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Carrie Underwood

American Idol Panic! Why New Judge Carrie Underwood's Performance At Trump Inauguration Has Everyone Worried!

Carrie Underwood upset a lot of people by performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration… Including the execs at American Idol.

The Before He Cheats singer majorly rocked the boat on Monday when she sang America the Beautiful as the convicted felon was sworn in for a second term. It was certainly a bold statement about the sort of values she backs — like cheating ironically? And fans were NOT happy about it. And they aren’t alone in their aversion!

On Thursday, an insider spoke to DailyMail.com about how the folks at American Idol are feeling amid Carrie’s unexpected political statement.

Related: Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Himself After Disastrous Trump Inauguration Performance!

Carrie won the fourth season of the reality singing competition in 2005 and went on to have one of the most impressive careers of any contestant. So it was a natural choice after Katy Perry’s departure as a judge that Carrie was announced as her replacement. It’s been marketed as a HUGE moment for the show to have a winner return to judge 20 years later. As in, a lot is riding on her popularity bringing back viewers…

But now it all seems overshadowed by the fact she supported a man the majority of the titular America, well… effing hates:

Idol contestants come from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, and so do the people who work on the show. There are concerns that her apparent political stance might make some contestants feel uncomfortable. There’s also worry that backlash could impact viewership.”

It’s not just about Democrat and Republican like they’re football teams. Trump is actively out to oppress the LGBT community, a HUGE demo for the show (and source of multiple fan fave past contestants). Not to mention everyone else Trump is starting to go after as he embraces white supremacists. The source explained:

“Her apparent support for Trump doesn’t align with the show’s values of inclusivity and diversity.”

Oof. That is NOT good! Just imagine, every time she has harsh criticism for a gay or Black singer, they’ll have to wonder if it was really their voice or… something else. We can see what has folks at the show worried!

And beyond fans and crew, there may even be a clash at the judges’ table between her and “very liberal” Lionel Richie:

“Lionel Richie, who is very liberal, may not see eye to eye with Carrie’s views which could create some tension. He has never and will never support Trump.”

That’ll certainly be inneresting to see…

According to the insider, since the show was rebooted from its original network of FOX on ABC in 2018, judges “are typically advised to avoid becoming political figures.” So Carrie taking such a forward stance is a move that’s mystifying execs:

“The general opinion is that Carrie should have thought about the show’s culture and network values before jumping into such a major role while under contract.”

Yikes.

But on her end, a source previously told the outlet she felt she had “a big year” ahead of her in 2025, which she planned to kick off with her Trump inauguration performance — which she apparently now is claiming she agreed to more so for the exposure:

“This is something that she is very proud of, and the spin she is putting on it is that she is doing it for America, not specifically for Trump. She does her music for everyone, and she also knows many of her fans will be watching the inauguration. So this was a no-brainer as she feels there is more good that will come from it besides those that will bash her for what it looks like supporting Trump.”

LOLz for the exposure. She was exposed, alright! The insider added:

“[Carrie] is a former American Idol contestant and America made her dreams come true, so this is her giving back to the country she loves and which has supported her forever.”

Riiiiiiight.

What are your thoughts, Perezcious readers? Will this affect your American Idol viewership? Let us know in the comments down below!

[Images via ABC News & ABC/YouTube]

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Jan 23, 2025 13:50pm PDT