America’s Got Talent 2023 LIVE — Ahren Belisle flirts with Sofia Vergara after making NSFW joke before results
COMEDIAN Ahren Belisle had a winning night before qualifying for the AGT finale.
The 28-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, performed his comedy sketch using a text-to-voice app - and he managed to flirt with one of the judges after dropping an NSFW joke.
"Fetch me a girlfriend! Go fetch Sofia Viagra," he commanded his service dog Al before adding, "Oh no, damn autocorrect. I meant Sofia Vergara."
Laughing along with the crowd, Sofia replied: "I'm right here! I'm single!"
Sofia and her husband Joe Manganiello announced their divorce last month.
Dance group Murmuration and Ahren generated the most votes and will join Lavender Darcangelo, Adrian Stocia, and his dog, Hurricane, as four of the 10 final contestants.
Tune in next Tuesday at 8pm ET on NBC to watch the third round of America's Got Talent's live shows, where 11 more contestants will be competing for a spot in the finale.
Follow our America's Got Talent live blog for news and updates...
Fans concerned over Heidi Klum’s ‘unhealthy’ diet
Heidi‘s revelation has become the center of discussion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Not medical advice, but a caloric deficit for women is 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day,” one fan commented.
“900 and below is very much unhealthy because your body isn’t absorbing the nutrients it needs to properly function.”
Another wrote: “900 seems low.”
Someone else declared: “For all the women out there, that’s not healthy. Make sure to get all minerals and vitamins.”
Heidi Klum reveals low-calorie diet
Heidi Klum claimed during a recent Q&A session that she weighs 138 pounds.
The AGT judge credited her slim frame to her “consuming only 900 calories” per day, and her fitness level to the hearty breakfast she normally ingests, Us Weekly reported.
Her breakfast meal includes “three poached eggs cooked in warm chicken broth,” the publication added.
More on Sofía's divorce
Last month, news broke that Joe, 46, filed for divorce from Sofia, citing irreconcilable differences.
The U.S. Sun reported how Sofia Vergara’s love of partying was reportedly one of the factors in her split.
The True Blood star would often stay away from his wife when she went out in Los Angeles for parties or even have friends over for cocktail nights at their $44million Beverly Hills mansion.
Joe, who is sober, “found it challenging to be surrounded by potential temptation," according to a source.
The insider shared that Sofia and Joe experienced a “tricky past couple of years."
Reportedly, Joe rarely visited his wife on the set of AGT during the live shows.
Fans calling Howie out
Several fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, called Howie out for the joke about Sofia's divorce.
One person said: "I can’t be the only one who thinks this episode of #AGT is weird as f**k right??? Howie threw that low blow at Sofia...
"The vibes are all off. It feels like the judges are pissed at each other and idk why lol."
Another social media user wrote: "That was so messed up @howiemandel making fun of Sofia and it wasn't even funny!!!"
"Know your place, Howie. Thank you Terry for saving Sofia," added a third.
More on Howie's response to joke's criticism
"As soon as she's free, as soon as they live in separate homes, the door is open, people!" Howie said.
Explaining Sofia's reaction, he shared: "She came over and she thought it was funny. She [said it was] good [and said] how much she wants that.
"The only reason I'm doing press today is I'm just doubling down on it. I'm her Bumble. She approved of the joke. She thought it was funny. She posted afterwards. But the internet is mad."
Howie defends lighthearted joke as fans criticize him
After complaints online, Canadian comedian Howie has given an insight into his joke and Sofia's take on the controversial moment.
"I was helping Sofia!" he revealed to ET.
He continued: "I just thought, 'Oh my god. Using Heidi to find an eligible bachelor? Hello! Who's right here? Sofia is on the market, ready and eager!'
"And then online people said it was too soon and it was tasteless. It's not too soon! It's too soon when she's still married. Last season was too soon. Even if she saw it coming. I don't think she did. I'm just saying, that was too soon.
Howie makes joke about Sofía amid divorce
In a clip from a young ventriloquist's act, the performer asked Heidi Klum, 50, for help in finding a "bachelor" for her puppet.
In judging, Howie, 67, joked: "If I have one word of advice. If you're looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofia because she's in the market right now."
