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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Mythili Sampathkumar

CMA awards 2017: Donald Trump ridiculed in song by hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

The hosts of the Country Music Awards took to song to poke fun at US President Donald Trump

Musicians Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, who have hosted the ceremony for the past 10 years, began the event on a serious note by acknowledging the recent Las Vegas shooting in which 58 people were killed and more than 500 injured at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival and the recent Texas church shooting when 26 people, including children, were gunned down. 

Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, and Underwood were among those who sang touching tributes to the victims. 

But, the hosting pair launched into some political banter soon after. 

The CMAs was recently slammed for initially banning journalists from asking artists about gun control, political affiliations, and the mass shootings. Among the critics was Paisley. 

Late last week the restrictions were lifted and the organisation apologised and said "the sentiment was not to infringe and was created with the best of intentions to honour and celebrate Country Music."

Underwood joked that the pair "can't be doing any of our silly little songs because this year's show is a 'politics-free zone.'" 

Paisley shot back with lyrics lampooning classic songs like "Way down wander on the Scaramucci" and "Hold me closer, Bernie Sanders." 

Eventually, the two ignored the "politics-free zone" "guidelines" given by the CMA and did a cover of Underwood's hit song "Before he Cheats" that focused on Mr Trump's Twitter habit. 

"Right now, he's probably in his PJs, reaching for his cellphone...he's probably asking Siri, 'How in the hell do you spell Pocahontas?'" Paisley sang along with his guitar. 

"In the middle of the night from the private seat of a gold-plated White House toilet seat, he writes, 'Liddle Bob Corker,' 'NFL' and 'covfefe,'" the pair sang with Underwood finishing the chorus with a flair and an exchange on how to actually pronounce Mr Trump's now-infamous Twitter error. 

Paisley finished by singing: "It's fun to watch it, that's for sure, until little Rocket Man starts a war. Then maybe next time he'll think before he tweets." 

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