behind-the-scenes-17: Austin Brown rejected from America's Got Talent?! (unfiltered)
🕑 Added 2025-06-09 18:00:08 +0000 UTCThe 17th Sir Hairless behind-the-scenes video!
Today we watch Austin Brown, the ex-Home Free member we all know and love, get rejected from America's Got Talent š š½
Is this legit, or is it a ploy to make his (potentially) inevitable return all the more dramatic?! š
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Audition video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SPF2WKQBk
Comments
Elise
Saw that, the results will be interesting. I will have to wait and watch on YouTube. However this turns out, will continue to listen to his music, saw him with Home Free live, awesome performance.
Mary Shields
Posting here just in case you see it quickly, Sir Hairless! You were absolutely right. Austin just popped up on my feed in a short saying he's going to be on AGT at 8 pm eastern on July 8th.
Sir Hairless
Well there we go, no surprises there! š Let's see if my initial prediction of him passing with flying colours is right
Elise
Not sure if folks come back to your past videos but Austin posted in shorts today on YouTube that he is headed back to AGT for a second audition. Thrilled for him and apologies if you already knew! This will be interestingā¦..
Jessica Szempruch
It is possible that they just didnāt like the song, but thatās not a reason to reject since they are judging talent. Many of these types of shows are becoming more a popularity contest and like to stir up drama. The Voice is one that has remained ātrue to itselfā. Anyhow, even though I personally am not a fan of the song or the style of music, I can recognize talent. And Austin is definitely talented.
Beth Burns
Heāll be back. Regardless, this show hasnāt appealed to me much because I donāt understand how you can judge such disparate acts against each other. Itās like judging the best cat against the best table. Aside from the fact the cat will jump on the table.
Mary Shields
This definitely seems staged to me. And I'm also confused. Austin Brown is a professional singer (and has been for many years). I thought AGT was supposed to be for non-professionals? Am I wrong about that? If not, then what's he doing on there in the first place? That said, I also completely agree that this was a travesty and that he should have had 4 yes's, and I also agree with others that his choice of song might have been part of it (or maybe his confidence)? I hope your thoughts about this are true, SH, but that makes me even less likely to ever want to watch AGT....
Mary Shields
This definitely seems staged to me. And I'm also confused. Austin Brown is a professional singer (and has been for many years). I thought AGT was supposed to be for non-professionals? Am I wrong about that? If not, then what's he doing on there in the first place? That said, I also completely agree that this was a travesty and that he should have had 4 yes's, and I also agree with others that his choice of song might have been part of it (or maybe his confidence)? I hope your thoughts about this are true, SH, but that makes me even less likely to ever want to watch AGT....
Margaret
Like I said in the YouTube comments, this is an obvious fake. Professional singers do not compete on these shows.
KorKnot
I totally agree with you that Austin should've had 4 yes votes & gone through. If he is asked to return to sing another song-stunning everyone...I will be elated. 1 catch...Simon is calling the shots. I'll be sending up prayers & crossing all me fingers you're thoughts about the filming after are true. (Sorry for previous errors in spelling & wording. I'll blame the excitement of being able to watch & comment here.)
Mia
The only thing I can think of (if itās not actually staged) is that Simon and Howie didnāt like or get a good feel about his personality. I mean, he seems super nice and doesnāt come across as someone with a bad attitude in the slightest. But with that being said, people donāt always feel that they click with someone. Simon often says, to people he let through, that he likes the persons personality. And Simon also often says he absolutely hate like background dining types/singing in bar types/cruise ship types. Im thinking that the song choice in itself and his flawless voice just felt, maybe, too polished in a way. Im not saying that they are correct! Im really just trying to figure out their reasoning. Simon did also mention the word generic. It also feels like, if someone had sung exactly this way and they would have looked maybe a bit scruffy and there would have been a contrast to what they saw it would have been a bit more āoh wow, look at that!ā. Which is a bit stupid in itself. It would not surprise me in the slightest though it thereās a come back for him. I mean, Simon even said ātalk to the producers..ā about something. So yeah.., def could be staged. Ok, this was a long ramble. But yeah, got me quiet annoyed, their reactions too it. š¤š¤Ø
Shelley
Other than catching random snippets from someone else watching the show, I pretty much quit actively watching because it got to feeling so contrived. Acts kept that were either so-so, or downright silly, while some interesting and talented acts were let go⦠got tired of what felt like a pre-mapped strategy more weighted for ratings or buzz than anything. Very ick. Hope in the end however it goes itās good for Austinās next steps in his music career. š¶š
David Bangtson
I think that there is no doubt that this was staged. First clue for me was that none of them even recognized him in the first place or that the people who review backgrounds let through such an obviously professional singer. It was also totally out of character for Howie to have been so dismissive almost rudely so. He is just not like that, most often finding some level of praise for even the worst performances.
