Inside ‘America’s Got Talent’s Hectic Week Amid Coronavirus Concerns

The spread of the coronavirus has brought most of the world to a standstill. France and Spain are shutting their countries down to only essential activities, while the United States has seen all forms of entertainment grind to a halt.

America’s Got Talent is one of the many shows that have been deeply affected by the virus and the efforts to contain it. The show has seen one of its judges fall ill with symptoms of the ailment, the removal of their live audience for future tapings of the reality competition, and the cancellation of some taping dates this weekend.

The reactions from those on the show have been a mix of humor and concern, attempting to keep some normalcy in the current climate.

Scroll down to see the numerous moments that have hit the show this week, making it a small focal point for the risks in the entertainment realm.

Heidi Klum

Earlier this week on Tuesday, judge Heidi Klum fell ill and ended up needing to leave the taping, allegedly due to food poisoning according to a TMZ report at the time but that assessment has since changed.

Before the incident, Klum was happy to be back on the reality competition and seemed to be in high spirits. 

Can’t Get Coronavirus Test

While later reports indicated that Klum was merely suffering from a common cold, Klum shared an update on her condition on Friday. To the shock of many, Klum claimed she is facing symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 or the coronavirus.

Klum admitted that she is self-quarantining at the moment to avoid contaminating anybody but she also revealed that she can’t get tested.

“Um I’m just not feeling good so that’s why I’ve stayed home to not infect any other people,” she said. “I hope it’s just a cold, I would love to do the corona test but there just isn’t one here. I’ve tried with two different doctors and just can’t get one.”

Howie Mandel’s Hazmat Suit

Before Klum was sent home ill from the set of America’s Got Talent, fellow judge Howie Mandel has been having fun joking about the virus and the precautions he will be taking as a noted germophobe who lives with OCD.

Mandel had made a joke about showing up in a hazmat suit to the set for tapings days before Klum fell ill. But then he went through with it on the day that his fellow judge went home.

Toilet Paper Humor

Mandel continued injecting humor into the situation by making fun of the various shortages around the nation, particularly with toilet paper. He posted a video Saturday saying he went to the store to buy some and it was sold out. But luckily he managed to find a crumpled piece of tissue on the sidewalk, or at least he claimed to. 

But it hasn’t been all humor for Mandel. He did tell TMZ cameras that he has fears of catching the virus, but not from Klum. He did express the hope that Klum was only suffering from a cold and not coronavirus.

Eric Stonestreet

With Klum out, Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet subbed in as a judge for tapings on Wednesday.

“What a super fun and unexpected day in Los Angeles. Thanks [America’s Got Talent] for letting me step in for the great [Heidi Klum]. As a fan of the show, it was a real treat to be there. And it’s always great to be reunited with my former co-worker [Sofia Vergara],” Stonestreet wrote on Instagram.

Sofia Vergara is a new addition to the show this season, joining a few weeks back alongside Klum.

No Audience, No Problem

As production continued, Fremantle Media announced that the show and many others will be changing production. While shows like The Price is Right are shut down due to the nature of their shows, America’s Got Talent and Family Feud were taping without a live audience.

“Due to the ongoing global situation around Covid-19, we have been working closely with our production teams and network partners to take measures to help minimize the risk of exposure to our cast, crew and live audiences,” Fremantle said in a statement. “Effective immediately, we will refrain from filming in front of live audiences for our current productions America’s Got Talent and Family Feud. As live audiences are integral to the format of The Price Is Right, we will be suspending production for the short term. For similar reasons, we will be postponing the start of production for season 2 of Card Sharks. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and determine the appropriate time to resume normal course of business.”

Cancellations

But despite this announcement, Deadline reports that tapings for the show from March 13 through 17 had been canceled. The show had been in production up to Thursday, breaking for the weekend. Past that, America’s Got Talent will likely continue under the “no live audience” plan.  There is no set premiere date for the next season of America’s Got Talent.