Shock jock Howard Stern has warned those auditioning for America's Got Talent that he is planning to "stick to his guns" and be the show's strict judge. The radio personality was a controversial choice to join the judging line-up, and insists he will not tone down criticism for the family friendly programme.
Speaking ahead of Monday's season premiere, Stern told US Weekly, "I'm going to be a strict judge.I don't want to go buzzer-crazy, but I've got to stick to my guns. We've got to find the best talent". The show will see Stern, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel attempt to find the freshest talent in America. The concept remains the same, with the judges able to "buzz" auditionees that they do not believe have made the grade. Stern will replace departing judge Piers Morgan on the show, and added, "I'm a huge fan of the show - I've been asked to do a lot of different things in my career and I've avoided them.Something appealed to me with this. I sit at home on my couch and judge".
In a preview clip for the show, Mandel says of his new colleague, "[Howard brings] more excitement and more energy than there's ever been in the past six seasons. [This season] he'll bring the unexpected". America's Got Talent premieres on Monday at 8pm (May 14, 2012).