SEATTLE — From singers to dancers and pet tricks, it’s been an eventful season so far on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Long-time judge Howie Mandel said the competition is stiffer than ever heading into the live shows and so is the pressure to perform. Jim Dever caught up Mandel to talk about the high stakes and nerves the contestants face.
DEVER: “This is the part of the season where things really heat up. What part of that are you looking forward to the most?”
MANDEL: “These are people and acts that totally blew us away. And more than any other season before and the level of talent. We've had to cut half of the people that we said, yes, they're going to move on to get to this point. And you just want to see what are you going to do next? How can you even top what we already saw?”
DEVER: “Yeah, that's a good problem to have, from your point of view to have so much great talent. Not so great if you're one of the talent you have to compete in that pool. It must be absolutely nerve-racking.”
MANDEL: “You can feel it. Like when you walk into the studio when you walk into the theater and they're rehearsing you can feel the tension. And there is camaraderie between them, but there's also stiff competition. And they're all people like you and me, so you can feel it.”
DEVER: “Do you do you still get a case of the nerves yourself as you as you step out on that stage?”
MANDEL: “Yeah, but I like that. My analogy is going on thrill rides. I like roller coasters. The scarier it is and the closer you think you are to maybe getting killed, the more exciting it is. And by the same token when you walk out on stage, it's really exciting. I like improvising and not having much of a plan. And the closer I come to humiliating myself publicly, the more exciting and fun it is. Yeah, I like that, but I'm terrified.”
DEVER: “Yeah, you should get some therapy for that.”
MANDEL: “I'm always in therapy. I'm going from this interview into therapy.”
DEVER: “We have a Seattle competitor, Mr. Moo Shakes, who you just gave a yes vote to not long ago. He's a drumming cow. What are Mr. Moo Shakes chances of taking the whole thing?”
MANDEL: “Well, if it's not Mr. Moo Shakes, it'll be an udder one. See what I did?”
DEVER: “Well, I think it's about time for me to mooove along after that. See what I did?”
MANDEL: “I see what you did.”
DEVER: “Thank you so much, Howie. We will all be watching, and it just gets more and more exciting year after year. And as the season goes along, for sure people are going to want to tune in.”
“America’s Got Talent” airs Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 8:00 p.m. Pacific on NBC.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.