Maren Morris Pokes Fun at 'Recently Unemployed' Tucker Carlson During GLAAD Awards Speech
Carlson previously called Morris a "lunatic" and a "fake country music singer" on air
Maren Morris is poking fun at Tucker Carlson.
The country singer, 33, cracked a joke about the former Fox News journalist's employment status while accepting the Excellence in Media Award at the 2023 GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday evening.
First noting how she "felt a little badass" when she took a jab Carlson, 53, threw at her and turned it into a T-shirt that raised more than $150,000 in less than a week for LGBTQ-supporting charities, Morris said, "That made me feel a little cool, but I don't want to gloat. I would never insult the recently unemployed."
The singer then said that becoming the first country music artist to receive the trophy "doesn't feel quite real or deserving to me yet," adding, "Coming from Arlington, Texas, to Nashville, Tennessee, 10 years ago, my only end goal at the time … was to make my songwriting dreams come true. I had no clue it would eventually lead me to such beautiful, inclusive heights like this one tonight."
Related:Maren Morris Raises $150K for Trans Nonprofits with Merch of Tucker Carlson's 'Lunatic' Dig
"I have also heard countless times over the years that I'm one of the brave voices in country music. But that is not true. I'm not brave, stubborn to the point of delusional, yes, but not brave," Morris later said during her speech. "Making the right decision shouldn't take bravery or courage. It shouldn't take heroic efforts to want basic equal rights for everybody. I'm a straight, white woman, I'm fine but leaving your house knowing you could face violence just for being who you are, risking your life just by walking down the street that is bravery."
"I want my fellow country music artists, and artists in general, to understand that inclusivity is not only the right thing, but it's good for business. You open yourself up, [and] your sound, to a much larger audience, even if you lose some along the way. The crowds at my shows are a sea of diversity from race, identity, to age — it is a loving safe space for my band, my crew, venue staff and most notably, my fans," she continued. "This community stood up for me and made me feel safe when I felt alone, and I will never be able to repay you, but I hope I get to spend the rest of my life and career settling up."
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Related:Maren Morris Celebrates Tucker Carlson's Exit from Fox News: 'Happy Monday, MotherTucker'
Last month, it was announced that Carlson and FOX News Media "agreed to part ways," and Morris wasn't afraid to share her feelings on the matter.
"Happy Monday, MotherTucker," she wrote in an Instagram Story post at the time, which featured a faux screencap of a 2022 Tucker Carlson Tonight airing, which referred to her as a "lunatic country music person."
Morris then shared another graphic on her Instagram, which read, "The only tuckers allowed are the drag queens."
Morris and Carlson's history dates back to last September, when the controversial media personality called Morris both a "lunatic" and a "fake country music singer" on air as Brittany Aldean appeared on Carlson's Fox News show amid social media drama over transgender rights.
At the time, Aldean — the wife of Jason Aldean — drew backlash from Morris and others in the country music industry after she disparaged parents of transgender youth on Instagram. Morris responded on Twitter: "It's so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie."
The Twitter exchange then became a segment on Carlson's show, and Carlson's "lunatic" label for Morris eventually became the basis for the T-shirt to benefit trans rights groups. "*ATTN LUNATICS* New shirt in the shop. All proceeds will be split between @translifeline & the @glaad Transgender Media Program," Morris captioned a photo of the shirt at the time.
RELATED VIDEO: Maren Morris, Cassadee Pope Call Out Jason Aldean's Wife for Transphobic Comment: 'Real Nice'
During her GLAAD Media Awards acceptance speech, Morris also spoke about the moment when she first felt "acceptance" from the LGBTQ community.
"I first felt the acceptance of this community in my junior high school drama class," she said. "During the school week, my queer friends were a safe space where I would go to theater class, and that entire period, we would laugh till our sides hurt, find our footing and freedom together completely unjudged. It was through their bold humor and compassion that I truly figured myself out in those formative years."
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