Carrie Underwood’s wild moment with Luke Bryan reignites Katy Perry comparisons on 'American Idol'
Since the premiere of 'American Idol' season 23, things haven't been going pretty well for the season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood. At first, Underwood faced criticism for replacing Katy Perry, a long-term judge on the show. The second time, she was slammed for bringing down the TRP of the show due to changing the format and adding the episode on 'Easter Week.' The singer had also been called out for her appearance owing to potential cosmetic surgery upgrades. And this time, fans are commenting on her chemistry with the other two honorable judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
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In a recent episode of Idol, the eight-time Grammy Award winner gave a fantastic suggestion to a contestant: "You need to go and watch some of your favorite performers because I still do that.” Prompting Bryan to ask, "Do you watch me?" "I watch Lionel,” Underwood replied. Lionel loved this response so much that he quipped, “God bless you, Carrie.” Per Monster and Critics, Underwood once admitted that she and Bryan shared a good relationship; thus, this exchange would hint at nothing more than a playful banter between friends.
However, fans, as usual, didn't want to let go of the opportunity to take a dig at the singer. One wrote in the post shared on Instagram, "Katy had better chemistry with Lionel and Luke. Carrie's ok, but I don’t think she'll judge for as long as Katy did." Another added, "@lionelrichie is the one judge I like on this current panel. I miss @katyperry." The third wrote, "I don't watch @carrieunderwood." "Why is this show still on?" said the fourth, proving once again that fans aren’t ready to let Underwood off the hook just yet.
Meanwhile, Perry has not been taking any interest in returning to the show; however, in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in January 2025, Perry admitted that she misses the show and her co-hosts. "I miss them so much, though. I do, actually. Hi, Luke! Hi, Lionel!" she said, looking into the camera. When asked whether Perry is still in touch with Richie or Bryan, the pop star answered, “Yeah, of course. Of course. All the time.” She also revealed, “They probably have a new text chain” with the new judge Carrie Underwood, before adding, “But I think it’s perfect, and it’s coming out in March, so you’ve got to watch!”
“Alright, so you’re still for people watching the show,” Kimmel remarked, and Perry replied, “Yes, of course!” Perry also reiterated her support for Underwood in an interview with People and said, "She was born on that show. I think she knows how to steer it. She truly knows what it feels like to be in their shoes. We could only metaphorically feel that as judges." The 'Dark House' singer then added, "Perry added, 'As artists, we’ve been in some sort of their shoes, but she has lived every single day. So I think she’s going to have a lot to offer anyone willing to listen." When asked why she chose to leave The Idol after being a judge for so long, Perry said, "I was departing so that I could go on the ‘Lifetimes’ tour."