'America's Got Talent' recap: Simon Cowell breaks Golden Buzzer rule for 'epic' audition

Rules? What rules?

Simon Cowell flouted the "America's Got Talent" bylaws on Tuesday's episode to issue his second golden buzzer of the season for an "epic" (Howie Mandel's description) and "breathtaking" (per Sofía Vergara) drone show by Sky Elements.

It's a new season with new rules, apparently: Cowell, who created the show, paved the way for all of the judges (as well as host Terry Crews and the audience) to have two Golden Buzzers to dole out in Season 19. 

Episode 2 had more goofs than last week's premiere — which featured a creepy child contortionist, a gravity-defying ballerina and a singing janitor who's gone viral — as the judges (including Heidi Klum), gave out near-immediate buzzers to some acts to boot them off the "AGT" stage ASAP.

Among the singers, synchronized dancers, musicians and circus talents of varying abilities was powerhouse vocalist Liv Warfield, who has shared a stage with Prince and gave an impressive showing with a full jazz band. The energetic performance earned Cowell's first Golden Buzzer.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Meanwhile, the other singing act, North Carolina country rock band Ashes & Arrows, divided the judges with their song (“This was a great song in a pub” Mandel said to massive boos), though they ultimately made it through.

Here are the highlights from "AGT" Episode 2.

Catch up on last week:Beyoncé collaborator earns Simon Cowell's praise

Sofia Vergara begs 'Make it stop' as performer swallows huge scissors

"Asia's Got Talent" alum Bao Cuong showed off a stomach-churning — yet awe-striking — routine involving a massive pair of scissors, knives and a pair of drums attached to his throat and eyelids.

The performance was not for the faint of heart, and one point Vergara walked away from the table before begging Cowell to "Make it stop." Cuong first drove a knife into each of his nostrils as a warm-up. After this appetizer for the horrified crowd, he removed them and attached clips to his eyes before swallowing a comically massive pair of scissors.

He capped off his performance by lifting what seemed to be three decorative pots with chains attached to his eyes and throat. "I do this every day, like eating rice," he told the judges in Vietnamese, via a translator, once the sharp objects had been safely removed from his facial orifices.

Cowell had the opposite reaction from his colleagues: It was "one of my favorite acts tonight," he said.

"I hope that your mother never sees you doing this," Vergara told Cuong. He replied: "My mother approved this."

Despite some reluctance on Vergara's part, the judges awarded the performer four yeses.

Tanzanian acrobats balance on each other's heads, shoulders: 'Heart-stopping'

Tanzania's Hakuna Matata Acrobatic also tempted fate Tuesday night with a "heart-stopping" routine that had the four members doing gravity-defying moves to make various human pyramids.

As one acrobat balanced on a small platform atop a rolling cylinder, he held his teammates aloft while they climbed on top of his shoulders. One move, which seemingly had one performer upside-down and balancing with his head atop another man's as he balanced on the rolling platform, appeared to evade the acrobats.

They fell (safely) several times, causing a stressed-out Vergara to seek comfort from Klum. In their peak pose, one man held himself aloft with just one arm on the head of his colleague, who was standing on the shoulders of two men balanced on the precarious board.

Despite the earlier hiccup, four stuck the landing on their other moves, earning a "yes" from each judge.

"I was on the edge of my seat. I was so nervous for the four of you," Klum said. "It was incredible to watch."

"It's acts like this that give me one word, and that is: Unbelievable," Mandel said.