American Idol bosses are acutely aware of the impact that Carrie Underwood‘s inauguration performance could have on the show, with fears it may unravel hard-fought efforts to improve LGBTQ representation.
The country star, 41, was invited to sing America The Beautiful as President Donald Trump, 78, was sworn in for a second term in office on Monday.
Her decision to perform for the Republican was polarising and prompted calls to boycott her upcoming debut as a judge on the popular ABC show.
Now, insiders have claimed there are concerns that contestants may feel ‘uncomfortable’ which could prove problematic for the show’s ‘values’ and ratings.
‘Idol contestants come from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, and so do the people who work on the show,’ a source told DailyMail.com exclusively.
‘There are concerns that her apparent political stance might make some contestants feel uncomfortable.’
American Idol execs are aware of the impact that Carrie Underwood’s inauguration performance could have, with fears it may unravel efforts to improve LGBTQ representation
The country star, 41, was invited to sing America The Beautiful as President Donald Trump , 78, was sworn in for a second term in office on Monday
Her decision to perform for Trump was polarising and prompted calls to boycott her upcoming debut as a judge (pictured with fellow judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest)
They continued: ‘There’s also worry that backlash could impact viewership. Her apparent support for Trump doesn’t align with the show’s values of inclusivity and diversity.’
Following years of criticism, Idol has received higher praise since it moved from FOX for an ABC reboot in 2018, providing a more inclusive space for minorities and members of the LGBTQ community.
Though memorable contestants such as Adam Lambert, Clay Aiken and David Archuleta eventually came out after their time on the show, it was 13 seasons before a contestant was open about their sexuality, something that is now more common in the early audition stages.
‘Lionel Richie, who is very liberal, may not see eye to eye with Carrie’s views which could create some tension,’ the source continued. ‘He has never and will never support Trump.’
They noted that due to the changes since season 16 in 2018, judges ‘are typically advised to avoid becoming political figures’ but they do not always hold back from expressing their views.
Luke Bryan made headlines when he invited Republican politician Ron DeSantis to join him on stage at a gig in Florida back in 2022.
He defended his decision in a statement in which he wrote: ‘Governor Desantis is a very polarizing figure. But I grew up in a country where if a governor asks you if they can come and raise awareness to help victims of a natural disaster you help.
‘I’ve generally stayed out of politics throughout my career. I knew people would chatter about this but for me the more important piece was if I am going to come back there a few weeks after a large portion of people have been affected by a natural disaster in a state where people have been good to me this felt right.’
Insiders have claimed there are concerns that contestants may feel ‘uncomfortable’ which could prove problematic for the show’s ‘values’ and ratings
Relive all of the action from Inauguration Day as Trump is sworn in
The country star closed out his statement by writing: ‘This is all I am saying about this.’
The insider questioned if Carrie had considered her role on Idol and how performing for one of America’s most divisive Presidents could impact the show.
‘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,’ they said.
Carrie told fans she was ‘honored’ to have been asked to sing and 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,’ she said.
It comes six years after she told The Guardian that she likes to ‘stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins.’
‘It’s crazy,’ she said. ‘Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.’
Carrie has replaced Katy Perry as a judge alongside Luke and Lionel on the popular show hosted by Ryan
The singer’s judging debut was intended to be a triumphant moment, marking 20 years since she first auditioned for the show herself in 2005.
Carrie Underwood speaks about how she’ll judge on American Idol
A separate source previously told DailyMail.com that Carrie was looking to kick start ‘a big year’ for herself professionally by performing at the President’s inauguration.
‘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,’ an insider explained.
The source added that Carrie was never focused on the politics of the situation, but wanted to embrace the large platform.
‘She does her music for everyone, and she also knows many of her fans will be watching the inauguration,’ the source said. ‘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.’
The insider concluded that 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.’
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, season 23 is set to debut in March.
