American Idoljust returned, and the current showrunner is finally speaking out about Carrie Underwood’s recent controversy leading up to the premiere. BeforeAmerican Idolseason 23debuted on March 9, there were a lot of concerns aboutwhether Carrie would succeed as a judge, consideringshe recently became a polarizing figure and the fact that she has a more reserved personality than her predecessor, Katy Perry. However, the premiere showed her relaxed and having a lot of fun alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. She revealed a different side of her, one in which her nickname is “Jukebox Carrie.”
TheAmerican Idolshowrunner addressed Carrie Underwood performing at the recent U.S. presidential inauguration, which generated a lot of criticism.
While speaking withThe Wrap,American Idolshowrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick addressed Carrie performing at the recent U.S. presidential inauguration, which generated a lot of criticism online.Megan explained that performing at that event was completely Carrie’s decisionand compared the performance to Katy doing the same thing at the 2020 inauguration. She said, “Katy Perry…sang at the last inauguration as well, so isn’t that great that two American Idol judges sang at the last two inaugurations?”
The performance itself had a hiccup at the beginning when an audio malfunction caused Carrie to perform a capella. “She held her own,” Megan admitted, “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.” Throughout her interview with The Wrap,Megan had nothing but positive comments about Carrie and what she’ll be like as a judge, comparing the singer to an onion where fans will “discover so many layers"throughout the season.
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Megan’s not the only one defending Carrie, of course. It was recently reported that hostRyan Seacrest is taking Carrie under his wingsince he feels protective of her. Obviously, the people directly connected toAmerican Idol, including the showrunner herself, are going to have nothing but great things to say about Carrie. However,for the sake of the show’s success, it’s still a necessary measure for Megan, Ryan and the judges to make these kinds of comments because the inauguration controversy definitely created a dark cloudaroundAmerican Idolseason 23 ahead of the premiere.
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Now thatIdolis back and viewers can see firsthand what Carrie is like as a judge,it’s possible her scandal will start to fade from people’s minds as fans see her in action behind the judges' table. The first episode showed a very lively Carrie knowing the lyrics to every song and getting emotional after claiming she’s not an emotional person. Of course, she will never be able to fully rid herself of the criticism, and she’s aware that it comes with the territory now.
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TheAmerican Idolshowrunner certainly wants the brand-new season to be a success, especially when it comes to the ratings. Executives at ABC, in particular, will be watching the numbers come in every week and see if their gamble of hiring Carrie paid off. The post-Oscars special had strong viewership, but without a big awards telecast to help it going forward,American Idolseason 23 is now on its own, and only time will tell if the boat will stay afloat.
American Idol
Cast
American Idol is a revival of the groundbreaking television series that redefined the music competition genre. Premiering on July 15, 2025, it features a new generation of contestants vying for a life-changing recording contract, under the guidance of a panel of renowned judges.
