America's Got Talent season 11


The eleventh season of American talent show competition series America's Got Talent was broadcast on NBC from May 31 to September 14, 2016. After the previous season, Howard Stern was replaced as a judge by the Got Talent creator, Simon Cowell. Stern's departure removed the contractual condition he had imposed for his involvement, leading to moving live round productions to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. While open auditions were held in multiple cities, the judges' auditions were filmed within the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, an arrangement that would persist in future seasons.
Along with those changes, the "Golden Buzzer" format was adjusted, and a planned break was made in the season's broadcast schedule between August 2–23 to avoid clashing with the network's live coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics. The guest judges for the season's Judge Cuts stage included George Lopez, Reba McEntire, Ne-Yo and Louis Tomlinson.
The eleventh season was won by singer and ukuleleist Grace VanderWaal, with mentalist duo The Clairvoyants finishing second, and magician Jon Dorenbos placing third. During its broadcast, the season averaged around 11.44 million viewers per episode. The eleventh season became prominent in the program's history for broadcasting a stunt on live television which went wrong nearly resulted in the death of its performer.

Season overview

Open auditions for the eleventh season began in late 2015 and were held in Detroit, New York City, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Jose, San Diego, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, and Dallas. Online auditions were also accepted. Unlike previous years which had used multiple venues, sessions of the judges' auditions were held at a fixed venue, taking place around March 2016 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. This arrangement for auditions was continued in later seasons of the show. Actor George Lopez, singer and actress Reba McEntire, singer Ne-Yo and singer Louis Tomlinson were guest judges in the Judge Cuts stage of the competition.
Before the tenth season aired, Howard Stern announced it would be his last season on AGT during his radio show, as his work schedule in the coming year would make him unable to remain committed to performing as a judge. His announcement led to a replacement for the next season, after NBC renewed the program for another year. AGT creator, Simon Cowell, replaced Stern for the upcoming season. Cowell continued with his role of Britain's Got Talent in the same year.
Due to Stern's departure, the live rounds were no longer restricted to being held within New York at Radio City Music Hall. The live rounds for the new season were brought back to Los Angeles and held in the Dolby Theatre. Other than the change in venue, the "Golden Buzzer" could be used by the host, although only in the first stage of auditions. Taking the 2016 Summer Olympics into account, the season included not only a break between August 9–17, but it included two episodes of the Judge Cuts in a span of two weeks to ensure the hiatus happened.
Of the participants who auditioned for the season, thirty-six secured a place in the live quarter-finals, with twelve quarter-finalists in each one. Among these were opera singer Laura Bretan, singer and ukuleleist Grace VanderWaal, jazz singer Sal Valentinetti, singer Calysta Bevier and burlesque dancer Dorothy Williams, who had each received a golden buzzer from the main judges and host; magician Jon Dorenbos, contortionist and aerialist Sofie Dossi, malambo group Malevo and singer Jayna Brown, who had each received a golden buzzer from the guest judges; dance group Flip, video-mapping dance duo Sila Sveta and magician Steven Brundage who were chosen as Wildcard quarter-finalists. About twenty-two quarter-finalists advanced and split between the two semi-finals, including juggling duo The Passing Zone, with ten semi-finalists securing a place in the finals. Here are the results of each participant's overall performance during the season:
ParticipantAge GenreActFromQuarter-FinalResult
Alla & Daniel8 & 32DanceBallroom DuoUpland, California3
Blake Vogt27MagicMagicianLebanon, Indiana3
Brian Justin Crum28SingingSingerSan Diego, California3'
Calysta Bevier 15px16SingingSingerGrand Rapids, Ohio2
Daniel Joyner17SingingSingerAlamo, Tennessee1
Deadly Games32 & 34DangerKnife Throwing DuoLas Vegas1
Dorothy Williams 15px91DanceBurlesque DancerHilo, Hawaii1
Edgar15-36Singing / MusicFamily BandLos Angeles3
Flip Image:Playing [card club A.svg|15px]14-17DanceDance GroupLévis, Canada2
Grace VanderWaal 15px12Singing / MusicSinger & UkuleleistSuffern, New York3'
Hara25MagicIllusionistJapan1
Jayna Brown 15px14SingingSingerBaltimore, Maryland1
Jon Dorenbos 15px35MagicMagicianPhiladelphia1'
Julia Scotti63ComedyComedianWhiting, New Jersey3
Kadan Bart Rockett10MagicMagicianLos Angeles3
Kadie Lynn Roberson12Singing / MusicSinger & GuitaristKemp, Texas2
Laura Bretan 15px14SingingOpera SingerChicago1'
Linkin' Bridge36-41SingingVocal GroupLouisville, Kentucky3'
Lori Mae Hernandez13ComedyComedianLancaster, California1
Malevo 15px17-42DanceMalambo GroupBuenos Aires, Argentina3
Moya Angela32SingingSingerLas Vegas2
Musicality15-18SingingVocal GroupChicago1
Outlawz17-20DanceDance GroupGilbert, Arizona1
Ronee Martin62SingingSingerColumbia, Virginia3
Ryan Stock & AmberLynn34 & 34DangerSideshow DuoLas Vegas2
Sal Valentinetti 15px21SingingJazz SingerBethpage, New York2'
Sila Sveta 15px20-35DanceVideomapping ActLos Angeles1
Sofie Dossi 15px15AcrobaticsContortionistCypress, California2'
Sos & Victoria37 & 44MagicQuick Change DuoMannheim, Germany2
Steven Brundage 15px25MagicMagicianSaratoga Springs, New York2
Tape Face37ComedyMimeCanterbury, New Zealand1'
The Clairvoyants28 & 29MagicMentalist DuoVienna, Austria2'
The Passing Zone 15px49VarietyJuggling DuoHermosa Beach, California3
ThroWings25 & 29AcrobaticsTrapeze DuoBoston2
Vello Vaher52AcrobaticsContortionistTallinn, Estonia3
Viktor Kee45VarietyJugglerPriluki, Ukraine2'

  • Ages denoted for a participant, pertain to their final performance for this season.

