Carrie Underwood covers the June issue of Marie Claire, and good God I think Marie Claire’s editors kind of hate her. While I usually don’t think much of Carrie’s red-carpet styling (her default is “pageant girl”), I do think Carrie is a beautiful woman with gorgeous skin and big blonde hair that she could do so much with. I guess Marie Claire was trying to tone down the pageant-qualities and do, like, a sophisticated bedhead look? But it just looks like a big blonde rat’s nest. It’s terrible. As for the interview… well, this is one of my new favorite quotes: “But hey, I mean…I’m not a sociopath.” If you have to say “I’m not a sociopath” doesn’t that make it sound like… well, nevermind. Some highlights:
On her personality: “I’m not a mushy person at all. We were never a huggy family. Or a ‘let’s talk it out’ family. Technically I have siblings but they are quite a bit older than me – I was the accident – so I have the only-child syndrome going on. I’m a little more selfish, a little more independent, a little closed. I do wish I were softer. I wish I were able to form relationships better. But hey, I mean…I’m not a sociopath.”
On anxiety: “At the beginning of my career, I used to have panic attacks. People were touching me, screaming – it made me really nervous. In public, I just get nervous. It’s a physical reaction, feeling like the walls are closing in. The fans are great. It’s not their fault. I don’t ever want to come across as ungrateful. But on my end, it is hard for me to process. Because I am still just me.”
On awkward moments: “My husband calls me the queen of awkward moments. Anything that can be made awkward, I will make it awkward.”
What she wrote in her high school yearbook: “You were supposed to say what you would be doing in 10 years, and I said, ‘I will be rich, famous, and married to a hot guy.’ I guess I should have added a few more things.”
On having kids: “I don’t feel old enough to have kids. I know I am mature. But being responsible for another human?”
I know it’s weird (and I’m not a sociopath either!) but I totally relate to how she describes her personality. I’m getting more sentimental in my old age, but when I was younger, I hated to cry and I hated anything mushy or sentimental. I’m not big on hugging either, and I have the “selfish only child” thing going on too. But I swear, I’m NOT A SOCIOPATH. Promise.
Photos courtesy of Marie Claire.
Hugging was so weird to me even though I had a baby brother. Like, you don’t hug. First time my husband hugged me in High School I just stared at him and asked, “What are you doing?”. I got used to it but I totally feel her on the awkward moment thing.
As a person in the legal field Its frustrating to me when people mis-use words – Sociopath is termed like this
“Antisocial personality disorder is a mental health condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal.”
Its also reserved for (example) people that are chronic cheaters or have multiple spouses because they dont care about the affect it has on other people, they only care about what they need and gain.
Introvert is one thing.
Shy is one thing.
Awkward is one thing.
Sociopath is….I believe a far more ‘deep’ rooted personality disorder. I really dont think she should be associating herself with the real sociopaths out there.
I have feeling she is Reese Witherspoon 2.0.
I don’t know – I feel like Reese is genuinely bitchy with a strong sense of entitlement, while Carrie is just sort of reserved and socially awkward. Like I say below, introversion is often mistaken for bitchiness, but not having a warm, effusive personality is not the same thing as being a bitch.
+1
+1
I get a Reese Witherspoon vibe from her. Perhaps they can be non mushy, bitchy friends with each other.
She has always struck me as an introvert, and unfortunately that can often be read as aloofness or bitchiness. Just because someone doesn’t have a warm, effusive personality doesn’t mean they’re a bitch.
Exactly. It’s sad that society accepts men to be extroverts or introverts, but when a women is an introvert, people can’t throw out the bitch card fast enough. Not ALL women are touchy-feely and emotionally open. It’s part of one’s personality.
thank you. Every woman (and maybe some men) who don’t weep or blather about inane things probably has to deal with the same assumptions. And I am glad Underwood isn’t trying to assume some sort of sweet persona. Having said that, I must say I’m not a fan of hers– her music, her styling. she’s just kinda “there” to me.
agreed. the way she describes herself is similar to how I would describe myself, and I’ve had people assume I’m snotty just because I’m a quiet person and I don’t always like to participate.
it must be difficult to have an introverted personality in the entertainment business, the very thought of all that attention is draining to me!
I think she acts cold because she’s protecting herself. Often the most sensitive people pretend to be cold just out of self preservation. Her all business exterior is just a mask. In 10 years, if she’s still giving interviews, I think we’ll hear from a very different Carrie.
