Carrie Underwood – who I used to kinda sorta like – made some very stupid comments about the Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. Perhaps she wasn’t thinking before she spoke and didn’t realize the implications her comments could have. But they were insensitive and insulting nonetheless. Underwood told Us Weekly that the pair were fine when they left Clive Davis’ Grammy party. And then she urged everyone to withhold judgment.
Carrie Underwood saw Chris Brown and Rihanna at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills on Saturday – hours before Brown allegedly assaulted his girlfriend.
“They were fine at the Grammy party,” Underwood told Usmagazine.com Thursday at the American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.
“I don’t think anybody actually knows what happened,” she added. “I have no advice because, thank goodness, I’ve never been in any kind of abusive situation.”
She told Us she wishes people “would stop” spreading rumors about what led to the incident.
“You hear a new one every five minutes, and some of them are getting kind of ridiculous,” she said. “I really hope everyone will lay off and just let everybody who’s involved figure out everything first.”
[From OMG]
Here’s the problematic statement: “I don’t think anybody actually knows what happened.” We do know the basic fact that Rihanna was beaten senseless. She was bitten multiple times. She was choked into unconsciousness. She has black eyes and a split lip. This was a violent, rage-filled act. We know that happened. What Underwood is saying is that we don’t know what happened prior to that, as though there could be an explanation that would justify it. There is absolutely nothing that could have happened that excuses or explains domestic assault. And it’s not Rihanna’s job – or any woman’s job – to live her life walking on eggshells so she doesn’t provoke a beating from her boyfriend.
People magazine is even reporting on what Rihanna will have to do to heal from this terrible experience. And People is extraordinarily careful with what they print – but even they’re not going to placate Chris Brown and act like this is anything other than what it is: hateful, evil, and criminal.
As Rihanna recovers from Sunday morning’s alleged beating by her boyfriend, Chris Brown, the singer will need to tend to more than her bruises. According to experts, a victim must surround herself with people who will not make her feel responsible for what happened. “Friends, family, people who will give you good and positive information and not ask questions like, ‘So, what were you doing?’ ” explains Rita Smith, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Adds Sheryl Cates, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline: “I’d say to Rihanna, ‘You did not cause this.’ ”
As her physical wounds heal, Rihanna could still suffer sleeping problems, a change in eating patterns and a lack of concentration, says Smith. “She could also experience an exaggerated startle response,” says Smith. “Somebody raising their hand to say hi near her might bring a reaction.
“This is a normal response to being a victim of violence. Those things will lessen and go away, but they’ll be around for a while,” adds Smith. Joining a support group or speaking with a counselor involved in a domestic violence program can aid in healing, says Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
“Feeling like there is safety net around you is going to help that,” says Else. “Feeling like you’re not in this alone – that you didn’t do anything to cause it.”
[From People]
This is good information for anyone who has been or is currently a victim of domestic violence. Rihanna is fortunate in that she is not financially dependent on Brown, so in that one respect it is easier for her to leave him. Many women are not so lucky. Hopefully she has good people around to support her – she’s certainly got the vast majority of the public support. Her career is just going to get better – whereas Chris Brown is going to learn a very powerful lesson. Hopefully he will learn it through the legal system – but if not he’ll learn a lesser one through the court of public opinion – and nonexistent CD sales.
If you are being abused, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit their website at www.ndvh.org.
Here’s Carrie Underwood at Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy Gala on February 7th. Images thanks to WENN.
You know, I used to like her too. And then that whole Jessica v Carrie feud, I was on Carrie’s side, because I thought the whole “Real Girls Eat Meat” tshirt was crass.
And now? Bah. They can both go back into their self-important, narcissistic holes from which they crawled out of.
That’s not what I got at all from Carrie Underwood’s statements. What I took from it was that no one really knows what happened except the two people that were there, and to withhold judgment until we do. Sounds reasonable to me…
I kind of got that too, I’m mostly annoyed that everyone and their mom needs to now weigh in on what they think happened. lol
Which celebrity will come out next?
I’ve never liked her.
I agree with Jaybird, Underwood’s remarks were irresponsible. Mostly because she just shouldn’t have said ANYTHING about it. It has nothing to do with her.
She’s annoying. And yes, this had nothing to do with her, so she should keep her trap shut. Some of these celebs are so stupid. Something as serious as an assault hardly needs tangential comment from her.
ummm..I didn’t find her comments insensitive at all. All she was saying is to let the people involved deal with the situation themselves. She never once said that something prior can justify what happened. She said “stop spreading rumors.” I mean, my god, stop making something out of nothing. I’m thinking she didn’t just say these things out of nowhere. Someone must have asked for her opinion. Just because she is minding her own business and not castrating Brown like some other folks doesn’t make her irresponsible.
