America’s Got Talent is back after its milestone 20th season. Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Mel B return as judges to find the country’s next big talent. Terry Crews is back as the host with the most. After two months of narrowing the field, the live shows begin on AGT on Tuesday, August 18. Beloved judge Howie Mandel teases Season 21’s frontrunners. Keep reading to find out his picks.
Howie Mandel Reveals Soft Spot For Certain Contestants
Howie Mandel joined America’s Got Talent in 2010. He’s judged the reality competition for 16 seasons. He knows all about lucky breaks. His career began in 1979 when he performed at amateur night at L.A.’s famous venue, The Comedy Store. A TV producer happened to be in the audience and was impressed by what he saw. Howie Mandel eventually made his movie debut in some of the most beloved comedies.
His career is still active, but he took time out of his busy schedule to help discover the next star. But he admitted that he’s a little biased when it comes to the talent genres on America’s Got Talent. Howie Mandel admitted to Entertainment Weekly that he has a soft spot for comedians.
“Well, there’s nobody that I’m not pulling for. Personally, I would like a comedian to do very well. I just believe, you know, that’s what I do and who I am,” he shared. Howie Mandel is rooting for all of the contestants, but said there are a few standouts on Season 21.
AGT Judge Teases Season 21 Frontrunners Ahead Of Live Shows
44 contestants made it through thousands of applicants hoping to be the next big thing. Viewers watched for weeks for the auditions and callbacks, choosing the acts they wanted to see make it further in the competition. Now, the real test begins.
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AGT kicks off the live shows on August 18, giving viewers a chance to vote for their favorites. Howie Mandel bragged to EW that he usually knows the winner early on. But this season, he’s stumped.
“I usually, at this point, have a clear idea of who I believe is gonna win, and I think my batting average has been about 80 percent. But this time, there are a couple of people that are just way out there.”
As he said in his previous comments, he’s rooting extra hard for stand-up comics Cris Sosa and Daniel Alvarez, as well as comedic singer Cesar Dias. However, a few other acts caught his eye (and ear.) Howie Mandel used his Golden Buzzer on magicians Hundred Fingers, saying that he’d “never seen” magic done like that before.
Nene Royal wowed viewers immediately. Howie Mandel agreed that the 16-year-old singer from Phuket, Thailand, impressed him as well. “We all are aware of Nene being the rockstar that she is and the global sensation that she has become just from two appearances on the show, one being the Callbacks,” he said.
The competition on AGT is fierce this season. Tune in on Tuesday, August 18, for the live shows. Don’t forget to vote!
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
