Kelly Clarkson Bloopers That Make Us Love Her Even More
Kelly Clarkson is a seriously refreshing breath of fresh air in Hollywood. After shooting to fame as the winner of the first season of "American Idol" all the way back in 2002 — yes, it really has been that long — Clarkson launched a remarkable career and managed to stay the charming person "AI" voters fell in love with all those years ago.
The star has repeatedly showed off her realness, sharing very candid moments of her life for the whole world to revel in. "I have no filter in the best of ways. I'm open to talk about everything. I don't think anything is truly inappropriate... Most things I'm willing to talk about, which some people are not ready for when they talk to me. Like, 'erm, TMI!'" Clarkson admitted to country star Clint Black on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in April 2021. And with that, Clarkson recalled the time she got "wrecked up from some kind of food" that was so bad she had to grab a "poor trash can" during a quick change backstage. She "destroyed" it with her, well, it wasn't a number one. Let's leave it at that.
With that being the kind of information the star voluntarily shares, the things she accidentally lets slip have to be even more hysterical. So, get ready to have your funny bone tickled as we dive on into some of Clarkson's very best bloopers.
Counting with Kelly Clarkson
It's probably safe to say that Kelly Clarkson is a better singer, talk show host, talent show judge, mom, songwriter — the list goes on — than she is a mathematician or meteorologist. The star had us in stitches in a hilarious outtake from 2019 when she was promoting "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in local markets by trying her hand at reading the weather.
The clip, which was shared alongside a series of other laugh out loud bloopers from the show, showed the mom of two standing in front of a large green screen as she attempted to give viewers their "five-day forecast." Alas, Clarkson's attempt was more of a downpour than a sunny spell. The "Behind These Hazel Eyes" singer hilariously put up both hands and splayed out all 10 fingers, before realizing her mistake and admitting, "This means 10, though." Yeah, it does, Kel. The "American Idol" Season 1 winner then hilariously walked off camera with her head down as she and the crew shared a laugh over her blunder. In the words of the star herself, just walk away.
Unlike the six-year-old kid who appeared on her show in 2021 after his adorable weather reports became an internet sensation, Clarkson probably won't be adding "weatherperson" to her already very long resume.
Kelly Clarkson couldn't stop apologizing
Sorry, Kelly Clarkson, but we just had to put this apology overload in. It turns out the pop queen has a bit of a hard time not saying sorry, and she made it very clear in another hilarious blooper series from "The Kelly Clarkson Show." In 2019, the star was doing a promo in a setup made to look like a backstage area (with a plethora of certifications on the wall behind her no less) and kept flubbing her lines, leading her to repeatedly apologize. She then admitted that she'd "literally just received a book from a writer that says, 'Quit apologizing'" before letting out a laugh.
We did the math so you don't have to: "The Voice" coach actually says the word "sorry" four times in just 17 seconds in this equal parts hilarious and delightful outtake. One of those "sorry"s was reserved for the poor background extra who repeatedly had to keep walking in and out of the shot by a large stage light. Clarkson, being the super sweet star we don't deserve, proceeded to tell the man — identified as Ruben — that he was "nailing it" as she did take after take.
She may be trying to cut back on the apologies, but thankfully, that didn't stop her from taking Justin Bieber's "Sorry" to Kellyoke in 2020.
Where's Kelly Clarkson's lip gloss?
Even when making somewhat diva-ish demands, Kelly Clarkson remains down to earth, as proven in a video taken from the set of "The Voice" in 2020. In the clip — in which the star seems unaware she's being filmed during a break — Clarkson made a video call to someone (presumably her assistant) and requested a couple of things. The star sweetly asked the person on the other end of the call if they could bring her some tea, before realizing it was actually in the thermos placed in the cupholder next to her. Oops. But that wasn't all.
After the "I Dare You" singer then asked the person to bring her some lip gloss, they informed the multi-platinum star that she already had the beauty product with her. A clearly confused Clarkson then set about searching the immediate area around her, including picking up her jacket and searching through the pockets. The trouble with love, er, lip gloss is... well, it can slip into the smallest of places. Eventually, she came across her lip gloss — with it being exactly where she was told it was. Oops again.
Lip gloss and tea drama aside, working for Clarkson definitely has its perks. On one episode of her talk show, for example, the pop superstar surprised longtime assistant Tricia Farrow with Super Bowl tickets. Talk about a touchdown.
A license to giggle
Okay, so DMV and hilarity rarely go together, but bear with us on this one because it's worth a watch when you throw Kelly Clarkson into the mix. The star seriously got the giggles in an October 2020 clip from "The Kelly Clarkson Show" posted to Instagram as she read out a story about a Tennessee woman who had a bit of an issue with her driver's license.
Clarkson — who was wearing an eye patch after injuring her eye on the set of "The Voice" — set the scene, explaining the woman renewed her photo online and then got it mailed to her. So far so good right? But, as explained by the mom of two, "once her license showed up in the mail, she noticed something was off with her photo."
