Simon Cowell gets dragged on stage for fiery ‘AGT’ stunt — juggling act nearly sets him on fire
'AGT' judge Simon Cowell has participated in various high-stakes acts, from Tyrone and Michael Laner's terrifying Blade act to Jack the Whipper's high-paced whipping act, but the act that had Cowell shaking with fear was when The Passing Zone asked him to join on stage in season 11 during their semi-final performance. But before the juggling duo Owen Morse and Jon Wee hit the stage, they shared a special message with the viewers and judges.
In the pre-recorded video package, they said, "All season long, Simon has been sitting on the sidelines, behind his desk, laughing and having a grand old time at the other judges expense, so now, well, guess it's Simon's turn." Recalling Cowell's comment on their earlier performance to make the acts more risky, Morse said, "You know what, Simon, sometimes, dreams do come true." The duo made every effort to scare the veteran judge by revealing a behind-the-scenes video of them practicing with Cowell's face on the mannequins.
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Just before starting their daring act, they invited Cowell on stage and positioned him directly between them and instructed him to stand still with his hands by his sides and his head held straight, adding a sort of warning at the end, "You don't move... and nobody gets hurt," making the situation further tense. They placed a helmet with devil horns on his head and handed him a pitchfork for each hand, making him appear like a devil. Then they also added a spinning mechanism to the helmet, which they then lit on fire. They also lit the pins that they were holding on fire and proceeded to juggle them just a few inches away from the judges' faces.
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Fortunately, Cowell completed the act successfully, prompting Howie Mandel to quip, "It's the most fun I have had this season; you made me feel like Elton John." Jokes apart, he also complimented the daredevils and said, "I think you are funny, I think you are agile, you are really skilled at what you do, and you really delivered," before humorously pointing at Cowell and adding, "And he almost died." Mel B told the juggling artists that she "loved their banter," and Heidi Klum also complimented them for being funny and said, "I haven't laughed like this in such a long time."
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However, Cowell was left speechless at the end, when host Nick Cannon shared a slow-motion video of the act, showing his fearful expressions. Cowell was seen burying his face in his hand, feeling totally embarrassed at the end of the episode. Despite performing one of the show’s most perilous acts, The Passing Zone was later eliminated, as reported by Talent Recap. Interestingly, few people know this wasn't The Passing Zone's first appearance on 'AGT.' The duo had performed another dangerous act during the premiere season of the show and finished the competition in the bottom half of the Top 10, as reported by the aforementioned outlet.