FYI: I had an abusive stepfather, so I am not defending Brown. Just siding with Underwood on this one. (I don’t care for her either)
I think everyone’s trying to be very on the fence like ‘huh… I don’t know what happened! Maybe it was nothing!’ but really they’re in fact insulting Rihanna and the facts that she was beaten. Obviously we don’t know why he decided to beat her, but that’s not the point, acting like ‘hm yeah maybe it happened, who knows?’ is just dumb.
Was the police report released? Then how does anyone outside the people who were there really know what happened? It’s still all speculation at this point. She’s right on. Innocent until proven guilty.
Why is it so hard for these celebrities to just say “No comment”? You look like less of a jackass that way.
bjf: you sound like a moron. “Innocent until proven guilty?”
The only rumors about the situation pertain to WHY it happened, not IF it happened.
The fact is Rihanna got beat up really badly. That is a fact.
The other facts are that she told police that Chris Brown did it. She and Chris were the only ones in the car. Rihanna told police that she got into a verbal argument with Chris Brown before the beating started.
As to WHY it happened, I can agree that people need to stop speculating because it really doesn’t matter why. And I think that is what Carrie Underwood was talking about. She may have been stupid though and been talking about how no one knows that Chris Brown beat up Rihanna…
The amount of not-so-bright people in this world is staggering.
I don’t take it that she’s condoning it or saying he didn’t beat her up, I think it goes back to her comment about a new rumour every 5 minutes. First it’s about a text from another woman, then it’s because she gave him herpes, etc etc.
I have to believe that’s what she meant because I can’t handle thinking another woman could condone that kind of behaviour.
JayBird I think you’re way off interpreting what Carrie’s saying.
Carrie basically called this an “abusive situation.” She’s probably heard of some of the rumors that are blaming the victim, like the herpes rumor and the rumor about Rihanna starting it. And she’s saying those are ridiculous.
The problem is people are so hungry for information that they’re relying on any old leak and running with it. Carrie’s right to say we should step off until official sources confirm what happened. Me I don’t believe everything I read on TMZ and People. I’m waiting for the DA and the police to comment.
Will Smith has now entered the fray with the following (from Radar Online):
“People should take a minute before they jump on it and judge,” he tells Extra. “We don’t know nothing. If there are mistakes people make, then they should be willing to live up to the mistakes and do whatever penance they need to do. I don’t think it’s up to us, specifically the media, with such a fast hand to try to chop someone’s head off.”
I didn’t find her comments insensitive at all either. I think she just meant no one knows how it started, not what happened at all. At least that’s what I got out of it.
I don’t find her comments insensitive, and considering the vast jumps that people have made as far as anything even remotely RELATED to the Chris Brown/Rhianna story, I’m not surprised to see such a harsh write-up here, either. it’s not like she told Chris that it was “just life”, a la Terrence Howard. Like many have said, she has nothing to do with it so at the very least, just realize that every celebrity that is faced with questions on the red carpet, is now being asked about Chris bBrown and Rhianna. Just like the paps were asking everyone for their two cents about Britney last year.
I mean, my DAD called me earlier to talk about Chris’ Assault-Gate. My DAD wanted to talk about a gossip item. EVERYBODY is talking about this.
The insensitive part is that she commented AT ALL. Regardless of whether she was asked, these people need to shut up, THEY are the ones who are creating even more press and speculation about the entire situation. Chris Brown and Rhianna have not one thing to do with Carrie Underwood… OR Will Smith. They all need to just STFU.
i also got a different perception from carrie that apparently others are so fast to bash her maybe the haters who cares..but i understood what she was saying is that its no one’s business and she didnt want to comment or give advice on something that she cant relate to we dont know the details and people are just adding to the story and starting rumors shes not condoning the abuse she simply isnt going to comment on something she has no idea what happened just like the rest of us she is just respecting the people involved and letting them figure it out for themselves and the media needs to learn a thing or two about that. some of you on here just take things too far…listen to what she is saying rather then making assumptions. i think she tried not to bash anybody not even chris because carrie doesnt want to get in the mix…
“We do know the basic fact that Rihanna was beaten senseless. She was bitten multiple times. She was choked into unconsciousness. She has black eyes and a split lip. This was a violent, rage-filled act. We know that happened. What Underwood is saying is that we don’t know what happened prior to that, as though there could be an explanation that would justify it. There is absolutely nothing that could have happened that excuses or explains domestic assault.”
