‘The Voice’: Blake Shelton Complains He ‘Can’t Even Get a Word in’ With Kelly Clarkson

Blake Shelton is starting a new coach rivalry on The Voice this season, picking on newcomer Kelly Clarkson for the way she talks — a lot and quickly.

The country music star and Clarkson clearly have a deep respect and budding friendship with each other, but Shelton has been quick to tell the American Idol alum to tone down her enthusiasm and word count.

But Clarkson is not afraid to hit back.

After Shelton lost out his first choice for an artist to buddy Adam Levine on Tuesday’s episode, Clarkson called him out for eating up the showtime with their chatter.

“You think I talk a lot, y’all banter back and forth for like an hour,” she said.

“I can’t even get a word in right now,” Shelton retorted.

“You’re a liar!” Clarkson said, acting offended before turning to fellow judge Alicia Keys. “I looked at her and was like, ‘Is this still going?’”

It’s then that Levine chimed in. “It’s all about efficiency,” he quipped dryly.

“Ain’t nothing efficient about what happens with you two,” Clarkson said. “It’s the joke to make fun of Kelly ’cause I talk so much and I talk fast blah blah blah.”

Walking away, Shelton ended the conversation where it stood, saying, “Can we get started? Bye see y’all out here.”

Clarkson wasn’t about to let him win their quibble, however, calling after him, “No, wait! No, wait! I want the last word.”

“Going to work,” Shelton said, dashing Clarkson’s hopes.

“Nooooo!” she yelled in response, grabbing onto Keys for support.

Clarkson may have only been on the NBC singing show for two episodes, now, but she’s already made her mark on the show.
Prior to her debut, Clarkson revealed what she looks for in a contestant on a Today show appearance.

“Believability,” she said. “I can’t stand when you hear a singer not have felt the message before. It sounds so vanilla to me.”

She added, “Even above pitch, I want somebody to be believable and soulful.”

Clarkson said finding fame on American Idol was part of what brought her to The Voice.

“It’s a really cool thing, 15-16 years later, to do something possibly for someone that was done for me,” she explained. “It’s a great door and it’s a really cool avenue to get into the business.”

The singer added that one of the reasons she likes The Voice so much is because contestants are judged purely on talent.

“No aesthetics, no favoritism, it’s just your talent to turn that chair,” she said.

And its clear Clarkson is getting along great with her fellow judges.

“I’ve known Blake for like a decade,” Clarkson said in Monday’s premiere, before making fun of his accent. “We’re close enough where I can really mess with him.”

Of Keys, she added, “I am married. But if I liked women, I’d like Alicia.”

But the most important thing about the show for Clarkson is helping others.

“I love music and I love investing in people. I’ve had years of success, and here on The Voice, I get to give back,” she said. “It’s pretty magical for me.”

The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: NBC