America’s Got Talent has aired 20 seasons now. In that time, we’ve seen singers, dancers, magicians, ventriloquists, and even a poet win the show. But one category of performer who has never taken home the million-dollar prize is stand-up comedians. What is it about comedy that makes it so hard to earn the public’s vote?
Which Comedians Have Gone Far on America’s Got Talent?
Although a comedian has never won AGT, there have been a few who have come close over the years. Notably, comedians Tom Cotter, Taylor Williamson, and Drew Lynch all finished the competition in second place in Seasons 7, 8, and 10, respectively.
Other comedians who have made it far in their respective seasons of the show include Preacher Lawson (Season 12), Ryan Niemiller (Season 14), Josh Blue (Season 16), Mike E. Winfield (Season 17), Ahren Belisle (Season 18), and Learnmore Jonasi (Season 19).
Earlier this year, Chris Turner was the runner-up in Season 20 for his fun act, which combined comedy with freestyle rapping. Other popular acts have incorporated comedy into their performances, such as winning ventriloquists Terry Fator and Paul Zerdin, as well as Season 10 finalist Piff the Magic Dragon.
However, a performer has never won the show for simply doing stand-up comedy alone. This is different from Britain’s Got Talent, for example, which has seen two stand-up comics win the grand prize in recent years – Lost Voice Guy in Series 12 and Axel Blake in Series 15.
What will it take for a comedian to finally win AGT? Is it a problem with the show’s format, or is the American audience simply not as impressed by comedy compared to other talents?
Why Is It So Hard for Comedians to Win the Show?
In 2023, AGT fans discussed the fact that a comedian had never won the show in a Reddit thread. They offered several possible reasons why stand-up comedy has never taken an act all the way to the million-dollar prize.
One user suggested that “comedians don’t have enough time to get a good set,” adding that acts such as magicians, for example, tend to get more time on stage to show off their talent. Someone else argued that good stand-up comedy “looks like you’re doing nothing at all,” arguing that viewers don’t find it as impressive as someone performing more obviously difficult feats.
Another fan shared their opinion that in order for a talented stand-up comedian to finally win the show, they need to be competing in a season without a clear frontrunner who is sure to block them from the grand prize.
It probably doesn’t help that comedians rarely earn the Golden Buzzer from the show’s judges. Even Howie Mandel isn’t known to do the honors for fellow comics. While the gesture is no guarantee that an act will go far in the competition, it definitely gives them a boost and makes it more likely that people will pay attention to their talent.
What do you think? Why hasn’t a stand-up comedian ever won AGT? Do you think it will ever happen? Should the judges set an example by giving more comedians the Golden Buzzer in future seasons? Let us know on X!
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