    Quarter-finals summary

Quarter-final 1 (July 26)

Guest Performers, Results Show: Mat Franco, and Paul Zerdin
  • During the Results show, Deadly Games' picture was portrayed as Daniel Joyner during the Online Public Vote segment; it was later corrected.

    Quarter-final 2 (August 2)

Guest Performers, Results Show: Fitz and the Tantrums featuring Team iLuminate

Quarter-final 3 (August 23)

Guest Performers, Results Show: Recycled Percussion, and Michael Phelps
  • The Passing Zone were later appointed as the judges' WildCard semi-finalists.

    Semi-finals summary

Semi-final 1 (August 30)

Guest Performers, Results Show: The Illusionists

Semi-final 2 (September 6)

Guest Performers, Results Show: Andra Day, and Blue Journey

Finals (September 13–14)

Guest Performers, Finale: Pitbull, LunchMoney Lewis
FinalistPerformed with
Result
Brian Justin CrumN/A'
Grace VanderWaalN/A'
Jon DorenbosPaula Abdul '
Laura BretanIl Volo
Linkin' BridgeSilhouettes
Sal ValentinettiJersey Boys'
Sofie DossiIl Volo
Tape FaceShon China Lacy
The ClairvoyantsPaula Abdul
Viktor KeeIl Volo

  • Sofie Dossi, Laura Bretan and Viktor Kee conducted a joint routine for their second performance, and thus shared the same guest performers.
  • The Clairvoyants and Jon Dorenbos conducted a joint routine for their second performance, and thus shared the same guest performers.
  • Tape Face also involved a number of the other finalists as part of his second performance.

    Ratings

The following ratings are based upon those published by Nielsen Media Research after this season's broadcast:
ShowEpisode titleFirst air dateTimeslot Rating
Share
Viewers
Nightly
rank		Weekly
rank
1Auditions Week 1May 31, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.61011.6713
2Auditions Week 2June 7, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.3810.7913
3Auditions Week 3June 14, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.61011.5415
4Auditions Week 4June 21, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.3911.7311
5Auditions Week 5June 28, 2016Tuesday 9:00 p.m.2.4911.2111
6Auditions Week 6July 5, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.71012.8111
7Judge Cuts 1July 12, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.4911.5411
8Judge Cuts 2July 13, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.2.4911.8512
9Judge Cuts 3July 19, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.3911.1012
10Judge Cuts 4July 20, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.2.3910.7811
11Quarterfinals, Week 1 July 26, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.3910.4711
12Quarterfinals, Week 1 July 27, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.1.889.5213
13Quarterfinals, Week 2 August 2, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.5911.5714
14Quarterfinals, Week 2 August 3, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.1.879.391 8
15Quarterfinals, Week 3 August 23, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.4911.2611
16Quarterfinals, Week 3 August 24, 2016Wednesday 9:00 p.m.2.1810.671 2
17Semifinals, Week 1 August 30, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.61012.2812
18Semifinals, Week 1 August 31, 2016Wednesday 9:00 p.m.2.0810.5014
19Semifinals, Week 2 September 6, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.5911.9616
20Semifinals, Week 2 September 7, 2016Wednesday 9:00 p.m.2.0710.6129
21Finals September 13, 2016Tuesday 8:00 p.m.2.81013.9714
22FinaleSeptember 14, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.2.81014.4114

Specials
ShowEpisode titleFirst air dateTimeslot Rating
Share
Viewers
Nightly
rank		Weekly
rank
S1Best of Season 11 AuditionsJuly 6, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.1.878.4825
S2Quarterfinals Week 3 RecapAugust 24, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.1.467.26213
S3Semifinals Week 1 RecapAugust 31, 2016Wednesday 8:00 p.m.1.276.46216
S4Holiday SpectacularDecember 19, 2016Monday 8:00 p.m.1.869.5415

Incidents

Accidents are uncommon across the Got Talent franchise, but most are usually attributed towards performances that involve highly dangerous stunts and routines. As a matter of principle, production staff often engage a set of necessary precautions for any such routine that will be shown on live television, which can include having paramedics on standby, conducting the performance at another venue, or pre-recording the routine before it is due to be aired for an episode. However, staff on the eleventh season opted to allow for a dangerous stunt to be broadcast live to American viewers, performed by carnival daredevil Ryan Stock, which nearly became a fatal accident when a piece of equipment malfunctioned and nearly impaled the performer's throat with a crossbow bolt. Although he suffered no injuries, production staff were left to question why the performance had been allowed to take place, and altered all footage of the scene for online viewing as a direct result.