The Sound Of Music is an iconic movie and Julie Andrews made her Maria von Trapp an iconic character. It was a hit from stage to screen. Remaking certain films is a fool's errand. They are so set in the cultural memory that even a good remake would not be given much of a chance. Every nanosecond of such a production will be scrutinized to the nth degree.
Using Carrie Underwood in that role was a setup. The producers wanted ratings and they didn't give a damn about critics. I'll bet they looked at her Q score. She can sing and was close enough for them in that part whether she was qualified or not. They knew she would bring in more viewers which means more $$$$.
Think about it. Andrews was a seasoned actress on both stage and screen before she ever took that part. She also has a unique voice and has trained for years. Carrie Underwood can sing, but she has not had nearly the breadth of experience even in music that Andrews had. Her career has been built around a certain style. Underwood isn't Linda Ronstadt ho could sing any kind of music. Many performers are content with one area in music. That isn't a negative.
In addition, the Abbess was played by Audra MacDonald. Good luck to anybody on the same stage with her. There is no comparison between her experience and Underwood's. She would outshine most performers to some extent. Good luck to anybody trying to even dare to fill that Sound of Music role. They will be competing with a character that is flawless in many minds.
If I was Underwood's managers, I would have strongly advised her not to do it. Her fans would like it, but anybody new who saw her may not like her performance. The odds that she would be criticized heavily were off the charts. She has never claimed to be an actress. You don't just step into acting and have immediate success. Most of the people on that production would have more experience than she did. I have no idea what her contract was, but I don't think it was worth it.
Carrie is going to be criticized no matter what she does if she steps into another area. She got her start on American Idol and in some eyes that's a mortal sin. How can anybody possibly be any good if that's how they started never mind that it is the only possible chance for many. That comes up over and over.
In addition, Carrie is a country singer. That is another mortal sin especially to many on DU. Label something as 'country' and it gets crushed. To be sure, there is a lot of dreck in country music especially now. I have followed it for decades and I have never seen so many vapid country/pop performers singing about 'love, trucks, trains and home.' This is especially true of the male singers. The female singers fare better. Kacey Musgraves is a talented and edgy writer/singer. The Pistol Annies with Miranda Lambert make fun of everything.
I'll take Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline, Allison Krauss, Dwight Yoakum and others any day of the week. If you don't like country, that's fine. However, it is just as valid a genre as any other and i don't expect anybody to like all of them. Yes you can criticize country music and country performers. However, blasting it with generalizations and not considering different people on their own merits is a disservice. It's a disservice in any genre.
Carrie Underwood was criticized and justifiably so. However, the tone of the criticism is another thing. She might as well have twerked through the role considering some of the things written. She shouldn't bother to read Twitter or any other comment sections. Venturing into them at times can be like venturing into sewage lines. The comments people make are beyond vile. This goes for any forum that doesn't have some form of moderation.
She should not have responded. If she is serious about undertaking other ventures, she should talk to people who are knowledgeable and respected for advice. Listening only to certain people will restrict her and hurt her career. I have no idea what path her career will take. If she seriously wants to move beyond her current arena of success, she better work for it with great preparation.
Responding as she did is not a surprise. Her faith is a true part of herself. Carrie should have just said,"I am sorry that some people weren't raised right and never had the chance to learn some manners. Bless their hearts!" That is a secular Southern way of saying a lot of things and none of them good. As it was, her response was on par with saying "Be Good." Does she need a idea view of people and faith? Obviously and so do a lot of other people even here.
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