NBC
Kelly Clarkson is a huge music star in 2021, but that wasn’t always the case. Before she was a coach on The Voice, Clarkson competed on American Idol, and she recently opened up about how she was treated during those days.
During a recent interview with Jennifer Love Hewitt on her show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Clarkson talked about how people were mean to her when she was back in the American Idol stage of her career.
She shared that kind celebrities, like Jennifer Love Hewitt, were the ones who got her through the tough times.
Clarkson Revealed that Celebrities Were Mean to Her
The interview started with Clarkson welcoming Hewitt to the show, and Hewitt saying that she loves Clarkson and “adores” her.
“Well, you probably don’t remember this,” Clarkson started. “But it stuck with me so long, like, for almost 20 years now.”
She started her story by saying that Hewitt would probably not remember the story or know that Clarkson would bring it up during her appearance on the show, but that it took place at an awards show.
“You ran up to me, and it was right when, like, the final three, I think, of Idol, and we were just so slammed and everything was just happening, like, in a whirlwind,” she said. “And people, like, were really mean to us because we’re from a talent show and it’s the first season.”
Clarkson Says People Were Rude on the Red Carpet and at Award Shows
Clarkson continued her story, adding that people had been rude to the top three Idol contestants in many places.
“And people were mean to us,” she said. “Like, on the carpet, on the show.”
Hewitt asked why and Clarkson said she didn’t know, but she added that it had been awful to go through. Hewitt saved the day for Clarkson, however.
“You ran up to me out of nowhere and were like ‘oh my gosh, I’m really rooting for you, and just please, you told me, please keep the ones you love so close! And it’ll end up being about a few people in your life, unfortunately, but this business can be really hard and just remember to keep those people who really love you.'”
Clarkson added, “And you just gave me this advice, and it was really, really kind. In such a non, unkind, rather, time, for me personally. So thank you so much!”
She said the comments meant the world to her and it was “so nice” of Hewitt to take the time to give her that advice.
Clarkson is currently going through a divorce with her now-estranged husband Brandon Blackstock, and celebrities are helping her through that as well. She recently revealed that Garth Brooks’ music, in particular, has helped her with her divorce.
In a segment when she was talking to Brooks, Clarkson talked about her playlists she’s had on repeat since filing for divorce. She added that when she “couldn’t quite nail down the feeling” she was having about her breakup, she used Brooks’ “The Dance” to think about it.
She added that the particular lyric that resonated her so much was when Brooks sings, “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.”
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