Carrie Underwood says she gets booed during ‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week, sparks political debate

Carrie Underwood is giving fans a preview of the drama ahead in “American Idol” Season 23 — and it’s not just from the contestants.

The 42-year-old country star and first-time “Idol” judge revealed Monday on X that she has faced a hostile reception from the studio audience during the show’s Hollywood Week tapings.

“Spoiler alert… I get booed A LOT from our Hollywood Week audience,” Ms. Underwood wrote, tagging the show and adding a flushed face emoji.

The post quickly ignited a firestorm online, with many critics linking the audience reaction to her performance of “America the Beautiful” at President Trump’s January 2025 inauguration in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

“Lol. You bet. You sang for a mad man,” one X user wrote. Others accused Ms. Underwood of being “MAGA” and called on her to “go away.”

Ms. Underwood’s supporters pushed back just as forcefully. Country star John Rich wrote, “Good! The last thing you want is Hollywood thinking well of you.” Other fans urged her to stay the course. “Take those boos as a compliment! We are on the right side of history,” one commenter wrote.

The backlash over the inauguration performance is not new for Ms. Underwood. Fellow celebrities, including Mandy Moore and Ariana Grande, both “liked” an online meme suggesting she sounded off-key during the performance, while “The View” host Joy Behar questioned her decision to participate, saying it normalized Mr. Trump’s presidency. “General Hospital” star Nancy Lee Grahn said on Threads that she could “no longer look” at Ms. Underwood following the inauguration.

Others came to her defense. “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg said Ms. Underwood had every right to perform, emphasizing artistic freedom, while country star Jason Aldean praised her a cappella recovery after the audio failed during the performance, calling it a “pro move.”

Ms. Underwood, who did not explain the specific reason for the Hollywood Week boos, has consistently maintained that she prefers to avoid politics. When she confirmed the inauguration performance, she said in a statement: “I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event. I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

Ms. Underwood joined “American Idol” in Season 23 as a judge alongside returning panelists Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, replacing Katy Perry. She originally won the show in Season 4 in 2005, making her the first “Idol” alum to serve on the judges’ panel.