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The popular reality TV show, America's Got Talent, has been airing since 2006 and has seen multiple iterations since then. NBC broadcasts the series, which sees some of the most talented individuals showcase their skills to the judges. Their talents range from singing and dancing, to magic, comedy, painting, and a lot more.
The participants go through rounds of auditions to finally come and be part of this massive show. Once they are on the final stage, the contestants fight to win the grand prize of $1 million (as of 2024).
Simon Cowell created the show, which began airing on June 21, 2006. America's Got Talent is currently in its 19th season, with Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Heidi Klum as the judges. Meanwhile, Terry Crews has been hosting the show since 2019.
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While America's Got Talent has become incredibly popular over the years, it has also seen several controversial moments. One of these was when the vocal trio T.3 didn't make it to the finals and lost to Korean Soul in season 12. Another moment was when opera singer Daniel Emmet from the same season didn't make it through the judges cut.
Disclaimer: This is not a ranking list and may contain the opinions of the writer.
5 most controversial moments of America's Got Talent
1) Daniel Emmet from season 13
In season 13 of the show, fans were outraged that the opera singer did not make it to the Judge's cut. The four judges had to select seven out of the 18 acts, and Daniel didn't make the final cut.
When he went onstage to perform his own song, judge Simon Cowell stopped him, and asked him to prepare a different song, Il Divo‘s Passera. When Daniel returned, he had prepared the song and stunned the audience and judges, even getting the four yeses.
However, in the end, he wasn't selected on the Top 7 list, which had fans fuming and lashing out at the judges.
2) Aiden Bryant from season 16
An acrobat, Aiden Bryant, appeared on season 16 of America's Got Talent, but he lost to magician Dustin Tavella and ended up being eliminated. This made the audience furious, as many criticized the decision to eliminate Aiden, over Dustin. Many also claimed that they didn't think that the magician was worthy of winning.
Although fans were heartbroken due to Aiden's elimination, they still supported the self-taught acrobat for his resilience and talent.
3) Team iLuminate from Season 6
Team iLuminate participated in season 6 in 2011, but after they were eliminated, there was a controversy that the show was biased towards singers. This was irrespective of the fact that America's Got Talent is a variety show and that there are several other shows dedicated solely to singing.
Fans loved iLuminate's performance, and many claimed that their light-up suits were a literal representation of Las Vegas.
4) World Taekwondo Demonstration Team from Season 16
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team participated in season 16, which saw Dustin Tavella as the winner. Since fans were already furious about Aiden's elimination over Dustin, the World Taekwondo Demonstration Team's elimination had them raging at the judges.
It is worth noting that the team was supposed to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
5) Ben Lapidus from season 17
Ben Lapidus from season 17 of America's Got Talent was another fan favorite. His performance of the song More Parmesan endeared him to the fans, as many claimed that he was more of a charmer than a singer. However, he was one of the eight contestants eliminated, which made the audience unhappy.
Although Lapidus didn't make it to the show, he did reach the audience's hearts, as many still love him.
Season 19 of America's Got Talent is available for streaming on NBC and Peacock. The Quarterfinals of the latest season will air on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, on NBC at 8 pm ET.
