America's Got Talent Results

America's Got Talent results never cease to shock TV viewers.

In fact, shock may be an understatement. The reality TV series, which scours the United States in search of the most talented person alive, has had a string of offbeat winners. From ventriloquists to opera singers, even an 11-year-old child prodigy, all have found ways to capture the public’s affection and walk away with the grand prize of one million dollars.

The premise of the show is simple, but the acts are quite extraordinary. America’s Got Talent is not your average talent competition. Acts range from the obscure, such as one competitor's attempt to impress the judges by balancing heavy objects with his teeth, to the mundane, in the form of a harmonica solo.

Once contestants display their moves, three celebrity judges weigh in with their opinions. During the preliminary rounds former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, British journalist Piers Morgan, and Ozzy Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, are given the task of booting off the worst wannabe singers, dancers, magicians and comedians. Only the contestants given the green light by the judges proceed to the next round. The goal for these chosen few is to make it to the Top 10. The ten semi-finalists are then whittled down to five finalists, courtesy of viewers’ votes. The five remaining contestants perform a final act before the American public casts their votes, and a winner is announced.

America’s Got Talent debuted in June 2006 and is NBC's highest rated reality TV show. The series has crowned three champions since its debut. Each winner receives $1 million and the opportunity to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip.

At just 11 years old, Bianca Taylor Ryan shocked the nation by becoming the first winner of America’s Got Talent in 2006. The Pennsylvania native won the debut season with show-stopping renditions of popular songs, including And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from the movie Dreamgirls. The judges maintained that Ryan deserved the win given her “powerful” and “mature” voice. Since her win Ryan has gone on to record a CD, which broke into the Billboard 200 at No. 57. She also toured the country as a special performer for Live Nation’s Nextfest.

After being crowned champion of America’s Got Talent Season 2 in 2007, Terry Fator wondered if someone miscounted the votes. The ventriloquist, impressionist, comedian, and singer, known to millions as “The Human Jukebox,” claims he was “beyond shocked” when his name was announced as the show’s million dollar-winner. After his reality TV stint, Fator went on to headline a show at The Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Fator’s Sin City show catapulted him to mega-stardom and landed him a $200 million deal with the resort. In addition, the glitzy Vegas property renamed Fator’s venue the Terry Fator Theatre.

Neal E. Boyd surprised millions of voters when he clinched the title of America’s Got Talent Season 3 winner in 2008. Never in the history of televised talent shows has an opera singer captured the hearts of so many fans. Boyd's win over fellow finalist, singer Eli Mattson, was what host Jerry Springer called "the closest result we've ever had, with less than one half of one percent between these two." Not only were fans at home overwhelmed by Boyd’s talent, but European operatic pop quartet Il Divo and world renowned tenor Placido Domingo also publicly praised the million dollar winner’s phenomenal voice.

If you have a talent that sets you apart from the crowd and you want to try out for an upcoming season of America's Got Talent, simply visit NBC.com and fill out an online audition application. The show's official website also provides a complete list of America's Got Talent results and information on various open casting calls held in cites throughout the United States. Details on dates, times and venues are posted a few months after the regular season finale.

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