Tag: Barack Obama (11-20 of 180)

Jan 24 2013 09:54 AM ET

Lip-sync-gate continues: Inaugural official says Beyonce didn't sing anthem live

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Image Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Well, that settles it (maybe, possibly, probably not): According to CNN, an unnamed inaugural official has confirmed that Beyoncé lip-synched while performing the “Star-Spangled Banner” on Monday.

“Because she didn’t have time to rehearse with the Marine Band, she decided to use her recording with the Marine Band,” the official said, noting that the singer didn’t arrive in Washington D.C. until late Sunday night. The official doesn’t know why Beyoncé elected not to sing live — by all accounts, “she was spot on” in her pre-recording session, and “she’s actually a very good live singer.” There’s apparently no word on why Bey ripped out her earpiece mid-song, either.

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Jan 23 2013 09:53 AM ET

Jennifer Lopez defends lip-synching: 'All performers do it at some point' -- VIDEO

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As lip-sync-gate rages on, Beyoncé still hasn’t responded to requests for comment or released a statement about whether her Inauguration Day vocals were live or pre-recorded. But either way, Bey can count on the support of her peers — i.e. fellow megastars who understand that sometimes, lip-synching is a necessary evil.

Jennifer Lopez didn’t exactly defend Queen B’s honor while visiting The Daily Show last night — but she did acknowledge that basically every musician has to rely on pre-recorded tracks in certain contexts. “You know, sometimes it happens,” she explained to Jon Stewart. “When you’re in certain stadiums and in certain venues, they do pre-record things.” She also cited Whitney Houston’s iconic “Star-Spangled Banner” as proof that even the greatest singers lip-sync sometimes — “All performers do have to do it at some point.”

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Jan 22 2013 02:13 PM ET

Beyonce reportedly lip-syncs national anthem: Why we shouldn't care

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Image Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Here’s a truth bomb that will rock you to your very core: Sometimes, at big, important events, singers don’t actually sing.

An artist may choose to mouth along to a pre-recorded track during a “live” performance for any number of reasons. Maybe the weather is bad; maybe she simply isn’t feeling well. Whatever the excuse, though, lip-synching is about as ubiquitous as the common cold — especially if the singer in question happens to be performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Jennifer Hudson did it at Super Bowl XLIII in 2009. Whitney Houston also did it when delivering her definitive version of the anthem in 1991.

Which brings us to Beyoncé, who reportedly used a pre-recorded track when she sang the national anthem at yesterday’s presidential inauguration.  READ FULL STORY »

Jan 22 2013 11:31 AM ET

Jon Stewart vs. Stephen Colbert: Who had the best inauguration jokes? VIDEO

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Comedy Central’s crack fake news team kicked off four more years of Obama jokes last night, when the president’s second inauguration provided a wealth of material for both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

Jon Stewart began the evening with a discussion of the day’s main event: Michelle Obama’s awesome new bangs. He also hit on the inauguration itself — which featured an Obama screw-up that must have made Mitt Romney spit out his milk, George Stephanopoulos proving that all tall people look the same to him, and a presidential address that detailed “a healthcare plan designed to kill your white grandparents. Kill ‘em dead!” Pretty solid stuff, though not quite as notable as the fact that the show welcomed Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor just hours after she swore in Vice President Biden. (Someone give The Daily Show‘s guest booker a raise, stat.)

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Jan 22 2013 10:09 AM ET

Katy Perry celebrates inauguration with her own tiny Aretha Franklin hat

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Trust Katy Perry to focus on what’s really important.

Throughout all of Monday’s inaugural hullabaloo — the music! The balls! The music at the balls! — the media somehow failed to focus on the event’s real cause for celebration: Last weekend marked the four-year anniversary of Aretha Franklin wearing her Hat to End All Hats at President Obama’s first inauguration. (Eat your heart out, Princess Beatrice.)

Thankfully, Katy Perry stuck around D.C. after performing at the 2013 Kids Inaugural Concert last Saturday — and on Monday, she honored Aretha’s bodacious bow by wearing a tiny version of it to this year’s Inauguration Day festivities. Here’s photographic evidence:

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Jan 22 2013 12:20 AM ET

Inaugural Balls: The Obamas and Bidens dance, but so do Piers Morgan and Chris Tucker

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The Obamas had their first dance to a Jennifer Hudson cover of “Let’s Stay Together,” and the Bidens were serenaded by Jamie Foxx singing “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” But there was another dance to watch during the inaugural balls: That of CNN’s indoor coverage, which had to juggle politics and a party. The tone was set early when Piers Morgan and Erin Burnett tried to interview San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and Rep. Joaquin Castro while Rihanna’s “Please Don’t Stop the Music” blared in the background. Ultimately, Piers just gave up:

Piers: By the way, I’ve never met any Latino that can’t dance, so are you guys gonna be — [Julian and Joaquin laugh and say he just met his first two].

Erin: Pierce’s first highly inappropriate comment of the evening.

Piers: That’s not inappropriate. I never have.

In case you were wondering, I’d say Piers’ second inappropriate comment came when he segued from a taped interview with performer Stevie Wonder to a live chat with the Black Eyed Peas will.i.am by referring to him as “almost as big a legend now in the music world as Stevie Wonder.” READ FULL STORY »

Jan 21 2013 09:35 PM ET

Alicia Keys sings 'Obama on Fire' for Inaugural Ball: VIDEO

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Alicia Keys altered her Hunger Games anthem “Girl on Fire” for her performance at President Obama’s Inaugural Ball Sunday night. Watch an excerpt below. “Obama on Fire” is a definite crowd pleaser. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 21 2013 09:32 PM ET

Obamas share first dance as Jennifer Hudson sings 'Let's Stay Together': VIDEO

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Jennifer Hudson had the honor of serenading President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as they shared their first dance at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball following Monday’s inauguration. The First Lady makes her entrance in a Jason Wu gown at 2:45 in the video below. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 21 2013 04:06 PM ET

Inauguration 2013: Michelle's bangs, Scalia's hat, and other key moments

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Image Credit: Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call

The Second Inauguration of President Barack Obama marked the beginning of a brave new American era of bipartisan governance and well-reasoned political discourse. No it didn’t. But it was a hell of a party, a grand and justifiably pompous power-pageant which reached an emotional climax when the stirring voice of the world’s most powerful human being echoed throughout the National Mall. But enough about Beyoncé. Here are some key moments frozen in time from a cold day in Washington: READ FULL STORY »

Dec 27 2012 12:43 PM ET

'Kennedy Center Honors': Watch the Buddy Guy tribute that stole the show, President Obama rock out for Led Zeppelin -- VIDEO

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The 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors aired last night (read Ken Tucker’s review here), and it was another ceremony filled with memorable moments. Here are a few of the highlights that have already surfaced on YouTube:

Beth Hart’s performance of “I’d Rather Go Blind” with Jeff Beck for honoree Buddy Guy moved the crowd in the theater (including Barack and Michelle Obama, watch them at 2:32 in the clip below) and at home (I know I went to iTunes and purchased that song off of her album with Joe Bonamassa, Don’t Explain).  READ FULL STORY »

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