Simon Cowell is perceived by many to be a mean-spirited judge ever since he became a household name on American Idol. During his time on reality television, Simon has made biting and often hilarious remarks towards untalented contestants. These comments have divided the opinions of viewers, making him both loved and hated.

However, one individual would later reveal that this was actually something Simon learned prior to becoming an icon in pop culture. Simon has since showed rare glimpses of his softer side, like when he gushed over Sofia Vergara‘s dog during an episode of America’s Got Talent. This season, Simon even proudly supported an act that impressed him, giving them the first Golden Buzzer of the season.

The Act Light Wire Impressed Simon So Much That He Gave Them The Season’s First Golden Buzzer

To say that Simon Cowell is constantly on the hunt for new talent would be an understatement. During the Season 20 premiere of America’s Got Talent, the ruthless talent judge came across an act that would open his eyes to something completely different. The act the judges saw perform was Light Wire, an immersive art creative content company from Brazil. The act was put together by two brothers. One brother is more on the artistic side, while the other is very much into technology.

“I had a real dream in 2023 that me and my brother was on stage here. And now that dream’s come true,” one of the brothers told the judges. He was clearly worried about getting everything right during the performance.”

The brothers behind Light Wire bring their individual passions together beautifully. Their act comprises both the technicians who run the graphics, and the dancers who perform. And all of this happens while a light show appears on the screens behind them. This incredible artistic statement wowed audiences as they entered the Brazilian jungle. The performance was complete with jaguars, boa constrictors, and birds of plumage.

The brothers received a standing ovation from the judges. Simon began, “Can I say something? You never ever know when you’re doing a new year, whether you’re going to see something better than you’ve seen before. And honest, I’m not just saying this, this was one of the most beautiful, stunning acts I’ve seen across all the Got Talents. You were so emotional. I don’t know why you were so nervous because you were always going to get one of…”

It was at that moment that Simon pressed the first Golden Buzzer of the season. The brothers were very happy. Their performance was extremely well-received. A team member from Light Wire said, “The Amazon is really important. The Amazon really matters [to the world].” Simon even complimented them backstage, saying, “It was actually magic. One of my favorite acts.”

One Act Impressed Simon So Much That It Inspired Him To Show His Softer Side

During the previous season’s premiere, judge Sofía Vergara was seen watching what looked to be a pet cam on her phone during a break between acts. “Are we looking in on puppies?” fellow judge Heidi Klum asked. Sofia then revealed she was watching footage of her dog, a female chihuahua named Amore.

Simon then looked over at Sofia’s phone, asking, “Oh, is that your little dog? That is the cutest dog.” This was one of those rare moments Simon showed his softer side. Sofia agreed and told Simon that she initially thought the puppy was a stuffed animal. However, despite not showing his softer side often, he isn’t afraid to let people see it. After he met Amore in person, Simon proudly shared pictures of him with the puppy on social media. “I’ve just fallen in love,” he wrote in the caption.

It was then that a basset hound named Daisy May was led through an obstacle course by owner Amy, thoroughly impressing the judges. Simon thought this dog was cute as well and made kissing noises into the microphone. Simon was asked what he was doing and responded, “I’m talking to the dog.” Simon even told Daisy May that she was a pretty girl backstage.

Simon’s love of dogs is nothing new. The judge previously adopted a German Shepherd named Pebbles in 2024. Simon posted a photo of his son Eric with the new addition to the family on social media. “LOVE,” Simon captioned the photo. Heidi commented, “Absolutely beautiful.” Pebbles was first introduced to the world on January 11 in an Instagram post. “Our family has had a new arrival …her name is Pebbles,” Simon wrote.

In 2023, the winners of AGT Season 18 were a Border Collie Hurricane and her coach, Adrian Stoica. Simon revealed they were the favorite of his son, Eric, for the entire season after their victory.

“Eric, my son, was at the show last night. And I said to him this morning, ‘Who do you think is going to win?’ and he said ‘Hurricane.’ He really, really called it,” Simon said. “He’s just obsessed with this dog. And even during the auditions, he met her and Adrian, and he’s a great guy, and she is just adorable. And I was watching [Eric] as the results came in, and he was just like, jumping in the air. He was so excited.”

Adrian, Hurricane, and Eric were even photographed together on the red carpet that October. “I’m so grateful for all the love you’ve given to Hurricane these days, starting from the Judges, Terry, Manolo, all the AGT staff and a special new friend of her, Eric! And thanks to you all here for your words and your support: precious!” Adrian wrote on Instagram.

Simon also shared his love for dogs during an interview with Glamour in 2015. “I have always loved dogs but had no idea how much happiness they would bring to my life. Squiddly, Diddly, and, now, Freddie, are hugely important members of my family — and even the thought of any dog being mistreated sickens me,” he said.

Believe It Or Not, Simon Wasn’t Always As Mean As He Appears On Camera

If brutally honest criticism had a face, it would be Simon Cowell’s. Despite this current reputation, the act of crushing someone’s dreams didn’t always come naturally to Simon. Mike Darnell once revealed that this was actually a skill Simon had to learn. Mike was a television executive who spearheaded the reality television division at Fox at one point. When speaking to Deadline, he revealed that Simon’s mean persona was taught to him in the name of entertainment.

Mike did say that Simon already had a candidness to him; a quality evident in his audition taping. Simon previously appeared as a judge on Pop Idol, the British equivalent, where he showed a similar frank tone. At the time, super-nice judges were trendy and Mike wanted to take a different approach.

“I knew we had to get Simon Cowell, as he was the star of the show, but we needed something different in the U.S.,” Mike said. “The mean judge, the frank judge. In all the other shows before him, everyone was polite and nice, and I knew that was going to be [his] thing. Simon, to his credit, was willing to do anything.” Mike said that Simon “learned the character” but “underneath, he’s a different character.”

Contrary to Mike’s revelations, Simon himself had a different story when talking on Good Morning America in 2003. “I’ve always been cruel,” Simon said. “When people fall over, I find that quite funny.” But he did say that sometimes his heart went out to the contestants who didn’t make it.

“I must admit, I watched the show last night and I felt bad at one point,” he said when talking about auditions that didn’t go well. If Simon’s current reputation is anything to go by, it’s pretty clear that he leaned into the “mean” role very well.