Fans say 'AGT' finale was rigged, claim Aidan was 'cheated' as Dustin Tavella wins

Dustin Tavella's win came as a huge surprise as most fans on Twitter found his Tuesday's performance 'preachy'
UPDATED SEP 16, 2021
Dustin Tavella was crowned winner of AGT Season 16, Aidan Bryant finished second (NBC)
Dustin Tavella was crowned winner of AGT Season 16, Aidan Bryant finished second (NBC)

After grueling auditions and weeks of challenging live performances, 'America's Got Talent' finally saw a new winner in Season 16. Magician Dustin Tavella was crowned champ winning a cash prize of $1 million and a headline slot at the 'America's Got Talent' Las Vegas Show. Tavella pipped the other members in the top five — Josh Blue, Aidan Bryant, Lea Kyle, and Brooke Simpson. Bryant finished runner-up and this sparked quite the controversy on social media as fans said he was cheated of his win.

Tavella's win came as a huge surprise as most fans on Twitter found his Tuesday's performance 'preachy'. One of the tweets read: "@AGT Seriously?! Just what Vegas needs…yet another magician. #AGTFinals #AGTResults". Bryant also had the support flowing in generous doses. "You are about to be more famous than you dreamed to be. I'm kinda glad you lost because now you are set to make way over a million and won't have to be tied down to an AGT contract. Go get yours Aidan... The sky is NOT the limit for you. #AIDANBRYANT #AGT #AGTResults," a fan tweeted. Another wrote, "Unfortunately called it again. @AidanBryantAGT was 100% cheated out of this season #agt #agtfinals #agtresults".

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Some felt the comedians this season could have been chosen as the winner. "F*** you America. Does anyone remember Shin Lim? HE was magic. Dustin was good but we’ve seen that before. WTF do you have against comedians?! @JoshBlueComedy & @GinaBrillon were funny as hell. #AGTResults #AGT I thought this was the year for a comedian to win." This was seconded by another who said: "One of the worst results shows EVER! Dustin should have been not even in the top 5. Jimmy, Josh, or Austin should have completely won this. Pull out this word Dustin: rigged #AGTResults."

The results left a majority of the fans disappointed. "Wow. Most disappointing #AGTFinals results maybe all time. #AGTResults Even the judges faces were not with it," a tweet read. "Rigged ass @AGT #JoshBlue should have had this win!! It’s ok cuz he gonna get that bag. @JoshBlueComedy #AGTResults #AGT #Americasgottalentfinale," read another.

Bryant was one of the front runners to win the season, especially after a breathtaking performance. "Out of the 2, I was rooting for Aiden. Dustin's routine was kinda dull. #AGTResults," a fan wrote. 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

Tavella, 35, was crowned champ and  Virginia native, known for his astounding storytelling abilities, climbed up the ladder as he impressed the judges and audiences throughout each round with his interactive and moving performances. His audition was also a tearjerker for many when he spoke about his dedication to being a family man to his adopted sons.

What are your thoughts on Tavella winning 'America's Got Talent' Season 16?

RELATED TOPICS AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (2006)

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