Palace
8. Steve Ray Ladson
9. Sirca Marea
10. Mama Duke

I'd hoped to see Sirca Marea do a bit better in the final tallies by virtue of not being a music act, and I was a little surprised to see that Leo High School Choir got more votes than LightWire, but the lineup pretty much tracks with what I expected. Still, looking at #7, I can't help but wonder if Micah Palace would have done better in the votes if not for Mel B's comment right after his performance.

What Mel B Said About Micah Palace

For his final performance ahead of the AGT voting, rapper Micah Palace brought "Spanglish" and "No Sabo" to the stage. I personally thought that his backup dancers took up some of the focus that should have been on his music, but Simon Cowell seemed to have no regrets that he'd hit his quarterfinals golden buzzer for Micah. When Mel B's turn for feedback came, however, she told him this:

Mel's comments seemed to come out of nowhere, since I hadn't caught any signs of Micah Palace being rude to people around him on camera, and her words might have been forgotten in the grand scheme of things if not for Simon Cowell's reaction. He told the performer:

Obviously nobody viewing from home has the same experiences on AGT that Mel B and Simon Cowell do, but her comments followed by his reaction really made the feedback the most memorable part of his performance. Even Terry Crews' efforts to move along didn't really do much.

There were strong reactions on X, with some supporting Mel, some disagreeing with Mel, and all really giving me the impression that Micah Palace was getting the short end of the AGT stick if this was the last that voters would see of him. Take a look:

• @Call_Him_Arya: "What did Mel B mean when she said Micah Palace had 'be nice to everyone'?"
• @sean2637: "What is Mel B hinting at with Micah should be nice to everybody?"
• @HKoonts: "What was Mel B’s comment about?"
• @RBurns714: "Unpopular opinion: If Micah was being rude to staff and was acting like a diva, I Think Mel B has every right to call him out on it."
• @Truthologie: "Sorry, but that was so wretched of Mel B to do Micah Palace like that ON LIVE TV!"

It's impossible to say if Micah Palace would have placed higher in the Top 10 if not for Mel B's comments, and there was so much momentum from Jessica Sanchez, Chris Turner, and Jourdan Blue coming out of their final performances that I would have been surprised to see anybody else in the Top 3. Still, take a look and see for yourself:

Congratulations again to Jessica Sanchez on her standout performances, her big finale win, and the upcoming birth of her baby girl! This was the end of America's Got Talent's milestone season, but definitely not the end of AGT. Auditions are currently open for Season 21.

The milestone 20th season of America's Got Talent is ending in the 2025 TV schedule with the last remaining ten contestants facing one final chance to win voters over and get that $1 million grand prize and Las Vegas stage show. The always-snazzy Terry Crews is decked out in a sparkling silver suit for the live performances before the results are announced on Wednesday night, with Simon Cowell hoping that the performers will surpass themselves.

Join me as I watch the episode live and see who has what it takes to beat out the competition!

Note that entries will appear from most recent to oldest as the episode is still airing live, and the order will flip from oldest to most recent once the watchalong has concluded.

The Season 20 Top 10

The Top 10 was determined after months of auditions, four live quarterfinals, and one last semifinals round. As usual, there are several singers who made it to the very end in pursuit of the grand prize, as well as some finalists who perform more outside of the box. Take a look at the final ten standing:

• Mama Duke - Singer/rapper
• Micah Palace - Singer/rapper
• Chris Turner - Freestyle rapper
• Leo High School Choir - Singing group
• Jourdan Blue - Singer
• Jessica Sanchez - Singer
• Sirca Marea - Acrobatics duo
• Steve Ray Ladson - Singer
• Team Recycled - Dance group
• LightWire - Dance group

Of those ten, only Chris Turner, Leo High School Choir, and Sirca Marea didn't get a golden buzzer at any point. Between that and my tendency to root for acts that aren't singers or musicians (with occasional exceptions like Richard Goodall with his Journey covers) when there are shows like The Voice and American Idol out there, I'm rooting for Sirca Marea to win Season 20 at this point. (I'm also rooting for Jessica Sanchez to make it through the last two episodes and then get to rest up for the rest of her pregnancy!)

Jessica Sanchez Goes First And LightWire Follows

The extremely pregnant Jessica Sanchez was the first AGT finalist to take the stage on finale night, with Sofia Vergara declaring that she looked like a "pregnant angel" after she blew the roof off the theater with her vocals.

For as much as I've felt that Season 20 has had too many golden buzzers and I don't usually root for singers above all others, Jessica Sanchez was a great way to start out the night, with Simon Cowell saying that he felt like there was an "extra 10%" in her finale performance, and that it was right that she made her comeback for Season 20.

I'd Definitely See LightWire In Las Vegas

I was pretty confident going into the finale that LightWire would have something fairly spectacular in store for their last shot at impressing voters, and I wasn't wrong. Their dance was Avatar-esque in a way, with a message that resulted in some judges getting emotional. This group hasn't been my favorite to root for in Season 20, but I will say that of all the AGT acts this fall, LightWire is one that I'd probably be willing to pay to see in Las Vegas.

Mama Duke Pretended To Be Mel B

Before Mama Duke took the stage with her last original song for AGT Season 20, she commented on how getting the live golden buzzer from Mel B was "full circle" for her since she used to pretend to be the Spice Girl. Whatever the future holds – and Simon Cowell said that he thinks this was a great "launch pad" for her – I have to commend her for making it as far as she has with her original songs. Cover songs can be the safer route to take on live TV.

I initially didn't think she was bringing her best work when she started in the finale, but she really seemed to get more comfortable with it and feel her own music about halfway through. Mel B was on her feet before the end, although Sofia Vergara didn't look entirely convinced.

Sirca Marea Dazzled And Defied Gravity

AGT has had plenty of acrobatic acts in the past, but these two performers brought the action for the live finale. Pyrotechnics? Check. Blindfolds? Check. Some adorable PDA? Check! There was even a moment toward the end when I briefly thought that there'd been a mistake that put them in danger, but there was no such issue. Simon Cowell said that they were "genuinely" the best he'd ever seen, and an "eleven out of ten."

Micah Palace Says He's The "Hottest Name In Spanglish"

Fresh off of getting Simon Cowell's quarterfinals golden buzzer, Micah Palace used his finale performance to show gratitude towards his mother and clap back at the people who never believed in him while bringing back a song that served him well the first time around. The energy of his backup dancers distracted me a bit from his vocals, but he definitely seemed to be a crowd favorite... if not quite Howie Mandel's or Mel B's.

Leo High School Choir Don't Feel Like Underdogs Anymore

The high school teens came to the finale with their take on The Script's "Hall of Fame," and it was easy to understand why they felt like underdogs when no choir has ever won AGT before. Still, I wouldn't say that they're the underdogs after "Hall of Fame." Not only were the judges vibing, but the audience seemed to be loving it. The energy in the room seemed a bit higher than for Mama Duke and Micah Palace, so perhaps this will be the year that a choir wins it all.

Chris Turner Found A Way To Go Bigger With His Raps

I won't say that I haven't been entertained by Chris Turner and his freestyle raps this season, but he hadn't really found ways to get bigger and better from one round to the next. He pulled it off for the finale, starting his rap at 80 BPM before working up to 150 BPM without missing a beat. I don't know that I expect him to win, but he has a lot to be proud of after this season of AGT.

Way to prove me wrong, Chris Turner! The judges were all raving about him and his newfound chances of winning, with Howie Mandel even wondering if he'd set a world record. Honestly, if there's any kind of musical act that could win me over this late in the game, I think Chris' style of rap might do it.

Jourdan Blue Made Smart Choices

I don't just mean the man-bun when I say "smart choices," despite Mel B naming that as a good one from Jourdan Blue! He unleashed his vocals and chose "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters, a.k.a. one of the biggest Netflix movies of 2025. The performance was so solid that Simon Cowell had to eat his words from just one act earlier, and said that Jourdan Blue has a great shot of winning the $1 million. At this point, it could be down to Jourdan and Chris Turner, and I genuinely might have to eat my words about not rooting for music acts.

The Judges All Agreed About Team Recycled

I spent most of Team Recycled's finale performance thinking to myself that this was by far the most I'd enjoyed them on stage all season, and the judges agreed when the time came for feedback. Howie Mandel was the most effusive, understandably since he'd hit the golden buzzer for them. Simon Cowell and Sofia Vergara were all-in, and Mel B turned what initially sounded like criticism about them recycling their choreography into a compliment.

Is it just me, or does it feel like AGT saved several of the most spectacular acts for the second half of the finale?

Last But Not Least: Steve Ray Ladson

Simon Cowell commented that every song he hears from Steve Ray Ladson sounds like a hit to him, which is high praise from the former American Idol judge. Howie Mandel predicted that he'll have another song playing everywhere by the next day. As for Sofia Vergara and Mel B, they both agreed that he smells good and that he crushed his performance. Was he my favorite of the night? No, but I applaud anybody who brings a banjo on stage to shred on it.

Time To Vote!

For the last time in America's Got Talent's milestone 20th season, you'll need to vote on agt.vote.nbc.com or via the AGT app to advance your favorite to the top prize of $1 million and a stage show. Voting is only open until Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET, with the results announced in the second half of the finale on September 24.

Chris Turner, Jessica Sanchez, Jourdan Blue, Leo High School Choir, LightWire, Mama Duke, Micah Palace, Sirca Marea, Steve Ray Ladson, or Team Recycled will have something huge to celebrate by this point tomorrow night. Tune in to NBC on September 24 starting at 9 p.m. ET for the very last episode of AGT Season 20.

I've surprised even myself by considering Chris Turner to be my frontrunner at this point, although I was of course impressed by Jourdan Blue going full KPop Demon Hunters and Sirca Marea keeping me on the edge of my seat. Those are my Top 3 heading into the results episode!

Spoilers ahead for the third night of America’s Got Talent quarterfinals in Season 20, available streaming next day with Peacock subscription.

The milestone 20th season of America’s Got Talent is quickly approaching the finale in the 2025 TV schedule, and the third night of quarterfinals performances already guaranteed one more act that will make it to the finals. Musician Micah Palace got the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell, not too long after the Messoudi Brothers had a close call that could have been much worse than a blooper if the juggler hadn’t caught himself at the last second. But there was one element of the episode that reminded me of an issue I’ve been having with the live quarterfinals, and I wish it was unique to Season 20.

Are The Strobe Lights Really Necessary?

AGT performers are expected to go bigger and better when they move from the auditions to the quarterfinals stage. Unfortunately for me and some other viewers on social media, that sometimes includes strobe lights flashing right into the camera. It’s not uncommon for people to have unpleasant reactions to flashing lights, which can lead to problems including (but not limited to) nausea, headaches, and even seizures. Heck, I’ll even throw annoyance in there.

And that’s not what anybody is looking for when they sit down for an episode of America’s Got Talent! Sure, the simple solution is just to look away and wait for the performance to end. For musical acts, you can even still hear the songs without having to stare into the flashing lights. Even though the vast majority of viewers might not have an issue with strobes, I feel like AGT could raise the stakes to make performances more spectacular without also resorting to a potentially triggering light show.

The Act That Made Me Need To Talk About It

The strobe light problem didn’t just arise with the live quarterfinals performance on September 2, or even just this season. I’ll even admit that I noticed the problem just last week before the last comedian standing was cut with Def Leppard’s live performance of “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” I pretty much didn’t say anything at that point just because I love that song and I was looking forward to hearing Def Leppard singing live.

What made me need to speak out this week was Girish and The Chronicles’ hard rock cover of Sia’s “Unstoppable,” which was great and full of energy… as far as I could tell, anyway. The vocals were great, and the reactions from the judges after they finished attested to the musicians rocking the stage, but I didn't watch any further than very early on when the strobes started flashing.

To be clear, I’m not trying to call out Girish and The Chronicles as performers. Just like how Terry Crews isn’t to blame for – to quote Simon Cowell – the “very mean” trick on contestants from producers a couple weeks ago, the performers aren’t responsible for the lighting, and the flashing lights issue on AGT goes back years. I’m also not the only viewer who has spoken out about the issue, with some weighing in on X (formerly known as Twitter):

• @AllieIsBatman18: "Again can we cool it with the flashing lights? Especially when it's white light??? It's not cute, and doesn't make your act better."
• @ToreyAlexis: "Geez, I’m happy I don’t have sensitivity to flashing lights."
• @SoftPlatypus23: "Flashing Light Warning."

I won’t try to speak for the entire AGT audience, or even all the people who also wish that the NBC hit would stop using strobe lights as heavily. But I don’t feel like they add so much to a performance that they’re absolutely needed on America’s Got Talent. I want to watch the live shows from start to finish when I sit down in front of my TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, not have to look away and miss some performances.

At the very least, I'd appreciate a flashing light warning before a performance starts, like what some other TV shows do. AGT producers can't predict every single thing before a live show, and things can unexpectedly go wrong like with one of the Messoudi Brothers almost taking a tumble. The lights are a part of production that would have been finalized before the talent walked out on the stage, though, so a warning was and is possible.

Find out if anything changes with AGT using flashing lights with the results episode on Wednesday, September 3 at 8 p.m. ET. You can vote for AGT here, and Girish and The Chronicles definitely deserve credit for their musical skills, whether or not you could watch the whole performance.

Spoilers ahead for the second week of America's Got Talent live quarterfinals, with the results revealed on August 27 and episode streaming next day with a Peacock subscription.

It's hard to predict the direction of America's Got Talent's later stages when audiences voting from home take over from the judges who gets to advance. Season 20 is only two weeks into the live quarterfinals of the 2025 TV schedule, and I lost one of my favorites to make AGT history before the semi-finals. After one of the groups that advanced after the latest episode, however, I can imagine the show making history with another type of performance, and I'd be on board.

I Was Rooting For Schuler King

I'll be the first to admit that I can be kind of set in my ways when it comes to America's Got Talent. Other than exceptions like Season 19 winner Richard Goodall and Season 14's Kodi Lee, I usually don't root for singers, because singing-centric competition shows already exist with The Voice and American Idol. Plus, eight of the nineteen AGT champions so far have been singers. Kid performers tend to not win my votes either, and I'll usually go for a magician like Season 13's Shin Lim or acrobat before a stand-up comic.

Shuler King changed that in Season 20, and I found myself rooting for him right from the audition stage. He was even funnier in the first week of live quarterfinals, as far as I'm concerned. Take a look:

King made it to the Top 3 when the audience got to vote. That meant an elimination, ending his run as AGT's only comic in the quarterfinals with a shot at the $1 million grand prize and Las Vegas stage show. He could have been the first comedian in America's Got Talent history to win the top prize, without even having the benefit of a golden buzzer. Alas, it wasn't in the cards this year for Howie Mandel to see a comic come out on top. History could still be made, though!

A Choir Has Never Won AGT

I'll be honest – I usually try not to get too invested in even the best choirs that come onto America's Got Talent, because choirs never win. Sure, there wasn't a dry eye in the house when Mzansi Youth Choir honored the late AGT great Nightbirde by performing her song in Season 18, and I was as relieved as anybody in AGT: Fantasy League when Sainted Trap Choir got the last-minute clearance for Prince's "Purple Rain." I love a good choir, but they never win.

