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‘AGT’ comedian’s jokes about America had the judges roaring — until a heartbreaking confession emerged

A comedian from Japan had everyone gasping out of laughter, with judges appreciating her courage.

Having a broad smile on her face, Aiko Tanaka entered the stage of ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 17. With a unique act, Tanaka introduced herself as a translator, also stating that she loves her job, “because when I screw up, I am the only person who knows about it.” In her first joke, Tanaka said, “My name is Aiko. In Japanese, it means loved child. So I looked up the dictionary, and it says ‘legitimate child.’” She then explained that her last name means “in the rice field, so my whole name means a legitimate child in the rice field.” 

Tanaka said, “I love rice. It is a rice crowd.” With her heightened emotions, Tanaka told everyone that she had recently become a citizen, to which Terry Crews was seen clapping and shouting, “Yeah!” “Until I got my citizenship, I never had road rage,” she continued. “If somebody cut me off, I’d be like, ‘Oh, so sorry. I was driving too slow, but the day I got the citizenship, somebody cut me off. I’m like, what the heck? You can’t cut me off. This is my land. That’s when I realized I became a true American.” Her jokes made Simon Cowell lean forward and laugh hysterically. Meanwhile, even Crews was seen stating, “That’s great. Hilarious.” But soon came another punchline, “because I felt entitled.” 

“Before the citizenship, somebody held the door for me, I am like, ‘thank you so much.’ After the citizenship, I am like, ‘You hold the door, you peasant.’”  Tanaka also told everyone that she “got sassy.” “Racist people always say immigrants should not be working. I agree. We work too much.” Her joke had the audience give her a thunderous clap, with a few yelling, “That’s a good one.” “Now whenever I feel lazy. I take a nap. I am like, ‘I am doing this for America,’” Tanaka said.

After she concluded her act, everyone in the theatre, including the judges, stood up for her, cheering her performance. Looking at the response, Tanaka was seen getting emotional as she wiped tears rolling down her cheeks. “It was so funny,” Sofia Vergara stated. “I mean, I was really enjoying it. And I think that all of us were enjoying it. Good job,” she continued. Howie Mandel asked Tanaka why she was getting emotional. Giving out a bit of details on her background, Tanaka said that she struggles with insecurity and that a lot of people tell her she “cannot do it because this is not my language.”

Tanaka then explained that it was just her mother who pushed her forward. However, she passed away during the pandemic, a year before Tanaka filmed her audition. Mandel then told Tanaka, “Mama was right.” Turning back into her comic self, Tanaka mentioned she had been performing for a few years and that she had even performed in prison. According to Fandom, all four judges voted yes.  She was eliminated in the Semifinals of 'AGT' Season 17, where she performed her routine, making jokes about her Japanese accent.