'AGT' Season 19: Watch Simon Cowell snap at Howie Mandel as Espiritu splits judges
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: Espiritu, a 51-member youth ensemble, delivered a live performance on July 9 during the sixth audition of 'America's Got Talent' Season 19. The act sparked a heated debate between two judges, making for a truly exhilarating performance.
They performed in front of the judges' table, and to everyone's surprise, additional members danced down the aisle, adding to the animated atmosphere. Unlike typical group performances, they broke into smaller groups to showcase their talents.
51 dancers, one unforgettable audition! Espiritu wowed us all! 💃🕺 #AGT #AGTAuditions pic.twitter.com/iwC5YkBgmY
— AGT Auditions (@AGTAuditions) July 10, 2024
By the end of their audition, all members were on stage together. Howie Mandel claimed that 'AGT' had a "really high" dance bar and that nothing new caught his attention during their act. He expressed a desire for more excitement, mentioning, "I was a little bored."
In contrast to Howie Mandel's comments, Simon Cowell found the performance "brilliant." Howie's critical remarks were met with jeers from the audience, who seemed to side with Simon's positive assessment. Simon went as far as calling Howie an 'idiot'.
Espiritu advances with divided votes from 'AGT' Season 19 judges
The crowd adored them, as noted by Heidi Klum, while Sofía Vergara praised the performance's "raw" vibe. Both Simon and Sofia, impressed by their performance, voted to advance Espiritu to the next round. However, Howie dissented and refused to support their advancement.
Espiritu's audition has 'AGT' Season 19 fans siding with judges
Similar to the in-house audience, online viewers also appeared to disagree with Howie's dissenting opinion. On X, one fan wrote, "Great audition. The amount of work to have that many people all dancing together. In sync. This was one of the best." Another added, "Wow wow the kids are Killin it this year."
Great audition. The amount of work to have that many people all dancing together. In sync. This was one of the best
— Wayne (@Wayne_ishh) July 10, 2024
However, some Howie supporters wrote, "I agree with Howie...it was kind of boring." Another fan added, "Boring and no talent. That was no dancing."
Who is Espiritu in 'AGT' Season 19?
Kenneth Espiritu, a 19-year-old dancer and choreographer, leads the hip-hop dance group Espiritu, based in California. With 328K followers on TikTok, Kenneth is well-known within the dance community on the app.
The leader aims to demonstrate to his parents the value of his endeavors. Having grown up near the Pasadena Theatre, Kenneth Espiritu leads a group ranging in age from 9 to 25. Currently enrolled in college, he takes on the roles of choreographer and director for the group's performances.
The group's routine from 'The Way I Are' to Maxt Out 2023 went viral, garnering 289K likes and 3.7 million views. They have also competed in various regional dance contests, including the Los Angeles World of Dance.
Season 19 of 'America's Got Talent' premieres new episodes every Tuesday at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on NBC. The season is available for streaming on Peacock, where episodes can be viewed the following day.
