At long last, every spot in the “America’s Got Talent” season finale has been claimed.
And the competition is looking fiercer than ever, according to judge Simon Cowell.
“We are seeing some of the most astonishing live performances I’ve ever seen,” he said at the top of Wednesday’s live results show. “If my hunch is right, we’re gonna end up with the most incredible final. … And it’s the most open final we’ve ever had.”
During the hour-long show, host Terry Crews revealed which two of the 11 acts that performed the night prior clinched a spot in the finale. Cowell and fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofía Vergara watched on, but couldn’t do anything about the results, which were up to America’s vote.
Before Crews got to the results, Mandel apologized to Japanese boy band Travis Japan, whose fans blew up the judge’s Twitter mentions after he gave the group the X in the middle of their performance.
“Maybe I was a little harsh with the buzzer,” he said, to raucous boos from the crowd. Mandel then said a phrase in Japanese. Cowell inquired if that translated to “I am an idiot.”
Not quite.
“I said, ‘People of Japan, I love you,’ ” Mandel replied.
Top 5 revealed
First to learn their fates were the singers: Kristen Cruz, Aubrey Burchell and Travis Japan. Cruz claimed the first spot in the Top 5.
She was joined by pole dancer Kristy Sellars — who beat out danger act Blade 2 Blade and yo-yo performer Shu Takada — as well as dance group Urban Crew,…
