CMT Music Awards: 'Chewbacca Mom' in the house

NASHVILLE — Among the country music icons and Hollywood celebrities that packed into the 2016 CMT Music Awards sat an unusual star — "Chewbacca Mom."

The viral sensation, also known as Candace Payne of Grand Prairie, Texas, was featured briefly in the first few minutes of the awards show Wednesday night, shown laughing behind a Chewbacca mask at CMT Music Awards co-host J.J. Watt. Payne took the Internet by storm in late May when a video of her laughing behind a Chewbacca mask went viral.

"You don’t know 'Chewbacca Mom'"? CMT Music Awards co-host Erin Andrews asked Watt. "… She will literally laugh at anything you say tonight."

"She's my new favorite person on the planet," Watt responded.

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