The thing that was off? "She wasn't in the photo at all," Clarkson said as she began to laugh, just as the show pulled up a photo of an empty chair in the DMV. Cue the incurable guffawing from the adorably excitable host. Clarkson was unable to stop herself as she cracked up uncontrollably at the mishap, pretty much tearing up as she called the mistake "just awesome" and "so funny." The fit of giggles wouldn't let up, she couldn't pull it together, and it made for yet another wonderfully Kelly Clarkson moment.
Kelly Clarkson can't say Celine Dion
Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion have a few things in common. They're the owners of two of the most powerful singing voices ever, awesome moms, have Las Vegas residencies, sold millions of records, won hundreds of awards... you get what we're saying. Which brings us to the time Clarkson couldn't get Dion's name right for... no clear reason.
This outtake went down on Season 19 of "The Voice" when Clarkson explained during a piece to camera that she chose the song "I Surrender" for contestants Marisa Corvo and Ryan Gallagher. "So, I gave Marissa and Ryan Celine Dion—" she said, clearing her throat and apologizing, unhappy with the way she said "Dion." She then tried again, though that attempt came out sounding more like "Celine Deeyong," and then poked fun at her inability to get the superstar's name out, joking, "I don't know what's happening!"
Clarkson not only knows how to say Dion's name, but the two happen to be fans of one another. In May 2019, Dion shared an adorable snap of them together on Twitter, to which Clarkson replied, calling her "amazing!" She added, "Getting to meet her & realize that not only is she possibly the most gifted vocalist on the planet but that she's also a comedian & sweet & warm & kind is something me, my friends, & family will remember always!"
A sour note had Kelly Clarkson on her knees
You'd be forgiven for assuming Kelly Clarkson never hits a bum note. The star is pretty much always pitch perfect with that stunning powerhouse voice of hers, so it's not all that surprising that on the off chance the talented star misses a note, it becomes big news. In a hilarious video she posted to Twitter in April 2017, Clarkson made a not-so-nice noise, and it made for fantastic content. Not unlike the rest of us singing in the shower (hey, our shampoo bottle audience loves it, okay?), Clarkson accidentally hit a rough note.
In the black and white video, Clarkson's voice cracked as she belted it out in a recording studio. Never one to take herself too seriously, she turned around to the camera and jokingly suggested it should be played on a loop. And she very much got her way. In the clip, Clarkson fell to her knees laughing as she listened to the sour note over and over again. The star was so taken aback by the shriek she covered her eyes and was unable to talk. She hilariously poked fun at herself in the caption, writing, "....that time you think, d***, I'm about to nail this ....and then you don't."
Nailed it or not, one Twitter user wrote, "Still Grammy worthy." Another said they planned to use the sound as an alarm clock ringtone. Even when she whiffs a note, she wins.
Kelly Clarkson's big Christmas disaster
Kelly Clarkson is no stranger to Christmas cheer. The star released her first Christmas album, "Wrapped In Red," back in 2013 and dropped her second, "When Christmas Comes Around ...," in 2021. So much does the star love Christmas that she even appeared in her very own Holiday special called "Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale," which coincided with her first festive release. While you might assume that she's got a knack for all things yuletide, a holiday segment she taped for "The Voice" in 2020 suggests otherwise. In the clip, she tried to build a gingerbread house. "Tried" being the operative word.
Clarkson got into a sticky situation (pun intended) as she attempted to glue the structure together with frosting... only for it to come crashing down. After a few failed efforts, she admitted defeat, laughing at her sticky, frosting-coated hands. But no bother. She cleaned herself up, licking her fingers as someone behind the camera asked for her sticky fingers to be wiped. It's worth noting that the segment began with Clarkson asking for "the very first word" in her script which was just welcoming the audience to the segment, so uh, things were off the rails from the start.
Funny enough, in a 2019 "The Kelly Clarkson Show" clip, she seemed to have slightly better luck building a gingerbread house while wearing tiny toy hands on her fingers. "Slightly" being the operative word.
Is a violin the same as a fiddle?
Ah, one of those age-old, unanswerable questions: Is a violin the same as a fiddle? This debate was enough to get Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton a little heated (in a playful way, of course) back in March 2020 when Clarkson admitted she thought they were two different instruments. Country boy Shelton fell very much on the other end of the argument and wasn't afraid to set Clarkson straight.
This all went down during Mandi Castillo's stunning Blind Audition on "The Voice" Season 18, when Shelton said, "I don't know what you'd classify it as, but I feel like I heard a fiddle, and that's a little bit country." Clarkson chimed in to say that she believed the instrument in question was actually a violin, to which Shelton replied, "Good point, Kelly. It's the exact same instrument." The "American Idol" winner dug her heels in, adamant that they are different things.
So, what's the verdict? Well, it looks like Shelton won this round. As Dictionary.com put it, "The words fiddle and violin are two names for the same stringed instrument—fiddle is just an informal way of referring to the violin." Aw, fiddlesticks — or should we say violinsticks?
Kelly Clarkson's mixup on The Voice
Kelly Clarkson has won three seasons of "The Voice" since joining the NBC series in 2018, and there's been at least one Battle Round she thought she won. Clarkson suffered an embarrassing moment during a May 2020 episode of "The Voice" when she tried to steal Blake Shelton's team member Todd Michael Hall during the Battle Rounds.
