History Series / AmericasGotTalent

-->"Lys...ignore them. They’re talking complete claptrap."

--> '''Gabrielle Union:''' I’m a new judge this season and I’m also a new mom this year...and it’s the toughest job I’ve ever had and the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. You just want to give your kids the moon and stars and rainbows. And tonight...I’m gonna give you something special. [cue Golden Buzzer]
* TheRunnerUpTakesItAll: Even if you don't win the money and the guaranteed Vegas show, even showing up on [=AGT=] can be very good for your career- providing you aren't hopeless on it, of course. It's probably the best exposure you could ask for. Multiple acts didn't win their seasons but have won success afterwards:

** A similar example appears in Season 14 in the form of Ben Trigger. All of the promos for the fifth audition show built up a Golden Buzzer, with Howie being heard saying it's his "favorite Golden Buzzer moment". By the time this episode aired (and apparently by the time this audition was filmed), all judges and host Terry Crews have used their Golden Buzzer except for Julianne Hough. It was the last segment of the show, with constant clips discussing Julianne's Golden Buzzer. The man was clearly being built up as a fitting choice, from being a dancer as well as a fan of hers, to having a fairly sympathetic backstory. Julianne even takes a liking to him before his performance begins...And then his dancing turns out to be average at best...And then he does a burlesque striptease...And just when you're thinking that Julie's much-hyped Golden Buzzer choice is nothing more than a joke act...it turns out she doesn't give it to him; He gives it to himself! Naturally, this doesn't count, but he still gets four yeses from the judges and moves to the next round. Turns out that Howie's comment in the promos was said in jest, and viewers must now wait two more weeks for the last audition show to find out who Juliane actually gives the Golden Buzzer to.

A few artists that have auditioned on ''Got Talent'' have their own pages on TV Tropes, including Music/JackieEvancho (Season 5), Music/PrincePoppycock (Season 5), Music/LindseyStirling (Season 5), Creator/TrishaPaytas (Season 7), Creator/JimMeskimen (Season 8), Music/PuddlesPityParty (Season 12), Creator/MichaelWinslow (Season 16), and Music/VictoryBrinker (Season 16).

* ComebackMechanic: The Golden Buzzer, which can be used once per season by each judge and which overrides any downvotes by other judges. When first introduced in Season 9, it saved an act from elimination; from Season 10 on, it sends the act directly into the live rounds. From Season 11 on, the host gets to use it too.

* TheRunnerUpTakesItAll: A few acts may not have won, but they went on to be successful regardless. In Season 5, they brought back some alumni for guest performances: dance group [=JabbaWockeeZ=] auditioned in Season 2 before hitting it big on ''America's Best Dance Crew'' and moving on to a successful tour and Las Vegas contract; Season 4's third-placers, Recycled Percussion, now have a show in Vegas as well; and Quick Change's act from Season 1 became a [=YouTube=] hit and are now the NBA's official halftime act.

* BellyDancer: A pair of them in Season 5. Piers and Howie didn't even try to hide their reactions.

* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Adrian Stoica's act involved his dog Hurricane helping with his daily routine (or messing with said routine for the hell of it). His audition involved Hurricane getting him out of bed, bringing him clothes, stealing the TV remote to force him to exercise, and getting him out the door- so she can grab the TV remote she stole earlier and settle down with it. His semifinals act had Hurricane arguing with him over the music, diagnosing what was wrong with his lawnmower (she prescribed PercussiveMaintenance) and sabotaging his attempts to garden, while his finale had Hurricane act as his wingdog for a staged date with Sophia, including choosing his coat, handing him a hairbrush (he's bald), and reminding him to get the ''actual'' Sophia on stage rather than a cardboard cutout.

* NakedPeopleAreFunnny: The Men with Pans.

* GenderBlenderName: Adrian Stoica's dog is named Hurricane, which is not really a feminine name. All the judges refer to Hurricane as "he", until Simon asks about it in the live show, and Adrian confirms that Hurricane is a she.

* PetTheDog: Literally, Simon will defend any dog act and even when they mess up, he will be far less harsh with them than with other contestants.

** The biggest subversion of them all? '''Kenichi Ebina''', the Japanese immigrant who many thought was going to be another train wreck based on the fact that he spoken broken English and claimed that he didn't dance so much as do "dance-ish" moves. Then his performance began, and his "dance-ish" moves were actually pretty impressive. He got even better in the live shows, where he flawlessly combined his moves with prerecorded footage, and he ultimately '''''won'''''.

The series has spawned a few spinoffs that air between main seasons, all of which use an accelerated schedule (a single round of auditions and a finale) and an audience of "superfans" instead of nationwide live voting. ''America's Got Talent: The Champions'' (airing after Seasons 13 and 14) and ''America's Got Talent: All-Stars'' (after Season 17) features notable contestants from past seasons and various international versions of the show; while ''America's Got Talent: Extreme'' (after Season 16) features daredevil acts and a handful of other acts that must also by necessity perform outside.

[-(Current cast is in bold.)-]

* '''Creator/TerryCrews''' (''The Champions'' (both seasons), Season 14 onward, ''Extreme'', and ''All-Stars'')

* Comedian, host of ''Series/DealOrNoDeal'', and creator of ''WesternAnimation/BobbysWorld'' '''Howie Mandel''' (Season 5 onward, including both seasons of ''The Champions'' and ''All-Stars'')

* Former {{Music/Spice Girl|s}} Melanie Brown aka "Mel B" (Seasons 8-13 plus ''The Champions'' Season 1)
* Model and fashion designer '''Heidi Klum''' (Season 8 onward (except for 14), including both seasons of ''The Champions'' and ''All-Stars'')
* ''Got Talent'' creator, former ''Series/AmericanIdol'' judge, music agent, and iconic mean judge '''Simon Cowell''' (Season 11 onward,[[note]]though he missed half of Season 15 due to injury[[/note]] including both seasons of ''The Champions'', ''Extreme'', and ''All-Stars'')

* Actress and model '''Creator/SofiaVergara''' (Season 15 onward)

A few Season 5 performers, Music/JackieEvancho, Music/PrincePoppycock, and Music/LindseyStirling, have their own trope pages.

''Series/BritainsGotTalent'' is its TransAtlanticEquivalent, and various other countries have their own local "Got Talent" counterparts.

* DisabledSnarker:
** Drew Lynch, a comedian in Season 10 who has a severe stutter. Most of his jokes revolve around making light of his condition. He returned in ''The Champions'' and was joined by "Lost Voice Guy" Lee Ridley, who had his own set based on having cerebral palsy.
** Ryan Niemiller, another comedian in Season 14 and ''Champions'' Season 2, was born with deformed arms. Likewise, he makes his set about his condition, even calling himself "The Cripple Threat of Comedy".
** Season 16 had Josh Blue and Season 18 had Ahren Belisle, other comedians who joked about having cerebral palsy.

** ''The Champions'' included ''Britain's Got Talent'' winner Lee Ridley, the "Lost Voice Guy". He's a comedian who has cerebral palsy and ''can't even talk'', instead using a text-to-speech device.

** Discussed in the Season 8 finale by comedians Howie and Taylor Williamson, as the performers were supposed to go back and revisit a prior act - but that doesn't work for comedy, as jokes aren't as funny the second time they're told. Most of the humor in Taylor's subsequent act came from his [[StylisticSuck ridiculous attempts to enhance old jokes]], rather than the jokes themselves.