During Monday’s new episode of America’s Got Talent: All-Stars, judge Simon Cowell had some harsh words for cellists Emil and Dariel. Fans online have shared their belief that Cowell was too hard on them when he accused them of being “boring.”
Simon Cowell Calls Emil and Dariel Boring on AGT: All-Stars
Cello-playing brothers Emil and Dariel first appeared on AGT in Season 9, when they were teenagers. Now in their 20s, the pair returned to compete on All-Stars, delivering an electrifying cello performance of “Take on Me” by A-ha.
Following the performance, Cowell told the brothers, “You’re really talented, but you’re both really boring.” The audience gasped at the comment, and Cowell added, “I don’t mean that to be rude. I’m saying that because I really do believe personality is a huge part of being a star.”
When Cowell went on to ask the pair what he was missing about them, Dariel answered that they “love sharing our music.” Judge Heidi Klum interrupted them, saying they should “try again” and that “everyone says that.”
Cowell continued to prod them in an awkward moment, as Dariel tried to share their goals as musicians. The judge asked them to tell him “something interesting.” When Dariel said they’re both studying to be dentists, Cowell rolled his eyes and pretended to stab himself with his pen.
“Come on, you know what I’m trying to do here,” Cowell told them. “This is not enough. There must be a dream, something that’s inspired you. You can’t just say, ‘I want to be a dentist.'”
Fans on social media shared their disappointment with Cowell’s critique of the musicians. One Reddit user commented, “So Simon’s criticism is that they don’t have some sob story and they’re just naturally talented? No wonder the show’s been going downhill.”
Several other fans on the thread agreed that Cowell seemed to only want to hear a “sob story” from the brothers. Competition shows such as AGT are frequently criticized for prioritizing emotional backstories over talent.
Someone else commented that the judges “absolutely publicly embarrassed those two.” The negative comments about Cowell’s treatment of the brothers extended to YouTube, where one user wrote that the moment “actually got me heated.”
They added, “I’ve watched this show for over 10 years now and I’ve NEVER seen the judges be this unnecessarily mean to someone.”
What do you think of Cowell’s remarks about Emil and Dariel being boring? Let us know in the comments below.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
