CARLY’S COLLAPSES:Viewers saw anemotionally overwhelmed Carly Pearcedrop to her knees onstage after she was announced as Female Artist of the Year, but the cameras failed to capture those knees buckling two more times before she even got to the stage. This was Pearce’s identical reaction back in June when heroDolly Parton shocked her with an invitationto join the Grand Ole Opry — another mind-blowing moment for the superstar-in-the-making. (With so many wonderful surprises coming Pearce’s way lately, perhaps it’s time for her to invest in a couple of knee braces?)
GOOFY LUKE:Viewers watched show hostLuke Bryancomically undersell the performance of frequent foilBlake Shelton. “This next performer needs no introduction,” Bryan drolly announced, “so therefore I’m not gonna give him one.” He did finally, begrudgingly utter Shelton’s name, and cameras showed Bryan solemnly turning to depart the stage before Shelton performed new single “Come Back as a Country Boy.” But they missed Bryan then pivoting toward Shelton and trying to distract him (unsuccessfully) with a wild, faux-flash gesture.
TAKE A STAND:Country A-listers are a generous bunch, so some semblance of a standing ovation was doled out after every single performance. But it was clear on Wednesday night that not all standing O’s are created equal. The most energetic and spontaneous ones were reserved for Lambert’s raucous opening medley;Chris Stapleton’sriveting “Cold”; and the trio ofMickey Guyton,Brittney SpencerandMadeline Edwards,who soared with Guyton’s “Love My Hair.” But perhaps the most anticipated event of the evening —Jennifer Hudson’sappearance with Stapleton’s support — drew the entire arena crowd to their feetbeforethe first note and they never sat down. Hudson’sall-stops-pulled-out performanceof “Night Life” and “You Are My Sunshine” proceeded to earn that singular reaction.
abc/getty
THE BEST ACCEPTANCE SPEECH YOU DIDN’T HEAR:Kelsea Balleriniwas in absentia when the CMA Music Event of the Year award was handed out onstage before the show, so Jimmy Robbins, co-producer of Ballerini’s collab withKenny Chesney,“Half of My Hometown,” stood in to accept the trophy. He took full advantage. “I never get to do this,” he told the gathering crowd, “so I’ll just say my wife is hot, and I love her.”
Perhaps the most poignant intimate moment occurred betweenRussell Dickersonand Sarah Frei, the Utah teen who was honored for her spirit after losing both legs to a drunk driver last year. Once their segment ended, Dickerson reached down and gave her a long bear hug, and as her wheelchair was pushed offstage, the two departed hand in hand.
John Shearer/Getty
WHAT THEY DIDN’T DO:In years past, the stars got caught up in the selfie craze, snapping pics of each other as they mingled during commercial breaks. But few phones came out for that purpose on Wednesday night, though late in the evening, Keith Urban was spotted making an actual call from his seat. (Who else uses their phones forthat?) The celebs also mostly spurned the tidy stacks of snacks waiting for them at each place setting. So what was in all those boxes? An assortment of cheeses, coldcuts, raw veggies, fresh fruit, crackers, chocolates and peppermint Life Savers. Maybe folks just weren’t hungry — or maybe they just didn’t want to get caught on camera munching a stalk of asparagus.
VIRAL REACTIONS:The tables where the stars were seated seemed to be a nod to COVID social-distancing protocols, but otherwise, the pandemic held little sway over the evening’s festivities. Everyone in the arena was required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to gain entrance, and though the off-camera audience was required to wear masks, few complied. Two of the most noticeable changes from years past: Seat warmers weren’t employed to fill the empty chairs of temporarily absent stars. (The tables, though, made unoccupied seats less noticeable.) And unlike pre-COVID CMAs, this wasn’t a packed house; empty seats were sprinkled throughout the lower tiers, and the third tier was half-full, perhaps a COVID side-effect.
Afterward, most celebrities departed quickly, but New Artist of the YearJimmie Allenandhis wife, Alexis Gale,andFlorida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelleyandhis wife, Brittney,lingered in lengthy conversation. Once the chat ended, both stars wandered to the sidelines of the celebrity area and rewarded waiting fans with friendly greetings, selfies and autographs.
source: people.com
