NEWS'Fragile and Vulnerable' Simon Cowell Baffles Fans as He Awkwardly Claps During Spirit Tunnel Dance: Watch
Simon Cowell left fans buzzing after an awkward clapping moment on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show.'
Sept. 23 2025, Published 7:11 a.m. ET
Simon Cowell had fans talking after his latest TV appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
On Monday, September 22, the 65-year-old America’s Got Talent judge walked through the show’s famous “spirit tunnel,” where crew members cheered and sang "The Greatest Showman." Cowell clapped along as he made his way toward the stage, but viewers quickly noticed something unusual. Instead of clapping naturally, he kept his arms pinned to his sides, only moving his hands and forearms.
Simon Cowell clapped awkwardly on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show.'
By the time he reached the end of the tunnel, Cowell laughed and asked, “Can I do that again?” before stepping onto the set.
Fans wasted no time weighing in online.
One admitted, “I am dying, he looks fragile and vulnerable.”
Another wondered, “Did he just learn how to clap????”
Someone else added, “Something is off, but I can't put my finger on it.”
A fourth joked, “Idk how to explain it but why does he look like someone’s wearing him 😭.”
One even teased, “Not me thinking this was AI.”
However, others defended him, writing, “Guys he’s been involved in accidents and had back surgery- let’s be kind 💗.”
Once seated, Jennifer Hudson asked if he enjoyed the warm welcome.
Cowell replied, “I absolutely loved that. When they told me about it, it is seriously the best way of coming onto a show, seriously, do you mind if I steal it for AGT?”
Hudson quickly offered, “We will do it for you on it, if you want.”
Cowell lit up at the idea, adding, “I wanted to do it twice, maybe I'll do it on the way back.”
Fans thought the 'AGT' judge looked 'fragile and vulnerable' during his appearance.
This lighthearted moment comes months after Cowell revisited the terrifying e-bike accident he suffered in 2020.
He admitted he “could have died” after the crash, revealing the blunt warning from his doctor.
“He said, 'Look, I'm not going to lie, Simon. I don't know if I can fix this, which means you probably won't walk, and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours,’” he recalled.
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“They said the obvious: 'It could go wrong.’ And all I could think about was my family and everything. In that moment, you kind of realize the most important thing is your health and don't do stupid things,” Cowell added.
Simon Cowell once admitted his e-bike crash 'could have killed him.'
The accident in Malibu, Calif., required major surgery, including a metal rod inserted in his back. The incident, which broke his back in three places, forced him into months of rehab and gave him a “wake-up moment” about his health.
“I’m crazy,” Cowell admitted, but he also believes it “happened for a reason.”
“I thought I was fit, but then when I had to do all the physio after, just walking, they make you walk very quickly, I pretty much couldn't move. Then, I started to walk a lot and thought, 'Oh God, I was in a really bad place,’” he continued.
The 65-year-old now sees health as his top priority.
Cowell vividly remembered the crash itself, sharing, “I landed on my back, and the second I landed, I thought, 'S---, I know I've broken my back,’ because I could feel it.” Luckily, when he realized he could still move his hands and feet, he felt some relief.
The fall happened when his e-bike — shipped from England and tested for the first time in his driveway — suddenly lifted into the air, throwing him nearly eight feet high.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last accident. In 2022, he was in another bike crash that left him with a concussion and a broken arm.
