‘AGT’ viewers say the show is losing its roots — and giving America’s stage to international contestants
'AGT' has long been a fan-favorite show, with 19 seasons under its belt and going on 20, which premiered on May 27. Despite being one of the best reality TV shows, it's not immune to criticism. Recently, fans have called out the show for endorsing foreign acts instead of giving America's talent a chance. The backlash stemmed from seeing multiple contestants of other nationalities, such as Alexandra Cote from Quebec, who performed the winning dog act; Pasha, the comedian from Russia; Praveen Prajat, who hailed from India; and many others from all over the world who came to try their luck on the 'AGT' stage in season 19.
On a Reddit thread titled, 'Why are there so many acts from other countries?' An eagle-eyed viewer pointed out, "This is the first season I've watched. Has it always been this way? I was expecting more talent from the US, but it feels like about half of the acts aren't from here." Agreeing on the sentiment, another viewer couldn't help but ask, "Why are there so many acts from other countries?" but answered himself with a dose of honesty, "For the exposure and the possibility of winning the grand prize." Adding to the conversation, a netizen argued, "Yeah, but it's called America's Got Talent. The name implies that the talent is American."
It wasn't just the previous season; in season 17, too, half of the Top 55 acts hailed from other countries, including the winner, a Lebanese dance troupe, The Mayyas. Season 18 also continued the trend with noteworthy acts like Japanese dance crew Chibi Unity and Brazilian Singer Gabriel Henrique, both of whom were given the golden buzzers. However, not all fans agreed with the backlash. In another Reddit thread titled, 'Can y'all stop complaining about foreign acts appearing on AGT?' A Reddit user wrote, "Winning AGT in some countries is like the equivalent of winning a talent show in a mid-sized American city. Some people don't even realize that the combined population of Finland and Norway doesn't even equal the population of New York City and its suburbs. Going into AGT is a far larger stage to open the door for them."
Drawing attention to a bigger picture, another user wrote, "Also, 13 out of the 16 winners of the show are all American… like people that complain about it make no sense, lmao," while a contestant who has competed on several shows shared his take: "I've been on Got Talent in Germany and France and similar shows in Italy and Romania. With a new one in the can! Sometimes reaching out to foreign acts, especially in later seasons, gives the show some guaranteed strong performances and keeps it entertaining!" He clarified, "They aren't necessarily acts performed by Americans; they are acts performed in America!"
Long-term judge Howie Mandel also stood up for 'AGT's decision on being inclusive. In an interview with NBC, Mandel gave his two cents, addressing the issue, "This is not an amateur show; this is a talent contest, and I don’t care if you’ve been in the business for decades and you’re making a living. You could show up. Or if you’re a 5-year-old kid, show up. Or if you’re just a group from Japan. It’s just a contest." He concluded with a befitting example: "The U.S. Open invites people to play tennis from all over the world. You don’t have to be American to win the U.S. Open, and you don’t have to be an amateur to win the U.S. Open. [AGT] is the Olympics of talent."
