Canadian comedian Howie Mandel, 62, will mark his ninth go-round at the judge’s table for NBC’s America’s Got Talent, premiering its 13th season May 29. He’ll join fellow judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Mel B and host Tyra Banks in the nationwide talent search.

Can you give a hint of what we have to look forward to this season?

I say this every year, but just when you think you’ve seen everything, you realize you ain’t seen nothing yet. I believe that I’ve already seen the winner. There have been a couple of golden buzzers already. I was hoping that we would be able to rise to last year, and I believe that we’re equal to it, if not better.

Grace VanderWaal was your golden buzzer. How proud did it make you feel to have picked the winner? Do you stay in touch with her at all?

On social media, when I see that she’s doing something, I’ll comment and say, “I’m proud.” I’ve been watching her career, and I am so proud. I don’t take any real ownership of her career or anything. I’m more excited about having witnessed this beautiful, amazing phenomenon that is Grace. Because at 12 years old, to have that talent, to have that wherewithal to write these words—she writes all her own music—that spoke to even somebody my age, I think she will prove to be one of the biggest stars to ever come out of any of these talent shows. She keeps growing, and growing, and growing. She’s hugely successful all over the world. Her songs are being downloaded every day, and she’s got more hits than she had when she left the show.

What are your favorite types of acts?

My favorite is any act that surprises me, is different, original, and done in a way I’ve never seen before, or something that doesn’t even have a category. They’re not a dancer, they’re not a singer, they’re not a comedian. It’s just a new, fresh thing. Surprise is my favorite thing.

Do you think comics have a harder time than, say, singers on AGT?

The thing about comedy for me is, as a comedian—and it’s hard to compare apples and oranges—these people create their own character, write every word of their own material, and then need so much more from the audience than any other kind of act.

If you sing a song, chances are you’re probably singing a song you didn’t write or create, and you’re singing it to a track. People can enjoy the song, and then when you finish the song, they applaud, and it sounds like you did really good.

As a comedian, humor is subjective, and you really need to elicit a laugh every 30 seconds, otherwise, whether you thought it was funny or not, it just doesn’t sound good and didn’t go well. You’re at the mercy of how well the audience responds; you’re also at the mercy of when you’re on. If you come on after the audience has been sitting there for eight hours, it’s really hard to garner laughter.

AGT was the No. 1 show last summer, and it’s not a brand-new show. What do you think it is that makes people keep tuning in?

First of all, it’s one of the few places where people can see variety, so that there is something for everyone. Number two, it’s probably the most relatable and aspirational show on television in the way that you’re watching people just like you and me show up, and dreams come true and lives change forever. You’re hearing people who have struggles and issues, just like anybody who’s sitting at home on their couch, and then they’re on stage in front of 15 million people.

What’s it like to work with Simon Cowell?

Actually, he’s the most surprising thing about the show. He’s sillier and funnier than I ever expected. He’s warmer and more compassionate than I knew. People used to say, “He’s mean.” And what I learned is he’s not mean, he is just brutally honest.

What do you still enjoy about going out and doing stand-up after all this time?

That’s my favorite thing to do. I do 200 live dates a year. Just being out there in the real world amongst real people with an immediate reaction, with no editing, that’s the place where I can go and be free. I look at it like a giant party, and I’m just trying to be the center of attention.