Simon Cowell Previews AGT Season 21 as NBC Hit Overcame a 'Dead in the Water' Pilot
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 1
Simon Cowell Previews AGT Season 21 as NBC Hit Overcame a 'Dead in the Water' Pilot
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 1
Summary
Season 21 of "America's Got Talent" premieres June 2 on NBC, with Simon Cowell saying this year's lineup includes more returnees and acts aimed at showing viewers something "we'd never seen before."
Cowell said originality remains the show's core test, pushing contestants to avoid repeating past routines and to deliver performances memorable enough to spark next-day conversation and strong views.
Social media has helped rather than hurt the franchise, he said, because viral moments amplify the show; he added that he originally pitched AGT as a YouTube-style format built around unusual acts.
Cowell said AGT was once "dead in the water" with only 7 or 8 strong pilot minutes before NBC picked it up, turning it into a 21-season franchise that he now measures partly by how many acts land Vegas careers.