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See Every One of Terry Crews' Golden Buzzer Moments on America's Got Talent
From a youth choir to a death-defying motorbike show, Terry Crews has made the most of his Golden Buzzer since his his start on America's Got Talent.
He may not be an America’s Got Talent Judge but that doesn’t stop Host Terry Crews from having some epic Golden Buzzer moments of his own.
Crews didn’t join the show until 2019, but the Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and television host quickly endeared himself to fans with his ability to genuinely connect with the performers and Judges. And it didn’t take long for him to get his bearings in the talent competition, employing the coveted Golden Buzzer his very first season.
Each Judge — and Crews — are given just one opportunity each season to press the Golden Buzzer, which (along with releasing a ridiculous amount of golden confetti) directly advances the Act into the Live Shows even if other Judges have pressed their red buzzers in opposition.
Along with their individual Golden Buzzers, the Judges and Crews can also join together one time each season to collectively press the Golden Buzzer for a jaw-dropping act that inspires the whole group.
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When it comes to Crews’ Golden Buzzer picks, whether it’s a youth choir in Detroit or a saxophone-playing 21-year-old plagued by bullying, the former NFL player likes to reward Acts that pull on America’s heart strings and demonstrate the unbelievable power of the human spirit.
"First of all, what I was looking for when I pushed my Golden Buzzer, was talent. The story, how many obstacles this person had to overcome, and the talent," he told PEOPLE in 2022. "Because you can have one or the other, but you got to have both to get that golden buzzer."
Here’s a recap of all the times Crews has deployed his Golden Buzzer since his start on the show:
Season 14: Detroit Youth Choir
Crews’ first Golden Buzzer was a memorable one, choosing in Season 14 to support the uber-talented Detroit Youth Choir, which, as director Anthony White explained, was a group of “wonderful young people” from Michigan’s largest city.
The group began with perfect harmonies, much like you’d expect from a choir, but quickly ramped up their version of “Can’t Hold Us” with impressive rap solos and high-energy dancing that even got the Judges moving.
“This was your moment,” a stunned Howie Mandel told the singers.
But before all the Judges couldn’t even weigh in, an emotional Crews made his way onto the stage.
“Wait, wait, I’m so sorry to interrupt you, Howie, but I have to tell you,” he said as his voice broke and members of the choir began to cry. “Every young man and woman on this stage represents me and where I came from. I remember sitting at my window in Flint, Michigan dreaming and wanting to make it and wanting to be here and they’re here.“
A pink-suited Crews then made his way down to the Judges' table.
“All it takes is one person to believe in a young man or woman for them to reach their dreams and you are that man, sir,” he told White, before slamming his hand onto the Golden Buzzer and releasing an explosion of confetti into the air.
Crews’ rousing endorsement appeared to pay off and the Detroit Youth Choir made it all the way to the finals, where they finished second behind pianist Kodi Lee.
Season 15: Voices of Our City Choir
The next season Crews’ found himself inspired by another incredible choir, this time San Diego’s Voices of Our City Choir. The choir was unique in that it was made up of residents within the coastal city who had struggled with homelessness. The money raised through the group was then used to support their housing and care needs.
The choir wowed AGT Judges with their own original song called the “Sounds of The Sidewalk,” which spoke of hope and enduring in the face of adversity.
“I’ll tell you how I felt watching this choir is: There’s no question of doubt that there is strength in numbers,” Simon Cowell said, before adding, “We live in a world at the moment where there is so much talking, but you’ve actually made something happen."
Crews was also inspired to be a man of action and interrupted Cowell to make his way down to the Judges' table.
“What they did today has moved me to this point right now,” he said before smashing the Golden Buzzer.
The group made it into the semi-finals, where they were eliminated.
Season 16: World Taekwondo Demonstration Team
Describing World Taekwondo Demonstration Team is difficult, because as the AGT Judges put it, there’s nothing quite like it.
With simulated street fights, amazing acrobatics, fast-paced moves, and gravity-defying kicks to shatter boards nearly two stories high, the World Taekwondo Demonstration Team quickly proved they weren’t your average martial arts team.
After the high-octane performance, shredded boards were left scattered across the stage and Crews was in awe, slamming his own board down on the ground.
The stunned Judges had praise of their own, but before they could begin to take a vote, Crews emerged from backstage and headed toward the Golden Buzzer.
“First of all, I got to tell you, I have never, ever seen anything like this in my life,” he said. “World Taekwondo, this is not about fighting. It’s about courage. It’s about confidence and respect. And I respect what you guys did out here today.”
The group didn’t disappoint during their time on the show and made it past the semi-finals and quarter-finals, but failed to make the top five.
