Top 10 Shocking America's Got Talent Scandals
#10: Marathon Productions Get Sued Due to Tyra Banks’ Alleged Conduct
In 2017, “AGT” host Tyra Banks was accused of some pretty unflattering behavior. A couple auditioned with a song for their daughter, identified as Mary Doe in the lawsuit, who was backstage. They alleged that Mary was instructed to “act embarrassed and annoyed by her parents’ performance.” They also called Banks out for apparently “physically manipulating” and verbally harassing the minor. They further claimed that the host mocked the performance in front of their kid, and said some pretty rude things – all while cameras were apparently rolling. Her mom sued over the pain caused to her daughter. She also wanted to stop the audition from being televised, though “AGT” only agreed to edit Mary out. The whole thing was apparently dismissed a few days later.
#9: The Sacred Riana’s Act Ends Without Explanation
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Bizarre illusionist The Sacred Riana shocked and amazed audiences on the 13th season of the talent contest. Her spooky and sensational acts got her to the quarter-finals. During what would become her final act on the show, she ended her haunting number with a scream, as the screen suddenly went black and cut straight to commercials. As you can imagine, audiences were left utterly baffled, and many demanded answers. It was quite an anticlimactic end to an otherwise intense and captivating performance. According to an “AGT” spokesperson, it was a planned “part of her act.” But given several other technical difficulties that night, the confusion was understandable. Still, the choice seemingly hurt Riana’s chances, and she was eliminated.
#8: A Makeup Artist Falls Through the Floor
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While working as a makeup artist on the show, Jude Alcalá sustained injuries after reportedly falling six feet through a gap in the stage floor. He reportedly sued NBC, Syco Entertainment, and FremantleMedia for negligence, citing that they’d failed to put up any warnings. Apparently, the accident resulted in a broken femur and extensive shoulder damage. Alcalá had former “AGT” judge Sharon Osbourne on his side. She blasted the show for ignoring his claims and not taking responsibility for the accident. Osbourne called it “the worst stage in the entire world” and demanded that someone “pay the price” for the incident. However, we didn’t hear much about the case after that.
#7: Cas Haley Spills the Backstage Tea
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This deep into the reality talent contest era, we’ve become well aware that nothing is exactly as it seems on TV. This was confirmed by season 2 runner-up Cas Haley, who cut ties with “AGT” entirely after his appearance. He talked about the commercialism of it all, and how uncomfortable he felt with the concept of “joke acts.” One incident he recalled in particular involved producers allegedly taking advantage of a contestant he claims was roughly eight years old. He claims they got a room full of people to applaud her as she walked in, as if she’d advanced to the next round when she actually hadn’t. It seemed like a setup to capture her reaction. That makes you think twice, doesn’t it?
#6: NBCUniversal, Marathon Productions, & Fremantle Media Are Sued Over Fatal Accident
“AGT” producers were sued for the wrongful death of a woman who passed away after sustaining “debilitating injuries” on their premises. In 2017, 79-year-old Maureen Allen arrived to volunteer at an onsite convention. However, the “AGT” taping equipment that was in the same place made the area inaccessible. This led to her wheelchair getting flipped and her being thrown to the ground. Allen suffered several severe injuries and was hospitalized. She then had a stroke and, after multiple surgeries, was put on life support before sadly passing away a few months later. Her family blamed her untimely death on the incident, and took Marathon Productions, NBCUniversal, FremantleMedia, and the City of Pasadena to court.
#5: Tim Poe Is Accused of Lying
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Singer Tim Poe garnered sympathy in the seventh season with a story about how an injury he sustained in the army left him with a stutter. However, his tale was refuted by a spokesperson for the National Guard, who said there was no evidence of the incident he described. Apparently, the picture shown of Poe serving was of an entirely different soldier. In fact, the man from the photo, Staff Sgt. Norman Bone, said that he didn’t know Poe. Others also backed claims disproving the alleged story. Eventually, the singer apologized for misleading the public, although he claims it wasn’t intentional. Needless to say, many viewers were relieved when he was booted off.
#4: Nick Cannon’s Exit
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After eight seasons as host, Nick Cannon parted ways with “America’s Got Talent”. In a Facebook post, he explained that the decision came after NBC threatened to fire him over some jokes he told during his Showtime stand-up special. Apparently, they weren't happy with some of the racially-charged humor he shared, claiming that it “disparaged their brand.” Needless to say, the news caused quite a splash, with people curious to know more about what unfolded behind the scenes. Cannon expressed that he walked away because he refused to be censored, and that his moral compass was more important than any amount of money. Tyra Banks took over hosting duties, but she left after just two seasons.
#3: Marcelito Pomoy Is Robbed of the Golden Buzzer
This Previous "Pilipinas Got Talent" winner appeared in season 2 of the U.S. "Champions" version in a bid to hold onto his crown. He was a fan favorite, so audiences were shocked when Howie Mandel opted not to push the Golden Buzzer. To make matters worse, Simon Cowell then stole it so that Boogie Storm could advance straight to the finals. In the end, Pomoy finished in a very respectable fourth place. But that didn’t change the fact that a large number of viewers remained upset about the golden buzzer debacle. Needless to say, the whole ordeal caused one of the biggest outrages among audiences, with many unable to move past the blunder.
#2: Jonathan Goodwin’s Act Goes Disastrously Wrong
Escapologist Jonathan Goodwin had stunned and amazed audiences on both “Britain’s Got Talent” and the American branch of the show. He came back again for the “AGT: Extreme” spin-off, but things went horribly wrong, as his trick ended in disaster during rehearsals. He was meant to free himself from a straitjacket while suspended high off the ground upside down with two vehicles flanking him. But he was gravely hurt when the cars crashed into each other and him, bursting into flames while he dropped to the ground. Luckily, he was said to be responsive as he was transported to the hospital. He survived, but was left paralyzed from the waist down and is now wheelchair-bound. Production was understandably halted for a time as a result.
#1: Gabrielle Union’s Departure
Union appeared on just one season of the talent competition before her contract was terminated. She filed a complaint, and spoke out about the show’s “toxic culture.” She talked about dealing with relentless criticism over her appearance and hair, Simon Cowell’s indoor smoking, and racism from guest host Jay Leno. This sparked a publicized falling out between Union and the producers. It also didn’t help that her former co-stars initially invalidated her experience. Union is hardly the first or only person to call out the show’s problematic behind-the-scenes behaviors, but she did find herself at the center of numerous headlines. Eventually, the matter was settled, with the actress and NBC releasing a joint statement.