The Golden Buzzer was used for singer Liv Warfield and a group called Sky Elements
New season, new rules!
During Tuesday’s episode of “America’s Got Talent,” judge Simon Cowell made show history after pressing the highly sought-out Golden Buzzer, which sends contestants straight to the live shows, twice in one episode.
Earlier in the episode, Cowell first pressed the Golden Buzzer for Chicago-based singer Liv Warfield after she gave a lively performance with her band.
“That wasn’t long enough,” Cowell said after Warfield’s act. “It was like being, in a good way, being punched in the face by your energy, the band. All these years of frustration and you come on here and I’m sorry, I can’t give you a yes, I’ve got to give you one of these,” he continued before pressing the buzzer.
Later in the episode, a group of six men called Sky Elements performed an impressive drone light show.
In a shocking turn of events, Cowell pressed the same buzzer for the second time, immediately prompting questions from production, his fellow judges and the audience.
“Simon, what are you doing?” a producer asked.
While fellow judges Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel were just as impressed with the drone show, they were equally confused about Cowell’s move.
“You already had one,” Mandel said. “That’s his second one.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cowell responded. “I had to.”
After discussing logistics with production, the rules for season 19 were changed on the spot. Judges now have two opportunities to press the Golden Buzzer for acts they think are deserving of a spot on the live shows.
During the premiere episode last week, Klum pressed her first Golden Buzzer for 55-year-old janitor and singer Richard Goodall from Indiana after he took the stage to sing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Speaking to host Terry Crews ahead of his audition, Goodall explained how he fell into his career of 23 years and how he landed at the “AGT” audition stage.
“I just belt it out,” he said. “Eventually, I was like, I got to find me a job, so I [became] a janitor at Chauncey Rose Middle School, which is only three blocks away from my house.”
“The kids would hear me sing, and they tell me that I’ve got talent,” he explained. “That’s why I’m here. That’s why I got on a plane.”
After walking on stage and being introduced to the judges and the crowd, a visibly nervous Goodall told the panel that his performance had “been a long time coming.”
“Shake off those nerves,” Cowell said. “We’re here, we’re rooting for you.”
Goodall instantly captured the audience’s attention with his rendition of the Journey tune.
“Richard, Richard, Richard, you knocked me off my feet,” Klum said. “I mean, we all had the best time with you up there on that stage. I really, really feel something when I see you up there and hear you up there, and now this is what I’m going to do for you because I love you.”
Klum pressed the coveted Golden Buzzer and the room lit up as Goodall shed tears of joy.
“It was amazing,” said Klum, who ran up to the stage to give Goodall a giant hug. “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to sing next.”
