Brad Byers

Brad Byers was a sideshow performer act from Season 4 of America's Got Talent. He was likely eliminated in the Vegas Round. He returned in Season 8, four years later.

Background
Born and raised in Moscow, Idaho, Brad Byers joined a traveling circus as a juggler shortly after graduating from high school. Two years later, he left the circus to focus on television and other international venues. In Brad's constant quest to improve his act, he considered sword swallowing at the age of 21. Brad had never even seen a sword swallower, but borrowed a friend's college anatomy book for research. After careful study, Brad began measuring swords at the local Army Navy store. Upon finding a sword he believed to be the proper length, Brad asked the clerk if he could give it a try. With only the clerk in the Army Navy store in attendance, and never having watched anyone swallow a sword, Brad swallowed his first sword. Brad still remembers the rush from the sensation of that first time he felt the cold steel in his esophagus. In front of a stunned clerk, Brad pulled out that sword, and said "I'll take it!"

Brad’s self-taught repertoire of 20 acts began at age 15 with juggling and chin balancing. He became a yo-yo Grand Master in early adulthood. However, it was his sword swallowing skills that landed him his first national television appearance on "That's Incredible" in the early 1980's. X-rays have been taken that prove the act is not an illusion! Genuine daredevil acts became a trademark for Byers. Power drilling a bit or hammering a nail into his face, inserting a hook through his nose and swinging an anchor, lying on a bed of nails, walking on broken glass, and spinning large items on the tip of his finger have since been added. Brad actually choreographed and trained actor Johnny Depp for his spinning routine in the motion picture Benny and Joon.

He has appeared in 5 episodes of the Fox TV show Guinness World Records Prime Time and was featured on Late Night with David Letterman. Brad is so versatile that he appeared on the Peruvian TV show Que Noche every night for a week and performed a different act each night! Brad's work has taken him to over 20 countries for countless television shows and other venues. Due to his worldwide reputation, the country of Grenada has even pictured him swallowing swords on their official postage stamp.

Brad can swallow a curved sword, wavy bladed sword, bayonette, keyhole saw, and common wire coat hanger, as well as multiple swords at one time. He holds several Guinness World Records, including swallowing 10 swords (one sword at a time up to a record of 10) then, twisting those swords 180 degrees in his throat! To top it all off, he is the only performer in the in the world to finish this feat by taking a bow before removing those ten swords.1

Season 4 Audition
Brad Byers's audition consisted of inserting an 18-inch hook through his nasal passage and out his mouth, then hanging an anchor from the same hook in what he called his "impression of a fishing trick gone horribly wrong." He proceeded by drilling through his left nostril. Although Sharon Osbourne voted "No," Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff both voted "Yes," sending him to the Vegas Round.



Season 4 Vegas Round
It is unknown whether or not Brad Byers was present during the Vegas Round as his appearance was not televised, but even if he was present, he did not progress to the Quarterfinals.

Season 8 Audition
Brad Byers returned in Season 8. His audition consisted of "sword swallowing" nine double-edged 27-inch swords simultaneously. Although Mel B voted "No,"  voted "Yes," sending him to the Vegas Round.



Trivia

 * Brad Byers was the first sideshow performer of Season 4 whose audition was televised.
 * He is the only act in the history of America's Got Talent to perform in front of seven different judges, having performed in front of three in Season 4 and four other judges in Season 8.