As soon as we saw Tom Sandoval strut on stage to audition for America’s Got Talent, we suspected that his appearance was less about his talent and more about his ongoing relationship with NBCUniversal. Getting those glowing reviews from the AGT judges during the June 24 episode only added to that suspicion.
Now, a new report suggests that he got special treatment on America’s Got Talent because of his close relationship with NBC. It would definitely explain how Tom managed to please Simon Cowell with his rendition of Ah-ha’s Take on Me.
Tom Sandoval’s AGT audition earned him “special treatment” to “boost ratings”
A cast member on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules for over a decade, Tom’s messy affair boosted the show to new heights, earning them an Emmy nomination and a renewed interest in a show that was otherwise on its way towards cancellation. According to an insider who spoke with The Sun, that’s exactly why he was brought onto AGT. They wanted to boost ratings.
“He didn’t have a typical audition or audition process,” the source claimed. “He did get a little bit of special treatment from NBC. They’ve known him for years.”
The insider also pointed out how Tom has built a relationship with Howie Mandel outside of the show. Pump Rules fans will recall that when Scandoval broke, Howie was the first person to interview Tom.
With that in mind, the insider explained how the “powers that be” at NBC “worked their magic” to push Sandoval through the auditions. They also accused the producers of helping spice up his performance by adding backing vocals.
“Sandoval did sing live, but he also sang over a backing track, which helped him with his vocals,” the source continued. “It’s not accustomed for AGT singers to get a back track, typically they sing completely live.”
Since America’s Got Talent is supposed to be a competition, these accusations present serious concerns about fairness. Therefore, the team at AGT denied any wrongdoing. In a statement, they insisted that the competition is fair, even if Tom did get a backing vocal.
“AGT is an even playing field. Every act that is seen on our stage is allowed to use backing tracks to support their performance, should they choose,” a rep for the show claimed.
America’s Got Talent airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
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