LOS ANGELES, Calif. (August 22, 2007) –A man and his dummy are one million dollars richer today. “America’s Got Talent” chose its winner last night. Forty-two-year-old ventriloquist Terry Fator and his menagerie of puppets, including Winston the Turtle, were crowned best amateur performer in America.
Fator began his career began when he was just ten years old and accidentally found a book on ventriloquism in his school library. He had always dreamed of being a great stage magician and thought that learning ventriloquism would be a great addition to his act. He later trained his voice in high school and picked up the talent of mimicking any singer he wanted.
“Access Hollywood” spoke to Fator moments after his victory, “I’m so honored that America voted for me. Thank you so much for your votes. Thank you so much for your e-mails and phone calls and all of the support. Folks me and Winston, we love you all.”
Besides the one million dollar prize, Fator also won a chance to do a Las Vegas show, ” All I’ve ever wanted for my career was for people to come out and see the show. The love of my life is entertaining. The love of my life is getting up on stage. I have more fun than the people in the audience when I entertain. I really do. I think our Vegas gigs are just gonna be fantastic and people are gonna enjoy themselves. Wow, you know life is good right now, it really is.”
As for the million dollars, Fator says he has big plans for it already, “I won a million dollars tonight. I can give my wife the things I’ve dreamed of for 16 years. My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and she came up and hugged me and congratulated me and there is a treatment that is too expensive for any of us and I told her tonight I said you go home and you get an appointment with your doctor, you get that treatment and you send me the bill.”
Though it was America’s votes that ultimately decided his fate, it was the three judges, Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan who helped keep him in the competition. Osbourne told “Access Hollywood” last night she wasn’t sure whether a ventriloquist could take home the title, “But I just like the idea of him winning because I think it makes us different to every other show, it really does. He is so incredibly talented, multi-talented. He’s got an amazing voice, great impersonations and a ventriloquist. So it’s, he’s made it hip again to be a ventriloquist, he really has.”
Even the Hoff, who in the past has voiced his disdain for ventriloquists, was thrilled, “I always said that Terry Fator was the dark horse on the outside and if he keeps running as fast and upping his game he’s gonna win this competition and he did.”
Host, Jerry Springer, believes Fator’s act will start a brand new trend, “I think he’s gonna make ventriloquism popular. You know the kids that are watching this are gonna say mom, dad can you get me a puppet for Christmas or for my birthday? I want to try to do it and they’ll get books on how to be ventriloquists.”
Springer revealed to “Access Hollywood” that he plans on returning for season three next summer.
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