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GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
What is the Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent?
Each of the program's judges were allowed to use the Golden Buzzer once per season to select which competitors would skip several rounds of the competition
WHILE auditioning for America's Got Talent, some contestants are allowed to bypass subsequent rounds and go right to the live performances.
The advancement is made possible because of the show's Golden Buzzer, and season 19 of America's Got Talent, premiering on May 28, is promising to shake things up with some new buzzer rules.
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What is the Golden Buzzer on America's Got Talent?
America's Got Talent's Golden Buzzer sends a contestant straight to the live performances round.
This means the competitor gets to skip other rounds of AGT.
When the Golden Buzzer is pressed by one of AGT's judges, the stage background and the red 'X' buzzer light up in gold.
To add some extra pizazz, gold confetti also rains down on the stage.
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Saxophone player Avery Dixon received a Golden Buzzer from host Terry Crews on the season 17 premiere episode.
During AGT: Fantasy League, Sofie Dossi, Sainted, Billy and Emily England, Aidan Bryant, the Ramadhani Brothers, Musa Motha, and V.Unbeatable were all selected to advance to the finale; courtesy of the golden buzzer.
Who gets a Golden Buzzer pick?
During the auditions, the four AGT judges and the host are allowed to push the Golden Buzzer for any act they like.
However, they previously only had one opportunity each season to hit the buzzer.
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Guest judges could also push the button for their favorite performance during the Judge Cuts.
Starting with season 19, the returning judges, including Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Heidi Klum, will each get one additional Golden Buzzer.
That means each of the four judges will get two Golden Buzzers per season.
Host Terry Crews will also receive one Golden Buzzer opportunity.
America’s Got Talent Who are the judges
When was the Golden Buzzer introduced on America's Got Talent?
In May 2014, AGT season nine added a new format to the auditions: the Golden Buzzer.
When it was initially used, the buzzer simply saved an act from elimination.
But in its first season, three of the acts given the buzzer were cut during Judgement Week, while the fourth was never even shown.
The only rule to the buzzer was that a judge could use it only once per season.
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The rules were changed in season ten where the recipients of the buzzer were given a pass through to the quarter-finals.
In this season the eventual winner - ventriloquist Paul Zerdin - received the Golden Buzzer from guest judge Marlon Wayans.
From season 11 onwards, the host was allowed to press the special button for an act.
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After Zerdin won in 2015, four more Golden Buzzer acts have also triumphed in the competition:
- Grace VanderWaal, season 11 - Howie's pick
- Darci Lynne, season 12 - Mel B's pick
- Kodi Lee, season 13 - Gabrielle Union's pick
- Brandon Leake, season 14 - Howie's pick