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'What the heck, Simon?': Fans disappointed as 'AGT' judge dubs Oleksandr Leshchenko's act 'corny' while Howie Mandel disagrees

Simon Cowell said that Oleksandr Leshchenko's performance had been 'ruined' by the extremely cheesy music, however, Howie Mandel disagreed

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: During the Season 18 Live Shows of 'America's Got Talent', Oleksandr Leshchenko & Magic Innovations wowed all the judges. However, the performance caused significant disagreement among two of the judges.

The voting starts this week. You can download the official 'AGT' phone app from the Apple Store or Google Play, and/or vote at nbc.com, to vote for your favorite artist. All voting methods close at 7 am ET on Wednesday. The panel includes Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara, with Terry Crews hosting.

Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell clash over Oleksandr Leshchenko & Magic Innovation's act

Oleksandr Leshchenko & Magic Innovation's performances went beyond dance by embracing technological engineering and production. They utilized their distinctive box of screens on August 22 to portray the narrative of a hero fleeing incarceration via a risky trip through a magical realm.

Simon began his analysis by noting, "Visually, that was unbelievable," but the music "almost ruined it," labeling it cheesy.

However, Howie defended the performance by saying they were "above and beyond anything we know" because of the images and noises. Heidi agreed with Howie, calling Oleksandr a "great storyteller." Sofia described it as a "highly technical performance" that must have taken a long time to prepare.

Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their views about the performance, One viewer wrote, "Howie's dramatic jump from the judging panel during Oleksandr Leschenko's dragon moment has me CACKLING."

Another wrote, "This was such amazing art good job excellent." One fan said, "This guy was unreal! I've never seen anything like it. I said to myself, self: "he belongs on stage in Vegas!" Impressive!"

Another noted, "Oleksandr Leshchenko did well! Getting high praises from Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara! (Simon Cowell was like, meh)."

One user further wrote, "I'm still memorized about Oleksandr Leshchenko's performance. Can't stop thinking about it. Wow! I could watch a full show of that type of performance. Simon apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning bcuz the song choice was perfect."

One fan asked, "What the heck, Simon? Oleksandr & Magic Innovation blew four acts of the water! They were the best act of the night!"

Oleksandr Leshchenko & Magic Innovations stunned 'AGT' judges on audition

Oleksandr Leshchenko, a Ukrainian choreographer and dancer, has conquered the stage of the famous 'AGT' program in the United States. The choreographer went came to the show with his wife Lina, and he gained support from the public right away when the audience and judges learned that they were from Ukraine.

Oleksandr performed a unique holographic 4D dance piece that merged computer technology and choreography. The artist's act created quite a stir among the audience and earned the dancer four "Yes" votes from the judging members.

Who is Oleksandr Leshchenko & Magic Innovations?

Ukrainian multimedia business Magic Innovations, together with Oleksandr Leshchenko, proudly represented Ukraine on the famous and highest-rated TV show in the world -- 'AGT'.

Magic Innovations' one-of-a-kind collaboration with famed Ukrainian dancer Oleksandr Leshchenko showcased a remarkable 4D cube display that attracted audiences all over the world.

Who is Simon Cowell?

Simon Cowell, the 'AGT' judge, has been evaluating potential in the music industry for decades, both on and off-screen. Americans first encountered him as a strict judge on 'American Idol', which was launched in 2002, making Kelly Clarkson the show's first-ever winner. Many people are unaware that Simon's televised judgment abilities aren't the main reason he's become a household celebrity.

Who is Howie Mandel?

Howie Mandel was born and raised in Canada. He was elected class clown in high school, but his antics got him expelled. He went on to launch his stand-up career at Toronto's legendary Yuk Yuk comedy club.

After landing in Los Angeles, Howie performed at the Comedy Store and was finally scouted to participate in the game show 'Make Me Laugh' and was subsequently invited to be the opening act on a David Letterman tour, which led to a slew of additional television possibilities.

New episodes of 'America's Got Talent' Season 18 air every Tuesday on NBC at 8 pm ET.