AGT Season 11 reels off

MANILA, Philippines - Season 11 of America’s Got Talent (AGT) recently reeled off and the live shows will commence starting July 26. Creator of the reality talent show Simon Cowell has returned as a celebrity judge, replacing Howard Stern. Simon joins other celebrity judges Howie Mandel (now on his seventh season), Heidi Klum and Mel B (who both returned for their fourth season).

The search for the best singers, comedians, jugglers, magicians, contortionists continues, with no age bearing on the talent. The people behind America’s Got Talent strongly believe that no one should give up on his passion. So anyone from nine to ninety is free to try it out in the show.

First to get a Golden Buzzer this season was 13-year-old opera singer Laura Bretan from Chicago. She stunned the judges when she rendered Puccini’s Nessun Dorma and Mel B pressed the Golden Buzzer for her.

Twelve-year-old singer and ukulele player Grace Vanderwaal from New York, got the Golden Buzzer from judge Howie. She rendered an original song I Don’t Know My Name.

Pizza-delivery man Sal Valentinetti from New York crooned Frank Sinatra’s My Way and received the Golden Buzzer from Heidi. “I didn’t come here to try out,” Sal declared. “I came here to win.”

Simon Cowell used his Golden Buzzer for 16-year-old singer Calysta Bevier from Ohio, who rendered Rachel Platten’s Fight Song. Calysta is a survivor of ovarian cancer. “I want to show people that no matter what you’ve gone through, keep chasing your dreams,” she said.

Host Nick Cannon, who returned for his eighth season, got to use his Golden Buzzer for the first time on 90-year-old burlesque dancer Dorothy Williams from Hawaii. She sang Let Me Entertain You from the 1959 musical Gypsy (loosely based on the memoirs of famous striptease artist, Gypsy Rose Lee) and stripped her clothes to David Rose’s The Stripper. Dorothy is a clear example that “you’re never too old to follow your dreams.”

The one-time Golden Buzzer to be used by the four celebrity judges and America’s Got Talent host Nick will make the contestants immediately advance to the Live Shows.

Meanwhile, guest judges join the celebrity judges for the Judges Cuts, where the former can give an opportunity for a contestant to also advance to the Live Shows. Guest judges for the auditions include singers Reba McEntire, Ne-Yo, Louis Tomlinson and Michael Bublé, actors Neil Patrick Harris and Marlon Wayans, journalist Piers Morgan and comedian George Lopez.

Guest judge Ne-Yo used his Golden Buzzer on football veteran Jon Dorenbos of the Philadelphia Eagles. The latter amazed everyone with his impressive card magic tricks.

Another guest judge Reba gave the Golden Buzzer to extreme contortionist Sofie Dossi from California, who got loud applause and standing ovation from the audience. “I think actions speak louder than words,” Reba briefly said before pressing her Golden Buzzer.

Preliminary auditions started in California as early as March and moved to New York, Detroit, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Jose, San Diego, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando and Dallas. Live shows will be aired from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California.

America’s Got Talent recently wrapped up airing Season 10 on the RTL-CBS Entertainment Channel. Winner was ventriloquist Paul Zerdin, who took home $1M.