Simon Cowell tried to turn America’s Got Talent into a dating show for his four-year-old son Eric.
The latest episode on Tuesday of the NBC talent competition show started with the judges and audience all going wild for Sophie Fatu, an adorable five-year-old who sang Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
The youngster from Charleston, West Virginia, knew the best way to win over the toughest judge, saying he was her favorite and telling him: ‘Mr Simon, I saw a dream about you — I saw that he pushed the golden button.’
Her way: Sophie Fatu opened Tuesday’s episode of America’s Got Talent with a stirring rendition of Frank Sinatra’s My Way
‘You are hilarious,’ Simon, 58, told the youngster in a pink dress and flowers in her hair, before adding: ‘I want you to date my son.’
He then explained that despite Eric Cowell being just four he needed some help in the love department, insisting: ‘He’s just split up with his girlfriend so I’m gonna have to make an introduction — he’s gonna love you, you are adorable.’
Sophie got through to the next round with nods from all four judges, with Heidi Klum, 45, saying she ‘sung like an angel,’ and Howie Mandel, 62, telling her: ‘You are the most adorable, cutest, talented, little thing I have seen on that stage.’
After she was gone, Simon brought out young Eric — who quickly put a dampener on his plans for potential romance.
Dating game: Simon Cowell wanted to set up Sophie with his four-year-old son Eric
Moving forward: Sophie advanced to the next round with four yes votes
When he asked ‘What did you think Eric, did you like Sophie?’ he hit the red rejection button, with Simon looking shocked at his denim-clad son as he told him: ‘You can’t press the red buzzer to her!’
Married Simon soon found himself at the center of other flirting during the night — even with host Tyra Banks, 44.
When she asked what he was looking for this season, he replied: ‘You. I’ve developed this big crush on you now Tyra.’
Like dad: Eric proved to be a tough critic and pressed the red rejection buzzer for Sophie
But he was soon left blushing when Chicago soul singer Miss Trysh, 57 came out to sing If I Were Your Woman, telling the judge: ‘I’m going to dedicate this song to you, Simon — I’ve always had a crush on you.’
After Tyra pretended to gag at the comment, Miss Trysh had a huge response from the crowd during her song, with her repeatedly pointing and winking at Simon, of whom she said earlier: ‘From the moment I laid eyes on that man, he is the only man for me in my life.’
Mel B, 43, then encouraged her to run over and hug her crush, with Miss Trysh calling him ‘so handsome’ — and smiling: ‘I’m gonna have good dreams tonight.’
Soul singer: Miss Trysh belted out If I Were Your Woman after telling Simon she had a longtime crush on him
Big hug: Simon gave Miss Trysh a big hug after she advanced to the next round
‘You are amazing, but I was so uncomfortable because it was you and him… and us,’ Howie joked. ‘It felt like you two should get a room.’
Heidi called her ‘fabulous’ and the ‘total package’ as they sent her through with four yes votes, with Simon finally admitting: ‘I’ve got a bit of a crush on you, actually. You’re very naughty, aren’t you?’
But he looked genuinely shocked when he asked if she had a boyfriend — and she admitted having a husband, who came onstage with her still insisting: ‘I got the OK from my husband. He’s been knowing about us for a long time, Simon, so he’s OK with it, he really is.’
That’s awkward: The 58-year-old judge got embarrassed after learning that Miss Trysh was married
Simon looked genuinely horrified, and as he walked away at the end pulled a face and told the other judges: ‘That was so embarrassing!’
It was not the end of the flirting for the judge, with a flamboyant cross-dressing self-styled ‘International superstar symbol accordion home wrecker Madonna fan’ named Hans insisting they had special chemistry.
The accordion playing act, speaking with a heavy German accent yet seemingly not understanding Heidi’s comments in German, had cracked up the audience with his pre-performance banter, having told Simon: ‘Honey, for me being a celebrity is a full-time job… it’s really an act of charity, darlings.
Accordion act: Hans started winning over the crowd before his energetic accordion act
‘Simon, I’ll give you a Beyonce-style show on a Demi Lovato budget, you know what I’m saying, baby?’
Howie then questioned if Hans and Simon had previously met, with Hans, wearing heavy makeup, quipping: ‘We’ve never met but I feel like I’m stirring up something that has been lurking, darlings.’
‘Potentially,’ Simon smiled.
Heavy makeup: The entertainer offered Simon a ‘Beyonce-style show on a Demi Lovato budget’
Hans promised a ‘good old fashion German sing-along’ — with his initial folk music instead turning into a high-speed dance to Proud Mary, ending with him doing the splits between two sliding chairs and saying to huge applause: ‘I love you America!’