Season 17: Avery Dixon
There was “not a dry eye in the house” when Avery Dixon took the stage in Season 17. The 21-year-old saxophone player told Cowell that he had been bullied “relentlessly” all his life by his classmates because of his distinctive voice.
“My elementary school nickname was 'Hammerhead' because I had these knots in my head because I’m premature. I was born at one pound, eight ounces," he explained. "And my vocal chords don't close all the way, so they make my voice sound really airy."
The bullying got so bad Dixon admitted he considered taking his own life, but he picked up the saxophone instead and dedicated himself to learning his craft.
The emotional story had everyone in the audience pulling for him, but it was his unbelievable musical talent that sealed his fate as a true contender.
“Any one of those idiots who bullied you, now, I hope is watching this audition,” Cowell told him before adding, “It’s in your blood. This is your destiny.”
Crews — who had given Dixon a pep talk before taking the stage — then emerged from the wings and told Cowell there was “no need to vote.”
“Avery Dixon, you touched the heart of every human being in this building right now. And I want to tell you, man, you’ve been bullied all your life, but you tell every bully that you have a big brother named Terry Crews, who is here, who has got your back. And all of those bullies are going to have to watch you succeed, my friend,” Crews said before pressing the Golden Buzzer and sending an emotional Dixon straight to the live competition.
Not surprisingly, Dixon resonated with America too, making it all the way to the top ten.
Season 17: Group Golden Buzzer, Chapel Hart
Chapel Hart’s original song “You Can Have Him, Jolene” was enough to impress all four Judges and Crews during the Season 17 auditions, leading to the coveted group Golden Buzzer.
The country trio’s sassy response to Dolly Parton’s popular 1970s hit “Jolene” was a creative new take by sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle.
"We’ve always been country music fans, and Dolly is by far our favorite," Danica explained to the Judges. "We were so inspired by the song ‘Jolene;' we just love the storyline. And we figured, though, from 1973 to 2022, we could not still be fighting over the same man, so we decided to tell her, 'You can just have him, Jolene.'”
It didn’t take long for the Judges and Crews to agree the women were worthy of the group Golden Buzzer, sending them straight to the live competition.
Chapel Hart ultimately placed fifth in the competition.
AGT: The Champions: Kseniya Simonova
Kseniya Simonova was declared the winner of Ukraine’s Got Talent in 2009 — and it didn’t take her long to impress Crews in the first season of AGT: The Champions, which brought together AGT franchise acts from across the world in one spectacular competition.
The sand animation artist took the stage to tell a story using only sand, light, and music, giving Crews “goosebumps.”
Cowell called Simonova “one of the best contestants we’ve had over the years” and Mandel remarked that it had been “beautiful” before a red-suited Crews came out from the wings and walked to the Golden Buzzer.
“I have never been more impressed by the ability to move people the way you did today,” he said before pressing the buzzer.
Simonova finished in third place during the competition.
AGT Extreme: Alfredo Silva’s Cage Riders
AGT’s spin-off AGT Extreme set out to showcase some of the world’s most extreme acts and Alfredo Silva’s Cage Riders definitely didn’t disappoint.
Silva — a third-generation cage rider — and his team wowed the audience with their unbelievable (and heart attack-inducing) motorbike demonstration, which sent riders into a circular “Cage of Death” as two other motorbikes repeatedly flew over the cage doing death-defying tricks of their own.
“That’s the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” an excited Crews yelled into the camera.
Silva was no stranger to America’s Got Talent and had previously performed in the flagship show’s Season 11 as part of a knife-throwing act, Deadly Games. For this reason, Cowell already knew him and had to excuse himself from the vote, but before the two remaining Judges could cast their votes, Crews stepped in to offer the Golden Buzzer.
“Simon Cowell came to me and said he was putting together this show, but we need the best, the most extreme acts in the world and let me tell you something, Alfredo, every time I see you it is the definition of what this show is. I’m giving you the Golden Buzzer, my man,” Crews said.
It turned out, America was blown away too and Alfredo Silva’s Cage Riders won the competition.
America’s Got Talent: All Stars: Detroit Youth Choir
America’s Got Talent: All Stars saw the return of the Detroit Youth Choir. And much like their first run in Season 14 of AGT, the choir was quick to get the support of Crews (especially after their high-impact performance of “Thunder” which got the crowd going wild and received a standing ovation from all three Judges).
“This was just magic. Absolute creative magic. It’s one of the best things, I’m actually quite emotional,” a stunned Cowell said after the performance.
Crews took the stage to once again commend choir director Anthony White.
“Mr. White, you have changed the lives of thousands of young men and women all over. For what you have done for the city of Detroit, for what you have done in this world, one Golden Buzzer is not enough,” Crews yelled before slamming the Golden Buzzer a second time for the youth choir.
While they made it into the finals of the competition (and performed with Weezer!), the group didn’t place in the final five.
