Simon Cowell pulled off a risky prank on Sofia Vergara and she wasn't very happy: "I'm Colombian..."
During a December 2021 episode of 'America's Got Talent', Simon Cowell played a prank on Sofia Vergara that left her visibly upset and well, wanting "revenge." Cowell teamed up with former act Ryan Stock and Amberlynn for the stunt. They brought both Cowell and Vergara onstage for a bold performance. Cowell stood next to a white balloon, while Vergara, blindfolded, was asked to shoot a crossbow in his direction. What she didn't know was that crew members had attached an arrow to Cowell's chest, making it look like she had hit him when she took off the blindfold.
After Cowell fell, the audience gasped, and Vergara, seeing the scene, looked horrified. A moment later, Cowell smiled and said, "Gotcha!" Vergara quickly responded, "You know I'm Colombian and you know we take revenge." Cowell replied, "What? You just did," Entertainment Now reported. Earlier that week, Vergara awarded her Golden Buzzer to Jimmie Herrod, a 30-year-old vocalist who performed 'Tomorrow' from the musical 'Annie'. Before the performance, Cowell mentioned it was his least favorite song, but Herrod proceeded without a backup and stunned the judges, including Cowell.
However, determined to get back at Cowell for his prank, Vergara came up with a sly plan. She roped in all the other 'America’s Got Talent' judges and host Terry Crews to help pull it off. The goal? Make everyone else's statues look flawless while Cowell’s was a complete disaster. Vergara instructed the artist to give Simon’s bust big, exaggerated hair and noticeable under-eye bags, creating an unflattering version of him. To make the whole thing more convincing, she hired an actress to pose as the event director. When the big moment arrived, Cowell’s reaction was priceless. As the ribbon was cut, revealing his statue, he covered his mouth in shock. It was nothing like him — and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Meanwhile, the other judges acted as if everything was perfectly normal. They admired their busts, took photos, and completely ignored Cowell’s disastrous sculpture.
Clearly upset, Cowell didn’t hold back, calling it “the worst thing” he’d ever seen and later dubbing it “the ugliest thing.” At one point, Cowell even decided to complain to the fake event director. Everyone around him acted surprised. He told her, “I would happily pay whatever your name is to redo this because this is not going in the hallway at the Luxor.” Vergara then gave a speech about how much fun she was having on 'AGT'. But in the end, she finally revealed the prank, telling Cowell, “That’s what you get for messing with a Colombian,” as reported by Talent Recap. As of February 2025, Vergara continues her role as a judge on 'America's Got Talent'. The upcoming 20th season is set to premiere on May 27, 2025, featuring judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Vergara, with Terry Crews returning as host.