Amid gasps from the audience, host Terry Crews, 55, exclaimed: "No! No! We are not doing that."
Sofia however, raised her arms in the air and shouted: "Yes!" before laughing.
'Enough was enough'
Simon has previously admitted that he used Botox and fillers, but soon changed his attitude toward cosmetic procedures.
He told The Sun: "There was a phase where everyone was having their faces pumped full of this and the other.
“I saw a picture of me from ‘before’ the other day, and didn't recognize it as me first of all.”
In April last year, he said he decided to finally stop using the injectables when little Eric "was in hysterics" due to his face.
“Enough was enough," Simon stated. "There is no filler in my face at all now. Zero."
Huge lifestyle change for Simon
Simon has lost a lot of weight in recent years after a lifestyle overhaul that saw him embark on a health and fitness regime.
The reality TV judge has admitted he used to binge on sausage rolls, burgers, and jam tarts made by his personal chefs.
However, since ditching his unhealthy lifestyle after suffering a fall at his London home in 2017 he has dropped four waist sizes.
Last year, he shared: "I looked at a picture of myself from four years ago and thought, 'Oh christ.'
"The diet I had then... phew. And everyone thinks I've had a gastric band – I haven't."
More on Simon's battle with depression
Television personality Simon reflected on Covid-19, explaining how seeing his friends get "really ill" made him "petrified" that he, his finacée Lauren Silverman, 44, or their son Eric, nine, would catch the disease.
However, Simon said of the difficult period: "It gave me a time to reflect on things in a way I never would have done before. And as things started to calm down a bit, and it was almost like now I've got to go from there, back into the real world.
"How do I feel about that? And that's when this whole notion of – I started to hear a lot more people talking about mental health."
"And that's when I thought, you know what, I've kind of looked after my body, you know, through diet, exercise, whatever, pretty well over the years, but what have I done about my brain and my mind and all that kind of thing? And the answer is nothing. And now's the time to do it. So it was almost like my head going to the gym."
Simon Cowell on his depression
Simon Cowell shared his experiences with depression and therapy while reflecting on his mental health.
“I’ve suffered from depression over the years... but that was just something I just thought, ‘Well, that’s my character trait. I get down,’ and it’s something you deal with," Simon, 63, shared on The Mirror's Men in Mind podcast, via People.
Speaking on the topic of therapy, the London-born entrepreneur shared: "I wish I had done this 10 or 20 years ago...it’s like a weight has lifted off my shoulders."
Where are they now – The Mayyas
The Mayyas won season 17 of AGT with their dance performance.
They are a Lebanese all-female alternative precision dance group, with 36 members in total.
In 2019, The Mayyas reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions and won Arab’s Got Talent.
Becoming the fifth Golden Buzzer act to win, The Mayyas took home the title on AGT in season 17.
After AGT, The Mayyas went on to dance with Beyonce at the opening of the Atlantis The Royal Dubai Hotel in the United Arab.
Where are they now – Kodi Lee
Kodi Lee won the hearts of America with his sweet personality and amazing singing voice in season 14.
Kodi is a singer, who is blind and autistic, and wowed the judges after he played the piano flawlessly and sang in a voice completely different from his speaking voice.
After his AGT win, he went on to perform shows across the country and was even seen playing alongside the Plain White T’s at the 2022 Yucaipa Music & Arts Festival.
He still currently sings and performs around the country.
Where are they now – Darci Lynne Farmer
Darcy Lynne Farmer became the third ventriloquist to win America’s Got Talent, and also the third Golden Buzzer act to take home the title.
After her win, she started touring across the country and is still on tour to this day.
Darci also made her acting debut in the film, A Cowgirl’s Song.
She recently graduated high school and attended prom.
The season 12 winner lives a relatively normal life, aside from touring or attending movie premieres.
Where are they now – Grace Vanderwaal
Grace Vanderwaal won season 11 of America’s Got Talent at just 12 years old.
After winning the television show, she released one album and three EPs.
In 2017, Grace performed at the Special Olympic Games in Austria.
She first toured for her album, Just The Beginning, and then opened for Imagine Dragons and Florence and the Machine.
Grace moved to New York City in 2023 and is currently performing unreleased music throughout the city.
