ONTARIO — Daniel Ferguson has boldly gone where few entertainers have gone before.
The 23-year-old Ontario man forced a smile from Simon Cowell, best known for his harsh critiques, during Tuesday night’s edition of “America’s Got Talent.”
Ferguson sang DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” in the voices of Goofy, Scooby-Doo, Kermit the Frog, Peter Griffin, Simon Cowell and Mickey Mouse during his audition for season 12 of the hit show “America’s Got Talent,” leaving the crowd in stitches.
Even Cowell, who is a judge on the show, could be seen laughing while Ferguson impersonated him.
“It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to say you made one of the most famous critics on television laugh,” Ferguson said.
Judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Cowell all voted “yes,” sending Ferguson to the Judge Cuts.
Viewers will have to wait and see what happens next, as Ferguson was unable to comment. The Judge Cuts are expected to air in the next few weeks, and the live show begins Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Ferguson graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. He currently works as a sales representative for WMAN and iHeartMedia, Inc.
On a scale of one to 10, he ranked his nerves at a 12.
Including Cowell on his list of impressions was “kind of a last-minute decision,” he said.
“I kind of tweaked it from another voice I was going to do, and I wasn’t sure what the judges’ reaction would be. But then I saw them all look at Simon and he smiled … It was a pretty amazing and surreal experience.”
His audition took place in Los Angeles, California in March. It was his first time performing that act in front of an audience, though he’s not new to the stage. He was part of Austintown Fitch High School’s choir as well as the speech and debate team.
He decided to take the plunge and audition for “America’s Got Talent” at the recommendation of a friend.
“It was never something I considered before, and I didn’t really start thinking seriously about it until maybe in November of this past year,” he said.
He submitted his audition tape online and within weeks heard from a producer asking for more video clips of his impressions. Fulfilling the producer’s request, Ferguson was ultimately invited to Los Angeles for the live audition.
When he heard that he made it, he said his mind went blank. His family members were thrilled to hear the news, but he couldn’t spread it publicly because of a non-disclosure agreement.
“It turned me into a huge bundle of nerves and anxiety doing that entire process, but I don’t think I’d change it for anything,” he said.
Ferguson started doing impressions in high school. While on the speech and debate team, he participated in “duo interpretation,” an event involving a pair of performers acting out a literary piece or program under certain restraints.
“That’s when I realized that this is something I really enjoyed doing,” he said. “It forced me to test my vocal range and I learned to do more characters. It also gave me that performing experience that made me eventually want to pursue a career in voice acting.”
He said he enjoys doing Disney character impressions and is able to impersonate characters such as the Mad Hatter, as well as Looney Tunes and SpongeBob characters.
“I’ve always watched cartoons,” he said. “Even now I probably watch more cartoons than the average 23-year-old should,” he said with a laugh.
Since the episode featuring his audition aired on NBC Tuesday, his phone has been ringing off the hook.
“My phone has been buzzing since last night,” he said. “It’s been kind of crazy. I had to turn my phone on silent last night so I could sleep.”
He considers himself blessed to have the opportunity to be on the show, noting that he’s had the chance to meet many talented individuals who are cheering him on and hoping for his success.
“These people are all in the same boat as me, just trying to make a name for themselves,” he said. “So to meet them and have the support of strangers was a great feeling to have.”
