Kelly Clarkson May Have Done Something A Little ‘Illegal’ When Awkwardly Mistaken For Carrie Underwood

Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show

While many fans can probably spot a celebrity from a mile away, there’s always the chance that said celebrity isn’t actually who they think it is. This has certainly been the case for Kelly Clarkson, who’s been in the public eye since she became the first American Idol almost two decades ago. Still, she’s experienced some awkward moments, even once being mistaken for a seat filler at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Now, the talk show host is opening up about being mistaken for fellow Idol alum Carrie Underwood and how she may have done something “illegal” in the process.

Kelly Clarkson recently reflected on her case of mistaken identity during an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. Apparently, a fan approached her and mistakenly credited her for one of Carrie Underwood’s songs. But Clarkson, not wanting to embarrass her, didn’t reveal herself and actually went as far as to sign an autograph as Underwood:

This girl came up to me and was like, 'Oh my god, your song 'So Small' is one of my favorites.’ And I kept thinking, 'I don't have a song 'So Small.' And then she said another song and I was like, 'Oh, you think I'm Carrie Underwood.' And I literally look nothing like Carrie Underwood. I was so embarrassed for her… She was like, 'Can you sign this?' And I totally signed 'Carrie Underwood.' I think that might be illegal!

This actually isn’t the first time that another starlet has been mistaken for Carrie Underwood. Reese Witherspoon previously revealed that a fan also believed her to be the country music star. However, like Clarkson, Witherspoon was flattered by the exchanged and even tweeted about it. This would ultimately draw a positive response from Underwood herself.

It’s nice to see that Kelly Clarkson took the high road and didn’t deflate the excitement the fan was feeling in the moment. Though one can’t help but wonder if there are technically some legal ramifications to her signing an autograph in Underwood’s name.

Celebrity mix-ups happen quite often, even to some of the most recognizable faces in all of TV and film. Believe it or not, Star Wars alum Mark Hamill was once mistaken for director Steven Spielberg while attending one of John Williams’ scoring sessions. Despite this, the actor took pleasure in being mistaken for the iconic filmmaker.

There’s no doubt that it can be awkward when a celebrity like Kelly Clarkson is mistaken for someone else, and it can sometimes lead to some blunt feelings from celebrities. But it seems that most stars don’t take too much offense when it occurs, and that’s probably the best way to handle it.

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Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.