As of the second night of live quarterfinals results, however, Leo High School Choir has a shot. They're not the first singing group to make it this far in a season of AGT, and I don't even necessarily think that they're the best choir in the history of the show. But they're definitely great, and very lovable. On America's Got Talent, the story behind an act can be as important as the level of talent, and I'd say they have a good story. Could they be the first choir to win a season of AGT?

Well, it's much too soon to say, and I would have predicted Shuler King to make it farther than the teen singers if you'd asked me right after the auditions stage. Still, I think Leo High School Choir had my favorite on-stage celebration of any performers who got the best kind of news from Terry Crews this year so far. It was certainly an improvement from the devastation last week when the AGT producers were very "mean" – to quote Simon Cowell – in how they eliminated some performers. For now, it's fun to at least root for them. Why not, after I lost my frontrunner?

If nothing else, I'm convinced at this point that I'd love to see history made on America's Got Talent for its milestone 20th season. Apologies to all the singers still in the running! Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for quarterfinals episodes of AGT, and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for the results. You can also stream any episodes you might have missed with a Peacock subscription.

America’s Got Talent has gone big for the milestone 20th season in the 2025 TV schedule. The increase in golden buzzers means more gold confetti falling from the ceiling than usual, but I haven’t been enamored with the results. What I have been enamored with? That would be Terry Crews’ outfits throughout the season, and never more so than in the first few live quarterfinals episodes.

While I wouldn’t have hit the golden buzzer quite like the judges would have for some acts, I’d hit one for the host nailing the fashion game.

Why I’m Not In Love With Season 20’s Golden Buzzers

I don’t hate golden buzzers, but they used to feel a lot more special in earlier seasons. In Season 20, there were ten to be distributed throughout the auditions: two for each of the four judges and two for Terry Crews. Then, each of the four judges will get one more for the quarterfinals round. If that’s not enough, there will be one more golden buzzer in the semifinals, which the judges must unanimously agree on. (I foresee some bickering between Simon Cowell and Mel B.) As of the second quarterfinals episode, twelve golden buzzers have been hit.

That’s a total of fifteen golden buzzers in one season, and I just don’t feel that same jolt of excitement that I used to when a contestant gets one because there are so many now. In fairness, I have enjoyed how Terry Crews uses his, especially when he beat Simon Cowell to the punch for The Funkateers earlier this season. Golden buzzers are still fun in their own way, but they don’t feel as special as they used to. (Every Season 20 episode so far is available streaming now with a Peacock subscription.)

How Terry Crews Has Been Crushing The Fashion Game

Regardless of how I’ll feel about golden buzzers each week, I’ve found myself looking forward to seeing what kind of suit Terry Crews will be sporting. Even though the judges (or at least Mel B and Sofia Vergara) seem to get extra snazzy for the live shows, the host is the only one who has to be walking across the stage all night!

Crews debuted his first quarterfinals suit on August 19 just hours after going shirtless to pump fans up for AGT to go live, then chose this Instagram caption to go along with the yellow and purple: “The chameleon!” Take a look:

Thanks to the live stages of each AGT season incorporating the audience vote, NBC will air a performance episode on a Tuesday night followed by the results episode on the following Wednesday. For his August 20 outfit, Crews chose the caption of “Rat pack!💥“ All you need to do is look at it, and I think you’ll know why:

His third and final live show look (so far as of August 26) might be my favorite by this point in Season 20. Not many people could combine bright pink and purple without looking like they’re embracing Barbiecore a couple years too late, but Terry Crews pulled it off. With the caption of “Candy coated for AGT!” on Instagram, this was the full outfit:

There are still several live shows left before the end of Season 20, so Terry Crews undoubtedly has more suits combining colors that most people probably couldn’t pull off, let alone show off in front of a huge audience and TV cameras.

See what he has in store next (as well as more golden buzzers) with new performance episodes on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET and results episodes on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, all on NBC. With the next results episode on August 27, I’m just hoping that AGT producers won’t go for another mean moment like last week!

The live shows have arrived on America’s Got Talent Season 20 in the 2025 TV schedule, which fans have likely been waiting for after weeks and weeks of pre-taped auditions… but the timing couldn’t have been worse for singer Jourdan Blue. He’s felt like a frontrunner all season, getting a golden buzzer in the Season 20 premiere, accumulating millions of streaming views, and having the audience chanting his name when the tallies were being read in the live quarterfinals results episode. But he was sick with food poisoning before his first AGT live performance, and made the bold choice to perform anyway.

The NOLA-based singer revealed shortly after his live rendition of Calum Scott’s “Biblical” that he’d thrown up three times before walking out on stage, and the results episode the next night revealed how close of a call it was. Medics had been called to tend to him, and it wasn’t guaranteed until moments before his turn came whether he’d be able to perform live. (You can find both the performance and the results episode streaming with a Peacock subscription now.)

He did in fact perform live, looking less animated than his first song on AGT and sporting a sheen of sweat that evidently wasn’t due to nerves or bright stage lights. It was a bold move, considering that he had just a few minutes to convince viewers from home to vote him through. In the aftermath, he shared:

Fortunately, powering through the nausea paid off. He was one of the three acts advanced to the semifinals based on audience votes, unlike those who were subject to a mean trick from AGT producers. Jourdan Blue went on to explain that the producers did give him the option of having his dress rehearsal recording played during the live episode, and it wasn’t guaranteed until just moments before his turn came that he’d be able to belt his heart out despite food poisoning. Blue explained why he decided to try:

I'd say that "That's just not me" is a great reason to risk it all, even if it could have backfired! It was then up to voters to determine whether singing live was a fatal mistake for his run on AGT or part of a great story that could carry him into the semifinals and possibly beyond. After he got the good news that he’d be moving on, host Terry Crews asked how he was feeling after all the adversity, and the singer responded:

The boldness paid off! I don’t always root for singers to become AGT champions when The Voice and American Idol are out there as specifically singing competitions, but I’m hoping that Jourdan Blue at least makes it to the finals. If nothing else, I’m glad that he was in the first night of quarterfinals, so that he’ll presumably have plenty of time to rest up before he has to take the stage again. Check out the performance that earned him a spot in the semifinals despite food poisoning:

New live episodes of America’s Got Talent continue airing on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET by the live results episodes. The four acts from the first night of quarterfinals to advance are Jourdan Blue, LightWire, Sirca Marea, and Steve Ray Ladson, the latter of whom got the golden buzzer from Sofia Vergara.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the first night of America's Got Talent's Season 20 quarterfinals results on August 20, available streaming next day with a Peacock subscription.

America's Got Talent has entered the live portion of Season 20 in the 2025 TV schedule, and the first live results episode eliminated seven acts who had made it past the auditions round, with three others voted into the semifinals. The night opened with a live performance of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard, and the first half hour of the episode was pretty standard for an AGT results episode, but it wouldn't stay that way.

Dance group Loco Pop Familia and singing trio CitiLimitz were brought onto stage with the expectation that one of them would be announced as staying in the competition. Host Terry Crews said "Let's find out who's staying in the competition!" before 28 seconds of silence. (Yes, I timed it.) Then, the host pulled the rug out from under the performers with the worst kind of AGT news: none of them were in the Top 5 with a shot at the grand prize.

Now, it's of course normal for AGT to ramp up the suspense before announcing an elimination, and I really only had a complaint about it in the Season 19 finale when Richard Goodall barely had time to celebrate his win. But when Simon Cowell openly said that the trick was just "mean," I immediately agreed with him, and it seemed that everybody else in the venue did as well. Here's what Cowell said in response to the double elimination:

Off camera, Mel B said "I feel bad," and Sofia Vergara could be heard asking, "What happened?" The audience started booing, and I think that might be the first time this season that the crowd has booed that hard to agree with Simon Cowell. I do appreciate that he specifically noted that the producers were the "very mean" ones in the scenario. Terry Crews may have dropped the news as host of the show, but it surely wasn't his call to format the episode this way.

I'm not sure how much of Simon Cowell's commentary actually reached the contestants, as the members of Loco Pop Familia and CitiLimitz all looked shell-shocked and on the verge of tears. Normally, I would have just felt bad for performers who have their devastation broadcast on live TV, but I was glad for the live production this time.

There was no time for producers to potentially edit out Simon Cowell's reaction or mute out the reactions from Mel B and Sofia Vergara, which were loud enough to be heard off-screen. The boos from the audience were pretty booming as well. I don't know that AGT would have cut the sequence down to look a little less mean, but I do know that it couldn't happen for a live broadcast.

I can't speak for anybody else, but seeing this pretty dirty trick halfway through the episode really took me out of the festivities for the second half. I'd been having fun watching the first 30 minutes or so, with some great performers learning they'd made the Top 5 and Def Leppard's performance proving to me that I've been singing along to the wrong lyrics for "Pour Some Sugar On Me" for many, many years. (Don't ask me what I'd always thought Def Leppard was singing in the "little miss innocent" line, because I wasn't even close.)

Whatever the goal was with the bait and switch on Loco Pop Familia and CitiLimitz, I hope that Simon Cowell's reaction as well as a room full of booing audience members will be enough to dissuade producers from pulling this trick again in future live results shows.

The competition certainly still has a ways to go before America votes in the next winner of the $1 million and Las Vegas stage show grand prize. The semifinalists from Week 1 are LightWire, Sirca Marea, and Jourdan Blue, as well as Steve Ray Ladson after he got the golden buzzer from Sofia Vergara the previous night. New episodes of America's Got Talent will continue airing on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by results shows on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, all on NBC. .

Terry Crews is currently in his seventh year as the host of NBC's America's Got Talent, and he's bringing as much energy as ever for the milestone 20th season in the 2025 TV schedule. The live qualifiers round kicked off on August 19 with a strong lineup of performers, but Crews went in a different direction to hype fans up to tune in live. The famously fit Everybody Hates Chris alum went shirtless ahead of the episode, but his yellow suit for the AGT stage might be even more memorable.

Hours before acrobatic duo Sirca Marea took the stage for an acrobatic workout of their own on AGT, Terry Crews posted a shirtless pic with a caption that works on a couple levels. Not only was it time to get "pumped" for America's Got Talent's first live show of the season, but he certainly looks like he'd just been pumping iron. Take a look:

Crews is looking pretty serious fresh off of his workout, but that definitely wasn't the case during the first live quarterfinals episode for Season 20 of America's Got Talent. I often look forward to seeing what snazzy suit that Crews will be sporting each night of AGT, but I have to say, his yellow suit with purple shirt and pocket square might be his best of the summer. If you missed the live broadcast, don't watch AGT, or are planning on checking out the episode next day with a Peacock subscription, take a look:

I feel like the suit wouldn't work if it was too much more of a banana yellow, but Crews pulled off this shade and the purple, as far as I'm concerned. That's not to say anybody else on the AGT stage could have pulled it off, though! Even though all of the judges looked a little extra snazzy for the live episode, I can't imagine Howie Mandel or Simon Cowell trying the yellow suit and purple shirt. Terry Crews obviously can do a lot more on AGT than just hosting and – in Season 20, at least – beating Cowell to hitting a golden buzzer.

There's still plenty of action left in this season of America's Got Talent. Spoilers ahead for the August 19 episode. Eleven acts returned to the stage for the first live broadcast of the season, with Sofia Vergara hitting the golden buzzer for singer Steve Ray Ladson. Jourdan Blue was another standout, and not just because of his latest powerhouse performance.

Apparently, the singer was sick and had thrown up three times not too long before walking out on stage. Even if he doesn't win the $1 million grand prize and Las Vegas stage show, I feel like he deserves some kind of prize for having the nerve to do that on live television! End AGT spoilers.

If you want to vote for the three acts to make it to the next round of competition, you can do so on NBC's AGT voting page as well as via the America's Got Talent official app and the NBC app. Voting will remain open until 7 a.m. ET on August 20, with the results announced the same day at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

After two months, nine episodes of auditions, and no fewer than ten golden buzzers, America's Got Talent is moving forward into the live shows of the 2025 TV schedule. The live quarterfinals are always a step up from the auditions, but I'm looking forward to this round even more than usual as part of the milestone 20th season. The lineup for the first night of live performances is pretty stacked, and AGT is about to start heating up... which just reminds me of what happened in Season 19 that was like a bucket of cold water. But let's start with the positives!

America's Got Talent's First Live Quarterfinals Episode

The judges narrowed down the pool of performers who'd excelled in the auditions to 44, although technically ten of them were already predetermined due to golden buzzers. This means four weeks of live shows leading up to the Season 20 finale in September. On the whole, I'm on board with the first batch of eleven who will retake the AGT stage in the first live quarterfinals episode on August 19 (and streaming next day with a Peacock subscription). Take a look:

• B Unique Crew - Dance Group
• Charity Lockhart - Singer
• CitiLimitz - Singing Group
• Jourdan Blue - Singer
• Lightwire - Projection
• Loco Pop Familia - Dance
• Phobias - Magic Act
• Shuler King - Stand Up Comic
• Sirca Marea - Acrobat
• Steve Ray Ladson - Band
• Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras - Band

There are certainly some standouts in the first crop of performers, and I don't just mean Tom Sandoval and the Vanderpump Rules scandal that followed him to AGT. There are no fewer than three golden buzzers in the group: Mel B's Charity Lockhart, Howie Mandel's Jourdan Blue, and Simon Cowell's LightWire.

Plus, there's a nice variety of acts in this group. Season 20 hasn't been the strongest for magicians and stand up comics, so I'm not surprised to only see one of each, but I'm definitely glad that the first night of live shows isn't going to have solo singer after solo singer.

However the next performances play out, only three competitors will be advanced depending on who gets the most votes from viewers, although each of the judges has another golden buzzer for the round. I'm assuming one judge will hit per week for the sake of balance, but the fact remains: most of the live show competitors won't be moving on.

What I Hope Goes Differently With AGT Live In 2025

With the exception of the lovely Richard Goodall last year, am I often frustrated when the quarterfinals are full of singers when there are music-focused shows like The Voice and American Idol out there? Definitely. Am I sometimes a grouch about kids getting advanced, even though I know I probably wouldn't have the heart to send them home either? Yes. Do I feel like golden buzzers are less fun now that there are ten of them in the auditions alone? Unfortunately so, and I don't think I'm the only one. But these are all just petty grievances that don't stop me from tuning in.

There's just one thing from the Season 19 finale that I'm nervous about happening again as Season 20 shifts from pre-taped to live. The pacing for the last few episodes last season just wasn't great, to the point that the finale was packed with plenty of filler between Terry Crews' announcements of who was moving on, and champion Richard Goodall only had moments to celebrate his win on camera at the very end.

Now, I don't imagine even in my wildest dreams that any reality competition show would cut down on filler content to pad out results episodes late in a season, but I still remember getting to see Richard Goodall's initial reaction to his win, but then the episode ending very abruptly. I'm truly just hoping that everybody gets their due in the live shows rounds, especially since the performers' fates are now in the hands of voters from home.

