Sofia Vergara returned to America’s Got Talent in the first episode of the Live performances… the first time she was at the judges table since her split with Joe Manganiello… which Howie Mandel poked some fun at.
All of the auditions were taped well in advance of her split, though Tuesday’s first live performance episode featured a joke from Howie Mandel, that Vergara took in stride.
Manganiello, 46, filed for divorce from Vergara, 51, in late July, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ while there were numerous claims that he wanted children and she didn’t.
While the split wasn’t discussed in detail during the episode, Mandel was discussing a performance by 12-year-old magician and ventriloquist Brynn Cummings – where she tried to find a new mate for her rabbit puppet in the performance – when he cracked a joke.
‘If I have one word of advice, if you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofia because she’s in the market right now,’ referring to her recent split with Joe Manganiello.
Sofia returns: Sofia Vergara returned to America’s Got Talent in the first episode of the Live performances… the first time she was at the judges table since her split with Joe Manganiello … which Howie Mandel poked some fun at
Joke: All of the auditions were taped well in advance of her split, though Tuesday’s first live performance episode featured a joke from Howie Mandel, that Vergara took in stride
Brynn: While the split wasn’t discussed in detail during the episode, Mandel was discussing a performance by 12-year-old magician and ventriloquist Brynn Cummings – where she tried to find a new mate for her rabbit puppet in the performance – when he cracked a joke
Howie’s joke: ‘If I have one word of advice, if you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofia because she’s in the market right now,’ referring to her recent split with Joe Manganiello
For her part, Sofia took the joke in stride, raising her arms and screaming, ‘Yes’ with a laugh, as Terry said, ‘No we’re not doing that here.’
First up was True Villains, a rock band from Nashville who are always competing with country artists in their town.
They were singing one of their own original songs, with the group admitting before the performance, ‘It’s a big risk to bring an original. We’re trying to be an original band, not a cover band.’
Their original hard rock song called Dead to Me got raucous applause from the crowd.
Howie admitted, ‘You know, truly this is my favorite kind of music it’s my favorite kind of music it’s not that popular today. I thought you made a good choice on the audition to cover something. America is going to choose only two can go through. It’s a gamble to do the I love the original. Your voice is like the most original voice it’s like the best rock concert coming from a helium factory
Heidi added, ‘I loved it it brings me back to my 20s. We were listening to this music in my 20s, like Axel Rose. The band was super tight, two thumbs up.
Sofia added, ‘I love you guys. I love you more than the audition it’s amazing I’m so happy you guys brought this energy. We need it to start like this tonight. It’s up to America I think they’re going to love you.’
Simon added, ‘I loved your audition because you did something really different with a song we know really well. There’s no question you can play really well. You can sing really well,’ before admitting, ‘I hated the song, I did,’ causing the crowd to boo.
Sofia: For her part, Sofia took the joke in stride, raising her arms and screaming, ‘Yes’ with a laugh, as Terry said, ‘No we’re not doing that here’
True Villains: First up was True Villains, a rock band from Nashville who are always competing with country artists in their town
Original song: Their original hard rock song called Dead to Me got raucous applause from the crowd
Sofia loves: Sofia added, ‘I love you guys. I love you more than the audition it’s amazing I’m so happy you guys brought this energy. We need it to start like this tonight. It’s up to America I think they’re going to love you’
Simon hated: Simon added, ‘I loved your audition because you did something really different with a song we know really well. There’s no question you can play really well. You can sing really well,’ before admitting, ‘I hated the song, I did,’ causing the crowd to boo
Next up is 10-year-old dancer Lambros Garcia, who performed a dance routine to Todrick Hall’s Vogue Zone.
He said in a video package, ‘I wanted to do this song because it has a good beat to it and it brings so much energy and that’s what I want to show. I want to show me. My big dream is to perform on Broadway this is my chance, but only two people this round are going to make it to the finals. I feel nervous, but I’m just going to bring Lambros 2.0.’
Heidi revealed after the performance, ‘I love you and I love everything about you. I love mostly that you do you and you don’t care about what anyone says. You don’t look back. You do you and you are perfect.’
Sofia added, ‘Lambros, I love who you have become. You’re so confident tonight. You were amazing my favorite part of your show is how happy you are when you’re doing it.’
Simon added, ‘You know what I loved, Lambros, was hearing you before you started about the reaction you had in school. You had a problem with bullies, didn’t you?
Lambros confirmed that he did, though he added that the bullies have, ‘totally’ gone away after his AGT audition.
Simon added, ‘We all loved you because you define the word personality.’
Howie added, ‘You know, Lambros, more than what you do, you’re the same little boy who was bullied and had this tough time. Then you showed the world who you are. This is not Lambros 2.0. You changed the world. It’s the world 2.0.’
