'Fearless' northern Ontario man a hit on America’s Got Talent

A North Bay resident has become centre stage on one of the most high-profile talent shows. 

Ahren Belisle, who went to middle school at Centennial and high school at West Ferris, performed a unique comedy audition on the NBC series America's Got Talent.  

The 28-year-old North Bay native who now lives in Toronto, lives with cerebral palsy and used a computer-generated voice from his phone to help with his comedy routine which impressed the high-profile panel of judges.  

"I am amped to share my audition with you all next week," said Belisle on social media.  

"It's been a wild year and it is only getting wilder. Thank you all for your tremendous support so far and for your future support." 

Belisle, who is an engineer, explained he got the confidence to perform from some comedians in Portugal after he made them laugh. 

Belisle made the judges Howie Mandel, Simon Cowall, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum chuckle, poking fun at himself as well as his heritage. 

Belisle tried to compare himself to the late Dr. Stephen Hawking. 

"Stephen Hawking had Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis and I'm Canadian. I am French on my left side," he joked. 

Belisle left fellow Canadian and well-known comedian Howie Mandel impressed. 

“I cannot believe you’ve only been doing this for one year,” said Mandel after the audition.  

“You seem to have a grasp of timing and humor. You open up the conversation and normalize humanity and originality and you’re funny.”

Mandel pointed out Belisle may have found a new occupation. 

“Sir, you’re not going to be doing engineering much longer. I think you’re going to be full-time performing.”

Simon Cowall described Ahren as "funny and fearless."

“It was just a great, great audition,” he said. 

Sofia Vergara hopes that he is the one comedian who finally wins AGT.

“I love how you found your way," she said.  

"I think you’re very clever. You’re cheeky And you really were really funny."

To see Ahren and the other acts. tune into America’s Got Talent on NBC Tuesday, June 13 at 8 p.m.

See the audition here: