HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

Howie Mandel’s hilarious photo with ‘AGT’ Golden Buzzer singer had us doing a double-take — you'll see why

Jourdan Blue, a Louisiana street performer, stunned the crowd with his emotional performance during ‘AGT’ Season 20 premiere episode

‘AGT’ judge Howie Mandel likes jokes even if it’s at his expense! The 20th season of ‘America’s Got Talent’ premiered on Tuesday, May 27, and featured two Golden Buzzer moments—one of them of Jourdan Blue, a Louisiana street performer who blew Mandel away with his performance. The 23-year-old singer performed an emotional rendition of The Script‘s ‘Breakeven’, which got all four judges on their feet. Mandel, who was especially moved by the performance, went straight for the Golden Buzzer. The judge was so impressed by the young contestant that he even shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes picture of them.

On Wednesday, May 28, the ‘AGT’ judge shared a picture of himself and Blue. The latter has long blonde hair in contrast to Mandel’s famous bald head. The judge didn’t hesitate to point out the obvious irony as he posed next to Blue and wrapped his long locks over his bald head. “Felt like you all would appreciate this one #AGT,” he captioned the post. The duo flashed wide smiles while looking at the camera. Netizens flocked to the comment section, reacting to the post. One X user wrote, “Great Shot….. he’s winning it all! Thanks to you Howie… great job.” Another X user chimed in saying, “Love it and love Jourdan Blue.” A third social media user praised the contestant, writing, “This kid is going to have a spectacular career!” 

Blue’s sensational performance garnered him an instant national fanbase. In addition to being honored with cheers and applause, the contestant received high praise from the judges. Mel B acknowledged that the song is hard to cover, but his “tone” and delivery sold it. She declared that his performance was “perfect” in every way. Judge Simon Cowell also praised his “distinctive” voice and claimed that his cool stage presence feeds off the audience. “They love you and how you made me feel just there was actually amazing,” he added. 

Judge Sofía Vergara was simply in love with his voice, energy, and hair. “You are a rock star,” she added. Blue went on to reveal how he gained an interest in music while living with his grandfather, who is a music enthusiast. He started performing on the streets of New Orleans and teared up recalling the attack in the city earlier this year. “It just made me realize that there's so much more to live for. That's what made me choose 'AGT,'” he added. Mandel, who pressed the Golden Buzzer and locked him in, shared some words of wisdom.

“I've seen dreams come true right where you're standing, lives change right where you're standing,” Mandel said. He further assured the young singer that his joining ‘AGT’ is just the beginning. America’s biggest talent show made its return with its milestone 20th season earlier this week. The other Golden Buzzer of the episode went to LightWire, a trio that performed LED displays and light-up dance suits to create jaw-dropping visuals. The performance was unlike any act in the show’s history, prompting Cowell to hit the buzzer.