‘You know sometimes you watch a horror movie and you shouldn’t like it, but you do like it? That’s kinda how I felt,’ Simon admitted, adding: ‘Something I shouldn’t like but for some reason I did.’
Mel shared similar sentiments, telling him: ‘I don’t quite know what I just witnessed but it made me laugh, it made my heart feel warm, and that’s what this show is all about.’
Killed it: Hans played accordion and tap danced during his routine that featured backup dancers
Big finish: The contestant finished his routine by doing the splits on chairs
German language: Heidi Klum spoke to Hans in German, but he didn’t appear to understand
‘Melanie — Geri is now my second favorite Spice, OK,’ Hans quipped of her and her Spice Girls bandmate. ‘I love you!’
After Hans left the stage with four yeses, Howie joked with Heidi: ‘That’s why you started dating American men, right?’
Another act had a doll on wires paint a picture of Simon, who bragged: ‘That man in the picture is stunning.’
Drawing doll: A doll on wires painted a portrait during another audition
Famous judge: The doll painted a portrait of judge Simon
And one man with a terrible singing voice was buzzed off by the other judges for singing a song that repeatedly said: ‘I love you Simon.’
Despite his clear lack of talent, Simon insisted: ‘I thought the song was beautiful, I thought the lyrics were stunning … This for me was one of my favorite auditions of the entire year.’
While AGT is usually about finding new talent, it could prove a second chance for a well-known face — Glee star Noah Guthrie, who played Roderick Meeks on the show.
Flattering tune: Another singer performed a love song dedicated to Simon
Noah, 24, explained how he already had a ‘fanbase’ thanks to viral YouTube videos before he was headhunted to appear on the show, saying: ‘My character Roderick was the shy chubby misfit kid and that’s who I was in high school, so I got the character.
‘It changed my life, for sure, but once Glee stops so does everything that was associated with Glee, so I have to find where I fit.
‘I’m a musician first and. Have to figure out a way to do that again. I’m trying to get back to me.’
Glee star: Noah Guthrie found early fame on Glee playing Roderick Meeks after his YouTube videos went viral
He had one of the biggest responses to his powerful, soulful version of Rihanna’s Love On The Brain alone on an electric guitar, with Mel praising his ‘sexy voice’ and how ‘humble’ he is, and Simon telling him: ‘Sometimes it’s about timing, and maybe it’s your time now. This is a great audition.’
After calling him ‘wonderful’ and ‘unique,’ Howie then joked: ‘You know that you scare me. Because he’s such a good guy, he got discovered, they put him on Glee. What happened? Glee’s over.
‘We found him, he’s here, it’s season 13….’
Unique voice: The singer took on the Rihanna song Love On The Brain
Thumb up: Simon gave Noah a thumb up
‘No! I’m not an omen!’ Laughed Noah, who was sent through to the next round with four yes votes.
Perhaps the biggest shock came with the last act, English singer Courtney Hadwin, with the 13-year-old looking clearly terrified as she took the stage.
But as soon as the music started for The Black Crowes hit song Hard To Handle, she completely transformed into a wild singing and dancing star that Howie likened to rock legend Janis Joplin.
English singer: Courtney Hadwin was clearly nervous as she took the stage
Teen talent: The 13-year-old entertainer transformed into a singing and dancing star once the music started for The Black Crowes hit song Hard To Handle
‘Oh my God you are not from this era,’ Howie told her, calling himself a ‘huge Janis Joplin fan’ and telling the how record label mogul Clive Davis changed that star’s life when he signed her as an unknown young talent.
‘I’m not Clive Davis, I’m Howie Mandel, and I can’t sign you to a record label — the only thing I can do for you young lady is give you…’ he said, jumping up and pressing the golden buzzer to send her automatically through to the live rounds.
Courtney burst into tears, with her shocked dad running out to great her before Howie also ran up for a hug.
One thing: Howie Mandel said there was only one thing he could do for Courtney before he pressed his golden buzzer sending her straight to the live rounds
Golden buzzer: Courtney rushed to hug her supportive father offstage
The moment: Tyra Banks celebrated with Courtney’s father as she got the coveted golden buzzer
Buzzer fear: Courtney’s father said she was worried that she would get red buzzers during her performance
They then pointed out the irony that she was partly terrified because she feared getting the red buzzer — whereas in fact got the coveted gold one, instead.
Another act gave a far less welcome shock — with Seth Ward, who pretended to transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly, seemingly exposing a little too much, with a butterfly graph covering his crotch onscreen as audience members looked on open-mouthed.
‘You have a hole in your stockings,’ Heidi told him, with him getting boos as he joked: ‘You made me come out too early.’