Where are they now – Michael Grimm
Michael Grimm won season five of America’s Got Talent over classical singer, Jackie Evancho.
After winning, Michael headlined the first-ever America’s Got Talent Tour.
He went on to release seven albums, with his latest being released in 2015, and opened for Stevie Nicks.
In June 2023, it was revealed the blues singer had been hospitalized and in the ICU with an undetermined medical issue.
He was then rushed to the hospital after “talking gibberish” and his wife released a statement that he wouldn’t be making any public appearances anytime soon.
Where are they now – Paul Zerdin
Paul Zerdin was the second ventriloquist to win America’s Got Talent in season ten.
He made history as the first-ever Golden Buzzer act to win.
In 2019, Paul competed in AGT: The Champions and Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions, but failed to make it to the finale of either show.
He is still currently touring the world and has had televised comedy specials.
Where are they now – Mat Franco
Mat Franco made America’s Got Talent history during season 9 by becoming the first magician to win.
The season 9 winner began his Las Vegas residency in 2010 and has gone on tours throughout the country ever since.
Mat has also had a TV special and will continue his residency through 2025.
He got married in 2019 and became a father this year.
Where are they now – Neal E. Boyd
Neal E. Boyd won America’s Got Talent in season three after wowing the judges with his opera talent.
Shortly after, he released the album My American Dream, which debuted at number 95 on the Billboard 200.
The season three winner headlined a show at MGM’s Grand Garden Arena after his win and again in 2010.
The star died in 2018 at the age of 42 due to heart failure, kidney failure, and liver problems.
Where are they now – Terry Fator
After Jeff Dunham, Terry Fator is the next most popular ventriloquist in the world after winning America’s Got Talent in season two.
Now, Terry headlines the Who’s the Dummy Now? show at New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Earlier this year, the season two winner competed on AGT: All-Stars, but did not make it far in the competition.
Where are they now – Bianca Ryan
Bianca Ryan won the first season of America’s Got Talent, impressing the judges and the country with her renditions of popular songs including, And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going from Dream Girls.
Bianca’s hit Christmas song, Why Couldn’t It Be Christmas Everyday? reached the top of the charts, and is still widely popular today.
After a few years in the spotlight, she went back to living a pretty normal life.
The season one winner left her label and started to release music independently.
Bianca made her big comeback in 2019 when she appeared on AGT: The Champions and got to tell her story.
AGT live ticket cost
Seeing unique performances and beloved AGT judges sounds like a dream for fans.
But it can be a reality because anyone can submit their information and receive a free ticket through the On Camera Audience Website.
The catch is although the tickets are free the demand for them is high and getting your turn on a waitlist can take a long time.
If chosen, the person can attend a live shooting of AGT which takes place at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.
$1million jackpot for AGT winner
Contestants for AGT are often spurred on by a mix of passion, drive for success – and a dream of winning the $1million prize.
But many people don’t realize that, like winners of the lottery, the top prize can get whittled way down after taxes or inflation.
Winners can choose to receive their prize in a single lump sum payment or in $25,000 installments over the next 40 years, according to Forbes.
The catch?
The immediate lump sum payment, after all fees and taxes, comes out to roughly $300,000 – not $1million.
Judge is going through a divorce
AGT judge Sofia Vergara and her husband Joe Manganiello announced last month that they are divorcing after seven years of marriage.
The former couple shared in a statement: “We have made the difficult decision to divorce.
“As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”
A source added to Page Six: “Sofia and Joe have been growing apart for a while now and are taking some distance from each other to contemplate their future.”
Howie Mandel poked fun at Sofia's divorce during a recent episode of AGT when he joked that she was looking for an "eligible bachelor."
Fans discuss ideas for buzzer rules
Other fans agreed that AGT producers should reconsider how the buzzers are used, although they had other ideas.
“Better yet I think buzzers should be banned all together,” one wrote in the comments and suggested giving the audience the power to vote.
Another criticized: “Sometimes it doesn’t seem like they will give an act more than a couple seconds to entertain/pacify before starting to buzz. At least give them a minute to get their act together.”
And a third chimed in: “I think there should be an automatic buzz for danger acts if they have to redo their act more than twice, judges should press their buzzer and tell them to come back next year.”