Carrie Underwood's 'Ridiculously Large' Lips Overshadow Her American Idol Judge Debut

Carrie Underwood's lips stole all her shine during her "American Idol" debut at the judge's table. 

A little over 20 years after Underwood auditioned for Season 4 of the beloved singing competition, she has returned as a judge, alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Prior to the March 9 premiere, the country star took to YouTube to read a diary entry she wrote during her time as a competitor. "I just have to keep in mind that it will all be worth it, and the life I've started will be great," she said. "Most importantly, I have to remember that this has all been my choice ... I know I have some great things ahead of me."

While Underwood's post-Idol life has been full of accolades, her return to the place that launched her career was, unfortunately, overshadowed by her lips, which looked much larger than normal. Following the episode, fans took to social media to gossip about her evolving pout. "Man Carrie Underwood's lips have grown a lot since the last time I saw them," commented a fan on Facebook. Meanwhile, a second urged Underwood to slow down on cosmetic procedures. "Sitting here watching the new American Idol. It's disheartening seeing Carrie Underwood. There has to be a point when a women has to hit the 'stop' button on plastic surgery. Her lips are ridiculously to large and looks like they hurt," they wrote.

Carrie Underwood's plastic surgery rumors aside, her debut as an "American Idol" judge could've sparked a new chapter in her long-standing career, but it doesn't seem to be going the way she probably hoped. Underwood, who landed the gig after it was clear Katy Perry was done with "American Idol," was a natural choice for a judge, given her Season 4 win, which launched her multi-decade country music career. However, Underwood's controversies, like choosing to perform at Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration, have chipped away at some of her admiration among the public. "No Carrie for me. Will not be watching this year and I usually watch," commented one fan on Instagram.

According to The U.S. Sun, Underwood didn't fare much better while filming the audition rounds of the competition, either. "Carrie has been polite but distant from the rest of the crew," shared an insider, citing the fallout from her inauguration performance. "Everyone knows Lionel and Luke better, they have been here longer and are closer with the crew. Carrie has been very kind to everyone on set but she does seem more reserved." 

And while the star did receive some love from the in-house audience, she didn't exactly project it back onto them. "She barely acknowledged the audience who kept chanting her name," added the insider. "The fans kept yelling 'we love Carrie' but she wouldn't even turn around and wave most of the time — though she did a few times." Awkward.