Photo Courtesy of Youtube
Nick Cannon just did to America’s Got Talent Judges what many contestants (and viewers) have wanted to do for a long time: Embarrass them on National Television. By orchestrating one of the funniest pranks in TV history Cannon kicked off the newest season of the show with a very memorable opening.
By disguising himself in heavy makeup and baggy clothes, Cannon was able to pass himself off as “Larry the Mime” to judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Mel B., and Howie Mandel. He then proceeded to deliver one of the most boring mime routines in the show’s history, swiftly earning four X’s. The judges then berated the talent of “Larry”, with Mandel condescendingly stating ‘walking against the wind and being trapped in an imaginary box isn’t going to dazzle an audience to give you $1 million”
Unlike others before him, Cannon didn’t take these insults lying down. “Where do you guys get off telling me how to mime?” he asked. “You know how hard it is to not talk? Do you know how hard it is to not talk? No, you don’t, cause all you do is run your mouth, Howard. That’s all you do. You’re a moron. That’s what you are. A moron!” He then charged the judges booth, riling up the crowd and evoking quite a bit of fear from the judges. Right before security could detain him, Cannon revealed his identity to the dumbstruck judges and audience.
“That might have been the greatest thing I’ve ever seen on ‘America’s Got Talent.” Howard Stern later said. The prank may have been specifically designed to terrify Howie Mandel, as the judge has commented in the past on his distaste for mimes: “I hate mimes because you can’t talk to those people,” said Mandel. “(And) they’re always in trouble. It’s a negative.” Ever the cocky one, Nic Cannon took to Twitter afterwards boasting his success. “FOOLED ALL OF Y’ALL!” Cannon Tweeted, “I’M THE WORLD’S GREATEST MIME!”
Cannon has hosted America’s Got Talent for the past four seasons, succeeding Regis Philbin and Jerry Springer. Before then he grew to prominence as a popular rapper and star of films such as Drumline and Love Don’t Cost a Thing. In 2008 he married singer Mariah Carey and became a father of twins two years later. This Spring he will join Britain’s Got Talent Hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for an all star version of the show entitled World’s Got Talent. There’s no telling what kind of pranks Cannon will bring to the world stage.
Check out the video of the prank here.