Another season of America’s Got Talent has come to an end, but the winner of Season 18 took a lot of people by surprise. Unlike previous seasons when golden buzzer winners took the top prize, the newest champion isn’t one of the golden buzzer winners who seemed to have an edge on the rest, but Adrian Stoica and his talented dog Hurricane. Anybody watching the finale witnessed the judges’ reactions to the various eliminations, as well as the outpouring of emotion from the audience live in the theater. Judge Simon Cowell addressed not everybody being happy about Stoica and Hurricane winning shortly after the big reveal.
When he spoke with People after the finale, Cowell shared his thoughts on Adrian Stoica and Hurricane becoming the first dog act to win AGT since Olate Dogs back in Season 7. Cowell said:
You can’t please everyone — there were people who were disappointed, people who were surprised, but it’s a public vote, and their act last night was amazing. So a bit of a surprise, but I’m happy. I would’ve been happy with anyone winning from last night, if I’m being honest with you.
As he said, it was a public vote, so it’s on fans who didn’t vote if they don’t like who won this year! Cowell spoke with the outlet backstage following the live season finale (available streaming via Peacock Premium subscription), so he presumably hadn’t seen any reactions on social media to Ramadhani Brothers coming in fifth, Putri Ariani coming in fourth, Murmuration in third, and Anna DeGuzman placing second behind Adrian Stoica and Hurricane. That said, the reactions in the theater made it clear enough that not everybody saw the dog act coming out on top.
When the Ramadhani Brothers were eliminated, Sofia Vergara could be heard saying “What is going on?” Then, when Putri Ariani was announced as fourth, Cowell – who had hit his golden buzzer for the singer – and Vergara looked visibly surprised, and there were boos from the audience. The judges were clearly taken aback when Murmuration – who had gotten Howie Mandel’s golden buzzer and I’d ranked second most likely to win – was cut next, with Mandel covering his mouth with his hands before telling them that, in his heart, they were the best he’d seen in Season 18. Once again, there were boos from the audience.
That said, nobody booed Adrian Stoica and Hurricane when they were announced as the winners, so they still got their moment of glory, complete with gold confetti and a standing ovation from the judges. Take a look, if you missed it:
Personally, despite my predictions after the finale performances that the champion wouldn’t be a singer or a golden buzzer recipient, I was as surprised as anybody that Adrian Stoica and Hurricane won Season 18, but pleasantly so. In fact, I couldn’t stop smiling when they won after the unexpected eliminations, and I stand by the idea that a surprise is a good thing every once in a while on AGT.
The wait is now on for when AGT will return for Season 19, but a spinoff is coming in the spring after the end of the 2023 TV schedule that brings none other than former judge Mel B. back into the mix. Called AGT: Fantasy League, the show will pit the judges as well as the competitors against each other, with Mel B. replacing Sofia Vergara.
The Modern Family star confirmed in the Season 18 finale that she’ll be back next summer for Season 19, though, so don’t expect Mel B.’s spinoff return to mean that she’ll be back full time. For now, I’ll just say again: congratulations to Adrian Stoica and Hurricane!