PPM Version:
A spokeswoman for the Marine Corps Band came out yesterday and said that BEYONCÉ lip-synced her rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at PRESIDENT OBAMA'S inauguration on Monday. But a Marine Corps spokesman issued a statement saying that no one in the band knows whether she sang live or not. He did admit that the BAND didn't play . . . because they didn't have time to properly rehearse with her.
Full Story:
Surprisingly, the biggest controversy stemming from PRESIDENT OBAMA'S inauguration Monday has nothing to do with his birth certificate. It's whether or not BEYONCÉ lip-synced the national anthem.
--Beyoncé's performance was pretty stellar, and got rave reviews on the World Wide Web of Uninformed Opinions. But is that because she didn't actually sing it?
--It's standard procedure with a performance like this for musicians to record a BACKING TRACK that they can sing and play along to.
--And yesterday, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps Band . . . which backed up the performance . . . said that Beyoncé made the decision to rely ENTIRELY on that track.
--She said, quote, "We all know Beyoncé can sing. We all know the Marine Corps Band can play. We do not know why she decided to go with the pre-recorded music at the last minute."
--She added that the band played live for the other performers, like KELLY CLARKSON, but was specifically told to FAKE IT for Beyoncé.
--However . . . a Marine Corps spokesman later watered down that claim. But he didn't specifically deny it. He admitted that the band used a prerecorded track, because there wasn't time to properly rehearse.
--But he added, quote, "Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."
--In other words, he's not saying Beyoncé DIDN'T fake it . . . he's saying he DOESN'T KNOW . . . and neither does the woman who made the initial claim.
--People are also trying to make hay out of the fact that Beyoncé posted a picture of herself on Instagram, in which she's in a recording studio, holding sheet music for the national anthem.
--But that proves NOTHING, since we already know that she did record a backing track. (--Here's the photo anyway.) (Instagram)
(--In case you haven't seen it 5,000 times by now, here's video of Beyonce's "Star Spangled Banner".)
(--Meanwhile . . . here's a list of other ladies who've lip-synced high-profile gigs. Beyoncé's on this one, too.)
(--One last note on the inauguration: Barack and Michelle Obama threw a huge, star-studded party at the White House Monday night. You can read more about it here.)
(--Beyoncé and Jay-Z were NOT there. They flew to New Orleans after the inauguration . . . presumably so Beyoncé can start rehearsing for the Super Bowl halftime show.)
RELATED COMEDY #1: Beyoncé's performance of the national anthem at President Obama's inauguration was lip-synched. Even worse: The track was recorded by the same guy who made Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate.
RELATED COMEDY #2: A member of the Marine Band revealed that Beyoncé lip-synched the national anthem at the Presidential Inauguration. Well, it's nice to know that members of our military don't know how to keep a secret.
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