Tune in to the first night of America's Got Talent Season 20 live quarterfinals on Tuesday, August 19 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by the first live results episode of the season on Wednesday, August 20 at 8 p.m. ET. You can also stream the episodes next day on Peacock, but that largely means being cut out of the voting process, so I always recommend watching AGT's later rounds live if possible.

The sixth episode of America's Got Talent's milestone 20th season in the 2025 TV schedule featured the returns of familiar faces, ranging from singer Austin Brown shortly after his first audition to Yuriyan Retriever making her bold but unsuccessful comeback after her Season 14 debut. The one who hooked me from the very start, however, was Anna Saranina, who previously appeared on AGT in Season 11 as half of a knife-throwing duo with her then-husband. She came back solo to wield crossbows and show off trick shots on stage, and words really can't fully convey the tension of watching her act.

Judge Simon Cowell, as is his wont, had some critiques for the performer who had once dazzled on AGT as part of the Deadly Games duo, but had to change his tune after being on the other side of one of her weapons. While his responses on stage were pretty funny, I continue to love how he and Mel B have reacted to each other this season. Take a look:

Personally, I was more wowed by Anna Saranina catching a crossbow bolt mid-flight than anything else in her act (and don't even want to know if it was a trick of the camera), but the clip from Simon Cowell's critiques onward is worth a rewatch. After Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofia Vergara heaped praise on Anna, Simon opined that "this is very slow." Boos echoed from the audience even as he asked where she would go next with her crossbow act as a solo competitor, and she responded with the game-changing question: "You wanna try?"

At first, none of the other judges seemed to even take the invitation seriously, but he didn't decline before the audience started chanting his name, leading Mel B to almost literally facepalm when he jogged up to join Anna on stage anyway. She followed up by asking if he has a "death wish," which... obviously an AGT episode wasn't going to open with Simon Cowell being shot in a sensitive area with a crossbow bolt, but I can see why Mel B would ask the question in the moment!

And I just loved how the former Spice Girl switched back and forth between jokingly encouraging him and seeming to genuinely fear that he made a very bad decision in taking the stage. She was the first of the other three judges to stand up to give Anna Saranina an ovation, and the performer ultimately got a yes from all four of them.

Considering that I was on the fence about how successful AGT would be paired with Destination X for its first season without Heidi Klum since Season 15 in 2020, the revamped team of judges this summer has been a fun surprise. After all, Klum was already a vet when it came to sharing a judges' table with Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel, and I was a fan of the friendship she demonstrated on stage with Sofia Vergara.

But Mel's banter with Cowell in Season 20 so far has been more along the lines of the Spice Girls joke from AGT: Fantasy League than when she walked off the AGT set after a harsh joke from Cowell in 2017. Her commentary on Simon agreeing to stand in front of a crossbow-wielding competitor was just more of what I love from this duo. For more from them as well as Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara, keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET or stream next day with a Peacock subscription.

The summer months often mean unscripted competition shows on the major TV networks, and that has largely been the same in the 2025 TV schedule. NBC had a new show to pair with mainstay America’s Got Talent this time, however, and I wasn’t sure that even the AGT lead-in would be enough to secure Destination X a regular weekly audience. Well, the ratings are in for early days of the summer season, and the Destination X/AGT pair could be exactly what NBC needs in the summer from now on!

Between two hours of America’s Got Talent’s milestone 20th season and one hour of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Destination X, Deadline reports that the shows having been doing well enough to make NBC Tuesdays the #1 entertainment night of the summer so far.

The outlet reports numbers from NBCUniversal that total 24 million viewers this summer for AGT across NBC and Peacock, while Destination X has reached 14 million across both platforms. (You can keep up with both shows on Tuesday nights or by streaming with a Peacock subscription.) Normally, a discrepancy of ten million would be a big deal, but not so much when we're talking about the consistent summer winner and a brand new show.

Plus, considering that Destination X got off to a somewhat convoluted start and even Jeffrey Dean Morgan had his doubts about hosting, I’m officially surprised to see the freshman travel competition series doing so well.

Less surprisingly, AGT after seven days ranks as the top entertainment series of summer 2025 in total views. Assuming that the dominance continues through the rest of the season, then AGT will be the #1 broadcast summer alternative series for total viewers for the 20th consecutive year. Talk about a way to celebrate a milestone season!

An interesting piece of data for Destination X is that the show rose in viewership by 52% for its third episode. Not every series can increase its audience size following a premiere, but the post-AGT option likely earned the boost by introducing Love Island USA’s JaNa Craig and Bachelor Nation’s Peter Weber in that episode.

Considering that the first reality celebrity contestant – former Big Brother winner Josh Martinez – was eliminated in the premiere, I can imagine that the timing was ideal for Craig and Weber’s arrivals. Both are currently still in the running for the grand prize as well. Weber hasn’t even been sent to the Map Room yet, so he’s having a pretty good run so far… even if he does have the edge over most of the other contestants of being able to join a couple episodes in.

NBC clearly has a good thing going on Tuesday nights this summer, and I’d be absolutely shocked to my core if news breaks that America’s Got Talent is ending with Season 20. I’m more curious about the future of Destination X. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a prolific actor who had to be convinced by wife HIlarie Burton to take on the hosting gig in the first place. I can also imagine that filming across Europe could be increasingly complicated moving forward. With the numbers that Destination X is generating so far, however, perhaps it’s a show that will be a summer staple alongside AGTx for years to come.

For now, just keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays starting at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America’s Got Talent and Destination X. You can also stream next day on Peacock.

Spoilers ahead for the June 17 episode of America's Got Talent, available streaming now with a Peacock subscription.

The milestone 20th season of America's Got Talent is only four episodes into the 2025 TV schedule, but the judges haven't wasted any time in hitting the golden buzzer. Golden buzzers are fun ways to spice up episodes, but I for one don't always love the way that the judges dole them out. In the most recent episode, however, host Terry Crews quite literally snuck up on the panel comprised of Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofia Vergara, and Simon Cowell to advance a pretty delightful act to the live shows, and I loved it both for the choice he made and the fact that he beat out Simon.

It was clear even before the The Funkateers took the stage that Terry Crews had taken a shine to them when they met behind the scenes. The four lifelong friends came to AGT from Detroit, and Crews regularly shows love to performers who hail from his home state of Michigan. Who can forget when he hit the golden buzzer for the Detroit Youth Choir back in Season 14? That said, a BTS connection doesn't mean an act is guaranteed for advancement, and I wasn't sure that the judges would advance the Funkateers even while the friends were delighting the audience with their performance.

Personally, I was loving their performance so much that before they were even finished, I was thinking back on how I always felt I would handle having a golden buzzer, which has never matched what the judges do. The judges generally hit the buzzer for performers who would definitely be advanced anyway after impressing everybody on the panel; I always thought it would be more fun if the judges hit the buzzer for a personal favorite who wouldn't be guaranteed a future on AGT if not for the special honor.

Considering that the judges have high expectations for dance acts and Mel B has been a harsh critic since returning to AGT in the Season 20 premiere, I just wasn't confident that The Funkateers would get another chance in the running for the $1 million and Las Vegas stage show. They needed a golden buzzer, as far as I was concerned, to guarantee their future. Take a look and see why I was crossing my fingers for the four men to achieve the dream that's been 45 years in the making!

Well, it turns out that I was worried about judges being overly critical of The Funkateers for nothing, because both Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell declared that it was a "perfect" audition, Howie Mandel said that it was even better that they performed it at a later stage in life, and Mel B was smiling as big as anybody. But Terry Crews delivered a golden buzzer anyway, and I loved it. Not only did he sneak up behind the judges to make the gold confetti fall, but he managed to get the edge on Simon before he could hit the buzzer himself. What's not to love?

How far the show has come since being essentially "dead" in the earliest days! Honestly, The Funkateers have to be my favorite golden buzzer winners of Season 20 so far, and I'm pumped to know that the four men will be back at least one more time on the AGT stage. The competition in the live shows will undoubtedly be stiff, though, and there are still more golden buzzers that have not yet been hit. Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for the latest episodes of America's Got Talent Season 20, ahead of the first season of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's slightly confusing Destination X.

America's Got Talent is back in the 2025 TV schedule, and the premiere of the milestone Season 20 got off to a bizarre, creamed corn-chugging start before going on to a pair of golden buzzers. Fans don't have to wait until the next new episode to catch a look at another hopeful performer in the running for $1 million. AGT released a video of a son teaming up with his mom for a cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida," and Simon Cowell had the most predictable but also most entertaining reaction.

An upcoming episode of Season 20 welcomes 23-year-old Cole Swensen and his mom Judy. It turns out that he didn’t just bring her along for moral support, and the result was a performance that even people who don’t like Coldplay may just love. Take a look:

Talk about a full room full of supporters! Everybody in the audience seemed to agree that Cole Swensen’s performance was worthy of the AGT stage, and his mom even got a “Judy! Judy! Judy!” chant when it initially seemed like Simon Cowell was the one and only judge who didn’t like that Cole brought his mom on stage.

Mel B, who was one of the harsher judges of the premiere, only had good things to say, and Howie Mandel paid a particularly nice compliment since he’s a fan of the original song. For Sofia Vergara, it “was amazing to see a family come together and the love that you guys have between each other.”

So why was Simon the holdout? Well, if you’d never watched America’s Got Talent before, you might have understandably believed that Simon Cowell thought the performance would have been a “really good audition” if Cole had done it on his own. As usual when the American Idol alum starts doling out criticism, the audience began to boo, but he stuck to his guns…

Until the reveal that he thought “it was a great audition” with Cole’s mom participating on her cello, earning lots of cheers and big smiles of relief from mother and son. Cowell has had the habit of delivering bait-and-switch feedback for as long as I’ve been watching him on AGT, and all signs pointed toward him revealing that he actually loved the song. But just because I saw it coming doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it!

Even though I had a pretty good feeling that Simon was going to elevate his evaluation beyond “good,” Cole and Judy up on the stage in front of thousands of people, with bright stage lights shining down on them, in front of four celebrity judges, with his dream on the line? Of course they’d feel every bit of the disappointment of getting disapproval from Simon, only for the elation of getting his praise.

All in all, maybe I’m just a sucker for the tried and true habits of the various judges on AGT. Simon Cowell certainly deserves credit for the show, even if not everybody enjoys the bait and switch. He recently revealed how he had to lie to NBC execs to get America’s Got Talent made in the first place.

See more acts – and probably golden buzzer winners soon, since Cole and his mom didn’t get one – with new episodes of AGT on NBC Tuesdays starting at 8 p.m. ET. You can also catch the latest episodes streaming with a Peacock subscription next day.

America's Got Talent has been going strong on NBC since 2006, and the competition is set to be a summer staple yet again in the 2025 TV schedule. Season 20 got off to an eventful start, with former judge Mel B coming back, a pair of golden buzzers, and enough incredible performances to make up for the man whose talent was chugging pickle juice, creamed corn, and more. Judge Simon Cowell, who also created AGT, reflected on the very humble beginnings of the show, and it turns out that fans have a little white lie to thank for twenty seasons of action.

Cowell spoke with People about how America's Got Talent got that series order in the first place all those years ago, and he 'fessed up to a fib that paid off in a big way. He shared:

Who else really, really, really wants to see the original pilot for America's Got Talent now?! I imagine that it would be hard to produce a truly great pilot for a show that needs a full season to pay off on the biggest and best performances. Apparently, the first try at AGT was a flop compared to what the show would become.

Simon Cowell went on to share that there were only "seven minutes of this pilot" that were "just about watchable," and that was enough for him with the right amount of spin when NBC called. The former American Idol judge recalled:

If ever there was a time to publicly come clean about the little lie about AGT, I'd say it would be while celebrating the milestone 20th season! Simon Cowell has certainly gotten candid before, and even faced a serious health issue in the public eye. (That crisis wouldn't be mocked by Howie Mandel on AGT until later.) Now is certainly a time to look back on all of AGT's wins over the year.

Those wins haven't been restricted to the original show earning renewal after renewal. Several spinoffs have already been produced for NBC alone, including AGT: The Champions, AGT: Extreme, AGT: All-Stars, and AGT: Fantasy League. That's not to mention the international spinoffs, including Britain's Got Talent and Australia's Got Talent.

For now, fans can tune in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for America's Got Talent Season 20, or stream new episodes next day with a Peacock subscription. Terry Crews returned as host, and the latest slate of judges includes Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B alongside Simon Cowell. The judges don't know much about the performers before they take the stage, so their reactions are evidently as genuine as the rest of the audience.

America’s Got Talent’s highly-anticipated Season 20 officially arrived on the 2025 TV schedule on Tuesday. But before each act can hit the stage, they have to go through a rigorous casting process to get there. When CinemaBlend attended the open call auditions in Pasadena, California a couple of months ago, we learned how the judges connect to the process.

It was a blast to tune in with our live blog of the premiere earlier this week, where we saw everything from a guy chugging jars of pickle juice and hot sauce to a breathtaking light, tech, and dance show that earned the first Golden Buzzer of the season and had Simon Cowell in awe. But how do Cowell, Mel B, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara affect who’s chosen to be on stage? Here’s what casting producer Meg MacGregor told us:

Considering the four judges have to watch a lot of acts and react to them on television, I figured they might give the casting producers some notes when choosing the acts. However, the judges want to be as surprised as we are! MacGregor has been pivotal to the casting of America’s Got Talent for eighteen seasons, so she has a lot of experience on the subject. As she continued:

It sounds like it can be all about personality and bringing something that will get a reaction out of the judges. It definitely seems like those who have touching stories and really put their heart and soul into their acts also get pulled through, such as the magician in Texas who connected his act with giving a present to his daughter or 23-year-old Jordan Blue getting a Golden Buzzer after touching the judges with his backstory and amazing singing voice, and then bringing in his girlfriend and newborn on stage after the big moment.

Elsewhere in our interview, MacGregor talked about looking for really “confident, genuine people” who can “hold their own” on stage, and we saw a lot of that during the premiere on Tuesday.

Season 20 follows “the singing janitor” Richard Goodall winning last season after warming the hearts of America with his amazing singing voice and charm. When we spoke to Goodall after his win, he said he hoped his victory would inspire more people that “anybody can try out”, and make it to the finale. We can’t wait to watch more contestants take the stage, surprise us and the judges as the season continues on NBC this summer.

Another season of America's Got Talent is premiering tonight in the 2025 TV schedule, but this won't be any old season of AGT. I don't just mean that since this will be Mel B's long-awaited returned as a judge after several seasons apart from Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel, although that's certainly worth looking forward to. The hit competition show celebrates its milestone 20th season this year, following Richard Goodall's fantastic win in Season 19. So, join me for a watchalong of the Season 20 premiere, complete with Mel B's return and the first golden buzzer of the year!

Note that entries will appear from Most Recent to Oldest as the episode is still airing live, and the order will flip from Oldest to Most Recent once the watchalong has concluded

Everybody's Nervous For 20 Years

Even though none of the current judges have been around from the beginning and Terry Crews only took over as host back in 2019, they had a lot to say about feeling nervous to star in the milestone season. Take a look:

This season marks the return of Mel B, who left as a regular judge back at the end of Season 13. She was a longtime member of the panel, so if we had to lose Heidi Klum alongside Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara, I can't imagine a better pick.

