PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: Simon Cowell reprimanded the show's producers on live television during the 'America's Got Talent' episode that aired on September 19, for playing a sneaky clip of Howie Mandel pressing Heidi Klum's buzzer during Trailer Flowers' performance.
Since it was a live program, the actual button push wasn't captured on camera, but the producers aired a clip of Howie secretly hitting Heidi's red buzzer when host Terry Crews appeared to explain what had occurred.
However, as Simon himself wears the hat of a producer on the show, viewers soon took to social media to call his bluff.
"I would not press my buzzer in the semi-finals," Howie falsely asserted, despite video evidence to the contrary. Of course, Howie wasn't really sincere because he had already X'ed Sharpe Family Singers, Phil Wright & Parent Jam, and Ray Wold & Mom during this season's live events, and received some backlash online for it.
This sparked a squabble at the judges' table, prompting Heidi to ask, "What is going on with you, Howie? There is an invisible line right here [between us]. This is your side, this is my side." Heidi later said that Trailer Flowers' performance sounded screechy at times, but she wasn't sure how it sounded "at home."
"I think you guys sound very nice but," Sofia Vergara said. "I kept waiting for Simon to ask for another song. There was something happening with this song that it didn’t resonate to me. Like, I didn’t know what was happening — the outfits, the song. It wasn’t my thing, and I love country music, by the way."
When Simon finally had a chance to speak, he didn't hold back from expressing his true feelings over the dramatic button-pushing. "First of all, I don’t think the producers should have done what they just did, because we don’t have a lot of time to talk and actually give you something constructive," he stated. "So I apologize." Simon said to Trailer Flowers that while he "didn't love" the song, he did “like you two.” Then, he asserted that if it had been the audition stage, he would have instructed them to compose a "better song."
On X, viewers wrote to Simon, "simon I think that anybody that make the second round should not be buzzed the buzzers should be turned off after the first round because you do not vote after the first round." One viewer threw shade at the judge-cum-producer, "Is Simon calling out production on his own show for gimmicks…? Wow." Another person noted, "Simon, we've been begging for production to make the sound better on this show cause it sounds TERRIBLE to the at home audience. I just ranted this out loud to my Dad about it after Simon said it lmao." While a fourth user quipped, "I don't know what Simon meant by the producers interfering."
Is Simon Cowell a producer on 'AGT'?
Simon created 'AGT' and has served as a judge from Season 11 to the present. Simon has also sat on the judges' panels for Champions 1, Champions 2, Extreme 1, and All-Stars 1.
He is reported to be worth $600 million. It has been stated that judging 'AGT' alone brings in around $45 million.
How much does Heidi Klum earn on 'AGT'?
Since several seasons ago, Heidi has served as a judge on 'AGT'. She served as a judge on the program from seasons 8 through 13, took a sabbatical in season 14, and then returned in season 15 to continue her successful tenure.
If Heidi makes $3 million every season, as reported by Hello! Magazine, she has made $30 million from this program alone.
How much does Howie Mandel earn on 'AGT'?
Howie earns $70,000 every episode of 'AGT', which may equal $1.5 million in the 2022 season, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Howie might have earned more than $15 million in the last decade because he has been on the talent show for 13 years.
'America's Got Talent' Season 18 airs every Tuesday and Wednesday on NBC at 8 pm et
