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BATON twirler Phillip Lewis shocked the judges on America’s Got Talent after he made a major mistake during his live show act.
The self-taught artist joined the line-up for season 19’s first quarter-final episode that was aired on Tuesday, August 13.
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After he impressed the judges with his baton twirling routine during the auditions, Phillip returned to the AGT stage with a new, more dangerous routine set to Fleur East’s Like That.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned after Phillip dropped his batons twice within the first minute of his performance.
Judge Sofia Vergara looked dismayed when the Georgia resident failed to catch the stick for a third time, before Phillip decided to up the ante by setting the batons on fire.
Luckily, the rest of his routine went off without a hitch, as Sofia’s fellow judges Simon Cowell and Heidi Klum joined the Griselda actress in giving Phillip a standing ovation as Howie Mandel remained seated.
Asked for his feedback, Simon, 64, said he liked Phillip “even more because you dropped” the batons, while praising him for continuing the act with a smile on his face.
“I think people are really going to root for you, and they should root for you,” he continued, adding, “Good for you for not giving up.”
Howie, 68, jokingly suggested spinning the mistakes as a deliberate ploy to get America’s attention, explaining, “What you can tell me now, and I’m right, [is] that you dropped them on purpose.”
“A lot of other baton twirlers catch everything,” he quipped. “But you’re unique – you catch 80%!”
Heidi, 51, told Phillip “you did not disappoint” while giving Phillip credit because he “kept on going like a real athlete”, while Sofia, 52, gushed, “You looked amazing on that stage tonight!”
She continued, “It was exciting because we know how hard this is.”
Fans at home were less forgiving, with several social media users suggesting the judges should have used their buzzers instead of giving off “participation trophy energy.”
“So only the best go through,” one Instagram user commented under a clip from Phillip’s performance. “He dropped the baton. There are acts that perfected their craft.
“Sorry, but not everyone gets a trophy.”
“I would have buzzed Phillip as he dropped the baton several times during the performance,” another person wrote on X.
America’s Got Talent judges
THOUSANDS of hopefuls have graced the America’s Got Talent stage to showcase their abilities.
A third comment read, “The judges were literally promoting failure with the baton twirler… talk about participation trophy energy.”
One person explained on Facebook, “In baton twirling competition, drops are automatic deductions in score.
“When the judges try to say a drop somehow made the routine better, it is dishonest, and the same as giving everyone a ‘participation trophy’,” they continued.
GOLD STANDARD
AGT returned to screens after a brief hiatus, as Sofia made history by handing out the first live show Golden Buzzer to one act.
Her decision means that Hakuna Matata Acrobats will go straight to the finals, after the Tanzania-based group delivered a jaw-dropping performance.
Heidi praised their “death-defying” routine set to Zayde Wolf’s Maniac, as the acrobats completed incredible headstands and mid-air splits while balancing on top of each other.
“The is one of the most difficult, dangerous acts we have seen on a live show,” Simon said of their display. “It felt to me like you have arrived.”
“It’s death-defying what you do,” Heidi added. “On top of it, you are doing it on a roller baller. You guys are incredible.”
The format shakeup means that each judge will now have the power to move one act forward to the finals, saving them from the audience vote.
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