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'AGT' Season 19: Watch Howie Mandel get booed for saying no to Ricky Martin’s ex band Menudo making comeback

'AGT' judge Howie Mandel stated he wasn't thrilled with the ensemble, but he believed Nicholas Calero was a star

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: Howie Mandel stands by his decision to reject Menudo following their audition on the most recent episode of 'America's Got Talent' Season 19. Soon after the episode wrapped, the NBC judge rushed to social media and said, "I said what I said."

At the audition, Howie stated that he believed Nicholas Calero was a star, but was unimpressed with the ensemble. Howie said no, but the other three judges agreed to let Menudo through.

The in-house crowd also booed Howie for his verdict on Menudo.

Simon Cowell interrupts Menudo during their 'AGT' Season 19 audition

'AGT' viewers were introduced to the "new" Menudo in Season 19, Episode 5, which they said began when their "boss bought the name Menudo" and launched a national talent hunt. Mario Lopez, an actor and Access Hollywood anchor, is one of the project's architects.

This time, although singing in Spanish, the guys are Miami-based and Native Americans. Andés Emilio, Nicolas, Alejandro Querales, Ezra Gilmore, and Gabriel Rossell are the group's current members.

They were advanced to the next stage of the audition even though Howie voted "No" for them; however, this was only when Simon Cowell interrupted their first performance and requested that they play a different song. After that, he gave the children some insightful counsel.

"I think it's so interesting that you reformed Menudo," he said. "However, you have to make your own decisions. You've gotta be yourselves. Do what you want, wear what you want, sing what you want, and they you're gonna have fun."

'AGT' Season 19 judges offer advice to young Menudo

Menudo's second song was incredibly good, according to Sofía Vergara, but their first song was "a little off". Nicholas reassured Heidi Klum that he didn't speak much Spanish when she expressed that she didn't comprehend what they were saying.

Simon advised the gathering that success required a "radically" different approach.

When was Menudo formed?

In America, 'NSync introduced Justin Timberlake. In Latin Pop, they had Menudo, the boy band that gave Ricky Martin his start and may have given us the next generation of stars.

According to PEOPLE, the group was created in Puerto Rico in 1977 and legally disbanded in 2009, with its greatest popularity in the 1980s. Ricky was a member from 1984 till 1989.

According to TODAY, the band has sold over 20 million CDs. Menudo's gimmick was that, rather than growing up with their fans and audience, the group was always made up of five teenagers.

Around the age of 17, members of the group were discharged and replaced by younger vocalists. Over the years, the initial group grew to include more than 50 members.

Stream 'America's Got Talent' Season 19 on NBC every Tuesday at 8 pm ET