Hall lost the sing-off and was eliminated... or was he? Under "The Voice" rules, Shelton could use his one Save of the season and keep Hall in the competition, or another coach could use a Steal to bring him aboard their team. In this particular instance, Clarkson used her Steal, but a split second after Shelton used his Save. That meant Hall stayed on Team Shelton, but Clarkson assumed her move was what prompted all of the fanfare. And so, she got up to hug Hall. Fellow coach John Legend pointed out that Shelton was the one who landed the Save, but Clarkson didn't hear this. And she wouldn't realize what actually happened until she sat back down.
Goofing up from time to time is just part of the gig, apparently. As "The Voice" newcomer Ariana Grande said on Clarkson's talk show, she's made a habit of DMing her team members — which is evidently a no-no.
A red carpet almost took out Kelly Clarkson
When you're as in demand as Kelly Clarkson and attending different events every single day, it's only a matter of time before you're going to take a tumble in front of a group of people with at least one being camera. All you can really do is try to make the fall as graceful as possible.
Well, that's exactly what the "Since U Been Gone" singer did when she took what could have been a nasty tumble to concrete street while attending the Indy 500. In candid footage shared to Twitter by fan @zoealexa5, the star could be seen walking down the red carpet in a flowy black and gold star dress while wearing some seriously chunky black heels. As she made her way towards a group of fans while surrounded by her entourage, the star appeared to scuff her platform on the carpet and almost fell to the ground. Showing us exactly how it's done, Clarkson recovered like a pro and steadied herself, staying upright and jokingly putting both hands in the air as she slightly bent her knees in success while the crowd applauded her. Thankfully, Clarkson was just fine and carried on with her duties.
She did see the funny side though, retweeting the video and joking alongside four crying laughing emoji, "Best part of my day is always revealing to people that might not know how utterly not cool I am. That d*** crack was hidden by the carpet man!"
Gwyneth Paltrow had Kelly Clarkson in hysterics
Here's your warning: This one's a little NSFW. Gwyneth Paltrow left Kelly Clarkson pretty much unable to continue on with a taping of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in March 2021. All Kell broke loose after the Goop founder decided to let the "American Idol" legend in on one of her favorite tunes.
Clarkson innocently enquired about the songs Paltrow likes to listen to when she's feeling a little "down," to which the A-Lister — who was dialed in via video call — bluntly replied, "Wet A** P****." Yes, rather than go with the acronym we all know, the Oscar winner decided to say the full title of the Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion song. A clearly stunned Clarkson proceeded to fall and flail all over her set, scream-laughing all the way.
"Oh, my God. I'm done," Clarkson eventually declared, still obviously not done reacting to Paltrow's response. Between cackles, the host called the actor her "favorite guest this season." The moment, which Vulture called their "new feel-good song," stuck with Clarkson. "I was NOT expecting that," she tweeted after the episode aired. "I'm still laughing at this, @gwynethpaltrow!" Ditto.
The Voice chair almost sent Kelly Clarkson flying
Hold on to your hats... and your spinning chairs, apparently. In an episode of "The Voice" that aired in March 2020, Kelly Clarkson almost toppled off of her seat following Samuel Wilco's audition.
The "American Idol" winner was so impressed with the contestant's rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Lately" that she got on her feet to applaud him after pressing her button and turning her chair. Only that applause almost turned to injury when all four chairs spun back around without warning and the "Breakaway" singer almost lost her balance. As she clutched her buzzer for dear life, she shouted, "Y'all quit messing with me!" John Legend let her know that "a chair malfunction" was to blame, and she pointed out that the heels she was wearing didn't make staying upright any easier.
This would not be Clarkson's last memorable furniture moment on the show. In Season 21, she all but toppled out of her chair when the Cunningham Sisters joined her team. How long before the show installs seat belts?
Kelly Clarkson's carafe giraffe
Carafe, giraffe — they're pretty much the same thing, right? Well, they kind of are in Kelly Clarkson's world, at least. As anyone who watches "The Kelly Clarkson Show" knows, the host will get tripped up while reading the teleprompter from time to time. Yes, the Texas native occasionally has trouble getting her words out. Hey, it happens to the best of us... just not in front of millions of at home viewers, a large crew, several TV cameras, and a live audience.
In a series appropriately named "Words Are Hard," we see Clarkson attempting to say various words and phrases on her daytime talk show. When the word "carafe" came up on her teleprompter, for example, she asked for clarification, quipping, "I'm not fancy! I just say coffee brewer or something." When someone offscreen explained to her how to say the term, she fired back, "Carafe? Like a giraffe?" Other highlights include her attempts at "Magic Mike" star Joe Manganiello's surname as well as the word "reboot" (spoiler alert: she went with "repoot"). Moments like this are why we love Kelly Clarkson.
"I'm never going to be Whitney Houston — I'm never going to be Cyndi Lauper, Reba or Trisha or Mariah," she told The New York Times in 2021. "I'm going to be me. I think that's fine. There's room for everyone at the table." Hopefully, there aren't any chair malfunctions at that table.