Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
In a recent video, Luke Bryan asked, “Do therapists offer gift cards? Because I’d like to give her therapist a voucher as a gift.”
Luke Bryan’s advice for his soon-to-be American Idol co-judge, Carrie Underwood? Seek extra therapy.
As season 23 approaches, with Underwood joining Bryan and Lionel Richie on the judges’ panel, Seattle radio host Gabe Mercer asked Bryan for his advice for Underwood. Bryan’s response was humorously self-deprecating: “Up her therapist,” he joked in a TikTok posted by Mercer. “If she has a therapist, she might need to double the sessions to handle me and Lionel.”
The country star went even further, offering to cover some of Underwood’s therapy costs. “Maybe I should just credit her,” he added. “Do therapists offer gift cards? I could call her therapist and give her a voucher.”
It was announced on Good Morning America on Thursday, August 1, that Carrie Underwood, who won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, will be replacing Katy Perry as a judge on the show. The announcement highlighted the full-circle nature of the moment, featuring throwback footage of Underwood’s Idol debut as she traveled from her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma, to audition for the show two decades ago.
In the clip, Carrie Underwood recalled seeing an audition notice on TV while she was at home and her mother offering to drive her to St. Louis. “My mom said, ‘If you want to go, I’ll drive you,’” Underwood remembered.
Reflecting on her journey from being an unknown to becoming a household name, she noted, “I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show.”
Looking back on her achievements, including 28 No. 1 singles and eight Grammys, she expressed pride in her Idol journey and her accomplishments since, saying, “I’m proud of everything I was able to accomplish on the show, and I’m so proud of everything that I’ve accomplished since.”
In a press release for American Idol Season 23, which will debut in spring 2025, Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, stated, “This upcoming season marks 20 years since Carrie won America’s hearts on Idol and began her successful, multi-Grammy Award-winning career. As a former Idol and a dynamic musical force, she brings a uniquely valuable perspective to one of television’s most popular shows.”
He added, “This is a full-circle moment both for the show and for audiences who have been watching for over two decades. Welcome home, Carrie.”
Host Ryan Seacrest, who crowned Underwood as the winner in 2005, will return for the new season, along with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, who have been on the judges’ panel since Season 16.
