Kenan Thompson fill Simon Cowell's judging seat on "America's Got Talent" while Cowell recovers from back surgery - and that Thompson would inherit Cowell's Golden Buzzer power for the night. On Tuesday, he used it.
Joining Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofía Vergara for Season 21's third live quarterfinal, Thompson watched 14-year-old Dallas singer Lai Noelle deliver a standing-ovation performance of Elton John's "Your Song." It was enough. Thompson hit the buzzer, sending Noelle straight to the finale - and making her the season's first double Golden Buzzer recipient, having already earned one from Cowell himself during auditions.
"You are so beyond your years," Mandel told her afterward.
Ten other acts also took the stage, including magician Kameron Marshall, aerial duo Holland & Sienna, and French daredevil Herwan Legaillard, who combined sword swallowing with fire and aerial work. When America's votes were counted, three more acts joined Noelle in the semifinals: Isaac Atkins, Marshall, and Legaillard.
Cowell was not present for the results show either, with host Terry Crews once again reassuring viewers that his absence remains "not an emergency" and that he's expected back at the table in the coming weeks.
As JubileeCast noted when this storyline began, Season 21's live rounds have carried a consistent thread of faith - contestants crediting prayer and perseverance for carrying them through the pressure of a live stage. That thread continued this week, even with a guest judge calling the shots.
The two-part "AGT" finale airs September 22 and 23, with the season's final quarterfinal round airing September 8.
Related Article: Kenan Thompson Replaces Simon Cowell as "America's Got Talent" Judge During Back Surgery Recovery
