Y’all, Kelly Clarkson is TIRED. And not just “oops-I-woke-up-late” tired—she’s “I’ve-hosted-1,000-daytime-episodes-and-I-may-be-50%-caffeine” tired.
During her first concert in nearly six months (aka an entire Beyoncé world tour and a half), the pop queen graced the stage at Hard Rock Live in Atlantic City on May 9 and got real with fans about why her tour dates are rarer than a polite Twitter thread.
“I haven’t done a show in a while, y’all, ’cause I have a talk show,” she explained, with the kind of tired sigh you only make when your coffee machine gives up before you do.
Kelly didn’t stop there—she said her talk show schedule is so intense, it’s “a whole other job.” Which, duh. Being on TV every day, wrangling celebrity guests, and pretending to care about yet another pumpkin spice recipe segment? That’s a full Olympic event. And let’s not forget, homegirl is a single mom. So yeah, she’s basically doing three jobs and probably still remembers to send her kids to school with snacks. Icon.
She added that she was “so happy” to finally be performing live again, calling the two-night run a miracle that only happens “when the schedule gods stop being petty.” (Okay, maybe not in those exact words, but we read between the lines.)
Kelly thanked fans for showing up with “so much energy,” which is nice considering most of them were also probably running on vibes and overpriced arena nachos.
Now, let’s talk tea: her heartfelt comments come right in the middle of the hottest rumor mill since Bennifer 2.0—people think Kelly wants to peace out of her talk show. Dun dun dun.
Apparently, an NBC insider whispered (probably into a reusable Starbucks cup) that the network is already scouting for a replacement. Rude. Give the woman a moment to blink.
Let’s not forget, The Kelly Clarkson Show has been running since 2019 and just hit its 1,000th episode in March. That’s 1,000 times Kelly had to look excited about a surprise guest or a viral dog video. She deserves a medal. Or at least a nap.
So, is she quitting? Is she staying? Is she starting a podcast called “Why I Can’t Go on Tour?” Only time—and possibly her group chat—will tell.
In the meantime, Kelly remains our relatable queen of multitasking, messy buns, and mid-concert confessions.
