Meet Brett Loudermilk, The Sword Swallower Who Freaked Out Sofia Vergara
Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 3 minutes
Brett Loudermilk shocked everyone when he swallowed three swords at once back in America’s Got Talent season 15. Now, he’s taking the stage again as a contender in AGT All-Stars. Let’s get to know him more.
Brett Loudermilk Learned Sword Swallowing Through Phone Calls
Brett Loudermilk immediately became interested in anything magic after his grandmother brought him to a Renaissance festival. At the time, he met a guy name Dexter, who he basically asked to teach him his tricks. At eight years old, Loudermilk already knew how to safely hammer a nail in his nose, eat fire, and walk barefoot on broken glass.
By the time he turned 15, Loudermilk eagerly wanted to learn sword swallowing—one which Dexter refused to teach. He later realized that he must do the research on his own. There, he contacted old showmen such as Ward Hall, Bobby Reynolds and Slim Price, hoping to hear about their experiences. Eventually, he came across Todd Robbins over the phone.
“I saw a sword swallower on TV and I found his number on the internet and I called him up and I said ‘will you teach me how to do this?'” Brett said. “He said ‘yes.'”
Interestingly, the whole process of Loudermilk’s sword swallowing training with Robbins happened through audio calls. At 17, he decided to train professionally in New York, sacrificing his high school education.
He Freaked Out Sofia Vergara During His AGT Audition
Loudermilk’s audition was perhaps one of the most hilarious acts on season 15. His act consisted of letting Vergara pull out the sword out of his throat, which almost became an epic fail because she hesitated to do so.
When he was about to continue his prepared routine, Simon Cowell requested if he could pull one sword out. This led Loudermilk to improvise his act, swallowing three swords at once and having each judge draw them out.
This remarkable audition has made him a fan-favorite, convincing viewers to advance him until the Semifinals. Amazingly, he was the first sword swallower act in AGT history to get past the Quarterfinals.
Brett Loudermilk is Returning for AGT All-Stars
After AGT season 15, he continued to awe the world through his show stopping acts. Loudermilk has performed in more than 20 countries and even shared the stage with celebrities like Perez Hilton, Watson Twins, and Snoop Dogg. Currently, he showcases his talent in Cirque Du Soleil’s Las Vegas Show, Mad Apple.
Over a year later, Loudermilk is once again ready to show off another death-defying routine of sword swallowing. This pink-haired performer is among the 60 talented acts competing in the spin-off series of America’s Got Talent, AGT All-Stars.
