Faith Hill says reaction to Carrie Underwood's CMA win was a joke

November 7, 2006

When the host was calling up the Country Music Award Female Vocalist Of The Year award, Faith Hill stood up and was in shock after hearing Carrie Underwood's name. "What?!," said Faith Hill directly into the camera as her smile turned into a look of shock.

"The idea that I would act disrespectful towards a fellow musician is unimaginable to me," Hill said in a statement. "For this to become a focus of attention given the talent gathered is utterly ridiculous. Carrie is a talented and deserving female vocalist of the year."

Underwood, 2005 former American Idol winner, did not take it seriously, according to her publicist, Jessie Schmidt.

"She was just messing around," said spokesman Paul Freundlich. "She didn't realize that the camera was rolling the whole time. ... She just thought they were doing a shot when they read the nominees off."

Gary Borman, Hill's manager, said that it was just "a joke".

Faith Hill had won the Female Vocalist Of The Year award in 2000.