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Tom Sandoval would like to prove he’s more than just a reality television star.
On Tuesday night, the Vanderpump Rules cast member took to the America’s Got Talent stage as the frontman for his band, Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras.
The group performed a rendition of A-ha’s 1985 single “Take on Me” for judges Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B, actually earning strong praise for their audition of the classic track.
(To be clear, Bravo and NBC are both owned by the Comcast Corporation, so this wasn’t exactly a coincidence; it was corporate synergy.)
“You made me smile,” the Spice Girls alum gushed, for example. “You gave me happy vibes. And apart from that song being one of my favorite songs, you all look like you were fully enjoying yourself.”
Sandoval, a now-former Vanderpump Rules star, was also told he looked “amazing” by Mel, while Howie dubbed him “a showman” and added:
“He really takes this seriously. For me, it was great.”
For his part, of course, Cowell has always been a difficult judge to please. But even he wasn’t totally against Sandoval and his fellow musicians.
“The vocals weren’t great Tom, I’m gonna be honest with you,” Simon began. “However, not everyone comes on this show to get a record deal. Sometimes, it’s about being true to who you are.”
With four mostly positive reviews and four yes votes from the panel, Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras were moved on to the next round of competition.
This means they’re one step closer to winning the $1 million prize, which might just light the Internet on fire if Sandoval actually takes home the championship after he cheated on ex Ariana Madix with her good friend.
Yes, Sandoval is still largely known to small screen audiences for what has become the Scandoval… which refers to Madix learning in early 2023 that he had been sleeping with Rachel Leviss after Madix and Tom had been together for years.
“I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone I’ve hurt through this process,” Sandoval wrote on Instagram on March 8, 2023.
“Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana. I made mistakes. I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love.”
Prior to his America’s Got Talent audition, Tom told the judges what his band meant to him amid this cheating scandal, emphasizing that he was “in a very, very dark place” at the time.
“I felt as though I had nothing in my life,” he said on air. “And this band was the only thing that kept me going.”
We’re not sure if Sandoval has learned his lesson, based on a rumor from last year, but Mel B made it clear she doesn’t care about the star’s past.
“I don’t give a f-cl about his scandal,” she admitted after the audition. “Who cares? I liked it because I’m cheesy.”
America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
