CMA Awards 2016: Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley get political
The 50th anniversary CMA Awards was mostly a politics-free affair, but co-hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley couldn’t help themselves.
The country duo -- hosting for the ninth time -- kicked off their job for the night by heading straight into election territory, starting with a plaintive acoustic ballad about the election, wishing it would end. They were careful, at least, not to mention either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump by name.
“We’re so fricking sick of politics, we don’t even care who wins,” they sang. “This election is taking forever and ever. Make it end.”
Later in the monologue, Paisley imitated Trump’s debate performance, stalking around behind Underwood and interrupting her with declarations of “wrong” as she tried to talk up the night’s big nominees.
Looking to make peace, Paisley at least offered his vote for Underwood to win entertainer of the year, though he cautioned that “what I think doesn’t matter because this show is rigged, bigly.” He insisted he would only accept the results of the awards show if he wins -- even though he wasn’t nominated.
They then brought out a special “basket of deplorables” for nominees and attendees, including beer goggles, a Dolly Parton-inspired “bra of many colors” and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Barbie dolls.
At least there was no mention of emails.