“You were supposed to say what you would be doing in 10 years, and I said, ‘I will be rich, famous, and married to a hot guy.’ I guess I should have added a few more things.”
–This part was such a turnoff bc it makes her sound like she always thought of herself as better than her peers. ‘Im going to be amazing one day and all of you will be jealous.’ That’s how it comes off to me. She really comes across as having a mean girl streak. And the barbie/pageant styling on the red carpets dont help. Sorry, she’s just about as likeable as GOOP.
Well, didnt we all have Big Dreams? That’s what it sounds like – very Broadway-musical, “I will make it in the Big City!” kind of hopeful aspiration. I think I wrote something about running the United Nations (disclaimer: I am NOT Ban Ki-moon). A LOT of people I know wrote something about being rich/famous/marrying a prince etc. At least KU achieved it all herself.
At least she’s aware that she IS rich and famous, and doesnt play the ‘my life is so ordinary’ card.
Anna- +1 I think she meant it like, “if I knew I could jokingly dream and predict the future I couldve added things like, curing cancer, having great skin for life or whatever”.
Did she lie, though? lol (Except for the hot husband.) I agree that she probably has a mean girl streak in her, but she was pursuing her music career in high school, so that’s why she answered the question the way she did. I can’t fault her for wanting to get out of the one horse town she was raised in.
I am not faulting her for her big dreams or wanting to get out of a small town! I think those things are really incredible. I have A LOT of respect for the few individuals who will grow up in a very small place and see there is a bigger world out there and have dreams etc…that was not my point. I just think she has not one streak of humility in her. To say that about her yearbook just came across like “HA! Showed yall!” Just uncalled for. Everyone knows you came from a small town and made it big. Don’t have to brag about it. Just be humble and graceful and not so showy about it…Maybe it’s just me who feels like this but whatever. I’ve always thought she was a snotty brat.
This totally fits my existing perception of her. What totally surprises me though is that she’s so candid about it – that she doesnt even bother trying to brand herself as an American/Country Sweetheart.
PS – WANT that swimsuit.
Its actually a Burberry body suit. They show it worn with a skirt on their site…my question is, how do you use the ladies room if you wear it?
You dont. You dont eat or drink while in it. Beauty requires sacrifice.
Bodysuits were last “in” when I was in high school, so I think I can answer this. If it’s anything like the bodysuits I wore, it has snaps on the crotch. You don’t have to remove the whole thing. Of course, mine were from Target, not Burberry, so maybe this one is more of a pita. It’s lovely, though.
Yeah, I can relate, I’m not a touchy-feely person either…or a sociopath!
i can relate to the whole having children thing. i know i’m mature. i’m 27 and i know i’m a responsible human being. but good god the thought of being responsible for more than my cat? i’m paralyzed with fear at that though.
LOL…I agree! I’m 48 and married 24 years and I still don’t feel grown up enough to be responsible for another human life. My cat is plenty for me, thanks.
And I DID grow up in a very, very, very, very, very huggy family. I don’t mind it when it’s my mom, dad, brother, nieces, hubby. But outside of the immediate family? Not so much, unless you’re an old friend I haven’t seen for a long time.
I like Carrie because she doesn’t do the fake nice thing that most women do. Sometimes her voice grates my nerves, though.
She looks really pretty in these photos, love her hair. Her singing voice is amazing. I admire her honesty. I don’t like it when I meet someone and they hug me. I feel very uncomfortable, almost like I’m going to have a panic attack. Why do people feel they have to hug you! Really, it’s not necessary.
I’m the same
I’ve always gotten from Carrie’s interviews that she is very anal retentive (I mean, journaling the calorie count and nutritional information of every.single.bite. of food and drink you put in your mouth for years and years??) but my guess is that plenty of other celebs do the very same thing instead just keeping it majorly on the DL so I guess I appreciate her honesty.
As for the hugging thing? I’m with her 1000% on it. For the most part, I also grew up in a “non-huggy” house and I guess I inherited that gene because hugging just isn’t my thing (aside from the baby of course 🙂 ) I love my friends and relatives, but if we see each other all the time, why do we have to embrace each time? A reunion is one thing, but idk… Constant hugging when say, meeting up for plans and saying our goodbyes afterward is uncomfortable for me in part because I just don’t get it. If other ppl are into it that’s totally fine. Ppl just shouldn’t assume that everyone is-I’m especially talking to you random acquaintances!-and go in for the embrace assuming that it’s ok and wanted. In fact, it can be quite uncomfortable.