First Contestant Of Season 20: Eric Booker -

Eric Booker finally has time to work on his AGT dream after retiring, and – as Simon Cowell says – he has 2-3 minutes to change his life. But not without a chug of water courtesy of Terry Crews first!

Kudos to AGT for not going with the same-old, same-old to start the milestone season, but... what a choice. I didn't foresee Eric Booker winning $1 million by chugging pickle juice, hot dog water, creamed corn, and hot sauce, so I wasn't shocked by him getting a big red X from each judge.

Still, if there's a golden buzzer for an act that can activate my gag reflex in 2-3 minutes, Eric would get it. Honestly, one of my biggest questions is whether the hot dog water and creamed corn were warmed up before he drank them, and I'm not sure which would be better.

Team Recycled: A Boyz II Men Origin Story

There are a lot of fun origin stories for acts that come on AGT, but Team Recycled coming together because Boyz II Men needed an opening dance is pretty sweet. Or have I just been won over because we're so early in the season that the only other performer so far was the guy who chugged hot dog water? Either way, Team Recycled has a strong showing as AGT's first dance group of the season.

I love a surprise coming from the crowd, and the surprise bunch of dancers with their crowd choreography behind the judges was a great twist. Is it too soon for me to want them to stick around AGT at least long enough for Boyz II Men to potentially join the show or send them a message? Howie declared them the "perfect" group for Season 20, and Sofia Vergara said it was "spectacular."

Mel B thought it got off to a boring start and go an audience full of booing in response, but Simon Cowell was quick to disagree with her. The overall verdict? A "yes" vote from Howie, Simon, and Sofia, while Mel B said "no" after Howie cracked a Spice Girls vs. Boyz II Men joke.

Zak Mirz – A Magician From Texas

The best magician, according to Zak Mirz? David Blaine, and Simon Cowell was impressed with the pick. Starting out his act with "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol admitted had me thinking of Grey's Anatomy more than Shin Lim or any other AGT magician, but considering that Zak's act was centered on his love for his daughter, I'm on board with the emotional music choice. Plus, he included viewers from home as well as the judges and in-person audience, why not a popular song?

And Howie was on his feet to shake Zak's hand and declare him "Amazing" before the act was even over! For Simon, it was "spooky," but not in a bad way, while Sofia looked emotional before giving the first "yes." As for Mel B, she was a bigger fan of Zak Mirz than she was Team Recycled, because her "yes" was a "no-brainer."

Light Wire From Brazil = First Golden Buzzer Of 2025!

Dance + light show + tech magic from a pair of brothers and their company from Brazil = four judges and a full audience providing a standing ovation! Light Wire reminded me of the first time I watched the Mayyas, who won Season 17 with an act unlike any other from AGT.

I don't know how to describe it, but I was spellbound. As somebody who has watched a fair few of AGT's twenty seasons so far, I'd say that Light Wire doing something indescribable bodes well for their future!

Simon Cowell certainly agrees, as this group earned the very first golden buzzer of Season 20! Their future is guaranteed through to the next round, and perhaps they'll be rid of their nerves by that point.

Micah Palace - Latino Singer/Rapper

Micah Palace came to AGT with an original song called "No sabo," which literally translates from Spanish to English to "I don't know." According to Micah, there's a much deeper meaning to it.

The message and performance was enough to win over the judges and the audience, earning Micah Palace a "yes" from all four. Surely the backflip at the end didn't hurt either! I look forward to more from him.

I found the reactions to him using an original song pretty interesting, as Simon Cowell criticized Howie Mandel for "bad mentoring" when he encouraged Drake Milligan to perform a song he hadn't written himself for his AGT: Fantasy League performance.

Gallagher Is A Parrot With Stage Fright?

The second musical act of the AGT20 premiere was the singing duo Chloe and Gallagher... that is, it was supposed to be a singing duo. Gallagher, a 42-year-old yellow-naped Amazon parrot, didn't end up singing along with bird mom Chloe, although he did pipe up in time to say goodbye. Suffice it to say, Season 20 is not their time to fly to $1 million.

Amadou Diallo From Guinea: Contortionist Extraordinaire

Amadou Diallo crushed his performance so much than I'm not sure if he has actual bones or just supremely bendy cartilage for a skeleton! Unsurprisingly, he got the support from the judges to move on, and it was fun to see Mel B's mind blown for her first episode back on OG AGT as a judge. She wasn't too impressed by Team Recycled or Eric Booker with his creamed corn, but Amadou? She was all in.

Unfortunately, I personally just can't with contortionists. Best of luck to Amadou, but I may be watching any future performances through my fingers. Best of luck to him!

Marty And Michael: Not Enough Pain For Sofia Vergara's Taste

Marty and Michael came to AGT all the way from Brisbane, Australia with an act that... I guess could be defined as a stunt and/or comedy act? The moves involved hurting each other for mini stunts like blowing out a candle and cracking an egg, and the slapstick earned some cheers from the audience but was not enough to advance to the next round.

Sofia Vergara said she "maybe" would have liked it if she had "seen more pain," prompting them to get a laugh when one of them said "My ass hurts a little bit." These kinds of acts aren't personally to my taste in general, and the most I'll say for Marty and Michael is that I 100% believe that they met in high school, because these were 100% high school boy antics.

Jordan Blue – Belting His Way To AGT (And A Golden Buzzer) From NOLA

AGT Season 20's first traditional singer performing a cover song was none other than 23-year-old Jordan Blue, and he pretty much belted the roof off the theater with his cover of The Script's "Barely Breathin'."

I think the entire audience, all four judges, and probably most of us watching from home were pulling for him after he told the story of how he'd lost his way being being inspired by his grandpa to get into music and start performing on the streets of New Orleans. All with his grandfather watching over FaceTime!

The backstory took a heartbreaking turn when Jordan revealed that the attack on New Orleans from early 2025 was "right on the exact block" where he performs." Throw in him bringing his girlfriend and newborn son on stage after performing, and I'd say that he more than earned the golden buzzer from Howie Mandel.

Jacqueline And Wagner – Performance Couple

Congratulations, AGT, because the Season 20 premiere pulled off the first switcheroo of the season! The episode didn't give Jacqueline (from Italy) and Wagner (from Brazil) a terribly flattering start, leaning heavily on her dominating conversation rather than letting him talk. She also was the only one really doing tricks in the first part of the dance, and I didn't see them getting to votes from all four veteran judges.

And oh boy, was I wrong! Once ropes were added into the mix, the duo started pulling off aerial stunts that had me hoping very hard that they'd tied those laces on their roller skates nice and tight. They defied physics, had the judges on the edges of their seat, and Simon Cowell had to be bleeped at once point when he dropped a non-NBC approved curse. I w as about ready to join him on that she was spinning by a strap around his neck for the grand finale!

They didn't get a golden buzzer from Mel B, Sofia Vergara, or Terry Crews, but I have no trouble believing that we'll see them again.

Sandy Larson And Her BFF Backup Dancers

The last main performer of the night was 70-year-old Sandy Larson, who immediately impressed the judges for looking much younger than her age. She had a background story to root for, having been a professional dancer in her 20s before giving up that dream to start a family.

And her song of choice of was Donna Summer's "Last Dance." She dazzled in a gold dress and started balancing swords on her head, bringing out her two best friends as her backup dancers. It wasn't the most spectacular performance of the evening, especially compared to Jacqueline and Wagner before them, but pretty sweet.

Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara enjoyed it enough to vote them through, and the audience booed Mel B when she hit the big X. Honestly, I think Sandy was a great performer to advance in the Audition stage of AGT, but isn't destined to go far beyond. Definitely fun for Night 1, though!

My America's Got Talent Season 20 Premiere MVP

If you'd asked me during the first hour of AGT's Season 20 premiere, I probably would have picked magician Zak Mirz. I've always loved magic acts on America's Got Talent, and tend to be biased against singers until they really dazzle me. (The Voice and American Idol are both out there, after all!)

But by the end of the episode, my MVP switched from Zak Mirz to Jacqueline and Wagner. Can you blame me?

I love an act that surprises me with something spectacular after an underwhelming start, and the performing couple did just that in the Season 20 premiere. For me, they're the act to beat despite not getting a golden buzzer, and my eyes are peeled.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 20, or stream episodes next day with a Peacock subscription. There are a lot of competitors to go, as well as golden buzzers from Mel B, Sofia Vergara, Terry Crews, and likely a group buzzer as well.

For those in the entertainment industry, dealing with fans has got to be one of the strangest parts of the job. We’ve heard about women following Kelly Clarkson into the bathroom and people quotingThe Office wrong to Rainn Wilson, and I’d imagine there are some overall pretty strange requests that get made. To prove that, again, Simon Cowell said there’s one thing he’s commonly asked to do, but the prize has to go to the couple who asked him to critique their sex life.

Simon Cowell Reveals A Common Fan Request

Simon Cowell came up in the music business as a record producer, but let’s be real — we all know him for judging competition shows. In fact, he’ll be behind the Golden Buzzer again when America’s Got Talent Season 20 hits the 2025 TV schedule later this month.

Before AGT, though, he was notorious for being mean to American Idol’s early-season contestants, and that’s undoubtedly the inspiration behind one common request. Cowell opened up about this too on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, saying:

The talent scout describes himself as shy, and anyone who’s watched him shed a tear on America’s Got Talent knows that his rude American Idol persona was faked for TV. It must be so weird to have strangers walking up to you, asking you to insult them. What a world.

However, Simon Cowell’s been in more unique circumstances than that, as he described some fans who had a more intimate proposal.

The AGT Judge Recalls A Couple Who Asked Him To Critique Their Bedroom Activities

Following the revelation about how many Americans are begging to be insulted by the harshest of American Idol’s ex-judges, Simon Cowell regaled the podcast host with another tale.

He recalled being in a restaurant one time — “This is a true story,” he says — and a man came over to say he loved Cowell’s show and asked if he’d take a picture with him. He then introduced the record exec to his wife and, as Cowell explains it, the man asked:

I can see how the TV personality might have been caught off-guard by the direction that conversation took, but hey, you can’t blame a guy for shooting his shot. Closed mouths don’t get fed, right? It's not like they were asking him to provide his services for free!

So exactly how much did the reality competition judge turn down?

I’m kind of intrigued by the terms of this request. Were the fans asking Cowell to insult them American Idol-style (“That was bloody awful! And why are you wearing that?”), or give more uplifting AGT-esque praise (“I didn’t like it. … I LOVED it!”)? Did they want live play-by-play commentary, or — in competition show tradition — for the judge to deliver his opinion after the performance was over?

These are questions that will never be answered because the judge apparently passed on the opportunity, but I can totally see why this fan interaction would stick out as one of the weirdest requests he’s gotten.

You can see more of Simon Cowell when America’s Got Talent premieres at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 27, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

As we wait for the landmark upcoming 20th season of America’s Got Talent to arrive on the 2025 TV schedule this spring, the show has meanwhile begun to film its auditions for judges Mel B, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara with a slew of hopefuls vying to be noticed by the show and take their act all the way to the finale. Well, on behalf of CinemaBlend, I got to be in the room for the open call auditions, and wow, was it a sight.

What Is It Like To Be At The America’s Got Talent Open Call Auditions?

America’s Got Talent is of course filmed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California all season long, and on March 10, they take place very close by at the Pasadena Convention Center. When I got there, I arrived at the holding room where tons of the talent waited for their numbers to be called to audition for the casting producers before being placed in front of the judges (or not). I found myself in a massive space full of all sorts of acts and a camera crew documenting it all.

While I was there, I talked to a drag queen named Miss Kay Mart from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who wore rhinestone glasses, a bright blue wig and sat in their wheelchair as she warmed up her comedian act for me before going in for the producers. I talked to a ventriloquist named Cassie G of Tequila Rose Comedy from San Francisco, California who was matching with her doll in leopard print getups. I know that when you watch AGT there’s a ton of different acts, but actually seeing it in person was such an experience. When I talked to one hopeful, Caleb Woo of Greenville, South Carolina who had just left the casting room after singing “Evermore” from the live-action Beauty and the Beast, he said this of the experience:

I also spoke to longtime casting producer Meg MacGregor about how they picked in between meeting the talent, she also described the range of ages and personalities she was seeing there. In her words:

I think we’re in for an interesting season. I can’t imagine being in her shoes and having no idea what I’m going to witness all day as the AGT open call auditions in Los Angeles took place, but I’m curious which of the acts in that big room will make it to the show. I literally could have passed by the next winner, and had no idea. Were they in a bright clown costume or unassuming everyday clothes? Who's to say?

There Were A Lot Of Singers At The AGT Auditions. So How Do They Choose Which One’s Get On The Show?

One thing I definitely witnessed while I was there is the huge amount of singing acts who were ready to perform for the casting producers. Considering Richard Goodall just won Season 19 for being the “singing janitor,” I had to ask MacGregor how they decided on which singers would make it to the show after seeing so many. Here’s how she responded:

I do wonder if Richard Goodall’s win also inspires more singers, as well? Either way, I have to say I’m so much more invested in what talent will make it all the way after seeing the huge amount of talent that was at the open call auditions in Los Angeles. And, that doesn’t even count all the people who submit auditions virtually!

The landmark 20th season of America’s Got Talent may still be a couple of months away in the 2025 TV schedule, but the casting process is currently well underway in Pasadena, California ahead of filming beginning this Friday. On behalf of CinemaBlend, I had the chance to attend the in-person open call auditions and chat with a longtime casting producer, and I gained so much insight about how the hopefuls are chosen to audition in front of the show’s celebrity judges and gain global exposure.

Season 20 marks Meg MacGregor’s 18th season as a key part of the casting process for America’s Got Talent, and in between seeing an onslaught of talent ranging from sword swallowers to magicians, she sat down with us to talk about the process. Let’s talk about my key takeaways:

While AGT Doesn’t Go On The Road Anymore, Virtual Auditions Are As Key As In-Person Auditions

First off, let me explain the process a bit. When the Season 20 premiere of AGT airs this spring, the auditions that the judges will see have first seen casting producers like MacGregor either at the Pasadena open call, through a virtual audition, or video submission first. While it’s not something one might think about, given all the people who might want to win $1 million dollars, it makes absolute sense that there would be initial auditions before getting a chance to perform in front of the celebrity judges at the audition tapings.

And while America’s Got Talent used to travel all over the country to find the best acts, for quite some time now the show has been allowing talent to submit virtual auditions along with the option to meet the casting producers in person. During my interview with MacGregor, I asked if there’s a different feeling or weight they give to those who submit either online or go in person. Here are her thoughts:

In the case of last year’s winner, Richard Goodall, who’s known as the “singing janitor,” didn’t come to an audition room at all or record an audition tape. He was booked off a video that went viral in 2022 (which you can check out on YouTube). After singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” at a graduation ceremony at his school, he came to AGT with the same song, and ended up sharing the stage with Journey during the finale before winning the whole show. As the casting producer continued:

Nowadays, the America’s Got Talent open call auditions are less regional, and a huge hodgepodge of hopefuls who are a mix of locals and dreamers who flew from all over. While I was at the open call auditions, I spoke to identical twins (and high school seniors) known as the Pierce Twins from Chicago who flew all the way from the Windy City with their mom to audition for the first time in person, after trying two times prior via the virtual method.

