This is Why Reba McEntire Criticized the ACM Awards
As a country music veteran and living legend with more than four decades of industry experience under her belt, Reba McEntire knows when something doesn’t feel right, and she is not afraid to call it out.
So when she took the stage as host for a record-breaking 16th time at last night’s ACM Awards, it was no surprise that though McEntire delivered a hilarious monologue, she also got real. While she had the mic, McEntire took the opportunity to criticize the Academy of Country Music for failing to nominate a single woman in its most prestigious awards category of all, Entertainer Of The Year.
"Do you know it snowed in Las Vegas just a few weeks ago?" McEntire said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "It was so cold, it froze us women out of entertainer of the year.” The remark reportedly drew gasps from the crowd as McEntire went on to note obvious omissions from the category.
"But you know what, that didn't bother Kacey Musgraves, because she's been too busy carrying all of her Grammys around," McEntire joked, drawing attention to the love Musgraves has gotten from other award shows. Given that Musgraves went on to win the ACM Awards for Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year, it certainly seems like she should have been in the running for Entertainer of the Year.
This is the second year in a row that no women have been nominated for Entertainer of the Year, and a woman has not won in the category since Taylor Swift in 2011. McEntire, of course, has a long history with the ACM Awards beyond being its longest-running host. She has won the Top Female Vocalist Award seven times, which is the second most wins of anyone in history, and holds the record for the most CMA nominations for any female artist, with a total of 47 nominations.
"This is my 16th time hosting the show!" McEntire told the audience at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “People always ask me, 'Do you ever get tired of doing it?' and I say, 'Tired? Of celebrating great artists and music? Tired of amazing live performances? Tired of being in charge of the biggest night in country?' Heck no! My name is Reba McEntire and I haven't been tired in 53 years! I'm a woman in the music business and we don't have time for tired!”
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