Odd act: Seth Ward transformed from a caterpillar into a butterfly during his audition
Wardrobe malfunction: The judges hit their red rejection buzzers sending Seth home, but he continued with a wardrobe malfunction
‘He’s not wearing any underwear,’ Howie said, while Mel, covering her face, complained: ‘That is so inappropriate.’
‘Seth Ward, this is the worst act we’ve had — it’s four no’s, goodbye,’ Simon told him, with Tyra running on and spraying him as he appeared to refuse to leave stage.
Quick change act Sixto Magic had been a couple for seven years until they split last year, with Sixto Rodriguez insisting: ‘Being on America’s Got Talent is a big dream so we decided to perform together again.’
Bug off: Tyra used bug spray to try to get Seth off the stage
They stunned with their incredible outfit changes — especially when they brought out Tyra at the end, amazingly switching her from a tight black dress to a merry white one decorated with flowers in a few seconds she was behind dry ice.
Simon called it ‘one of the best I’ve seen,’ telling them: ‘It’s not always about the technicality it’s about the personality, and you’ve got amazing charisma. It was just a great act — this is perfect for America’s Got Talent. This could be sensational.’
As the last to vote, Howie quipped: ‘I’m changing your three yeses into four!’
Quick change: Quick change act Sixto Magic got Tyra into their routine
Super fast: Tyra’s black dress was changed into a colorful floral print in an instant
Mel, meanwhile, was convinced Sixto wanted to get back together with stage partner Lucia, after he said earlier: ‘I know I lost very good woman — I love her.’
It was also a reunion for breakdancing act The Future Kingz which had started as two brothers until one left after having a baby.
But he was back for the first time in four years, getting tearful with his brother before the group — including a dancer aged just 7 — got four yes votes for their acrobatic routine.
Dance group: The Future Kingz dance group performed with young dancers and reunited brothers
‘There is a joy that you guys are exuding,’ Howie gushed. ‘This is just a group of people who just love doing what they do, love being together, and love dancing. And as an audience, we loved watching.’
Simon called it ‘very powerful’ and ‘very memorable,’ adding: ‘It was very cool. I love your energy — everything about it. This was my favorite act of the day.’
The youngest in the group, Rufio, 7, then took the mic to ask for donuts — with Tyra bringing out boxes for them as some somersaulted off the stage.
Together again: The Chicago dance group received four yes votes and some donuts from Tyra
The most futuristic moment came with tech genius Uri and dancer Constantine who ran with a computer-generated backdrop suggesting he was stuck inside a virtual reality world as he appeared to run, spin in the air, and even swim with amazing backdrops.
‘It kind of blew my mind,’ Mel admitted, while Heidi called it ‘one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.’
Simon told them as they were sent through: ‘It’s exciting to see things we’ve never really seen before. That was perfection I think this act.’
Mind blowing: Tech genius Uri and dancer Constantine teamed up for a computer-generated story
Amazing graphics: Constantine appeared to be running, swimming and dropping in the air
High praise: Heidi Klum said the performance was one of the most ‘amazing things I’ve ever seen’
The scariest act came as escape artist The Lord Nil had to cut himself free from zip-ties and then open a lock keeping his head in a box that was about to be filled with deadly scorpions.
He initially dropped the knife he was supposed to use — and instead bent a metal bar to reach a second one, only freeing his head the very second the scorpions fell.
‘I was really on the edge of my seat,’ Simon told him as they all gave a yes. ‘This was an amazing, incredible act. It was one of the maddest things I’ve ever seen.’
Scorpions ahead: Escape artist The Lord Nil used scorpions during his routine
Too much: Mel B could barely watch the escape artist perform
Made it: The routine ended with the escape artist barely evading the scorpions
Comedian Samuel J Comroe, 30, meanwhile, made his act personal — with all his jokes being about the facial tics he has from having Tourette syndrome.
He had earlier explained how he was diagnosed at six and was bullied at school, saying: ‘The most upsetting thing was feeling I was an outsider for something I couldn’t control.’
But he said becoming a dad to a baby girl changed everything and gave him motivation to ‘show her that I took my Tourette syndrome and turned it into a positive.’
Personal act: Samuel J. Comroe performed a personal act involving his Tourette syndrome
His act drew huge applause, and Howie told him: ‘This is exactly why they say laughter is the best medicine. You’re amazing.’
Simon told him: ‘I mean God, what an incredible guy you are and what a fantastic attitude you’ve got to life. You are funny, full stop.
‘This is what the show is about, finding people like you.’
After Samuel left the stage with four yes votes, Howie turned to the others and said: ‘He was funny — it was beautiful too.’
America’s Got Talent returns next week on NBC with more auditions.
Cracking up: Simon enjoyed the comedy routine an d praised the comic for his attitude