Maren Morrisis poking fun atTucker Carlson.
The country singer, 33, cracked a joke about the former Fox News journalist’s employment status whileaccepting the Excellence in Media Awardat the2023 GLAAD Media Awardson Saturday evening.
First noting how she “felt a little badass” when she took a jab Carlson, 53, threw at her andturned it into a T-shirt that raised more than $150,000 in less than a week for LGBTQ-supporting charities, Morris said, “That made me feel a little cool, but I don’t want to gloat. I would never insult the recently unemployed.”
The singer then said that becoming the first country music artist to receive the trophy “doesn’t feel quite real or deserving to me yet,” adding, “Coming from Arlington, Texas, to Nashville, Tennessee, 10 years ago, my only end goal at the time … was to make my songwriting dreams come true. I had no clue it would eventually lead me to such beautiful, inclusive heights like this one tonight.”
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic, AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
“I want my fellow country music artists, and artists in general, to understand that inclusivity is not only the right thing, but it’s good for business. You open yourself up, [and] your sound, to a much larger audience, even if you lose some along the way. The crowds at my shows are a sea of diversity from race, identity, to age — it is a loving safe space for my band, my crew, venue staff and most notably, my fans,” she continued. “This community stood up for me and made me feel safe when I felt alone, and I will never be able to repay you, but I hope I get to spend the rest of my life and career settling up.”
Last month, it was announced that Carlson and FOX News Media “agreed to part ways,” and Morriswasn’t afraid to share her feelingson the matter.
“Happy Monday, MotherTucker,” she wrote in an Instagram Story post at the time, which featured a faux screencap of a 2022Tucker Carlson Tonightairing, which referred to her as a “lunatic country music person.”
Morris then shared another graphic on her Instagram, which read, “The only tuckers allowed are the drag queens.”
Cindy Ord/Getty
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Morris and Carlson’s history dates back to last September, when the controversial media personality called Morris both a “lunatic” and a “fake country music singer” on air as Brittany Kerr Aldean appeared on Carlson’s Fox News show amidsocial media drama over transgender rights.
At the time, Aldean — the wife ofJason Aldean— drew backlash from Morris and others in the country music industry after shedisparaged parents of transgender youthon Instagram. Morris responded on Twitter: “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.”
The Twitter exchange then became a segment on Carlson’s show, and Carlson’s “lunatic” label for Morris eventually became the basis for theT-shirtto benefittrans rights groups. “ATTN LUNATICS New shirt in the shop. All proceeds will be split between @translifeline & the @glaad Transgender Media Program,” Morriscaptioned a photoof the shirt at the time.
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During her GLAAD Media Awards acceptance speech, Morris also spoke about the moment when she first felt “acceptance” from the LGBTQ community.
“I first felt the acceptance of this community in my junior high school drama class,” she said. “During the school week, my queer friends were a safe space where I would go to theater class, and that entire period, we would laugh till our sides hurt, find our footing and freedom together completely unjudged. It was through their bold humor and compassion that I truly figured myself out in those formative years.”
source: people.com