Lambros: Next up is 10-year-old dancer Lambros Garcia, who performed a dance routine to Todrick Hall’s Vogue Zone
Song: He said in a video package, ‘I wanted to do this song because it has a good beat to it and it brings so much energy and that’s what I want to show. I want to show me. My big dream is to perform on Broadway this is my chance, but only two people this round are going to make it to the finals. I feel nervous, but I’m just going to bring Lambros 2.0′
No bullies: Lambros confirmed that he did, though he added that the bullies have, ‘totally’ gone away after his AGT audition
Host Terry Crews asked, ‘Lambros, what advice do you have for other boys who love to dance?’
Lambros said, ‘As I stated in my first audition, not a lot of people respected who I am however, we cannot let other people break our dreams. Dreams do come true, right?’
Next up is Mitchell Mossell, who, like True Villains, opted to sing an original song, following another original he sang at his audition, which Howie predicted would go to number 1 on the country charts the next day.
Mitchell revealed Howie’s prediction was true, though it also went to #1 on four other genres as well.
His new song – entitled All I Need To See – went over well with the judges, as Sofia told him, ‘Mitch, you sing with such emotion it was such a catchy, romantic song I love you guys. I love country music I think you’re the perfect talent that America’s going to fall in love with.’
Simon added, ‘Howie got it right when he said I think this song will go to number one. That audition was a brilliant audition I saw you watching the film and getting emotional watching you with your family and, you know, the first part of the song you were almost choking up until you hit the first chorus let me tell you, you are the real deal. I really, really, really hope this works out for you. You are super talented, such a nice person, great band — sorry I don’t know your names, but everyone was amazing.’
Howie added, ‘I’m going to make my second prediction. This is also number one tomorrow at least on the country chart. You, for me, are the best act so far tonight. I think you are the act to beat, one of the two going through America, make me right.’
Heidi added, ‘You’re radio ready. Your songs are great. You have an amazing family. I wish you all the best.’
Dreams: Lambros said, ‘As I stated in my first audition, not a lot of people respected who I am however, we cannot let other people break our dreams. Dreams do come true, right?’
Terry asked Mitch how he thinks tonight’s song will do on the charts tomorrow, as he responded, ‘Oh, man, I’m hoping for the same results. That would be amazing.’
Next up is Oleksandr Leshchenko and Magic Innovations, who performed a storytelling illusion about his native Ukraine, which earned much applause, though Simon wasn’t entirely impressed.
‘I loved, loved your first audition I thought visually that was unbelievable. However, I thought the music almost ruined it. It needed a great, great, great song,’ Simon says, as Heidi argued, ‘It was dramatic though.
Simon countered, ‘It was just corny, the music. It wasn’t as good as it should have been in my opinion.’
Howie did not share the same opinion, adding, ‘I was at a different show tonight you are above and beyond anything we know the dancing, the story telling, the visual, the sounds, you check every box. You are doing so much more than most people and most groups that come on the stage. You just set a bar.’
Heidi was asked which of the men she agreed with and she said she agreed with Howie, adding, ‘I think you’re a great story teller I want to thank you and coming and telling your magic on the stage. You piled a whole lot of stuff into two minutes well done.’
Sofia loved the performance as well, adding, ‘ Sofia: That was such a highly technical performance. I can’t imagine how much it took you to nail every second of it. It was amazing you took it to another level today from the day of the audition.’
Next up is Adrian Stoica from Turin, Italy, with his adorable dog Hurricane, who, unlike most dog acts, don’t use any treats as a form of motivation.
‘When we perform, Hurricane goes rogue. She likes to improvise anything can happen. I do my best to support her. If something goes wrong, it’s not her. It’s me. Hurricane would love Las Vegas she’s ready to show she’s the best dog in the world,’ he said.
Howie added, ‘I was on my feet and then I sat down and I was on my feet it shows you how tough it is we didn’t know whether to stand or sit he’s a dog he gets more cues than we do it’s my favorite dog act ever on AGT.’
Heidi made a timely joke about Hurricane Hilary making landfall near Los Angeles, adding, ‘I love it. This is the type of hurricane we like in Hollywood.’
‘And it is mind blowing to me how you do this routine with him you don’t give him treats. He knows this entire routine it’s mind blowing, amazing,’ she added.
Sofia added, ‘That was perfection. I love the relationship you two have I love she’s having so much fun, the humor, the story I think hurricane is ready for Vegas!’
Simon said, ‘Honestly, I think this is — in terms of stepping up from the audition to the live show, this is the best act we’ve seen tonight it was amazing like I said at the start, this is live. That was a tricky routine,” asking if Hurricane was a he or she, as he confirmed Hurricane is a she.
Next up was the 26-member choir Sainted, lead by DJ Fannie and Dennis, who took to the stage in pink ensembles, singing a medley of hits like Nelly’s Hot In Here, Mark Morrison’s Return of the Mack.
Heidi revealed, ‘That was so much fun,’ while Sofia said, ‘You guys lifted the room up, that was amazing.’
Heidi added, ‘Every single one of you is bringing excellence to the stage,’ while Simon said, ‘It was like seeing 30 brilliant solo artists all together. It was so clever, cool, current, a step up. This must have taken a lot of prep this was what we were looking for….