If There’s A Key Trait America’s Got Talent Looks For, It’s Being Yourself

When I was in a room full of talent who were eagerly waiting for their preliminary audition, I found it so difficult to try and guess who might be the most talented among the bunch. Truly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I walked right past a future finalist! So when I spoke to MacGregor, I had to ask how they whittle down the talent for the audition shows. In her words:

I spoke to MacGregor at around 2 p.m. that day and there were crowds and crowds of people heading into the audition rooms. Apparently the casting producers stay all day and night to see every hopeful in anticipation of finding the next big stars of the show. What a job! It is nice to hear they are looking for people with a genuine passion for their talent and with real stories to tell. It certainly comes through in the series.

The Type Of Act The Casting Producer Is Rooting For Had Me Especially Excited For The New Season

I was also curious about what types of acts they are interested in this season, especially as the show enters its 20th year in 2025. As the past two decades show, any act of any kind could win the hearts of the judges and America, but here’s the two acts MacGregor would like to see go far this season:

There’s been a ton of comedians on America’s Got Talent over the years, but never has one gone all the way. Could this be the year? I spoke to a drag queen comedian named Miss Kay Mart, who flew all the way from Tulsa, Oklahoma to don her blue beehive wig and rhinestone cat-glasses and tell jokes for the producers. Could she be part of the auditions that make it to Season 20 on NBC?

It’s also always a sweet story when a kid talent can get the spotlight and perhaps win big on the platform. I saw a whole class of young kids ready to audition for something and a three-year old who sang Moana and The Greatest Showman to the producers, so there’s definitely young talent being considered. We won’t find out until this spring, but knowing what they are rooting for has me ready to tune in.

If you’d like to be considered, talent has until Saturday, March 15 to submit to AGT Auditions. The premiere for Season 20 of America’s Got Talent is set for May 27.

As we look forward to an anniversary season of America’s Got Talent with Season 20 set to be part of the 2025 TV schedule (likely this spring), we’re still looking back on the incredible Season 19, particularly with winner Richard Goodall’s journey on the competition series. The 56-year-old singer was memorably crowned the Season 19 champion after singing “Don’t Stop Believing” with members of Journey behind him. As he looks to his future career, he’s holding on to that feeling with a few more big acts he would want to work with if he could.

Since his win, he’s been travelling more and even doing gigs in different cities in the U.S. When CinemaBlend asked the “singing janitor” who he’d love to work with next if given the chance, he expressed his dream collaborations with these words:

Aren’t these great picks? Foreigner is a solid idea, and plays into the taste of music Richard Goodall became known for on the show, but Michael Bublé is an inspired out-of-left-field choice. Bublé is about to serve as a coach on his second season of The Voice, which is also an NBC competition series, so perhaps they could collaborate as some sort of crossover between shows?

When Goodall spoke with us about being suddenly famous following his victory on the NBC hit series. Per the oldest winner of AGT to date, when he goes to Wal Mart, he’s being stopped “every 10 feet” to talk to fans who were moved by his season. When Goodall decided to audition for AGT, he’d never been on a plane before. When reflecting on sharing the stage with Journey, he sounded on cloud nine over the opportunity.

The whole experience certainly surpassed the Indiana-native’s wildest dreams. Goodall was among the Season 19 golden buzzer picks, thanks to Heidi Klum, and he ended up going all the way after winning the affections of not only America, but people around the world. After singing the Journey hit on his audition, it all went full circle when he sang it again for the finale with members of Journey. Check it out below:

What a run on AGT! Goodall shared this update on where he’s taking his music career:

Goodall said he’s currently working on original music along with working with a local band to have his own act. When it comes to upcoming Season 20 of the show, he told us he thinks “the sky's the limit” for more unexpectedly talented people, without careers in entertainment like him to win. While we wait, you can rewatch Season 19 on AGT with a Peacock subscription.

There’s a reason why America’s Got Talent will officially have been around for 20 seasons this year when the latest edition joins the 2025 TV schedule. It just always showcases some A+ acts. We were especially reminded why it’s our favorite competition show last season when “the singing janitor” Richard Goodall auditioned and was later crowned Season 19’s winner. When CinemaBlend spoke to Goodall about his thoughts on the upcoming season, he shared how he thinks his victory may influence the latest hopefuls.

It’s been four months since Richard Goodall was officially announced as the latest winner of America’s Got Talent, and when I caught up with him, he had a lot of exciting developments in his life to talk about. For one, Goodall shared how fame is treating him. He may have to stop “every 10 feet at Walmart,” but he’s also immensely grateful to be an inspiration to others. Here’s his personal prediction for Season 20:

While America’s Got Talent open call auditions were set to occur last week, the Los Angeles wildfires caused a rescheduling. While fans wait to see the brave souls who decide to share their talents with judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara, Goodall thinks his win shows how truly “anybody” can not only audition but win the hearts of America more than ever before. As he continued:

Richard Goodall was met with some stiff competition during this past season of America’s Got Talent. In the final moments before his victory, it was between him, dog dancing duo Roni Sagi and Rhythm, and a drone precision group called Sky Elements. Other major players in the competition included Solange Kardinaly, the quick change artist, an acrobatic team called Hakuna Matata Acrobats, and an air-dance group named AIRFOOTWORKS. And yet, it feels like America was most taken aback by the emotional, yet more commonplace story of Richard Goodall.

When Goodall auditioned, he introduced himself as a 55-year-old Indiana native who has loved to sing for over 20 years. The high school janitor was packed with nerves when he talked to Simon Cowell, but quickly blew away the judges and audience with his pitch perfect rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’”. He especially dazzled Heidi Klum, who pushed her Golden Buzzer for him. We’re certainly curious how Goodall’s recent win might influence the upcoming season of AGT. While we await the premiere, you can rewatch episodes with a Peacock subscription.

The landmark Season 20 premiere of America’s Got Talent may be a ways away on the 2025 TV schedule, but we’re still flying high on the show after an excellent Season 19. Last year’s edition of the competition show introduced the world to the “singing janitor,” Richard Goodall, who was crowned AGT's champion back in September. When CinemaBlend spoke to the AGT winner, he talked to us about how his life has changed since going viral and what it's like being known as "America's Susan Boyle."

Richard Goodall was a favorite of ours on the series, as we hoped he would go all the way on AGT last year. I recently spoke with Goodall, during which we discussed several topics, including the "sadness" surrounding the recent LA wildfires as well as their impact on recent AGT auditions. Amid our chat, I asked the talented singer what he wished he could have said on finale night after being chosen by the fans. Goodall said he did the “best” he could in the moment, but here’s what comes to mind:

When Richard Goodall made the journey from Indiana to California for his audition about a year ago now, it was his first plane flight ever. At the time, he had no expectations to become Season 19's winner, but he sure did it. Nowadays, Goodall is famous, and being stopped all the time for his memorable run on the show. He continued:

Richard Goodall told me that after his big win, he feels like “there’s room for the common person” and, in his daily interactions with fans, he sees that he’s given more people hope to get out there and share their talents no matter who they are. How incredible must it feel to perhaps be the reason someone takes up a hobby or talent again simply because you’ve helped them feel seen? Get a sense of Goodall's journey in the video below:

And, as the singer shared, the response has been so massive that it’s not just America who are sharing their support for him. As he mentioned, some people in the U.K. are likening him to Britain’s Got Talent contestant Susan Boyle, who ended up selling 25 million records following her own viral moment with Simon Cowell and the competition's panel. When reflecting on his time on AGT further, Goodall also said this:

Richard Goodall just sounds so humbled and grateful for his experience on AGT. The singer, who famously wowed the judges and viewers with his renditions of “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Faithfully” and “Eye of the Tiger” during his run on the show has been starting to earn gigs around the nation since his win and is currently working on his own music. He has such a fantastic story, and you can relive his journey on AGT now by streaming episodes with a Peacock subscription.

This week, hopefuls for the landmark Season 20 of America’s Got Talent were set to make the journey to Pasadena, California and be part of the show’s open call auditions ahead of the series returning in the 2025 TV schedule (likely sometime in May). However, the venue is currently being used as an emergency evacuation center for the Red Cross after the Eaton Fire erupted in the Los Angeles city last week. When I scheduled my interview with Season 19 winner Richard Goodall earlier this month, both of us did not expect to be talking about the devastating wildfires in the region, which he now feels connected to.

During my conversation with the Indiana native who blew our minds last year for being the “singing janitor” with his viral “Don’t Stop Believin’” audition before becoming Heidi Klum’s golden buzzer pick and eventually the Season 19 champion, he recalled his whirlwind finale week. When I asked about getting married to his wife, Angie Vanoven, just few days before becoming the AGT winner, he said this:

Richard Goodall not only has great memories being on the AGT stage during his season, but the city also became the venue for his marriage. He got married right next to the El Cholo Café, across from the Pasadena Civic Center before heading to west Los Angeles to have a fancy dinner with his wife. As he shared:

While the Pasadena area he spoke of is thankfully still standing after the Eaton Fire, there’s some “sadness” now around their memorable night out in Malibu since Moonshadows recently was a casualty of the Palisades fire. Per the iconic restaurant’s website, the oceanfront property was lost in the fire on January 8 after over 40 years in business.

The owners are currently raising money for their employees on GoFundMe after the tragedy. Goodall also said this:

Winning America’s Got Talent is one massive feat, especially considering Simon Cowell was so kind to the singer, describing him as “one of the most memorable contestants we’ve had in a long, long time” despite being also critical of him during one performance). Along with the big win and getting to say “I do” to his person, he also got to play with Journey member Neal Schon, which he told me was “on a higher shelf” than he could ever imagine for his own bucket list.

When recalling his experience on the series, Goodall had only good things to say about his time in Los Angeles during Season 19. In his words:

Venturing to California to try his luck on America’s Got Talent was even the singer’s first flight ever – at the age of 55. Nowadays, he’s getting used to travelling more, having just performed in Indio, California and Greensville, Pennsylvania and with more gigs on the horizon. The winner is currently also working on his own music, keeping his “voice up to shape” and looking forward to rooting for the next contestants on Season 20 of AGT.

The summer TV lineup isn't complete without a new season of America's Got Talent, and Season 19 in the 2024 TV schedule ended with a champion who warmed hearts as well as wowed the judges with his vocals. Now, almost exactly a month after singer Richard Goodall became the latest AGT winner with his Journey covers, a big change has been announced for the hit show due to budget cuts. Longtime showrunner Jason Raff is exiting after 19 seasons.

When it comes to America's Got Talent, that equates to nearly 500 episodes and almost 150 hours of live television. According to Deadline, Jason Raff learned that he was being cut from AGT just one day after the Season 19 finale, with budget cited as the reason. Reflecting on the day that he was handed a DVD with a presentation of what would eventually become AGT, Raff told the outlet:

While fans may not notice a showrunner change quite as much as judge changes – like when returning judge Mel B took Sofia Vergara's chair temporarily for the Fantasy League spinoff – or host changes in front of the camera, Raff's departure is a pretty big deal. He started on AGT way back in 2006 as a co-executive producer, then became the executive producer following the original showrunner's departure.

Raff also had a hand in all of the AGT spinoffs to date, including working as showrunner. Spinoffs thus far include America's Got Talent: The Champions, AGT: Extreme, America's Got Talent: All-Stars, and Fantasy League. The original show isn't completely changing the team behind the scenes, though, with Sam Donnelly – who has been Raff's co-showrunner – is returning as the sole showrunner for Season 25, expected in May of the 2025 TV schedule.

While it's definitely a big deal that AGT has cut its showrunner of nearly two decades, this certainly isn't the only NBC series to face budget cuts. Prior to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike that began in 2023, news broke that the three One Chicago and three Law & Order shows would be cutting the episode counts for series regulars. (This was prior to the development that Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 would release on Peacock.)

On the unscripted front, NBC is cutting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon from airing new episodes five nights a week to four nights a week, with reruns slated for Fridays, although Fallon himself signed a deal to remain at NBCUniversal through 2028. Seth Meyers' Late Night also faced budget cuts, with the loss of its house band on top of already only airing four nights per week.

All in all, it seems that no production is entirely safe from changes due to budget cuts, and I really am curious to see if there will be apparent changes to AGT when the series returns next year. The franchise found a formula that works without major changes each year, although I wouldn't mind a reduction in the filler in the season finale each year. If you want to revisit the most recent season as the wait continues for Season 20, you can find Season 19 streaming with a Peacock subscription now. The full run of AGT: Fantasy League is available on the streamer as well.

Another season of America's Got Talent has come to an end, with competition as stiff as ever heading into the Season 19 finale in the 2024 TV schedule. After four months of auditions, applause, and even more golden buzzers than usual, host Terry Crews announced the winner of the $1 million grand prize: elementary school janitor-turned-singer Richard Goodall! There was a lot to celebrate, but also something that I wish had been different.

I for one couldn't be happier with the result, despite the fact that singers usually aren't my top picks on AGT and the Top 5 – comprised of comedian Learnmore Jonasi, human/dog dance duo Roni Sagi & Rhythm, drone light show team Sky Elements, and quick change magician Solange Kardinaly as well as Richard Goodall – was full of worthy competitors. Between his story and his singing, Goodall was just my favorite of Season 19.

Plus, he just got married, which made it all the sweeter to see him win, and he got to team up with Neal Schon and members of Journey for one last incredible performance of "Don't Stop Believin'" early in the finale.

Indeed, Richard Goodall winning isn't at all what I'd like to see change in the wake of the Season 19 finale. In fact, what I'd like to see different isn't even something that AGT did for the first time this season. For some reason, it just hit me harder this time that the finale spent almost two full hours killing time before announcing the winner, and then only giving the winner moments of the episode at the very end. It's not new, but dang it, Goodall was so overcome by emotion that I would have loved to hear more from him after he had a few seconds to take a breath.

I did want to fact check myself before I got too annoyed, though, so I went to the video and discovered that the length of Terry Crews' pause was a full 40 seconds before announcing whether Goodall or Roni Sagi & Rhythm had won. Then, the golden confetti rained, judge Heidi Klum ran up on stage to give him a hug... and another 40 seconds passed before Crews handed the mic to Klum and then closed out the episode. Take a look for yourself:

To be clear – I'm not blaming Terry Crews or Heidi Klum for Richard Goodall not getting much screentime in his own AGT victory. This has been the America's Got Talent formula for about as long as I've been watching, but something about the look on Goodall's face as the host began wrapping up the finale really made me wish the end had gone a bit differently. It really begs the question: does AGT really need about one hour and 57 minutes of finale to kill time before announcing the winner?

