Summary
- Howie Mandel's favorite and most memorable contestant on America's Got Talent is Courtney Hadwin, a shy teenager who impressed him with her powerful Janis Joplin-like voice.
- Some fans of the show believe that Courtney's shyness was fake or exaggerated for dramatic effect, while others find her performances inspiring and touching.
- Despite the controversy, Howie maintains a lasting relationship with Courtney and considers her his favorite contestant in the 14 seasons he has been a judge on America's Got Talent.
Howie Mandel is a TV personality and comedian who has been an iconic judge on the talent show America’s Got Talent. In his seasons as judge, he would have some highs and lows in the show.
Several contestants have impressed Mandel, leaving a lasting impression. Howie Mandel has revealed one of his favorite and most memorable singers to have appeared on America's Got Talent. However, not everyone thinks the same way he does. Fans have insinuated that Howie's "favorite" on the show was actually a total fake.
Howie Mandel Has Judged 14 Seasons Of America's Got Talent
Howie Mandel joined the popular talent show America’s Got Talent in its fifth season in 2010. He is, so far, the longest-running judge on the show, having been with the show for 14 seasons.
Mandel has provided generous laugh-out-loud moments of the show as the comedian he is. He plays the jokester, often pulling jokes on fellow judges. He once commented on Sofia Vergara’s single life, which led to the actress and TV personality walking off the stage. But Sofia got back on her feet and stepped out after Howie Mandel harassed her on TV for being single.
Howie Mandel also loves to pull pranks on fans. Mandel once pulled a prank on fans with Simon Cowell that backfired. He pretended to be rude to fans with Cowell's famous curt one-liners that got people worked up. However, it did not leave a lasting poor impression on fans.
Through the seasons, Mandel is also known to butt heads often with fellow judges Simon Cowell and Heidi Klum. There were speculations that the AGT judges do not get along well, and their onscreen fighting teases real tension between them. However, that is nothing new to the judges; they maintain a healthy working relationship.
Mandel’s jokes and pranks may not be for everyone, but he has maintained a lasting relationship with fans and creators of the show, which is why he is the longest-running judge for AGT.
Howie Said His Favorite Contestant Was A Shy Teenager
In all his seasons on AGT, Howie Mandel has revealed his favorite contestant to be shy teenager Courtney Hadwin.
English contestant Courtney Hadwin was a finalist on the 13th season of America’s Got Talent. Hadwin was 13 when she appeared on the show, and Howie took an instant liking to her.
According to Howie, “Courtney Hadwin was a 13-year-old little girl who was shy. We noticed she was not going to come out next [but] she was almost sick and scared. We were going to have Mel B talk to her because she’s also from England, and maybe that would comfort her a little more to hear somebody with a similar accent. And then she said she wanted to sing. This girl just blew the roof off the place when she started to sing. She was like a little Janis Joplin.”
For her audition on the show, Courtney Hadwin sang her rendition of the Otis Redding Classic “Hard to Handle,” providing a vibrant version that impressed the judges. Howie Mandel pressed the Golden Buzzer immediately, earning the 13-year-old a place at the America’s Got Talent live shows. Mandel was convinced that Courtney had what it takes to be a winner.
Mandel declared, “I have never been more excited in my life.” This seems to be true because even though Hadwin did not win that season, Mandel still maintained a relationship with her and often gets updates about her life and journey as a musician.
Howie Mandel’s Weird Workout Preps Him For The AGT Finale
He turned this workout regime into a fabulously hysterical Mandel-moment by exaggerating the motions and adding his own, super-funny twist.
Viewers Didn't Believe Courtney Hadwin Was Actually A Shy Contestant
Howie Mandel may have found Courtney Hadwin to be a shy gem, but some fans of the show hold reservations about this. In the comments of the clip where the AGT judge talked about the show alum, fans of the show seem to think Courtney was shy at all.
A commenter was of the view that there was no way that Courtney was shy. Another pointed out that she was faking her shyness.
Others are of the view that she is a talent show plant, someone with never-ending screen time to create a particular response or drama in a show.
Another fan pointed out that Courtney Hadwin was not a newbie with TV competitions since AGT was not her first. She had performed on stage many times before this, and her shyness was part of the act.
While some were not sure of what Mandel saw that proved Courtney Hadwin was truly shy, other fans could see what he meant. Some supportive fans ranked Hadwin's performances as one of the best for them. Some of them also find it touching and inspiring.
Howie Mandel Pokes Fun At Sofia Vergara's Inability To Ride The Pool Bull
Sofia Vergara has an inflated bull in her pool, you should see how hysterical it is when she tries to mount it.
This is not the first time fans have raised polarizing views about Hadwin’s persona during the show. Mandel has had to defend the AGT finalist from critics and stated why he thinks she deserved to be a finalist.
Some fans also think Hadwin had an unfair advantage because she had competed in The Voice Kids in 2017 and became a finalist on that show before joining America’s Got Talent. The sentiments remain in some fans who call her a plant meant to stir emotions.
Whatever happens to Courtney Hadwin or the rest of the Golden Buzzer winners from AGT, she was able to give a spectacular performance that people still either connect with or feel comes off because of her background in competition shows. Nonetheless, Howie Mandel still considers her his favorite contestant in the 14 seasons he has spent on the show as a judge.
