ABC’s American Idol Season 23 is in full swing, and Carrie Underwood has taken her place at the judges’ table. Underwood won American Idol Season 4 and has had one of the most successful careers after the show. However, she received mixed feedback after performing at the second inauguration of President Donald Trump. Here’s what an insider said about the American Idol crew avoiding the conversation.
A source alleged that the ‘American Idol’ Season 23 crew was told ‘not to bring up the inauguration’
Carrie Underwood is a fresh face in American Idol Season 23 — and fans love her. Katy Perry decided to depart from the show and embark on a new tour with her latest album. While fans will miss Perry, Underwood has a special place in the hearts of Idol fans, as she won season 4. She’s since become a staple in the country music world.
Unfortunately, Underwood caused controversy after performing at the second inauguration of Donald Trump. Many fans disapproved of her choice, though others defended her right to perform. Some insiders alleged that American Idol producers didn’t like how the controversy may affect the show’s ratings.
An insider alleged to The U.S. Sun that the Idol crew was told “not bring up the inauguration under any circumstances,” including mentioning it to Underwood. Underwood allegedly did not make this order herself. Instead, it was an attempt to make the “tense” set more “lighthearted” for everyone.
“It’s not just the inauguration,” the source explained. “It’s Hollywood week, which is a lot of moving parts. The production team has to go film in Hawaii next week, so that can be stressful.” The source noted that everything together “takes a toll, so producers want to do everything they can to make sure every person on the team feels comfortable and supported.”
The ‘American Idol’ Season 23 preview raked in way more viewers than when Katy Perry judged
Katy Perry came with mixed reviews from American Idol lovers. The “Firework” songstress had several controversial moments on the show that caused contestants and fans alike to feel uncomfortable. Now, fans are excited to get Carrie Underwood judging alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
According to The U.S. Sun, 5,905,000 viewers tuned in to the pre-season 23 preview introducing the new judging panel. Compare this to the season 22 premiere, which had 4,620,000 viewers. The season 22 finale had 5,639,000 viewers. This proves that fans were curious about the judging change-up.
However, the season 23 premiere brought in 4,494,000 viewers — falling flat from the season 22 premiere. While fans were initially curious about Underwood, they may not be curious enough to stick with the rest of the season.
A boss on the hit series commended Carrie Underwood for her inauguration performance
Rumors persist that American Idol Season 23 crew members remain hush about Carrie Underwood’s inauguration performance. However, showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick told TheWrap that Underwood “held her own” during the inauguration, especially when mishaps occurred.
“That was her decision,” Michaels Wolflick said. “Katy Perry, who was a judge on our show, sang at the last inauguration as well, so isn’t that great that two American Idol judges sang at the last two inaugurations?”
“She held her own, and she remained cool, calm, and collected, and I think a lot of that has to do with Idol and all of her live experience, starting at a young age, being on live television for Idol,” Michaels Wolflick continued regarding Underwood’s historic performance.
While the showrunner is thankful to have Underwood as a judge, she said the country star isn’t there as Katy Perry’s replacement. “It’s just a new era of the show,” she verified.
American Idol Season 23 airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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