Real Housewives star is shocked when American Idol judges Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan fail to recognize her

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Britani Bateman showed up to her niece’s audition on American Idol and clearly expected a different reaction from the judges.

Bateman, 54, appeared a little put out that neither Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood nor Lionel Ritchie knew who she was when she announced her name. In fact, they looked confused.

It started when the TV personality walked in with her 20-year-old niece Carmen Lorell Martin for her tryout on Monday’s episode of the talent competition series.

Bateman – whose ex-husband was arrested in December for allegedly violating a protective order she has against him – was carrying a wine glass, which she tapped with a knife to get everyone’s attention.

She declared: ‘I have an announcement!’

Bryan very politely said, ‘What’s the announcement?’

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Britani Bateman showed up to her niece Carmen Lorell Martin's audition on American Idol and expected a different reaction from the judges
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The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Britani Bateman showed up to her niece Carmen Lorell Martin’s audition on American Idol and expected a different reaction from the judges

Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Ritchie looked confused at the judge's panel when Bateman introduced herself, 'Do you know me? I’m Britani. Britani Bateman'
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Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Ritchie looked confused at the judge’s panel when Bateman introduced herself, ‘Do you know me? I’m Britani. Britani Bateman’

‘This is my niece,’ Bateman said before launching into a high-pitched singing voice, ‘Carmelita.’

After an awkward pause, Bateman asked the judges, ‘Do you know me? I’m Britani. Britani Bateman.’

The judges still didn’t respond, and Martin tried to help, saying, ‘From Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’

‘This is my niece,’ Bateman said before launching into a high-pitched singing voice, ‘Carmelita.’

After an awkward pause, Bateman asked the judges, ‘Do you know me? I’m Britani. Britani Bateman.’

The judges still didn’t respond, and Martin tried to help, saying, ‘From Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’

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‘This is not about me,’ Bateman broke in. ‘This is about my amazing, gorgeous, perfect niece who you’re about to hear. It’s insane.’

From his judge’s seat, Bryan instructed Bateman to stand on the side and ‘give away the spotlight to your niece.’

Martin assured the judges that her aunt was there as her mentor.

‘Britani has always been a very big mentor to me to get out there. She has her own spotlight. She’s living out her dream. That’s why I’m here too,’ the aspiring singer explained.

Bateman got emotional when her niece sang Ty Myers’ Thought It Was Love.

The reality star tapped a wine glass with a knife to get the judges' attention
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The reality star tapped a wine glass with a knife to get the judges’ attention

The Provo, Utah native joined The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City as a friend in season five
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The Provo, Utah native joined The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City as a friend in season five

The mom-of-two does have a past career professionally singing at Tokyo Disneyland after college and in the second national tour of Broadway production Miss Saigon in 1999
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The mom-of-two does have a past career professionally singing at Tokyo Disneyland after college and in the second national tour of Broadway production Miss Saigon in 1999

Martin’s rendition was enough to impress the judges, with Underwood praising her ‘really pretty voice’ and ‘range,’ adding on a more critical note that she should ‘put some oomph in there.’

Bateman – who played Ellen in the second national tour of Broadway production Miss Saigon in 1999 – wasn’t content watching on the sidelines.

She joined her niece singing Let Me Be Your Star from Smash.

Martin walked away with a golden ticket to compete during Hollywood Week, despite her aunt’s interference.

Bateman, meanwhile, joined The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City as a friend in the season five premiere which aired in September 2024.

Her storylines on the show involved her relationship with Jared Osmond, the nephew of Donny and Marie Osmond.

Bateman's on-and-off relationship with Jared Osmond - nephew of Donny and Marie Osmond - has been the focus of her RHOSL storyline

Bateman’s on-and-off relationship with Jared Osmond – nephew of Donny and Marie Osmond – has been the focus of her RHOSL storyline

‘Jared and I have been dating eight months, and we’ve broken up 16 times, I want to say,’ Bateman told the housewives.

During the season six premiere, Bateman updated the ladies on the state of their on-and-off entanglement.

‘I have an announcement,’ she began, using her now-familiar line.

She then revealed that she and Osmond had gotten engaged in December 2024 only to get ‘un-engaged’ two weeks later.

‘We just decided that our kids weren’t on board, and we really want our kids to be a part of it,’ Bateman told her castmates during a camping trip.

‘They were not happy because we were so on and off last year. So, we decided to call it off,’ added the reality star, who shares two daughters with her ex-husband John Underwood, with whom she’s had a troubled post-divorce relationship.