Honestly, even just another minute or two would be welcome, or some of those 40 seconds of delay before Terry Crews announced the winner. And sure, the performances over that one hour and 57 minutes were fun. I would just love if America's Got Talent tweaked the finale formula for future seasons to allot more time to the winner before the final credits rolled. All it would take is a very minor change, and it could make all the difference.

For now, though, we presumably have a while to wait before AGT is back. No spinoff has been announced at the time of writing for winter or midseason, so we may not see the judges back in action until Season 20 in the spring. For now, you can always revisit Season 19 streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Season 33 premiere of Dancing With The Stars. Watch the premiere with a Disney+ subscription and read at your own risk!

As we enter the fall portion of the 2024 TV schedule, it's that time once again for an exciting season of Dancing With The Stars. The preseason received a lot of attention thanks to the contestants participating, and now we finally had a chance to see if Anna Delvey was as good at the Cha-Cha as she was at angering the hosts of The View. I'll go ahead and spoil that much and say she wasn't, but other promising contestants look like they'll be clear frontrunners for the Mirrorball Trophy.

Before we dive in, I should note that there were no eliminations this evening, but two couples will be exiting after Week 2. I feel pretty safe saying that I don't think these three couples will be on the chopping block and may just run away with this competition after some impressive first dances on premiere night.

Chandler Kinney And Brandon Armstrong

Actress Chandler Kinney came to play on Dancing With The Stars and put everyone on notice with partner Brandon Armstrong. Dancing to Chappell Roan's hit "Hot To Go" was already a great needle drop to get them started, but to pair it with a tango was absolutely bonkers. Their score of 23 was the top score of the night, and truthfully, I could see it being one of the lower numbers they'll get this entire season if they keep up that energy.

Stephen Nedoroscik And Rylee Arnold

Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik finally got to use his legs and feet on Dancing With The Stars, and he did not disappoint! While he and partner Rylee Arnold's jive to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" only landed them tied for the third-highest score of the evening, I see the potential. Most of the notes Stephen was given were just minor adjustments that a "Pommel Horse Hero" like him could adjust to easily, and based on the cheers in the audience, he's among the most popular contestants this season. Being popular can take one far in this show, especially if you already have decent scores.

Dwight Howard And Daniella Karagach

If you had told me at the beginning of Dancing With The Stars that retired NBA star Dwight Howard would end Week 1 with the second-highest score of the evening, I wouldn't have believed it. And yet his salsa to Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" was phenomenal. I didn't think a 6'11" guy could move as fluidly as he did, but I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that he stunned the crowd.

Daniella Karagach previously pulled an upset win in Season 30 with NBA star Iman Shumpert, so perhaps she had a head start on figuring out the right way to make the tremendous height difference between her and Howard work for their performance. Based on that first dance, I think it's very possible we could see another NBA player go home with that Mirrorball Trophy.

These are my picks for who will ultimately win Season 33, but there's still a whole season for someone to step up and win it all. Watch Dancing With The Stars on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and check out our list of other new things headed to Disney+ that are worth streaming after each episode.

The end is nigh for America's Got Talent Season 19 in the 2024 TV schedule, with only the finale results episode left. As usual for a night of finale performances, AGT packed in plenty of filler segments for the time between contestants taking the stage. This time around, St. Denis Medical actor David Alan Grier dropped by the set to join forces with Howie Mandel for a prank on the other three judges. The prank allowed Heidi Klum to show off her supermodel roots, while Simon Cowell quickly started running low on patience.

The prank involved David Alan Grier visiting AGT to claim that he was interested in trying out directing, so he was going to direct the judges in some promos for local news stations. Grier confessed to camera that the goal was to "annoy the hell out of these judges," but the blame should really be cast at Howie Mandel. The promos grew increasingly ridiculous as time went on, with Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum hiding their frustration a bit better than Simon Cowell, who was done with the props pretty early on. Take a look:

In fairness to Simon Cowell, it appears that the judges were recruited to film a whole lot of promos right after the end of last week's episode of AGT. Every person has to have their limit; for Simon Cowell filming promos, that limit is apparently wearing goofy sunglasses. (You can view all the context for the clip with the episode streaming via Peacock Premium subscription.)

Since AGT is currently in its stage of live shows, filming the promos after the last episode presumably meant the four were sitting in those chairs and being handed silly props in a noisy room for quite some time. Sofia Vergara showed off her ability to keep a straight face while delivering lines in a way that I have to imagine she mastered on Modern Family, but I got my biggest kick out of Heidi Klum striking a pose while the massive fans started blowing for the fake Windy City promo.

Even if I hadn't known that Klum was a supermodel long before she was an AGT judge or part of many of her other ventures, her striking that pose while the fan basically blew Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell out of frame would have been proof enough.

Though Klum showing off her modeling skills while her fellow judges stumbled out of frame was my favorite part of the prank video, I had to laugh at the look on Simon Cowell's face after the big reveal. He handled it with grace, but I'd say that he still didn't look particularly amused. Take a look:

That is the face of a man trying to be a good sport while he's live on national TV, if you ask me! I can't say that I blame him – unwittingly filming those promos for a prank looks like a chore, and we can't all look as composed and glam as Heidi Klum when being blasted in the face by a fan.

Of course, most of this episode of AGT was about the performances of the last contestants standing, who are closer than ever to winning the grand prize of $1 million. I'd say that there really wasn't a dud all evening, to the point that I really can't pick a frontrunner.

It was fun to see Richard Goodall's reaction to learning that he'd be performing "Faithfully" alongside a member of Journey after he dazzled in his audition with "Don't Stop Believin.'" That said, Dee Dee Simon proved that he's not the only singer still in the fight for the victory.

The two singers have been two of my favorites this season, but I find myself rooting in particular for quick change magician Solange Kardinaly and comedian Learnmore Jonasi. Neither a magician specializing in quick change nor a standup comic has ever won AGT before, and that would be an entertaining way to end Season 19.

You can cast your votes for any of the performers who are still in the mix on the official AGT voting site until Wednesday, September 18 at 7 a.m. ET on NBC, with the finale results episode airing on Tuesday, September 24.

The final round of quarterfinals are complete for America's Got Talent Season 19, leaving just the semifinals before the final fight is on for the $1 million grand prize. AGT usually airs episodes with live performances on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on NBC followed by results episodes on Wednesdays in the 2024 TV schedule. That's changing for the semifinals, which normally would seem like an odd move so close to the end of the season. There's a very good reason for NBC tweaking the schedule, though!

As host Terry Crews mentioned throughout the fourth round of quarterfinals episodes, AGT will air its next new episode on Wednesday, September 11 at 8 p.m. ET for the performances of all the semifinalists on NBC. The results episode will then air on Thursday, September 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

The reason is that NBC – as well as the other three major broadcast networks – will be airing the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday, September 10. NBC's "Debate Countdown: Harris Vs Trump" begins at 8 p.m. ET before the debate itself is scheduled for 9 p.m. So, there's just no time for AGT on its usual day and time, and NBC is switching back to Tuesday performances the next week for the Season 19 finale. After the results episode on September 4, the lineup for the semifinals has been set.

The twelve semifinalists who still have a shot at making the finals along with the golden buzzer winners are singer Alex Sampson, band Ashes & Arrows, dance group Brent Street, aerialist/dentist Kelsey Jane, comedian Learnmore Jonasi (the last remaining comic in the running after Erica Rhodes' elimination), teen singer Reid Wilson, Richard Gooddall (a.k.a. my personal favorite Season 19 singer ever since his first performance of "Don't Stop Believin'"), dog act Roni Sagi & Rhythm, drone group Sky Elements, quick change magician Solange Kardinaly, 9-year-old singer Pranysqa Mishra, and magician Young-Min.

Those who make it out of the semifinals will be up against the performers lucky enough to already have a finale slot secured by virtue of a golden buzzer. You can count on seeing dance group Hakuna Matata Acrobats, dance group AIRFOOTWORKS, singer Dee Dee Simon after her second shoes-off performance, and aerialists Sebastián and Sonia.

At this point, it's really anybody's game, and I'm not even going to make a confident prediction about a golden buzzer winner becoming the new champion. After the changes to the golden buzzer rules this season, all bets seem to be off. If you've missed any of Season 19 so far or just want to revisit some earlier episodes, you can find all of the current season to date streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription now.

The quarterfinals of America's Got Talent Season 19 are nearly over in the 2024 TV schedule, and Simon Cowell was the judge with the golden buzzer in the latest episode. It wasn't too surprising that aerialist Sebastian got the buzzer after a spectacular performance despite his partner Sonia getting injured in rehearsals, and L6 returned without the benefit of a second song this time around. Quick change magician Solange Kardinaly was back to close out the night to plenty of applause, but comedian Erica Rhodes was still a standout of the night, although Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell have different visions of what should be next for her. Only one of them was roasted, though!

Admittedly, Simon Cowell's roast was more of a light toasting than what Tom Brady endured earlier this year, but I'd say that Erica Rhodes certainly made her point. Following her set that touched on dating, aging, and her voice, Sofia Vergara first told the contestant this:

While suggesting that Rhodes should be on a sitcom isn't exactly a vote of confidence that she'll be the champion of America's Got Talent Season 19, receiving that compliment from Sofia Vergara of all people had to feel good. Vergara of course starred on all eleven seasons of Modern Family and was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series four times alongside Julie Bowen.

Simon Cowell was less effusive in his praise, however, when he pointed out that he didn't laugh this time even though he'd liked her audition. He had this suggestion:

Unlike Simon Cowell, I did laugh at Erica Rhodes' quarterfinals performance and wouldn't have suggested to her face that she needs to be surrounded by others to be funny, but I do like his idea of her on Saturday Night Live, and not just because of the sketch comedy show's recent cast departures or buzz over the 50th anniversary.

This performance proved that she can be funny while performing live on camera, keep her cool, and roll with the punches, as she had a zinger for Cowell when she didn't get the reaction she may have expected after the compliments from the other three judges. After his critique, she said:

And that was enough to make Simon Cowell laugh, oddly enough. In a nod to one of her jokes, AGT host Terry Crews went on to ask who gives her a ride to the airport, to which she quickly responded that "Simon's not" on the top of her list. All in all, she brought some laughs and I think proved herself both as a comic and a live performer on camera.

Even if Cowell's comments may not have been phrased in a way that she loved, I could see Erica Rhodes on SNL. If you missed her performance or just want to check it out again, take a look:

If you want to see Erica Rhodes advance to the finals and perhaps even win the grand prize of $1 million and a Las Vegas stage show, you can vote for her (or any of the other most recent quarterfinals performers) on the official AGT voting site until 7 a.m. ET on September 4. Find out who will advance later that night with the results episode at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

The competition is stiffer than ever on America's Got Talent Season 19, as the contestants have to perform live with their fates in the hands of voters... unless they're a contestant lucky enough to win a golden buzzer, anyway! After changes in golden buzzer rules this season courtesy of Simon Cowell, the judges each have one to hit in the quarterfinals stage, and Heidi Klum was in the hot seat in the latest episode. She hit the buzzer for singer Dee Dee Simon after a spectacular live performance of Teddy Swims' "Lose Control," and Simon's reaction reminded me of what she told CinemaBlend about not getting a golden buzzer following her audition.

As AGT fans may remember from back in June, Dee Dee Simon made an impression with her audition not just because she crushed her performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls, but also because she was so caught up in the emotion of the song that she kicked off her heels. She told CinemaBlend at the time that it was a spontaneous move, and she brought it back for her quarterfinals performance. Simon also addressed the challenges of singing on AGT when there's no saying what voters are interested in each season.

When we spoke earlier this summer, I noted to Dee Dee Simon that I'd seen a lot of commenters online who thought that she should have received a golden buzzer for her audition. With no way of knowing that she would in fact get a buzzer by the end of August, Simon responded at the time:

Fast-forward two months from that interview, and Dee Dee Simon would indeed have her moment and get to hug Heidi Klum after hitting the golden buzzer for her! Fittingly, just as Simon kicked off her shoes for the quarterfinals like she did in the audition, Howie Mandel took off his own shoes in a show of support and Klum kicked hers off as well before climbing on stage to congratulate the prison nurse-turned-singer.

Back in June, Dee Dee Simon continued sharing her thoughts on the dream of getting a golden buzzer:

I think it's safe to say that she got a big boost after her live quarterfinals performance! In addition to the golden buzzer from Heidi Klum and the shoe removal from Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell told her that he thinks she's "given yourself a shot of winning the whole competition" and Sofia Vergara said that she "loved this performance even better" than her audition.

In case you missed Dee Dee Simon's live performance (or just want to watch it again without a Peacock Premium subscription), take a look:

The buzzer means that Dee Dee Simon could celebrate her performance without worrying about the results episode that would air within just 24 hours of taking the stage, which isn't the case for all the other performers from the third round of quarterfinals. She joins Hakuna Matata Acrobats and AIRFOOTWORKS in having a guaranteed slot in the final, after they received previous quarterfinal golden buzzers.

For now, keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new quarterfinals performances of America's Got Talent Season 19 and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for results. The end of the season is nigh, so don't forget to check out our 2024 TV schedule for what's coming next in primetime this fall.

Spoilers ahead for the third week of AGT quarterfinals.

The quarterfinals of America’s Got Talent Season 19 continued on August 27, and the latest batch of hopefuls returned to the stage to perform live. Some, like singer Dee Dee Simon, blew the judges away as much as the first time around, while others didn’t really outshine their auditions. The Reklaws were back for another shot at the grand prize, and the brother-sister country duo’s fate is now in the hands of voters. Watching them perform their latest original song had me flashing back to Drake Milligan, who won the hearts (and votes) of many during AGT Season 17. As I dwell on it, though, I’m wondering if that comparison is a good thing.

At first, I honestly wasn’t sure why The Reklaws reminded me so much of Drake Milligan other than that Stuart Walker and Milligan actually look a lot alike. After all, Stuart Walker and Jenna Walker are a duo who share the spotlight; Milligan sang solo in front of a band. But whatever the reason, as the siblings performed their original song – called “Long Live the Night” – live, I found myself wanting to rewatch one of Milligan’s first performances. First, take a look at the latest from The Reklaws:

I don’t think the audio was great compared to Drake Milligan back in the day, but I’ve found a lot of AGT’s audio in the Season 19 live shows to be somewhat lacking and I don’t hold it against The Reklaws in the slightest. As somebody whose country music expertise basically begins and ends with acts I like on AGT, perhaps there’s no deeper explanation for The Reklaws reminding me of Drake Milligan than that both are country acts who connected with the crowd to amp them up.

But I did rewatch Drake Milligan’s audition performance of “Sounds Like Something I’d Do” from Season 17, and I kind of wish I hadn’t because I know which one I prefer between Milligan and The Reklaws. Check it out:

I originally wanted to rewatch Milligan’s live quarterfinals performance so that the comparison to The Reklaws would be entirely fair, but that unfortunately is no longer available on YouTube or even streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. Back in 2022, his audition was such a hit that Simon Cowell expressed surprise that Milligan didn’t just quit AGT and ride the wave of popularity without continuing the competition. He also stuck with “Sounds Like Something I’d Do” for his live finale performance rather than changing to a different song.

