An audition on the July 21 edition of “America’s Got Talent” took a bizarre turn when the judges were greeted with wannabe comedian Howie Blandel.
He strode onstage, costumed like judge Howie Mandel, right down to the shiny bald head.
Before he could say a word, judge Simon Cowell slammed his buzzer. He was joined by Mel B, who slammed hers — and then, for good measure, also hit the buzzers of Mandel and Sofia Vergara.
“Why would you buzz me?” asked a bemused Mandel, while the audience erupted in chants of “Bring him back! Bring him back!” Mandel joined the fray, but chanted, “Bring me back!”
Howie Squared
The faux Mandel returned to the stage, where the original stood next to him.
Cowell was the first to chime in, asking the impersonator, “My first question is, why?”
“I love comedy!” he responded.
“This is disturbing,” observed host Terry Crews while watching from the wings.
“Do you think you’re funny?” Cowell asked dryly.
“Do I think I’m funny?” the impersonator responded. “I think a 50-year career would say I’m funny.”
Cowell shrugged, and wished him good luck.
From Bad to Worse
He then launched into his routine, which went over like the proverbial lead balloon.
“You know, me and the other judges have to sit through some pretty cringey acts — I don’t know Howie do it,” he quipped, eliciting dead silence from the crowd and an instant buzzer from Vergara.
He continued in that vein with his next joke, recalling whether or not he wanted to have a pickle with his sandwich. “I was like, dill or no dill?” This time, the audience outright groaned.
Mel B pushed her buzzer, while Mandel chuckled. “I love me,” he quipped.
“If I was on a farm, I’d be Cow E. Mandel,” he continued, a joke that turned the crowd hostile when the entire audience erupted in a chorus of boos. At this point, Mel leaned over and pushed Mandel’s buzzer, lighting up the judging table with four red X’s.
“That was not funny,” observed the erstwhile Scary Spice. “Did anybody laugh?”
While Vergara tried to let the auditioner down gently, Mel B wouldn’t have it. “You don’t need to justify yourself for it being that bad,” she said.
Howie Blandel received a no from all the judges save Mandel, who declared, “I love you!” as the performer walked off the stage.
