Spoilers ahead for the June 4 episode of America's Got Talent Season 14 on NBC.
Season 14 of America's Got Talent is still early in its audition process, so some of the acts in the mix aren't exactly the most talented ever to hit the AGT stage. That said, there was one act in the June 4 episode that had many members of the audience on their feet before he even started performing.
Singer Joseph Allen got a standing ovation for "doing nothing," to quote Simon Cowell. Fortunately, his performance proved that he was worthy of the ovation, and Howie Mandel even deemed him worthy of a golden buzzer. Take a look at Joseph Allen in action!
Joseph Allen may not have hit the kind of notes that shatter glass or send chills down spines, but his charisma and sincerity in the performance of his original song clearly impacted everybody who watched him live.
There could be no doubt that he was getting the yes vote from all four judges, so he definitely didn't need a golden buzzer to save him. Still, Howie Mandel felt so strongly about Joseph Allen after just one performance that he felt the need to hit the golden buzzer.
That is, he felt the need to stomp the golden buzzer. Even if you somehow missed seeing Joseph Allen's song and only tuned in in time to see the reactions, Howie climbing up on top of the judges' table and stomping on the buzzer would have been proof that something remarkable happened.
Notorious stickler Simon Cowell had nothing but praise for Joseph Allen's energy and his ability to win the crowd before even singing a single note. For any other performer, Simon's statement that he got an ovation for "doing nothing" might have been an insult about his abilities. In this case, Simon was incredibly impressed by all things Joseph Allen.
Honestly, the video is worth watching a few times. Joseph Allen is of course worth watching, but the reactions of the judges to him and to each other are definitely worth checking out. Terry Crews' pseudo-Dirty Dancing move at the end when he lifted Allen into the air just raised the energy of the episode all the more.
The question now is whether Joseph Allen has what it takes for the next round of competition. He's guaranteed a certain degree of success thanks to the golden buzzer, but he'll still have to prove himself, and the competition is always much stiffer past the initial audition rounds. He said himself that he's not the best singer; will his performance skills and enthusiasm be enough to keep him in the game? And will the ratings prove that people care to watch his journey?
After that first performance, I certainly hope so! Was it the most mind-blowing performance I've ever seen on AGT? No. But did it make me emotionally invested in seeing what's next for this young man? Absolutely.
New episodes of America's Got Talent with the new judges and host air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
