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On the August 21, 2024, episode of America’s Got Talent, Simon Cowell publicly apologized to fellow judge Howie Mandel for attempting to use the Golden Buzzer, to advance the act by Airfootworks, directly to the finals, saying:
'I'm really, really sorry. I tried. I was excited, but it's Howie's,'
The incident occurred during the previous night's live show when Cowell reached for the Golden Buzzer despite it being Mandel's turn to use. This action led to confusion and debate over whether Cowell's move was intentional or a mistake. During the results episode, Cowell admitted his error and regretted his impulsive behavior.
America’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer incident and apology
Simon Cowell reached for the Golden Buzzer during the August 20, 2024 live event. This allows a judge to send an act directly to the finals. This happened at the exact moment that Howie Mandel was supposed to use the Golden Buzzer. In the results broadcast, host Terry Crews addressed the matter and stated that, despite Cowell's attempt to step in, Mandel had hit the button first.
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During the results program, Cowell publicly apologised. Mandel noted that he anticipated Cowell's move due to their mutual recognition of exceptional talent.
Terry Crews' clarification
Terry Crews addressed the situation at the start of the results episode. He said a thorough video analysis proved Mandel was the first to press the Golden Buzzer. When Crews then questioned Cowell whether he was prepared to accept this, Cowell acknowledged his error.
In retrospect, Cowell explained his choice as an impetuous response to the thrill of the live performance, saying:
"I felt the show was great. I got caught up in the moment. I was in serious trouble this morning. But I couldn't help myself. I literally thought for a second, 'I should't do this, but I'm going to do it'".
The results and performance highlights
The results broadcast, which aired on August 21, 2024, announced the artists moving on to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent. Among the top acts was singer-songwriter Alex Sampson, who won over the audience with his skill and advanced to the next round. Young-Min, a Korean illusionist, also advanced, winning recognition for his audience participation and magical abilities.
Drone act Sky Elements, Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer pick, went to the semifinals, demonstrating their creative use of technology in their performance. Furthermore, the act at the center of the Golden Buzzer dispute, Airfootworks, advanced straight from the semifinals to the finals.
Special performances and future episodes
The evening also featured a piece with Mat Franco and Shin Lim, another America’s Got Talent graduate, who both perform magic shows in Las Vegas. In addition to the results, this piece emphasized their ongoing success following their participation on the show.
The third group of quarterfinalists will compete on America’s Got Talent on August 27, 2024. As the contest moves closer to the semifinals, fresh talent will continue to be showcased.
Don’t miss the next episode of America’s Got Talent on August 27, 2024, as the third batch of quarterfinalists take the stage. Tune in to see which acts will continue to impress the judges and advance further in the competition.
