‘America’s Got Talent: Champions’ Crowns Its Winner

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

This is it! Tonight, America’s Got Talent: the Champions crowned its winner.  Last week, 12 legendary Got Talent acts competed to win the title and impressed the judges (Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel).  However, the 50 State Superfan Initiative had the power to crown the champion.  Which act was named the winner? Read on to find out!

Before we jump into the action, Jake’s Take wants to give a shout-out to Heidi Klum and Mel B. It was reported last week that the ladies would be leaving the Judges’ Desk after six regular AGT seasons. While I disagreed with them at various times on the show, I believe that they will be missed.  Thanks for everything, Heidi and Mel B!

After recapping last week’s finals, the Top 12 took the stage. The first segment of the night focused on Preacher Lawson finding a potential duet partner. Unfortunately, Deadly Games, Darci Lynne, the singers, the magicians, and Terry Crews all turned him down.  The second segment of the evening involved Britain’s Got Talent winner Tokio Myers and Voices of Hope’s Children Choir.  While it was pleasant performance, I wished that Tokio performed with Angel City Chorale.

Before the winner was revealed, the show had a Terry Crews tribute. I think Terry is a great fit for the role and he is going to have so much fun in Season 14. Friends of the blog and Season 11 runner-up the Clairvoyants (Thommy and Amelie) returned to showcase one epic performance. After Thommy asked the audience to hold up their envelopes, he introduced them to the Clairvoyants’ Randomizer. 100 soft foam balls were placed inside the device, they were also joined by four other balls with each of the judges’ names on them. After Terry shuffled the balls and he launched the Randomizer where the balls landed into the crowd.

Thommy encouraged the four lucky audience members to bring their balls to the Judges’ Desk and handed the judges their envelope. Next, Amelie tasked Terry to pick a judge by using a mental spinning wheel.  The actor chose Howie and Thommy invited the Deal or No Deal host to the stage.  As Howie made his way to the stage, Thommy instructed the audience to reveal the documents of their envelopes—which were pictures.  However, when Simon and the ladies opened their photos, they had pictures of themselves.

Sadly, Howie had a photo of a blue and yellow hot air balloon. Thommy instructed Howie to put his head inside of a hole of a large “Games of Chance” sign. With Terry’s assistance, the entertainer turned the sign around to reveal that the Clairvoyants correctly predicted that Howie would select the hot air balloon photo!

Then, Simon revealed America’s Got Talent origin story. It was great to see the franchise’s history.  From seeing old judges (Piers, Sharon, and Howard) to learning how Heidi and Mel B got their jobs, it was impeccable to see past contestants including former winners like Tokio and Grace VanderWaal. Speaking of alums, Jackie Evancho returned to the stage to perform “Somewhere.”

There was also a tribute to crazy acts including Dustin’s Dojo, the Season 11 shaving cream foam pit, and the Mel B-Simon water fights. I was ticked that the AGT producers decided to air a Cirque du Solei performance instead of inviting former alums like Season Two winner Terry Fator, Vicki Barbolak, Andrew de Leon, Barbara Padilla, the Forte Tenors, et cetera to perform.

After a tribute to the danger acts, Brian Justin Crum, Cristina Ramos, and Deadly Games teamed up for an epic collaboration of a classic Queen anthem: “The Show Must Go On.” Both Brian and Cristina started the song on two platforms high above the stage. However, as they were singing the classic tune, the Deadly Games duo performed dangerous stunts alongside fire breathers.  The performance was electric and I am glad that the performers were injured.

Season 13 winner Shin Lim teamed up with Terry Crews’ Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Melissa Fumero for a superb card trick. Meanwhile, Season 12 champion Darci Lynne Farmer and her friend, Edna, performed Barry Manilow’s “Can’t Smile Without You” with Rowlf the Dog. Edna lost it when she got a kiss from her crush: Simon.

Before they found out if they were the winner, all the finalists re-watched their first auditions. Next, it was time to get down to business. The 50 States Superfan Initiative voted, and Terry had the essential results.  Spain’s Got Talent winner Cristina Ramos, Darci Lynne Farmer, Preacher Lawson, Ukraine’s Got Talent winner Kseniya Simonova, and Shin Lim was the AGT: Champions’ Top Five. I am so surprised and disappointed that Susan Boyle, Brian Justin Crum, Paul Potts, and Jon Dorenbos did not make the Top Five. They would have been impeccable winners!

Here are the final rankings:

*Preacher Lawson got Fifth Place!

*Cristina Ramos got Fourth Place!

*Kseniya Simonova got Third Place!

The final two was a duel of champions: Shin Lim versus Darci Lynne Farmer! The winner of America’s Got Talent: the Champions was…SHIN LIM!  This makes him the first champion to win two Got Talent series.

Congratulations, Shim! Jake’s Take will be back recapping America’s Got Talent this summer as new judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough will join Simon, Howie, and Terry in on the fun!