Kara L Joy
That was 1000% fake made for TV drama and Howie Mandel should be ashamed of himself, I can see him lying from here. Simon literally did that just to look like the bad guy, he didn't even have a reason! That had nothing to do with Austin or his galactically huge talent. And you're right, go to the Voice Austin, AGT has been crap since Howard Stern left. I haven't watched the show since he left but I watch the Voice every season. Having said all that, this ain't Austin's first time on a talent show, Home Free wasn't country until they did Sing Off, the producers wanted a country act and Home Free went along with it. Same with VoicePlay, they were told to get a female member if they wanted to be on the show, they did and it didn't really work. The point is, I wouldn't put it past Austin and AGT to have did this on purpose. He's coming back for sure. Guess we'll know if he shows up on Syco Records. Or at Sony. Just saying, I'm not buying what their selling. And this kind of crap is why I don't watch this stupid show. Just go to the Voice, don't sell out Austin. You're better than this.
Jacquelyn Canale
I can't help but think that Simon knows EXACTLY who Austin Brown is and exactly how phenomenally talented he is and this is just a ploy to get people talking about AGT. Simon probably hunted him down. LOL I personally would consider Austin a professional singer though I didn't think AGT allowed that.
judith l
I think the last authentic singing competition was The Sing Off
Peter Abruzzese
I think Simon has been doing this too long, he needs to retire because his opinion is irrelevant now. And I like Howie, but I always felt what does a comedian know about singing.
Peter Abruzzese
He gave me the chills as soon as he started singing.
Sir Hairless
fixed šØš½āš§
Betsy Vondracek
Hi Karen! Maybe his delivery was a bit off but you can usually tell if someone is a good singer. People 10x worse have made it through the first round! This was sus tor sure
Betsy Vondracek
My spidey sense says āOh yeah, they know!ā
Elise
What a travesty! I no longer watch these shows, this reminds me why. Austin, so talented and what an amazing voice he has. There are some song choices that may have been better suited, but no matter what he sings š„°. Personally believe the decisions are made ahead of time, so disappointing but not surprising. I will continue to watch/listen to him and their very disappointing decision wonāt stop me!
Dorothy Rosenberg
Austin Brown has an incredible voice. To open cold with those fantastically powerful chest notes proves his ability. Thereās no doubt that heās among the most talented performers in the USA. My only thought is there is an unspoken age limit - and the ājudgesā are finding excuses for their inexcusable behavior.
Gary Henderson
Welp, that's the last video from AGT that I will ever watch. Howie and Simon are full of š© and I suspect they know it.
judith l
I think Simon came out of the womb with disdain on his face š
nancy holter
The fact that they have not posted his audition to YT with the others HAS sparked a lot of discussion. Austin does not know (as of yesterday, anyway) if they will bring him back in a later episode or not. Of course, his fans see all sorts of inuendoes - the fact that they even aired Simon's "maybe later" comment, the footage of them talking to one of the producers, the fact that on Sat when he performed at the CMA Fest, AGT was there (not just for him) and had him film a promo for next season's auditions . . .many of us expect to see him come back, maybe with an original song, who knows. Yes, this is reality TV, and they want to make drama, but whether Simon had that in mind or not - who knows. His face looked like he had sucked a lemon almost as soon as the song started.
Karen McEwan
Judith, I totally agree about the song choice. I am sure that this is all scripted, though.
Karen McEwan
First thought, Austin not making it through the first audition is a travesty. You are probably correct in this being quite sus. That said, I don't think the song choice and the way he performed it did him any favors. (Unpopular opinion, I know) Because he sang so much of it in his full, piercing chest voice, there wasn't enough variation in the sound. I would have preferred the peak to be at the end. Additionally, having just an instrumental backing track instead of the beautiful voices of the other Home Free members, the song and his voice lost a lot of the warmth it would typically have. Love him to death, but it hit differently this time. I hope they bring him back. I will try to watch the next couple of episodes to keep tabs on the situation. I hope you're feeling better by now, dear Sir, and big hugs and snuggles to Miss Squirrel. š
Betsy Vondracek
It baffles me that Austin Brown, the vocal powerhouse from Home Free, didnāt snag three yeses on AGT. The manās voice could melt butter and mend hearts, and the audience was eating it up like it was the last slice of pie at a family reunion. Yet, Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell, in a twist that defies logic, couldnāt hear the brilliance through their apparent earwax buildup. Perhaps they were too busy polishing their buzzers to recognize a talent honed to perfection over a decade with an award-winning a cappella group. Maybe Sir Hairless is onto something with the stunt theoryācould this be a clever ploy to bring Austin back for a redemption arc? If Simon canāt see that Brownās vocals are a gift to eardrums everywhere, he might need to trade his signature tight T-shirt for a hearing aid and a rocking chair. The audienceās love was louder than a stadium full of superfans, so hereās hoping AGT pulls a plot twist and gives this maestro the spotlight he so clearly deserves
thisismetoday7423
Oh, yeah these shows are highly scripted. Also, you canāt convince me the judges donāt know exactly who is auditioning. Typically acts are scouted and invited onto the show. Simonās comment that the song was generic sets this up perfectly for him to come back and do one of his original songs and it will go very well. He may even get a Golden Buzzer. Reality show drama š
Rory
I am gobsmacked
judith l
I feel like it was theater, and that heāll be back. Having said that, I donāt think it was the best song selection š¤·š¼āāļø But Austin is amazing and that was BS. Iām glad to see you recognize who is Queen of your abode š»
Cloudy Skies
Link is to an animated Christmas video, not audition?