Clinton joined John Legend, Cardi B and Cher in a skewering of Trump that saw the group read excerpts from Michael Wolffs’s tell-all book

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

In an unexpected pre-recorded segment at Sunday night’s Grammy awards, Hillary Clinton read a few lines from Michael Wolff’s bombshell Trump White House exposé Fire and Fury. The former secretary of state was the last of several famous folks to appear in the video, in which Grammys host James Corden pretends to be auditioning narrators for the Fire and Fury audiobook.

In the run-up to the video, Corden joked that by next year’s awards the Trump presidency will have inspired a spoken-word album and potential Grammy nominee. Spoofing the concept, John Legend appeared reading from the book, which contains allegations that caused a media firestorm upon its release earlier this month.

Q&A Who were the biggest winners at the Grammys? Show Hide Album of the year

24K Magic – Bruno Mars Record of the year

24K Magic – Bruno Mars Song of the year

That’s What I Like – Bruno Mars Best rap album

Damn – Kendrick Lamar Best pop solo performance

Shape of You – Ed Sheeran Best new artist

Alessia Cara Read the full list of winners.

“Trump won’t read anything,” Legend said. “He gets up halfway through meetings with world leaders because he is bored.”

“His comb-over: a product called Just for Men,” noted Cher, who was followed by Snoop Dogg and then the rapper Cardi B, who read the now-notorious excerpt about the president’s supposed affinity for eating cheeseburgers in bed. “Why am I reading this shit?” she asked.

After a cameo from DJ Khaled, Clinton lowered the book to reveal herself. “One reason why he liked to eat at McDonald’s,” Clinton read aloud. “Nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade.”

While chuckles from the live New York City audience could be heard upon Clinton’s appearance, not everyone was amused. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley vented her frustration with Clinton’s cameo on Twitter.

Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) I have always loved the Grammys but to have artists read the Fire and Fury book killed it. Don’t ruin great music with trash. Some of us love music without the politics thrown in it.

Wolff’s book, which has sold more than 1.7m copies and has sat atop the New York Times bestseller list for three weeks, has come under fire for what many regard as unsubstantiated claims and lax fact-checking. Nevertheless, Endeavor Content purchased the film and television rights to the book last week in a deal rumored to exceed seven figures.

