Howie Mandel isn’t mincing words anymore when it comes to telling the performers on America’s Got Talent exactly what he thinks. The longtime judge, who joined the NBC talent show in Season 5, shared with PopCulture in a press call how his judging style has changed over the years ahead of the Tuesday, June 1 premiere of America’s Got Talent‘s Season 16, revealing the COVID-19 pandemic has him more “unedited” and “honest” than ever.
“Being able to settle in comfortably with being totally honest, totally without any thought of what the audience at home is going to think of me … that took a long time to do,” the comedian shared of his years on the show. “I mean there were [acts] at the beginning when I started that I hated, that I just didn’t like, I don’t want to see it, and for the life of me I would have never told you or kind of expressed it like that because I was afraid that the audience at home would turn on me.”
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As he continued behind the judging panel, Mandel realized people at home hopefully would recognize he “would never want to hurt anybody’s feelings or offend anybody,” but that by giving his unvarnished opinion, he was doing the performers “a service” that would better their act. “And so I have become more honest and more unedited than I have ever been, and I’m comfortable with that,” he shared. “I just think I’m unedited and more honest, and comfortable being honest and saying what I think than I have ever been.”
Mandel was feeling “especially” candid this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have this shared experience of a world pandemic, of this darkness, of everything that’s going on in the news,” he explained. “I just think we have to celebrate humanity and being ourselves and honesty and being just real … I think I’m more honest than I’ve ever been.”
Bringing America’s Got Talent back to filming in front of a live audience has been the “light at the end of the tunnel” for Mandel and his fellow judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara, as well as the performers. “There’s another level that has never really existed in all my years at AGT,” Mandel teased, saying that while he continues to think he’s seen everything performers could have to bring, he “realized I ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” America’s Got Talent returns with a brand new season Tuesday, June 1 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
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Mel B at the "America's Got Talent" Season 21 Red Carpet held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images) -
“Reverse the Curse” – Back from tribal, tensions rise following the exit of a particularly historic player. The final five immunity challenge ends in a showdown and features one of the closest finishes the show has ever seen. Jeff reveals the outcomes of the remaining in-game fan votes and how they impact the final stage of the competition. Then, one castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $2 million prize, during the three-hour live season finale, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Jeff Probst serves as host and executive producer. Pictured: Aubry Bracco Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