Damn well said, Jaybird.
^^^^^YES.
Seriously, not even Paris Hilton deserves something like this. How horrible.
no one knows what happened is the truth and of course that doesnt mean carrie is condoning the violence or referring that rihanna may have deserved it “please” she is a women why on earth would she condone domestic violence ? no one has the right to judge we wern’t there so why should anyone add to the story if people wern’t there let the people who were involved and the people it effects in their inner circle deal with this unfortunate incident people and the media need to back off and show some respect, and space…i think carrie is tired of the media being in everyone’s face, including hers they did that to her and jessica and made it seem like they hate each other and i dont believe the media because all there trying to do is sell a magazine and they expand the story for what it is. no one including the author of this story is listening to what she is saying people like to assume and make it seem like carrie is condoning this behavior…ive never seen a more ignorant post …stupid.
Stupid cow.
Agree totally with Diva – butt out everyone. No excuses whatsoever for what Brown did but trial by media is a really dangerous direction to go in.
@Baho – how inarticulate is Smith’s statement – “…then they should be willing to live up to the mistakes…” Live up to the mistake?! Shut the hell up, Will.
Bang on Geronimo, and what’s with his use of “they?”
baho – maybe he’s thinking of himself and ahead to the time when others might have to come out in his defence….y’know, asking for a fair hearing in advance…! 😆
I wish that the celebs would just say something like: “I wasn’t there, so I have no idea what actually transpired. The media has reported that Rihanna was badly hurt, and I hope she heals quickly and is surrounded by people that love her. If the allegations are true, I hope that Chris Brown gets the help he needs, as well as the correct punishment from the legal system. My opinion is that no one should be abused, and if you are being abused, get out of that relationship and seek help.”
~ Someone who unfortunately knows…
She means that people should stop making up stories about what happend (the booty call, that she danced with someone at the party etc.) and she’s right, it’s stupid.
For me it doesn’t matter anyway, he hit her and no matter the the reason he’s a scum.
But I do think that as a celeb if you choose to comment on the matter you should really, really, really condemn any kind of abuse.From everyone that spoked I think that just kanye said something sensitive
Within the context, it’s obvious that she thought “no one knows” was a more diplomatic way of saying “no comment.” I never thought I’d be defending Carrie Underwood, but it’s not like she says these things on a regular basis, so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I know that I couldn’t weave an articulate response at a moment’s notice if some jackass suddenly shoved a voice recorder in my face. Very few people could.
I read a comment from Rihanna’s dad on “People,” and he says that she intends to eventually speak out about her ordeal. But until she’s ready to talk, I think she deserves some privacy. The rumors definitely need to stop, before they hinder the investigation. Given the notoriety of this case, a fair trial (yes, even pathetic little cowards like Chris Brown have that right) will be difficult enough as it is.
why is no one mentioned that rhianna was out on the town at parties all night long the day after the grammy’s? everyone saw her at parties in LA and she seemed fine. the tabloids and gossip sites are running absolutely wild with this story and no one even knows for a fact what happened yet. rhianna and chris are both very young and young people make mistakes. the so-called press needs to settle down until some real facts are presented.
annaliese, Chris Brown’s own dad admitted that his son did it (and claimed that Chris felt bad afterwards, which is the part I have the most trouble believing). And for Rihanna to be out and about the very next day is typical of abuse victims. They’re desperate to normalize everything, so they just layer on loads of makeup to hide the visible signs, and if people notice anyway, they make up a lie about walking into a door or something.
i too would like to hear the full details but it doesn’t mean that I do not have an opinion about physical abuse.
Chris was plain wrong. Even if she hit him first he should pull off the road and ask her to get out and then call her a cab. She throwing away the keys should not have enraged him so much.
They are both young so Chris needs to face some jail time but his music is still a separate entity.
It’s fascinating that I am called a moron for believing in one of our basic tenets here in America. A police report is not the end all be all. That’s why we have trials. But, the police report is at least better than gossip and rumors.
It’s not the time to crucify him…yet.
She sounds stupid and like she is one of those people who justify violence and try to blame the victim.
I remember thinking she was acting like a silly jealous ex- girlfriend who is not over her ex and feels the need to diss his new girlfriend.
I am not sure if she is not just trying to get more attention by talking about other people’s business or if she is really as stupid as she sounds and actually believes that there is something that warrants violence.
Either way, my respect for her is shrinking with every additional word that comes out of her mouth.
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