New American Idol judge tells Barbara Walters she felt the environment was not safe

Jan 8, 2013 11:48 GMT  ·  By
Mariah Carey says she upped security because American Idol set was an “unsafe work environment”
   Mariah Carey says she upped security because American Idol set was an “unsafe work environment”

In October last year, a video of Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj fighting during the American Idol auditions emerged online. Speaking to Barbara Walters, Mariah admits that she did increase security after the incident.

Check out the video below to hear it straight from the diva.

Though she says the whole thing is water under the bridge and that she and Nicki made up, Mariah admits that the vicious spat made her worry about her safety – and that of her children.

“It felt like an unsafe work environment. Anytime anybody's reeling threats at somebody, you know, it's not appropriate. I'm a professional. I'm not used to that type of environment,” she tells Barbara.

After people on the set told her that, after she left, Nicki said something along the lines of “if I had a gun I would shoot that [expletive]-ing [expletive],” Mariah knew it would be best for her if she upped her security.

“Sitting there on the road with two babies, I'm not going to take any chances,” she explains.

In the end, it was all for the better, as Barbara also points out: this kind of scandal is bound to boost interest in the new season of American Idol.