Carrie Underwood may have tried to keep the show moving, but fans think the tension was written all over her face.
Ahead of the “American Idol” finale Monday night, viewers flooded social media claiming the country singer looked irritated, uncomfortable, and over it during another awkward on-air moment that quickly spiraled into backlash online.
Now, with criticism growing louder by the week, some fans are openly begging producers to make this her last season at the judges’ table.
The “American Idol” panel reportedly turned tense last week after viewers accused Carrie Underwood of giving guest judge Nikki Glaser the cold shoulder during the show’s April 27 Taylor Swift-themed episode.
Fans quickly became distracted by the awkward energy between the two, claiming the tension was obvious whenever they sat side by side.
After the show aired, the singer tweeted, “Had a fun night with the beautiful and hilarious @NikkiGlaser joining us as a guest judge tonight on @AmericanIdol!” But no one believed her.
“No, you didn’t. You couldn’t stand sitting next to her. Nikki Glaser is obnoxious AF,” noted one person. Another added, “I noticed it the whole show. So weird. Carrie was clearly unhappy!”
Despite Underwood’s fans claiming she had an “off day,” detractors couldn’t help but notice “I thought Carrie looked mad too.” Another said, “Carrie was mad about something during the whole show. I thought very unprofessional.”
Some fans claimed she had a similar interaction with fellow “Idol” alum Jennifer Hudson a week earlier. Hudson impressed viewers so much in the April 20 episode that fans called for her to replace Underwood.
Had a fun night with the beautiful and hilarious @NikkiGlaser joining us as a guest judge tonight on @AmericanIdol!
pic.twitter.com/qhJ7NgFBDx
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) April 28, 2026
“I saw it when Jennifer Hudson was on also,” noted one person. “[Underwood] hardly looked or communicated with her. You could tell with the expressions on her face. She wants to be the only female.”
Viewers noticed Underwood’s hair was a bit disheveled during her episode with Glaser. Not to mention how irritated she looked by something that had nothing to do with the judges’ panel.
Amid the backlash, the “Before He Cheats” singer appeared to do damage control. On SiriusXM’s “Highway Mornings with Cody Alan” last week, she insisted Glaser did a “great job” filling in.
“It’s not an easy thing to come sit behind that desk and try to think of constructive things to say,” Underwood explained on April 28. “I feel like she did everything wonderfully. But no, there’s no beef. I have no beef.”
Glasser has yet to respond to the comments online or to Underwood’s defense. She posted one promo video about their episode on the day it aired, and nothing since.
But Underwood’s followers say the singer’s “attitude and her personality” have changed drastically over the years. “I did notice Carrie did not seem herself. Life’s like that sometimes,” said one defender.
She previously defended criticism of her behavior and her ego-driven critiques, saying she’s doing more help than harm, regardless of who disagrees. She then reflected on dealing with online criticism since her own “American Idol” days.
‘I mean, it’s evolved over time. My time on ‘American Idol,’ you know, we kind of had, like, message boards and things like that,” she recalled. “It was kind of the beginning of just meanness online, I guess.”
The vocalist, who has never recovered from backlash over her performance of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, argued that contestants grow from feedback.
“It’s no longer like water cooler chats,” Underwood explained. “I never would have known about what people were talking about in school or whatever, and now you can just say it online.”
The controversy reignited online debates about race and representation on the show after Jamal Roberts became the first Black male winner in more than 20 years.
Maybe I’m too woke but Carrie Underwood naming her new pet goat Jamal (after the American Idol winner) isn’t sitting right with me
— Rachie
(@songbreezie) May 22, 2025
Underwood has been defending her judging style since facing backlash over her critique of the season 23 winner. Critics accused her of unfairly targeting Roberts, especially after she remained seated during one of his biggest performances. The other judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, gave standing ovations.
After the season ended, Underwood only added to the online chatter when she revealed she had a pet goat named Jamal, leaving some fans convinced the controversy was far from over.
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