But did she actually say she was doing that? Journaling calories and all?
She has an amazing voice, and I can say that despite hating every song she has made. I also believe that she is beautiful, and that’s really good because she’s a crazy, no wire hangers!!, chip on the shoulder, hope she doesn’t breed, narccistic, ahole.
I like the fact that she’s willing to just be the slightly aloof, awkward person that she actually is, instead of faking the “I love everybody and everything and let me hug you” act that so many celebrities put on.
Push comes to shove, she’s the kind of person that stops alongside the road and picks up stray dogs. That’s pretty much all it takes for me to like her.
This just makes me like her more.
I don’t feel that she hides her bitchiness like people say when they compare her to Reese. Carrie has always been quite caustic. I like her. I’m also not mushy and huggy myself.
I can relate to her in this interview because I am often mistaken as being arrogant or snotty because I am a quiet and reserved person, but when people talk to me for a couple minutes, they see that I am nice and caring, but just really reserved .
I recently had a performance review at work and my boss told me her only criticism of me is that I am not bubbly enough, which is funny ,because it’s one of the only things that constantly gets brought up in my life. My response to her is that’s just not me. Can’t a young woman in this day and age not be bubbly?! Why is being an introvert frowned down upon? As long as you’re a good person and getting your work done, while being gracious and courteous of others, that is what’s important.
I had a similar background as her, much older siblings, my parents were the definition of tough love kind of people, we never hugged. I never saw it as a bad thing.
Last year, I had an almost identical performance review. My boss told me I needed to smile more…nice.
yeah.. it’s ridiculous. People need to recognize there is multiple personality types in this world. I could never imagine a employer telling some middle aged man to smile more and be more bubbly, it shouldn’t be an expectation just because you’re a woman.
A male nurse told me to smile when I was on a gurney in the emergency room sobbing in pain. So if you’re a woman, you must always make yourself seem approachable and “bubbly”, even when you’re a patient in the hospital with a pain rating of 10 out of 10. I still have fantasies of whacking that guy with a bedpan.
My coworkers are super huggy. One lady runs around giving certain people their “daily hugs.” I had to let it be known pretty quickly that’s not the way I roll. Sure, I don’t get invited out for drinks, but it’s a small price to pay to have my personal space respected.
Not having to go out for drinks with these people is actually your reward. Value it, while so many of us search in vain for plausible excuses as to why we can’t make some baby shower for the girl who subbed in our department for one day last year and now feels entitled to gifts and our Saturday afternoon.
Yeah, everything she said about her personality, family and the way she was raised sounds like me. Also the awkwardness. Oh, the awkwardness! But hey, if she can find a mate with these issues, I guess there’s hope for all of us “not a sociopath” girls.
This is me. I wasn’t brought up in a huggy environment, and I’ve always been more reserved. I can’t tell you how many times someone’s gotten to know me only to say something along the lines of, “I use to think you were such a bitch before we were friends!” Which is totally unfair (and hurtful). This makes me like Carrie a bit now.
There really should be a support group for this. Glad to know I’m not the only one. 🙂
Ugh. That smiley really is creepy.
I am fairly confident I am Sociopath-adjacent but I also do not like hugging nor would anyone describe me as mushy. I have snapped friends out of crying by a placid expression when they break out in tears.
Can i count sarcastic as an emotion?
I don’t know what you look like, but I just pictured some woman with a Daria expression staring hard at her crying friend and instantly shutting down the drama. I LOLed. (Because maybe I am a sociopath? S#!t.)
Elle, you are pretty close (Daria has better hair.) Sometimes, if it seems like a potentially justified cry, I will furrow my brow or cock part of my upper lip, but that is about the extent of it.
I think I still paying penance for being such a drama queen in my youth.
I’ve grown up the same way and it was kind of hard to let my man teach me the hug thing.But I think it’s good a nice hug once a while when you need it. just I don’t understand when people kiss and hug all the time they see each other,especially if you meet them for the first time…
Nice to see a different look on her. I’m so sick of the Real Housewives extensions and haircut, heavy eye makeup. She dates herself. Though, I love her dresses and gowns she wears in performances.
Totally selfish & mean girl & a little vedictive to her. Never admired much about her other then she can sing. Too many things out there about her & feeling entitled for some of it not to be a little true.
This was a veiled broadside to all-things-Taylor-Swift.
If that’s true, I really like Carrie Underwood now.
Have always liked her. What you see is what you get.