Opinions may differ on whether The Reklaws or Drake Milligan were better on AGT, and viewers who are year-round fans of country music certainly have more expertise than I do. But seeing The Reklaws motivated me to rewatch a performer whose America’s Got Talent act I preferred, which may not be great for them. It’s also worth noting that despite Milligan’s popularity in Season 17, he came in third behind pole dancer Kristy Sellars and dance group Mayyas, and he wasn’t successful in his AGT: Fantasy League return when he performed a cover rather than an original.

My takeaway from all this? Everything depends on the rest of the AGT audience’s feelings about The Reklaws against the rest of the Season 19 competition, and if they continue, they might want to continue sticking with originals rather than covers. If you want to vote for The Reklaws or any of the others from the latest round of quarterfinals, you can do so via the AGT app or the official website until 7 a.m. ET on August 28.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new America's Got Talent performances and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for the results. For some upcoming viewing options as AGT wraps its latest season, check out our 2024 TV schedule.

The competition is heating up on America's Got Talent now that Season 19 has reached the quarterfinals stage, and the addition of some extra golden buzzers in this round likely doesn't make the experience any less stressful for the contestants. Fortunately for me, my Season 19 favorite was advanced in the first quarterfinals results episode (available streaming via Peacock Premium subscription) of the 2024 TV schedule, but the biggest takeaway might not be that Richard Goodall is moving forward. Based on some comments from Simon Cowell, is another spinoff season on the way?

Janitor-turned-AGT singer Richard Goodall made a strong impression with his performance of "Don't Stop Believin'" in his audition, followed by his quarterfinals rendition of Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" which earned him plenty of applause. Simon Cowell had a critique for Goodall's song choice as well as some compliments, and I wasn't too worried after the performance about whether he would get enough votes to advance.

While Cowell didn't come out and say anything about a different show in the following results episode, he does have a history of teasing acts that will return in a spinoff. This time around, he had some encouraging words for singer LiV Warfield, who had already proven herself as a musician when singing backup for Prince. She was eliminated from Season 19 after the quarterfinals audience vote, with Cowell dropping these comments after host Terry Crews announced Hypers Kids Africa rather than Warfield would be advancing:

That could just mean that Simon Cowell is interested in making connections for LiV Warfield to continue advancing in the music industry, but my mind immediately leapt to "spinoff" after he commented in this way to the singer. After all, in addition to Cowell hinting at past offshoot shows before they were officially announced, AGT has plenty of spinoffs already.

In fact, as of Season 19 of the original, the franchise on the U.S. side of the pond also consists of America's Got Talent: Fantasy League, America's Got Talent: The Champions, America's Got Talent: All-Stars, and America's Got Talent: Extreme. While I think it's safe to rule out Warfield competing in a future season of the action-packed Extreme – which only ran for one season of four episodes anyway – I could see her being brought back for one of the others, if not for a brand-new spinoff that hasn't been done before.

AGT: Fantasy League is the most recent spinoff, and had the added novelty of former judge Mel B returning to the table alongside Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell. It gave the judges the option to bring back past favorites as well as compete against each other. At the time of writing, Fantasy League has not yet been renewed for a second season. If it is renewed, I could see LiV Warfield as a good fit there, if not an as-yet-unannounced show.

Whether the franchise is expanding again or not, Season 19 is far from over. Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for the quarterfinals performances and then Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for the results.

America's Got Talent and the judges are officially back from their Olympics break, and the first live show of Season 19 brought back eleven of the most memorable acts whose auditions most impressed Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Terry Crews. The performers' futures are now in the hands of voters (aside from the latest golden buzzer twist), and I think that some of Cowell's criticism in the August 13 episode may actually help singer Richard Goodall's odds of advancing to the finals in the 2024 TV schedule.

And if Goodall does make it all the way, he could be the next AGT champion who won a golden buzzer first! While acrobatic group Hakuna Matata Acrobatic received Sofia Vergara's golden buzzer in the first live episode of the season, Goodall received that honor for his audition courtesy of Heidi Klum when he astounded the audience with his take on Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" in May. For his quarterfinals performance, the middle school janitor/singer brought his fiancée to the theater and covered Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You."

The audience loved it, but Simon Cowell had one less than celebratory note for Goodall, saying:

Well, if you're going to get a critique from Simon Cowell, getting it along with some glowing praise has to be the best way! I actually agree with the judge that Richard Goodall's audition felt more special with his Journey cover, but that certainly doesn't make his take on Michael Bolton unworthy of advancing in AGT.

And honestly, Cowell's criticism may have done Goodall some favors in the grand scheme of AGT. His comments included a reminder of how hard he'd crushed with his audition, and "there's still somewhere to go" feels like a tease of greatness we'll definitely get to see... so long as enough fans vote for him to advance. All in all, I think the words from Cowell – while not 100% positive – may have a positive affect on the singer when it comes to voters wanting to see more of him.

Interestingly, "Don't Stop Believin'" was released in 1981, whereas "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" released first in 1983 by Laura Branigan and then rereleased in 1990 by Michael Bolton, who co-wrote it. Goodall's Journey song was older than his quarterfinals selection! If you missed the performance, take a look below:

The judges didn't actually have a ton of time to give Richard Goodall feedback; the downside of going last in AGT live episodes is that if an episode is running long, there's not going to be much time for commentary before the final credits have to roll. Simon Cowell's three peers clearly agreed that Goodall "nailed it" as well, but Mandel also noted that only three of the acts who had performed would move on.

Hakuna Matata Acrobatic is already guaranteed to move forward thanks to Sofia Vergara's golden buzzer, but Richard Goodall is still up against rap duo Flewnt and Inkabee (who got some critiques of their own), shadow dance group Attraction Juniors, singer Liv Warfield, dance group Hypers Kids Africa, music group Ashes & Arrows with an original song, dance group Los Osos High School, baton twirler Phillip Lewis, dog act Roni Sagi & Rhythm, and teen contortionist Arshiya.

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, August 14 at 8 p.m. ET for the results of the audience vote that will determine whether Richard Goodall's America's Got Talent journey will continue. You can also revisit earlier episodes of Season 19 streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Heidi Klum is certainly one of the most fashionable judges on the America's Got Talent panel and in the realm of celebrity fashion in general. (I'm sure the less fashion-oriented Simon Cowell would agree.) She doesn't just throw on sweatpants when she's off the reality TV stage, either, as she recently spent some downtime from the show relaxing at the beach. She may be a popular celebrity, but there's one thing about her bikini beach look that should be totally relatable.

One of the coolest things to come out in the realm of fashion over the past several years is probably the fact that swimwear is way less standardized than it used to be. I’ve seen bikini variations in more styles, colors and prints – with some that even have puff sleeves or belts – that give ladies of different body types more options.

Unfortunately, it also leads to one big concern Heidi Klum just brought up in her recent vacation post: tan lines.

For now, she's currently in rest and relaxation mode, and the animal print look that Ms. Klum, 51, was sporting is not a 'fit for the faint of heart. To her point, with its multiple straps at the hips and around her upper half, if she got any sun at all clearly it would be trouble to cover up later.

Maybe that seems like a silly worry? We all get tan lines while standing in lines at theme parks or playing sports or going to the beach or whatever. But I truly do feel like when you are on TV you then spend an inordinate time trying to make sure your makeup is noticeable but not too over the top, you are avoiding any wardrobe malfunctions, and so on and so forth. Having to worry about tan lines is just one more thing on top of that.

The good news is that Heidi Klum is in good company when it comes to these swimwear problems. Sydney Sweeney rocked a cute look in a hammock earlier this summer with a cover up that probably led to tan lines. And Kim Kardashian brought back the Y2K belly chain which almost certainly also led her to dreaded sun lines.

Hey--if she wants to rock the cute look but avoid any lines later, she can always pull an Emily Ratajkowski and wear a bikini in the movie theater. We'll see her back, tan lines or no, when AGT returns to the 2024 TV schedule on August 13.

As tends to happen every four years, America's Got Talent is currently on a mini break while NBC broadcasts the Olympics, but Season 19 finished the auditions round before starting break. AGT will return in the 2024 TV schedule for the first episode of quarterfinals on August 13, and will involve the second big golden buzzer twist of the season. While that's all well and good, I really just miss one element of the show from days gone by.

Another New Golden Buzzer Twist

The first golden buzzer twist of Season 19 involved the addition of another five opportunities to advance somebody straight through to the next round, with each judge and host Terry Crews getting to hit two. The newest twist was confirmed by Crews in the very last moments of the last episode of AGT prior to the Olympic break.

For the first time in the history of America's Got Talent, each judge will get the chance to hit one golden buzzer in the live shows and send their favorite straight to the finals. This could be a big deal for the contestants, since AGT champions often get a golden buzzer first. It wasn't made 100% clear in the end-of-episode reveal, but I'm guessing Terry Crews will also get a live show buzzer to hit along with Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel.

All in all, golden buzzers do add a little something special to episodes of AGT, and I feel like the judges started to go out of their usual boxes a bit in Season 19 with access to two of them. Somehow I doubt Sofia Vergara would have chosen comedy duo Schumacher if she only had the one golden buzzer! Still, I'm less excited about five more buzzers in the live quarterfinals and more bummed that AGT is skipping what used to be a normal step.

I Miss The Judges' Cuts

There used to be a whole other round of competition to a season of America's Got Talent with the judges cuts, which resulted in getting to see more performances from some favorites. The judges cuts round also made getting a golden buzzer for an audition more valuable, since the recipient could skip that round and rest easy in knowing that they'd make the live shows.

The judges cuts used to run for four episodes, with that total cut down to one in AGT's first season back under COVID-19 production guidelines, and Simon Cowell did have some regrets about the change in hindsight. I personally loved this particular round to raise the stakes and deliver some extra performances, and the show just hasn't felt the same to me ever since AGT cut it entirely.

Alas, judges cuts won't be part of the current Season 19 of AGT, and there's no saying if the round will ever return no matter how long the show runs. There should still be plenty to look forward to after the successful performers from the auditions make their live debuts.

The first round of America's Got Talent live quarterfinals premieres on Tuesday, August 13 on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. In addition to the judges' extra golden buzzer each, fans will be able to vote and advance two acts ahead to the semi-finals. If you've missed any of Season 19 so far, you can find it streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Spoilers ahead for the seventh round of America's Got Talent auditions in Season 19.

America's Got Talent Season 19 may be far from over in the 2024 TV schedule, but the latest episode on July 16 featured the last golden buzzer that could be hit, after the new rule giving the judges extras was added this year. Sofia Vergara had the honors, and there were plenty of obvious candidates to be advanced straight to the live shows. There were some amazing singers with powerful stories, and I could even see the contortionist as a wild card. Instead, Vergara hit the buzzer for a two-man act that really defies being categorized, and nobody was more shocked than her fellow judges. And really, she had the best explanation for why she picked them.

The golden buzzer winners in this episode were the two men who make up Japanese comedy duo Schumacher, and their act consisted of one of them contorting himself onto all fours to take the shape of an animal, before they joined forces to take the shape of a giraffe at the end. Initially, it seemed like Sofia Vergara wasn't the biggest fan after they finished, as she asked "What is it?" She wasn't sure if it was "a dance or a puppet or a transformation [or] quick changing." Then, before she hit the buzzer and visibly shocked Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell, she said:

After she hit the golden buzzer and as confetti rained down from the ceiling, Vergara went up on stage to Schumacher while everybody else recovered from their surprise. Host Terry Crews came right out and asked her "why did you make this decision" that shocked the world, and I loved her answer so much that I immediately rewatched it. Vergara explained why she hit the golden buzzer, saying:

Personally, I love when the judges hit the golden buzzer for performers who aren't already all but guaranteed to be advanced by the full panel, and just have fun with it instead. Sofia Vergara picked an act that was weird, one of a kind, and not a shoo-in to get a "yes" from each of the four judges. Besides, the majority of the golden buzzer recipients this season have been singers and dance groups, so an act that embraces – to quote Vergara – "nonsense" is bound to make the live shows more fun and unpredictable. Can I hit a golden buzzer for Sofia's golden buzzer?

And while the other judges were clearly shocked, I didn't get the vibe that any of them thought that Vergara made a bad choice or that Schumacher will make Simon Cowell's list of acts he didn't like. Sometimes – like with AGT Season 18 champions Adrian Stoica and Hurricane – you just don't see a twist coming! In case you missed Schumacher in action, take a look below:

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent. The auditions aren't over yet, so there could be plenty of other ridiculous and undefinable acts on the way before the live shows. If you missed any earlier episodes of Season 19, you can find the full season so far streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Sofía Vergara was really telling the truth when she talked about the past year bringing both bad things and good things. After announcing last July that her seven-year marriage to Joe Manganiello was ending, the Modern Family alum has found love again. What’s more, it seems orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman has won the approval of at least one of Vergara’s America’s Got Talent co-hosts. Heidi Klum opened up about her friend’s new romance, calling Saliman “such a sweetheart.”

Heidi Klum told ET that she recently attended a party for Sofía Vergara to celebrate the actress’ 52nd birthday. After eating some reportedly delicious cake and taking photos with the birthday girl and her doctor boyfriend, Klum explained why Justin Saliman might have been the reason that the party had to end somewhat early. She said: 

Well I suppose the surgeon had a pretty good excuse for not hosting a full-on rager for Sofía Vergara, and it sounds like Heidi Klum and the other guests were more than happy to accommodate him. In fact, the supermodel had nothing but nice things to say about Justin Saliman, particularly because of how happy Vergara is with her new partner. Klum continued: 

I guess this means that their fellow America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel can stand down from being Sofía Vergara’s matchmaker. A month after the Griselda star announced her split from Joe Manganiello, Mandel joked on AGT that Vergara was “in the market” for a new man. Some people thought it was too soon for the Deal or No Deal host to involve himself in that way, but Vergara seemed to be highly amused, laughing as she raised her arms proudly.

Sofía Vergara has definitely shown a sense of humor during what had to have been a difficult divorce. When discussing her tattoos during an interview on The Talk, she joked that the “J” she’d gotten inked on her wrist for Joe Manganiello had been “recycled” and now was for Justin Saliman.

Divorces are not easy things to go through, but in this case it sounds like both parties have come out happy on the other side. Joe Manganiello, for his part, has moved on as well, going public with girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor in February. 

You can see more of Sofía Vergara, Heidi Klum and the whole America’s Got Talent gang on new episodes every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with episodes streaming on Peacock, one of the best streaming services. 

Spoilers ahead for Episode 5 of America's Got Talent Season 19.

As usual, America's Got Talent is packed full of talented singers and musicians in Season 19, with performers like Dee Dee Simon with Dreamgirls and – most recently – golden buzzer-winner Pranysqa Mishra in particular standing out. In the latest episode of the 2024 TV schedule on July 2, a boy band took the stage with a goal of impressing Simon Cowell, a.k.a. the man behind One Direction. Results were mixed, although they made a better impression after Cowell insisted they switch songs as is his wont... but Howie Mandel's feedback indicated he only thinks one of the five boys has the makings of a star, and it's kind of brutal to watch.

