'AGT' Season 20 kicks off with a gross-out act that left Simon Cowell and Mel B visibly unimpressed
Set against the backdrop of offering talented performers a chance to shine, 'America's Got Talent' is back for its milestone 20th season. While the premiere was packed with impressive performances, two of which even earned the coveted Golden Buzzer, the show started on a disappointing note. The very first performance fell short of expectations and was so underwhelming that the judges had no choice but to reject the contestant, which was the season's first disappointment right in the opening act.
A New York resident, Eric Booker surprised the 'AGT' judges by starting his act with an unusual drinking stunt. After downing a bottle of water, he brought out four large beakers and invited the judges to join him in sampling mysterious liquids, which set the stage for a very unexpected performance, as per Collider. Booker's mysterious and bizarre act kicked off 'AGT' Season 20 with a mix of intrigue and disgust, as he drank bizarre liquids like pickle juice and hot dog water.
Mel B couldn't hold back her disdain and buzzed him instantly. Not only that, the 'Spice Girls' member slammed the buzzers for Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara too, while Simon Cowell seemed entertained. Despite the gross-out reactions, the audience was fully engaged, chanting "chug, chug, chug" as the madness unfolded. Notably, Booker is known as BadlandsChugs online and brought his viral chugging act to the 'AGT' stage, leaving many wondering why a novelty performance kicked off the show's 20th milestone season.
Despite his fun personality and online fame, the gross-out act truly misrepresented the heart of 'AGT.' Even Cowell seemed underwhelmed, saying, "I just don’t think hot dog water is that exciting." Meanwhile, Mandel, who tried joining in, argued, "For the 20th season, we want something amazing, so the fact that I couldn't do it means it’s something special." But Mel B was clearly horrified and unimpressed, which was similar to how many viewers felt. While the performance sparked plenty of conversation, it raised the bigger question about the kind of talent 'AGT' should celebrate.
While Booker surely failed to impress judges, especially Mel B, the singer was also quite upset with another act of the show. Following a performance from the dance group Team Recycled that left Cowell, Mandel, and Vergara "in total awe," Mel B shared a sharply different take. She asked, "Who does the choreography?" before delivering her critique, saying, "I have a problem with you. The choreography at the start was so boring! If it wasn’t for the switch around, I would have just literally turned off," as per Yahoo! Entertainment.
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Mel B's comments were met with boos from the audience and pushback from her fellow judges, which made her snap, "Can I speak?!" Ultimately, Mel B was the only judge to give the group a no, while the others gave enthusiastic yeses. Cowell even questioned her judgment, stating, "Back to planet Earth, that deserves 4,000 yeses," and jokingly dubbed her "Ms. Kill-the-Mood."
