Sometimes pop culture doesn’t just happen, it leaves a mark. And one of the most unexpectedly iconic moments of the 2025 CMA Awards didn’t come from the stage, but from the red carpet chaos that unfolded just outside it.
Fans may remember the now-viral exchange when British country music podcasters Girls In Low Places stormed the CMA red carpet with their trademark wild, witty humour. Amid the glam, chaos and cowboy hats, Mackenzie Carpenter delivered a line that instantly cemented itself in internet folklore: “drunk cigs don’t count.”
Simple. Blunt. Culturally devastating.
The moment exploded online, racking up over 2.5 million views across social media and sending fans, artists and industry insiders alike into a collective spiral. Comment sections lit up instantly, with fellow country artists and creators piling on in full support.
Kaitlin Butts summed it up perfectly, commenting “This is so c*nt. I love it.”, Misslynsey3 added “She said what she said.” And Carter Faith kept it short and sweet “So true.”
It was one of those rare moments where internet humour, artist authenticity and cultural relatability collided - and clearly, it’s left its mark.
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Fast-forward to today, and Carpenter has reignited the conversation by posting a teaser for what’s expected to be her next single, captioned simply: “drunk cigs don’t count!!! 🚬✨” And well the internet, naturally, lost its mind all over again.
Whether this was an expertly planted Easter egg back at the CMAs, or whether the viral moment sparked a songwriting idea after the fact, remains anyone’s guess. What is clear, though, is that Carpenter has tapped into something lightning-in-a-bottle: a phrase that feels like it’s always existed, but somehow needed a song to make it official.
If the teaser is anything to go by, “drunk cigs don’t count” is no longer just a throwaway red carpet quote - it’s about to be immortalised in musical form. And honestly? That feels right.
Watch this space, because if Mackenzie Carpenter is turning viral truth bombs into songs, we’re absolutely seated.
