America's Got Talent made its debut in the summer of 2006 and was an immediate hit. That's no surprise because the show's creator was Simon Cowell, who had already become famous for serving as a judge on American Idol. Although Cowell doesn't appear on America's Got Talent, the show's three-judge panel always makes for lively interactions with each other and with the incredible variety of people who try for the million-dollar first prize and the instant fame that comes with winning.