WASHINGTON—A tense congressional hearing convened on Thursday to investigate the environmental aftermath of the last ever Kellyoke performance by daytime host Kelly Clarkson.
The following is an excerpt from the official transcript of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where lawmakers questioned the lead audio engineer of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Q: State your name and occupation for the record, please.
A: My name is Craig Pendleton. I am the chief audio technician for the program. Or, I was, until the incident.
Q: Mr. Pendleton, please walk us through the events of the last ever Kellyoke broadcast.
A: It started normally. Ms. Clarkson warmed up. She chose to cover 'Golden' by Harry Styles. We set the limiters. But you cannot limit that voice. Nobody can.
Q: When did you realize the situation was critical?
A: During the second chorus. She hit a high G-sharp. The studio pressure dropped instantly. My ears popped. The teleprompter glass shattered. I watched the studio audience struggle to breathe.
Q: Because of the emotional impact of the last ever Kellyoke?
A: No, sir. Because she was physically inhaling all the oxygen in the room to sustain the note. She vacuumed the air straight out of our lungs. By the bridge, the entire tri-state area felt the drop in barometric pressure.
Q: Are you saying her vocal cords are a public safety hazard?
A: I am saying the industry has been hiding this for years. We use special baffles. We divert air currents from neighboring towns. Every time she belts, a small town in Ohio loses its weather forecast. The last ever Kellyoke simply pushed the grid too far. We cannot sustain another season of her covering powerhouse pop songs without collapsing the troposphere.
