Two months ago, during the auditions, there was just no pleasing Howie, and he gave so many negative reviews, that the show even painted him green like the Grinch after both Sofia and Heidi Klum called him out for being one! Check out the video! Grinch-like critiques are something we would expect from Simon Cowell, who has been known to be tough on the acts that audition for him, especially back on his American Idol days, but these days, it is Howie that is proving to be the tougher critic. “I think the people in the audience and the people who are performing on the show expect nothing less than our honesty,” Howie told Parade.com on a Zoom chat after last week’s AGT. Next, Check Out the 35 Acts That Made It to the Live Shows for America’s Got Talent Season 16 Howie went on to explain that he wasn’t bowled over by the song that Gangstagrass, a group that combines rap and country music, performed, and he had to speak his truth. “I didn’t comment the first time [during their audition] on the music,” he pointed out. “I just said, ‘Hey, this is a great idea, the blending of everything that is America, and we can all come together through music.’ I think that’s an amazing idea, but I wasn’t bowled over by the song and I don’t want to pretend I was. I don’t ever pretend on this show. I am saying what I would say if I was home sitting on the couch beside my wife, so I hope people at home appreciate my honesty. You don’t have to agree with me, but I will always tell you what I’m thinking.” One thing that Howie is thrilled about, though, is the return to the Dolby Theater for the AGT Live Shows. Last season, as a result of COVID-19 protocols, live shows were done outdoors at Universal Studios. “The energy is kind of overwhelming,” he says. “All of us are looking at each other and going, the energy of having thousands of people in a room—masked—and enjoying the show just elevates it. It is so much more energy than people on Zoom.” That said, Howie says he feels safe. That NBC, Fremantle, and the Dolby Theater have put together an incredibly safe environment. “It feels like a dream,” he goes on. “I can’t believe we’re back. To look into the audience and see all those smiling —I didn’t see any smiles because they were all wearing masks—but to see thousands of eyes watching was amazing.” Check out more of Howie’s grumpy moments below: America’s Got Talent airs performance shows on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT and results shows on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Next, Everything We Know So Far About America’s Got Talent Season 16, Including All the Golden Buzzers
