There’s a reason why America’s Got Talent will officially have been around for 20 seasons this year when the latest edition joins the 2025 TV schedule. It just always showcases some A+ acts. We were especially reminded why it’s our favorite competition show last season when “the singing janitor” Richard Goodall auditioned and was later crowned Season 19’s winner. When CinemaBlend spoke to Goodall about his thoughts on the upcoming season, he shared how he thinks his victory may influence the latest hopefuls.
It’s been four months since Richard Goodall was officially announced as the latest winner of America’s Got Talent, and when I caught up with him, he had a lot of exciting developments in his life to talk about. For one, Goodall shared how fame is treating him. He may have to stop “every 10 feet at Walmart,” but he’s also immensely grateful to be an inspiration to others. Here’s his personal prediction for Season 20:
Honestly, this year, I believe this in all my heart, I think with me winning and how I won, I think the sky’s the limit. Anybody can try out. And I think me winning kind of proves that it doesn’t have to be those polished people that play in Vegas or somebody from overseas that have been doing it for years and years that are polished and professional.
While America’s Got Talent open call auditions were set to occur last week, the Los Angeles wildfires caused a rescheduling. While fans wait to see the brave souls who decide to share their talents with judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara, Goodall thinks his win shows how truly “anybody” can not only audition but win the hearts of America more than ever before. As he continued:
Now, I think people realize that there’s room for the common person, somebody who may have won a couple karaoke contests or something, they thought to themselves ‘Oh, I would never be that good’. If you just put yourself out there. I mean, like I did, if you just take that plane ride and give it a shot, you never know. And that’s the way I went through my whole time on the show, that’s how I did it. I just laid it all out there. I left it all out on the stage, and if I made it through to the next round, great. If I didn’t at least I can say that I tried. And I think this is the year for the regular everyday working person that can try out and they have a shot. I truly believe that.
Richard Goodall was met with some stiff competition during this past season of America’s Got Talent. In the final moments before his victory, it was between him, dog dancing duo Roni Sagi and Rhythm, and a drone precision group called Sky Elements. Other major players in the competition included Solange Kardinaly, the quick change artist, an acrobatic team called Hakuna Matata Acrobats, and an air-dance group named AIRFOOTWORKS. And yet, it feels like America was most taken aback by the emotional, yet more commonplace story of Richard Goodall.
The Mazda Miata is a car that remains forever young, even as it reaches its mid-30s. To celebrate, Mazda has announced a special-edition 35th Anniversary model that will be available in the U.S. for 2025. The existence of the anniversary MX-5 was no secret, as the car was revealed in Japan in October 2024. Mazda said in December the car would be coming to America, but plans and details about the U.S. model have been under wraps until now.
Mazda chose the Rolex 24 at Daytona as the backdrop to its announcement, appropriately timed with the MX-5 Cup race. Mazda showcased the 35th Anniversary alongside a Miata-only parking area and several Miata models from the Mazda North American Operations collection.
The 35th Anniversary will be limited to 300 cars in the U.S. and will only be available in Artisan Red Metallic—a glittery wine red, slightly darker than Mazda’s famous Soul Red Crystal, which was first seen on the CX-90. Wheels are 17-inchers in a multispoke bright finish wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza tires. A beige soft top folds back to reveal tan nappa leather Grand Touring seats, which are more comfort-oriented. There’s also tan carpeting and floor mats as well as color-matched trim around the climate vents and upper door panel. Anniversary badges including the car’s serial number offer a callout on the front fender, while an interior reminder is embossed into the headrest.
The Miata earned its reputation as a sports car due to its accessible handling and enjoyable driving characteristics, and the 35th anniversary will be no different. It features tuned Bilstein dampers, an asymmetric limited-slip differential, and a stiffened shock tower, all of which are also on the Grand Touring trim. With no changes to the driveline or curb weight, we expect the 35th Anniversary to share performance numbers with the previous RF Club, which had a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 14.3 seconds, and a skidpad result of 0.90 g.
The 35th Anniversary features the same Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Customers for the special edition will benefit from all the equipment found on the Grand Touring trim, including heated seats (a must in a convertible), wireless phone connectivity, Alexa Built-In, Bose audio, and native nav in an 8.8-inch infotainment screen. The 35th Anniversary is only available as a softtop convertible and with the six-speed manual, so it’s top-down and revs up (to a 7500-rpm redline) as the only option.
The Miata earned its reputation as a sports car due to its accessible handling and enjoyable driving characteristics, and the 35th anniversary will be no different. It features tuned Bilstein dampers, an asymmetric limited-slip differential, and a stiffened shock tower, all of which are also on the Grand Touring trim. With no changes to the driveline or curb weight, we expect the 35th Anniversary to share performance numbers with the previous RF Club, which had a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 14.3 seconds, and a skidpad result of 0.90 g.
