Carrie Underwood Addresses Toxic Online Hate With Powerful Statement: ‘I'm Very Used to That'
Carrie Underwood is no stranger to the limelight, having won American Idolover 20 years ago. But even when she was a contestant on the show, she had to deal with plenty of hurtful comments from outsiders.
But, with the advent of social media, the country music superstar, 43, believes the spread of negativity has worsened to such an extent that she now finds herself sharing advice to others, and aspiring artists who are currently competing for the Idol crown, in hopes that they will be able to block out the noise and stay true to themselves.
"I promise you someday you won't care," Underwood told listeners in an interview with Cody Alan on SiriusXM's The Highway, while discussing public scrutiny.
Further acknowledging the evolution of online hate, Underwood, 43, reflected on her Idol run in 2005, before she won the grand prize. She noted how the way contestants, and people in general, receive messages has changed.
The Evolution of Online Hate
"[During] my time on American Idol, you know, we kind of had like message boards and things like that, and it was kind of the beginning of just meanness online," she said. "I feel like they have to deal with so much more of that now. And we just are in a world right now where we forget that we're watching human beings do things, and it's so easy to talk about that. …"
"It's no longer like water cooler chats," she continued. "I never would have known about what people were talking about in school or whatever, and now you can just say it online. So, that's a thing that everybody's got to have to navigate."
Season 24 Remaining Contestants
At this point, only three artists remain in the running for the American Idol Season 24 crown. The Top 3 include Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson, and the finale airs on Monday, May 11, on ABC.
During the conversation, Alan chimed in, recalling a previous episode of Idol that included comedian Nikki Glaser as a special guest. Alan referenced viewers pointing out what they perceived as tension between Underwood and Glaser.
"I roll my eyes when I see some chatter on social media these days," Alan said. "It's all so mean. Like, even you and Nikki Glaser, they were trying to make this big deal about, and I'm like, ‘Do you know Carrie Underwood?' Like, she's never going to be a mean person. She's not a mean person. And they want to cause a catfight over the smallest little thing."
Shutting Down Rift Rumors
"I'm very used to that," Underwood replied before shutting down any rumors surfacing that she and Glaser have any sort of rift. "I feel like if you have two ladies in the same room together, somebody's going to try to make something of it."
"She was wonderful. And I think she did such a great job because it's not an easy thing to come sit behind that desk and try to think of constructive things to say," Underwood continued. "And I don't know, I feel like she did everything wonderfully. But no, there's no beef. I have no beef."
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:59 PM.