‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 11 Premiere Recap: Simon Cowell Returns To T.V. – And He’s Nice!

America’s Got Talent’s season 11 premiered on Tuesday with judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Mel B., and the return of Simon Cowell to T.V. Cowell drew a lot of attention because of his unexpectedly kind attitude.

Cowell used to be known as T.V.’s meanest judge, but on the America’s Got Talent premiere episode, he had a softness about him that was quite surprising.

The show started off with Nathan Bockstahler, 6, who is and adorable comedian. Nathan jokes back and forth with Cowell. He’s the first one through to the next round.

“An important thing to know about girls is that they say one thing but always mean another,” Nathan jokes. “My mom, for instance always tells me to call her ‘Mom’ and I come to find out that’s not even her real name!”

Next, Jose Fuentes, 58, and his dog named Carrie came to the stage. The dog was in a dress and was dancing a choreographed dance with her owner. Three judges said yes and the duo made it to the next round.

Emilie and Tommy, who are The Clairvoyants, are mentalists. Emilie is blindfolded and she can guess anything that Tommy picks out from the crowd and puts in his hand. For example, Emilie could guess an audience member’s cell phone provider without having any previous knowledge. Being the most interesting act so far, the duo made it to the next round.

A Kentucky-based musical quartet, known as Linkin’ Bridge, provided a shock to the judges when they harmonized perfectly to the song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Of course, they made it through.

Next, an all-drag Spice Girls impersonators, who go by the name The Spice Gurlz, came to the stage where they received the first no of the season.

Hara, who is a a visual artist/magician from a small village in Japan, wowed the judges and made it through.

Tape Man came up to the stage and performed “Endless Love,” sung by oven mitts. He made it through. Cowell said the performance was clever.

Next was 13-year-old opera singer Laura Bretan. She amazed the judges with her voice so much that former Spice Girl, Mel B. was the first to press the buzzer.

The last act of the night was Greg, 61, from Daytona Beach. After talking himself up to be the most thrill-seeking and dangerous act, all he did was jump into an inflatable tub of shaving cream. Of course, the judges weren’t that happy. But they had some fun with the pool of shaving cream after when Klum ran up to the stage and pushed host Nick Cannon into the shaving cream. Cannon ended up pulling Klum into the pool as he was falling in.

America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8:00 PM on NBC.