The red carpet has rolled out in downtown Newark as America’s Got Talent begins its several week run at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Hundreds of screaming fans behind a barricade lined up outside of NJ PAC to get a glimpse of the judges before the show aired live to an audience of millions of people nationwide.

Celebrity judge Howie Mandell says moving to Newark will add a fresh energy to the show.

“Newark is the real world. These are the people that watch the show. They’re so excited to have us here. They’re so excited to watch the show here. The audience is so much less jaded, so much more excited and so much more welcoming.”

Katie Tedesco from Lynbrook, New York says she’s never been to Newark before.

“I was just saying how I expected it to be much scarier. But, it’s nice.”

NBC will air 18 nights of the reality show from NJ PAC through the end of the show’s season in mid September.