It has been a few weeks since season 18 of America’s Got Talent got underway on NBC, and people noticed something odd with one of the judges. Simon Cowell, known for his harsh opinions on reality TV talent shows, has been seen barely talking throughout the show. He has been a judge since season 11, making him the second-longest-serving judge on the show, following Howie Mandel‘s 13-year tenure.
So why can’t Cowell speak on the show? Was he told that he was being too harsh in the past, hence why he barely speaks now? Or did something happen to him that led to him staying silent? Either way, it’s pretty odd to see one of the show’s loudest critics stay quiet throughout the latest season.
Why can’t Simon Cowell talk on America’s Got Talent season 18?
There is a simple reason why Cowell isn’t speaking in the latest season of America’s Got Talent, which has led to a change in dynamics among all four judges. During an interview with USA Today, the judge revealed that he lost his voice when they began shooting for season 18. He claimed that stomach acid might have played a role in burning his vocal cords, hence why he isn’t speaking at the moment.
“I think what happened was the acid from my stomach literally burned my vocal cords. So this doctor came over and put a camera up my nose, down my throat, and I could actually see how badly burnt they were.”
Perhaps Cowell’s lost voice may have been something of a blessing, perhaps not for him, but for the show. Since he could no longer speak, it gave the other judges the opportunity to be critical on his behalf. Consequently, there’s been a dynamic shift, which is much more chaotic. According to Cowell, he and the other judges “have disagreed more this year,” but in a healthy way.
“For about seven days, I had to sit there and not say anything, so all I could do was just listen to them. And it was very interesting, because they’ve all got enough confidence now that they have their own preferences. So we probably disagreed more this year, but in a healthy way. You can’t be an expert on everything when you judge this show, because of the variety of acts.”
It is currently unknown when Cowell will regain his voice. But at least the lack of commentary allows the other judges to have their time in the spotlight and express their opinions more freely about the acts on stage. If you want to see this new dynamic among the judges of this popular reality TV talent show, America’s Got Talent airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. CT on NBC.