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Internet claims Howie Mandel is turning into Simon Cowell as he gets close to the end of his 'AGT' career

Howie Mandel slammed on 'AGT' for 'foolish' statements, as fans fear he has become 'the new Simon Cowell'

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: Following his remarks to a band on stage, Howie Mandel has come under fire from both the 'America's Got Talent' crowd and viewers at home. 

On June 4, 'AGT' returned for its second round of auditions. As much as the four judges agreed on most performances, one judge, in particular, was adamant about not keeping back their view, raising suspicions among fans that they wanted out of the NBC show.

Ashes & Arrows captivated both the audience and the judge panel with their passionate voices and harmonies, despite their initial nervousness on stage. Despite putting on a great show with their original song "Born to Love," Howie had to concede that they did not win him over, comparing them to a wonderful pub band but nothing more.

This elicited savage booing from both the audience and his fellow judges. Undeterred, the band expressed their ambition to win him over in the next round. 

Howie is a hilarious judge who cracks jokes all the time. He was undoubtedly the easiest judge on every panel when he debuted in Season 5 and continued until Season 11, enjoying the bizarre and outrageous acts.

He cast more "Yes" votes during the auditions than any other panelist judge at the time. But over time, Howie has hardened considerably; until 2022, he was the second-hardest judge on the panel, after Simon Cowell.

But in Season 18, Howie overtook Simon as the strictest judge, buzzing more frequently than any other judge in the Live Shows.

On Reddit, fans bashed Howie, writing, "I'm actually ready for Howie to move on. It seems far too frequently that he draws a line and takes an unpopular opinion on a performance. Worse still, it seems like they are performances that I find moving. The three guys tonight were a perfect example. I thought the song was great and I was emotionally connected with the performance, only to have Howie decry it and vote no. I'm voting 'no' on Howie, and hope Simon finds a new judge to replace Howie. His joy at stomping on talent has become tired and tedious, and he clearly doesn't have the same investment in his role as he used to."

Another person agreed writing, "He used to be so fun and was a great judge but he has completely lost his charm and is clearly trying to get the personality of the old Simon (which he is failing at miserably). Hopefully by his 70th birthday (November 2025) he’ll announce retirement."

One Redditor suggested, "I feel like Howie is doing this on purpose now. He has to be doing it just to piss off the audience."

A fourth person wrote, "He's getting close to the end of his agt career anyway."

Meanwhile, on X, many fans disagreed with Howie's choice throughout the night. One user wrote, "Howie is giving the Simon vibe so far this season." Another person added, "@howiemandel says yes to the naked posing guy but says no the the country singer and a band that were more talented than the naked posing guy will ever be. I guess Howie is not looking for talented acts."

One user also tweeted, "Howie can be good for constructive criticism and honestly he's taken that role of being the "mean judge" from Simon but his opinions have zero consistency to them." Another person wrote, "Howie Mandell is the “new Simon” in terms of true constructive criticism that may be brutally honest."

When did Howie Mandel join 'AGT'?

Howie is the longest-serving judge on 'AGT', having joined in June 2010. He has also judged 'Champions 1', 'Champions 2', 'All-Stars', and 'Fantasy League'.

How much does Howie Mandel earn from 'AGT'?

Howie reportedly earns $70,000 per episode of 'AGT' as per Celebrity Net Worth. His estimated net worth is $60 million.

Howie Mandel considers himself 'lucky' to host 'AGT'

"This season of America’s Got Talent is funnier, more exciting, weirder than anything I have ever seen," gushed Howie to Decider. "I was more dismayed, more disgusted, more amazed than I have ever been in any one season of the show."

Howie and fellow judges Simon, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara form one of reality TV's most dynamic panels, with host Terry Crews keeping them in check when the disagreements become too heated and humorous.

"We enjoy each other, but we're also very different," Howie said, reflecting on their team's success. "We're just four really authentic people who speak our minds and have a lot of respect and love for each other." 

Howie confesses he likes "to be entertained" and considers it a blessing to be engaged in shows like 'AGT' and 'Deal Or No Deal Island' when life-changing sums of money are at risk.

"I want people to leave in a better place than they were when they arrived," Howie stated sincerely. "I'm lucky enough to be on the small part of TV where dreams come true."

'America's Got Talent' Season 19 airs on Tuesdays on NBC at 8 pm ET