‘AGT’: Howie Mandel makes fun of Simon Cowell’s back injury, discovers the next BTS?

//‘AGT’: Howie Mandel makes fun of Simon Cowell’s back injury, discovers the next BTS?

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The ‘America’s Got Talent’ star is doing fine after having surgery.

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Simon Cowell is saying Bye Bye Bye to a “terrible” boy band.

Although Cowell said his “dream” for Season 16 of “America’s Got Talent” is to find “an amazing group,” he didn’t have much luck with the boy band Larger Than Life.

“I would just stop right now honestly,” Cowell told the band, composed of four members aged 30-39. “Without being rude… it’s hard enough when you’re good but when you’re terrible, it’s just… I’m saying this to be kind. I would just give it up.”

And Cowell knows a thing or two about successful boy bands and girl bands after discovering One Direction and Fifth Harmony on “The X Factor.”

Despite receiving a red X from Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel during their mash-up of Backstreet Boys’ “Larger Than Life” and NSYNC’s “Tearin’ Up My Heart,” they were encouraged by Sofía Vergara not to give up “if that makes you happy.” She added, “keep doing it for yourself… for your friends or family”

Cowell hit back, “I wouldn’t even do it for my friends.” Ouch. 

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Cowell got his wish from two different acts from thousand miles away in East Asia.

He called UniCircle Flow, a group of unicycle dancers from Japan, “one of the most unique, amazing acts we’ve seen on ‘America’s Got Talent’ over the years.”

Cowell added, “I’m absolutely blown away by this. It was sensational.”

Mandel took the moment to poke fun at Cowell, who broke his back in an electric-bike accident in early August. 

“What a great example for Simon Cowell to see even with one wheel, you’re able to balance,” Mandel said. “I don’t know if you know what happened to him on two wheels. It was no dancing.” Double ouch. 

Could Korean Soul be the next BTS? The four-member band sure hopes so. Sooyong Yoon said, “We would love to be famous like BTS… We really want to be pop stars.”

Cowell called Korean Soul, a K-pop group from South Korea, “one of the best auditions we’ve had” Tuesday following an angelic rendition of K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life.”

Klum said they sounded “super silky, smooth,” while Mandel questioned, “What is it in the Korean culture that makes so many talented people?”

But singer Nightbirde didn’t need any additional bandmates to captivate the judges.

The Ohio native, who has a “2% chance of survival” with “some cancer in my lungs, spine and liver,” shared her journey through her original song, “I’m OK.”

She earned a standing ovation. Mandel called her performance “the most authentic thing this season.” Vergara called it “powerful and heartfelt,” and Klum said Nightbirde’s voice gave her “chills.”

Cowell choked up during his review, saying her song “really got to me.”

“There was something about that song after you casually just told us what you are going through,” Cowell said, holding back tears. “There have been some great singers this year and I’m not going to give you a yes, I’m going to give you something else.”

Cowell hit his coveted Golden Buzzer. Nightbirde used the opportunity to tell everyone that “you can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to decide to be happy.”

She added, “I have a 2% chance of survival but 2% isn’t 0%. Two percent is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is.” 

“AGT” auditions continue next week at 8 EST/PST on NBC.

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