Howie Mandel on America's Got Talent Season 8, Mel B, and the Power of Variety

Howie Mandel said it plainly: "I cannot believe that this is even a job. I got into this business to try to garner an audience and make a career of it …" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

Howie Mandel joined a press roundtable to discuss America's Got Talent Season 8, the addition of Mel B and Heidi Klum to the judges' panel, and what it takes to stand out in a true variety competition. Daedrian McNaughton of Premier Guide Miami was among the journalists on the call.

Going into the new season with a comedian winning last year — breaking that streak of singers and musicians — how do you think that'll change the dynamic of the show this season?

Truth be told, Season 2 was won by Terry Fator who was a ventriloquist. The heart and soul of our show is that we are the last bastion of variety. And this year with the advent of adding two more judges — Mel, an international superstar in her own right, and Heidi, an international marketer and fashion icon — that has made it harder for acts to get through because now we need three yes's instead of just two. They have raised the level of what the audience at home can see and get away with. They don't have to be just a traditional singer or dancer. They can do absolutely anything. We had more dangerous acts, more exciting acts, more wacky acts, and more brilliant classic talent than we've ever had before.

In what ways do you feel having four judges this season is going to spice up the judging table?

I personally was concerned — I thought, 'Maybe this is going to be too much.' As it works out, it actually heightened the value of people that go through to Las Vegas. The fact that they have to get three yes's to go through — two and two is virtually a no. So you have to appeal to three people. Our four people on the panel come from not only four different worlds of entertainment, but from all over the world. And as Howard keeps saying, we want to find an international star. We don't want to just find somebody that wins America's Got Talent and ends up at Radio City Music Hall. We want to find somebody that's going to be an international star. The biggest change I can see: we're going to send 55 people to the live shows. To be able to perform live on Radio City Music Hall means so much more than any of these other challenge shows has ever meant before.

Why did you come back again? What was the particular reason?

I would come back as long as they continue to have me. I love watching — and have sympathy as a fellow performer — for anybody that's willing to get up and put themselves out, anybody who's creative, anybody who's original. I just love the energy and watching somebody get on stage and trying to entertain. Talent is subjective. Even if you're an act that plays a stadium and 20,000 people are there, there's probably two million people in that city that chose not to buy the ticket. So there is something for everyone. I cannot believe that this is even a job. I got into this business to try to garner an audience and make a career of it. And then all of the sudden they give you a pair of pants and a paycheck, and if you have some credibility behind you and years of being in the business, hopefully you have constructive criticism as to why you don't think something is worthy of seeing anymore of it. I just love it.

How do you think The Spice Girls would've done in one of these competitions?

I think they would do well. At their time, it was original. It wasn't only four hot women singing and dancing — there was a message. That message was girl power. A big part of America's Got Talent is that America votes. And a big part of the voting community are young girls who watch the show and are inspired watching dreams come true. I think they would've really touched a nerve and done really well.

Is there one kind of act that has an advantage — do singers have it easier than dancers?

I do think that as a singer, you have an advantage. But the beauty of America's Got Talent is that because it's a variety show, we as judges keep hammering it home to the audience: what about this guy that's been working for ten years in his basement and he's come up and he's doing something you've never seen before? You've never heard before? And it's just amazing. I hope the audience takes that into consideration over what can be perceived as something easier or more normal. You could see a singer-songwriter around a campfire, on a cruise, in a club. But there are things we see on our stage that you cannot see anywhere else.

What were your thoughts on some of the gay contestants from the Chicago auditions?

I don't know that the gay contestants are in a different category. Your sexual preference has absolutely nothing to do with your talent. I don't think we judge on that and it's not based on that. Every faction and sexual orientation — gender, race, creed, color — is represented on America's Got Talent because it's represented in America. I couldn't answer that question specifically because I'm not even sure what the sexual preference is of most of the people that perform in front of us, nor do I care to know.

Is the chemistry for everyone off camera as great as it is on screen?

The key word is respect. We respect each other and each other's opinion though we don't agree — and there are times where we really don't. We're all four very strong-minded, opinionated people and we'll fight for what we think is right and honestly think sometimes the other person's wrong. It can get heated. But at the end of the day, we respect each other and enjoy working with each other. What you see is what you get, but that doesn't mean we all agree — which I think makes for good television and good criticism, and it's good for the acts to hear different opinions and different sides.

What is your favorite part of this season thus far?

Just the phone conference calls that we get to do. I mean I love this. It's not about the camera. It's not about the talent. It's just — this is fun. Because for me I'm a germaphobe and I'm talking to so many people, yet nobody's with me, and I love that.

Is there anything you're specifically hoping to see out of the contestants this year?

To see something we've never seen before. To see something so original it doesn't even fit a category. Something so new and so daring and so different where you just go, 'How did you think of that?' The greatest and most exciting moment so far — and it's happened more this season than any other season — is when our jaw drops. When you go, 'Oh my God.' When we look at each other without any words and go, 'What are we watching? What is this? What category?' It's not a singer. It's not a dancer. What is this person doing and how amazing is this? And I need to see more of it.

When stand-up comedians come on stage for America's Got Talent, do you share an empathy toward those people?

I do. I think that being a stand-up comic is probably one of the hardest things in the competition as far as America's Got Talent goes. Because in order to achieve what you're trying to achieve, you need to elicit more from an audience than any other act. If you sing a song, they're looking for applause at the end. If you do a magic trick, you're looking for a ta-da. But if you're doing stand-up comedy, you need to hear laughter every 30 seconds — which is a tough emotion to elicit from strangers. Because if it's quiet in the room, regardless of how funny you think you are, it's not working. So I do have a lot of empathy. They have a tough job. And even at this point in my career, there are nights where things don't go my way and it's not always my fault. I try to remove myself from what's happening in the room and hear it for what it is. And we have a lot of great comedy this year — even more than last year. I think Tom Cotter inspired that.

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