The boy band is the latest incarnation of the Puerto Rican group Menudo, with roots going back to the 1970s and once featuring none other than Ricky Martin. The five current members introduced themselves to Cowell on AGT as Ezra, Ale, Andrés, Gabriel, and Nicolas. They didn't really have a nostalgic backstory as a group, as they explained they met during nationwide auditions, but they selected a song called "Amnesia" to perform in Spanish for the judges.

That plan changed before they got too far into their song, as Cowell asked them to change to a different number and they sang "Feelin'" instead. After they were able to finish that number, they got their feedback from the judges, with Howie Mandel powering through the boos from the audience to say this:

Now, while I'm all for honesty from the judges, Howie Mandel's feedback clearly made standing on that stage pretty awkward for all five boys. Nicolas said "Thank you, Howie, I love you," but it was uncomfortable as the other four had to stand there. Even host Terry Crews seemed to be cringing a bit when the camera cut to him! Nicolas admittedly did show the most personality during Menudo's time on stage, but the feedback was rough to watch.

The group did get a "yes" from all of the judges other than Howie Mandel, although Sofia Vergara suggested that they still have a lot of work to do and Simon Cowell told them that they'd need to "radically, radically change" from their first time on the AGT stage. If you missed the performance or just want to take a second look, check out the video below:

They didn't get ringing endorsements from everybody and certainly won't be on the list of golden buzzer winners who become AGT champions even if they do win, but they will likely be back later in Season 19. Call me a millennial, but seeing the five youngsters each dressed to fit a boy band archetype had me flashing back to the '90s heyday of the Backstreet Boys, particularly when they started harmonizing. Success a la the Backstreet Boys is undoubtedly a long ways off, if they can reach it, and I just hope Howie Mandel's feedback doesn't affect them negatively.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 19, and/or stream next day with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 4 of America's Got Talent Season 19.

America's Got Talent returned to the airwaves on June 25 after a brief break in the 2024 TV schedule, and there was a lot to enjoy from the acts, even if not all of the judges were equally enthusiastic about the dancing robot or the twin brothers with their dominoes. As is often the case, AGT saved some of the best for toward the end of the hour, which meant nearly two hours passed before fans got to see the family singing group L6 perform Celine Dion's "All By Myself" on stage... although they didn't get far into the song before Simon Cowell intervened.

It earned him a lot of boos from the audience, and reminded me of what singer Dee Dee Simon told CinemaBlend when speaking about AGT earlier this season.

Why Simon Cowell Stopped The Singers

The L6 family singing group is comprised of five siblings and a niece, and they came to AGT from the Philippines to honor their late mother's dream and with an iconic song to try and cover. Simon Cowell was rooting for them to "be good, be good, be good" under his breath as the opening notes of "All By Myself" began. The audience wasted no time in cheering their support, but Cowell raised his hand to stop the music before L6 even got to chorus. The audience's cheers changed to boos since it seemed like Cowell was shooting them down without giving them a proper chance.

That is, that's what it seemed like if you don't give him the benefit of the doubt after seeing him interrupt singers many times in the past, including Putri Ariani in Season 18, which resulted in the teen singer impressing him so much that he hit the golden buzzer for her. After the boos stopped long enough on June 25 for Simon Cowell to be heard, he told them they should lose the backing track and sing a capella, because according to him, "the track was terrible."

It was a big ask for the group to not only start all over, but also figure out the a capella tempo on the fly in front of thousands of people. As for whether or not it worked for them, take a look below:

I won't lie – when Simon Cowell raised his hand to stop the performance, I assumed that he was going to ask them to sing a different song. He has done that several times over the years as a competition TV show judge, usually with great results. L6 seemingly had to wing it when they went a capella, and nailed it when they did. But their change in direction on the fly reminded me of a conversation I had with Dee Dee Simon, after she opened up about the perks of going last in an episode of America's Got Talent.

Dee Dee Simon's Take On A Second Song

Dee Dee Simon made a splash in AGT Season 19 when she took the stage to perform her take on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls. She was the last performer of the night, and such a hit in the theater that there was some surprise that nobody hit the golden buzzer for her. When speaking with CinemaBlend, she was clear on how important it was to her to perform the Dreamgirls number with her mom in the audience, but she was ready if she needed to adapt. When asked if she had something else prepared just in case, she shared:

Let it not be said that Dee Dee Simon wasn't swinging for the fences on AGT, because even though "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" was – to quote Simon Cowell – "one of the hardest songs in the world," singing any Whitney Houston song as a backup is a bold move. The AGT singer went on to explain how early in the process she was working on both songs:

Just like with L6 in the most recent episode of AGT, Dee Dee Simon's story and personality came through in the performance to really shine. Notably, she kicked off her heels at one of the song's biggest moments and just kept on singing. When I asked if she'd planned on that move, she responded:

Between Dee Dee Simon, L6, and the other singing acts that got support from enough of the judges to move forward, Season 19 of America's Got Talent could have some pretty fantastic music by the time the live shows start. For now, keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 19 as the auditions continue, and/or stream episodes next day with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Howie Mandel has held many titles over the course of his four-decade career — comedian, actor, talent judge and one of the best game show hosts — and now I guess we can go ahead and add matchmaker to that list too. The America’s Got Talent panelist had an interesting interaction with an audience member during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark regarding his son’s love life, and I can’t help but think of how he also tried to play that same role for fellow AGT judge Sofía Vergara after her divorce. 

An Audience Member Expressed Interest In Howie Mandel’s Son During A Talk Show Appearance 

Howie Mandel visited Live with Kelly and Mark, where the subject of his children came up. After joking that while his two daughters went to college and got degrees, his son Alex Mandel “wasn’t accepted” to homeschool. He went on to make more playful jokes at Alex’s expense, telling the audience:  

At that point a woman in the audience interrupted him to seemingly take Howie Mandel up on the offer, saying that her name was also Alex. The comedian responded: 

Despite audience member Alex saying she’d “love to,” Howie Mandel had to walk it back, saying that the younger Mandel was going to be mad at him, despite Alex seeming like a “lovely young lady.” It was a pretty hilarious encounter, and it gave me flashbacks to similar stunts he’s pulled with Sofía Vergara. 

Howie Mandel Wanted To Find New Love For Sofía Vergara After Divorce 

Following the news of Sofia Vergara’s split from Joe Manganiello after seven years of marriage, her America’s Got Talent colleague Howie Mandel wasted no time in trying to play matchmaker for the Modern Family star. In fact only a month had passed before the comedian was joking to the talent show’s performers that Vergara was “in the market” for a new man. Despite the audience and other judges’ awkward reactions, the actress proudly raised her arms and let out a big laugh.

Howie Mandel even doubled down on the sentiment after people argued that it was “too soon” to make such jokes, pointing out how funny she thought it was and insisting he would never hurt his friend and co-worker.

It turns out Sofía Vergara didn’t need too much help in getting back on the saddle, so to speak, as she’s been dating orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman. And if it was unclear to any fans just how much of a sense of humor she has about the whole situation, all you need to do is listen to what she thinks about the tattoo she got for her ex-husband now.

Howie Mandel seems to have some aspirations for matchmaking, so could we see him hosting a dating show in his future? Stranger things have definitely happened, many of them right there on the stage at America’s Got Talent. Catch Mandel, Sofía Vergara and the rest of the gang at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 25, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription. 

The summer network TV lineup just wouldn't feel right without a new season of America's Got Talent, and the episodes of Season 19 so far have introduced some strong contenders for the grand prize of $1 million. One of those contenders is Dee Dee Simon, who wowed the live audience as well as the famous judges and host Terry Crews with her take on an iconic Dreamgirls song. She spoke with CinemaBlend about going "out with a bang" in the latest episode, and went on to break down the experience of a multi-talent show against more than just fellow singers.

Dee Dee Simon's debut episode of AGT (currently available streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription) also delivered standout acts by performers including biker Andrei Burton, Roni Sagi and her dog Rhythm, and quick change magician Solange Kardinaly. Basically, AGT certainly isn't The Voice or American Idol where Simon's competition would be only other singers! When I asked the prison nurse-turned-singer about her experience on a show with such diverse kinds of competition, she shared:

The singer – whose take on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls earned her a standing ovation – was referring to Adrian Stoica and Hurricane, the human/dog act that won the top prize in AGT Season 18 despite America's Got Talent champions often winning a golden buzzer first. While I enjoyed the surprise of their victory, even Simon Cowell admitted that not everybody was happy about the result. He along with fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara all seemed surprised when the winner was announced last year.

Now that we're in the 2024 TV schedule and after seeing all the reactions to Dee Dee Simon and her Dreamgirls showstopper, could Season 19 see a singer once more winning AGT? Only time will tell, but the singer shared her take on whether she's more confident after her initial success on the show:

In case you missed the most recent episode of AGT or just want to revisit the performance with the show taking a brief break this week, check out the performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dee Dee Simon:

Of course, the AGT judges and eventually fans voting from home are always looking for performers to outdo their previous performances and raise the bar. Does Dee Dee Simon have ideas for what she'd do next upon a return to the America's Got Talent stage? She answered that very question, saying:

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 19. The show is taking a week off on June 18 so the network can air the swimming trials for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but Simon Cowell and the rest of the judges will be back on June 25.

America's Got Talent Season 19 is still in early stages, and the talent pool is already so stacked that it doesn't feel like there are enough golden buzzers to go around despite the extras this season. Dee Dee Simon was certainly a standout in the latest episode, as the registered nurse proved that she's also an incredible singer with her performance of what Simon Cowell described as "one of the hardest songs in the world," straight out of Dreamgirls. The singer – who works at a state prison – spoke with CinemaBlend the day after her AGT debut about her experience and the kinds of support she's gotten so far.

Dee Dee Simon's performance of the iconic "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls was saved for last in the episode that aired on June 11 (and is now streaming via Peacock Premium subscription), and it was easy to see why by the end. She channeled strong emotions into the performance, including kicking off her high heels in a move that she confirmed to CinemaBlend was spontaneous. While it was a climactic way to end the episode for viewers, what was it like for her to wait almost two full hours to see her performance? I asked the singer that very question, and she shared:

Considering that Dee Dee Simon filmed her performance all the way back in April, can anybody blame her for feeling a little anxious as the wait went on to watch her take on the song made unforgettable originally by Jennifer Holiday and then again by Jennifer Hudson in the film adaptation? Fortunately, as Simon said – she "went out with a bang" in the AGT episode.

Of course, Dee Dee Simon brought an interesting story to AGT. She informed the judges that she's a registered nurse and has been working at San Quentin State Prison for 19 years, telling the story of how a riot broke out the first time she sang there. There was "peace" the second time, and she shared that nobody at work knew she was auditioning for AGT. She definitely heard from plenty of people after the episode aired, as she shared:

Apparently, Dee Dee Simon had a pretty exciting day back at her regular job after not playing hooky in the wake of her AGT success! When I noted that most contestants won't have that very specific kind of prison-based support, the singer commented:

While Dee Dee Simon received an outpouring of support from prison coworkers, viewers saw in the episode on Tuesday night that her mom was in the audience rooting hard for her daughter...and singing along. There was more to the story than what the episode revealed, however, as the performer opened up about her mom being there for her:

The stars aligned for Dee Dee Simon with her AGT audition, ranging from having her family on hand to getting to sing a song that was important to her. When asked why she chose the high-stakes "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" when even Simon Cowell commented on how difficult it is to singer, she explained:

Choosing such a difficult song clearly did pay off, because it seems safe to say that she's going to crush whatever she performs next. Even if golden buzzer winners are often America's Got Talent champions, that's certainly not always the case. In case you missed it, check out Dee Dee Simon's Dreamgirls performance below:

The Season 19 auditions are still airing, so it may be some time before fans see Dee Dee Simon back on the AGT stage. For now, keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent, which is – as usual – a summer staple in the 2024 TV schedule. You can also find episodes streaming next day on Peacock.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of America's Got Talent Season 19 on NBC.

The newest season of AGT is only a few episodes into the auditions round in the 2024 TV schedule, but several golden buzzers have already been hit and it's already clear that the competition is going to be stiff for the grand prize of $1 million. America's Got Talent is of course only one of many competition shows to hit the airwaves in 2024, and I've watched at least some of a lot of them as part of my job covering television. The latest episode of AGT auditions was enough to remind me why this is my favorite of the competition shows.

While there are shows like American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Voice (to name just a few) that are all talent competitions giving people a shot at stardom, AGT is the only one where all bets are off for what kind of acts will take the stage on a given night. It's not just singing or just dancing. You never know what will happen on AGT, and these three acts from the third night of auditions were perfect examples of what fans can find on this show but nowhere else on TV. Even if Simon Cowell sometimes hates the finalists, it's always an interesting ride.

Biker Andrei Burton

British biker Andrei Burton kicked off the night of auditions with an act that initially seemed to rely on the shock value of possibly damaging Simon Cowell's car. My curiosity was already piqued when Howie Mandel didn't seize the opportunity to roast Cowell again for his own bike incident a few years back. As it turned out, Burton wasn't kidding about bringing a kind of bike act to the stage that isn't commonly found in the U.S., and starting outdoors before bouncing and bopping his bike inside made him a huge hit with the judges, the audience, and certainly me, watching from home!

I'd never seen anything like it that lasted for as long as it did, and it was a fantastic way to start the night.

Roni And Rhythm

It wasn't even a full year ago that Adrian Stoica and his dog Hurricane were named AGT Season 18 champions, and are not among the AGT champions who won a golden buzzer first. Roni Sagi came to AGT as a dancer and dog trainer, and her performance with her dog Rhythm was enough for the judges to give a standing ovation. Simon Cowell, who previously addressed how not everybody was excited about Adrian Stoica and Hurricane's victory in 2023, said that Roni and Rhythm were a "level up" from them.

I'll admit that animal acts are rarely my personal favorites in the Got Talent franchise, but I have to agree with the judges – Roni and Rhythm's performance was unlike anything that has happened on the show before, and certainly can't be found on any other series.

Magician Solange Kardinaly

America's Got Talent has delivered a lot of magic acts and a fair number of quick change artists over the years, but never a performer who has combined both quite as well as Solange Kardinaly. While it came as no surprise that Heidi Klum had compliments for Kardinaly considering that Klum hit the golden buzzer for a quick change artist back in 2021, the Season 19 audition impressed all of the judges.

Set to Madonna's "Material Girl," Kardinaly's act didn't miss a beat – or a stitch – from start to finish, and I was ready to rewatch it during the commercial break. Klum didn't hit the golden buzzer this time, but there was no reason to worry that Kardinaly wouldn't get a vote from all four of the judges.

Now, none of this is to say that Andrei Burton, Roni and Rhythm, and Solange Kardinaly were the only standout acts of this AGT episode. Dee Dee Simon closed out the night with an incredible performance of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls, and dance group Legión received a well-earned golden buzzer from Sofia Vergara. But these three are ones that I can't imagine finding on any show other than AGT, and they reminded me why it's so much fun to watch every summer.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 19, and/or stream episodes next day with a Peacock Premium subscription.