Guest mentor Wynonna Judd stirred things up in a recent The Voice episode by taking a sarcastic swipe at Gwen Stefani . As Stefani faced calls to be fired from the show, tensions rose during the knockouts round, which was coached by Rudd and her old friend, Reba McEntire. This moment sparked debate among fans and viewers on social media platforms, per The U.S. Sun .
The renowned country music star Judd joined the show as a guest mentor and shared her candid thoughts about Stefani during the competition. McEntire began by discussing contestant Jacquie Roar as she introduced her team members to Judd. Stefani had chosen Roar for her team. McEntire said, “Jackie – I wanted her from the very beginning but Gwen got her,” prompting Judd to respond with a witty remark, “Well, that hussy!” McEntire replied, “I told her!”
Although delivered lightheartedly, Judd’s witty remark did not go unnoticed by viewers. The remark quickly spread on social media, with fans expressing their delight and enthusiasm for Judd’s appearance on the show. The exchange added a layer of fun and camaraderie to the competition, providing a brief break from the contestants’ intense battles.
Stefani was also criticized for her interactions with McEntire during the episode. Fans accused Stefani of “sucking up” to the country music legend, and some thought her actions were excessive. This could be attributed to Stefani’s obvious admiration for McEntire, who had recently replaced Stefani’s husband, Blake Shelton, on the show as a judge. Stefani congratulated McEntire on her song Fancy reaching 100 million streams on Instagram, saying, “Oh my gosh, we are celebrating 100 million streams of Fancy, like what does that feel like?” adding, “I’m so excited for you, I love you. Congratulations,” and referring to her as “our QUEEN Reba.”
“GWEN STEFANI– y’all have got to hang out with her. She is the funniest, sweetest person. Down to earth And she dresses outlandishly. We all stand and we just can’t wait till Gwen walks in She is the cutest rascal I’ve ever seen. She calls us MUFFINS” @reba on @gwenstefani pic.twitter.com/vtmb9YLCrN
— Kate🇵🇭hugged Blake🫶🏻! (@forgwenandblake) November 7, 2023
Fans questioned Stefani’s intense admiration for McEntire, questioning the extent to which she was attempting to endear herself to her co-judge. While these interactions could be interpreted as Stefani’s genuine admiration for Reba’s talent, some viewers interpreted them differently.
This isn’t the first time Stefani has been scrutinized during her time as a judge on the show. She faced harsh criticism from fans earlier this month for what they perceived as her indecisive judging style when she had to eliminate members of her team.
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Stefani had taken a break from the show before returning in Season 24. Shelton, her husband, was a long-time and well-liked judge on The Voice . Fans were saddened when he announced his departure from the show in October 2022. While there has been a lot of backlash and criticism directed at Stefani, it’s important to remember that The Voice has always been known for its diverse panel of judges, each bringing their own perspective and expertise to the table.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on November 9, 2023. It has since been updated.