American Idol: Does Ryan Seacrest Give Carrie Underwood Special Treatment? (I Think She Could Be His Favorite Judge Of All Time)

Carrie Underwood will make her momentous return to the American Idolstage when it premieres on March 9, and host Ryan Seacrest might be the most excited about it since Ryan is giving Carrie special treatment in preparation for the big premiere. Carrie is the first American Idol contestant to return to the show as a judge. Nearly 20 years after Carrie placed first on the singing competition series, she'll help other hopeful singers as they realize their dreams on the long-running reality competition show.

Host Ryan Seacrest has been encouraging of Carrie's return to American Idol season 23, and some even think he's playing favorites with her as she weathers the criticism. Carrie and Ryan have known each other for years, as he was the host when she won the title back in 2005. Ryan has a soft spot for Carrie and has taken her under his wing to protect her from naysayers and to fully integrate her into the American Idol crew, which includes Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.

Ryan wants to make sure Carrie is comfortable, even though she will have to turn people away throughout the course of the season. It's part of the territory when it comes to judging, so Carrie will have to get used to that responsibility. She'll also get to experience the flipside of being a judge: when a contestant is talented enough to go the distance, Carrie can be part of that person's journey.

A Source Said Ryan Considers Carrie's Casting A "Coup"

Ryan Loves Having Carrie Back In The Mix

Ryan is determined to make sure Carrie sticks around for more than one season. A source told Life & Style that Ryan considers Carrie's return as a judge to be a "coup." Carrie's return to the place where it all began after 20 years and countless career milestones is inspiring for the show's aspiring contestants. After winning American Idol, Carrie went on to win eight Grammy Awards and sell more than 85 million records.

"Ryan has really taken her under his wing, and he’s instructed the other judges to do the same. He wants them to really make her feel welcome, not just because he considers her a close friend but also because he would love for her to do more than one season. He thinks it’s a huge coup to have one of the show’s biggest success stories front and center at the judges' table and believes she’ll serve as an inspiration for all the contestants."

American Idol producers shared a sneak peek of the new season after the Academy Awards this year, which was a smart way to get audiences ready for Carrie's debut. Carrie came across as kind and considerate, offering thoughtful feedback to the contestants. She connected with them differently because she understands how it feels to be in her position, and contestants probably find that very comforting.

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ABC has been heavily promoting Carrie's role as a judge, including framing her as a nurturing soul on the judging panel. In a clip circulating online, Carrie supports a stay-at-home mom from Texas, Breanna Nix, who brought her son to her American Idol audition. Carrie even holds her son while Breanna performs. When Breanna says, "I'm just a stay-at-home mom," Carrie replies, "Never say I’m just a stay-at-home mom." As a mom herself, Carrie's presence is warm and inviting and much-needed on the all-male judging panel.

Ryan's Taken Carrie "Under His Wing"

Ryan Was Host When Carrie Won American Idol

Ryan and Carrie have a friendship that goes way back, as Ryan was the host of American Idol when Carrie won season 4 of the show. Many who either competed on or won American Idol go on to have flourishing careers, but few see the kind of meteoric success that Carrie has experienced. Nobody can deny that Carrie is a bona fide country superstar.

American Idol's Jelly Roll and Carrie Underwood smile

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Carrie's success is on par with season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson, who now hosts her daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. Aside from Carrie and Kelly, other American Idol success stories include Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson, Kellie Pickler, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, and more. And while their careers are nothing to sniff at, they aren't necessarily at the level Carrie and Kelly are at, which makes Carrie's return even more special for the contestants.

Ryan May See Dollar Signs

Ryan Is A Businessman

Ryan has made a career out of not just hosting but also producing. We can't forget Ryan is responsible for producing Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which launched the Kardashians into the cultural zeitgeist. He's a businessman, so he understands how valuable it is to have Carrie representing American Idol. It's a nostalgic play that makes people remember why they loved American Idol in the first place.

Carrie is living proof that the show works.

If Carrie can connect with contestants at a more intimate level, it could translate to more viewers because they can see Carrie is genuine. The beauty of American Idol is that audiences form bonds with the aspiring singers as they compete. They pick favorites from the beginning, so if the audience feels like their favorites are being supported and nurtured by Carrie, they'll be more likely to support the show.

American Idol's Carrie Underwood folds her hands like in prayer next to a mystery man.

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Gone are the days of early American Idol, when original judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson made a name for the show by being brutally honest with contestants. Simon, in particular, failed to come across as emotional and supportive. His crass insults made the show a success, but that style of judging has aged poorly. Today, audiences want to see more kindness, which means Carrie is the perfect choice for a judge.

Despite her detractors, Carrie still has a large, passionate fan base of mostly country music fans who could bring huge ratings to American Idol due to Carrie's presence. Ryan knows a smart business move when he sees it, so he's making it his goal to protect Carrie at all costs. We'll have to wait and see whether Carrie's turn as a judge equals more seasons for her.

American Idol season 23 premieres on March 9 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Sources: Life & Style