Kristin Chenoweth sings national anthem at NBA Finals, earns backlash
Many viewers at home weren't quite sold on the showtune flair.
KRISTIN CHENOWETH SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM ????
PERFECT WAY TO TIP OFF GAME 7 ON ABC! pic.twitter.com/BVUEcNmD8L — NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sing 'For Good' in first 'Wicked: For Good' trailer
"This is the worst National Anthem I ever heard," one user wrote.
"They got a opera singer doing the national anthem I'm done," another wrote.
"Listening to the national anthem at that part," one user captioned a gif of NeNe Leakes seeming visibly taken aback.
"They shoulda invited that girl who sang the national anthem in Spanish to sing there," one fan chimed in, referring to R&B singer Nezza's recent performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanish at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game.
Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyonce in these 10 bingeable memoirs
Though everyone didn't share Chenoweth's love for musical theater, her Oklahoma City Thunder still pulled off a win to take home the city's first title, defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91.
'Up there with fergie': Other infamous national anthems
One user in their criticism called back to one infamous rendition of the national anthem, adding, "this national anthem up there with fergie."
Fergie's 2018 performance at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles drew much criticism at the time, leading the singer to explain to TMZ at the time, "I'm a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn't strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best."
Other recent notorious interpretations include country music singer Ingrid Andress, who performed the national anthem "drunk" at the MLB Home Run Derby in 2024, and Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav's version at a Milwaukee Bucks game in 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
TV show with two big name stars quietly cancelled after just one season
A CRUISE ship melodrama has been quietly cancelled after just one season – despite being led by Dawson's Creek hunk, Joshua Jackson. The series, which was created by Glee and American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy, premiered in September last year in the US, before dropping on Disney+ in the UK. 6 6 6 Doctor Odyssey, which saw Jackson play Max Bankman, the new physician on board the titular luxury cruise liner, has now unfortunately been given the push by US network, ABC. According to Variety, the cast's contracts are set to expire today, with the network not putting the show back on its schedule. As a result, it seems like the comedy-drama, which became known for its campy predicaments each week, is dead in the water. This comes despite the strong cast including Miami Vice legend Don Johnson as the ship's loveable captain, Hamilton star Phillipa Soo as Bankman's nurse practitioner, Avery Morgan, and Skins' Sean Teale as fellow nurse Tristan Silva. Doctor Odyssey followed the various medical issues Bankman and his team had to deal with while on the ship. The bizarre catastrophes ranged from one passenger contracting iodine poisoning after overdoing it on the all-you-can-eat shrimp, to a plastic-surgery loving woman whose nose fell off after snorting cocaine. As all this unfolds, the close quarters of the staff gives way to romance, prompting a review in The Telegraph comparing it to 'a cross between ER and The Love Boat'. It's 'bonkers' plot lines also include Max declaring himself 'the first person in the US to contract Covid' which sparked a new zest for life when he survived. Throughout the show's initial run, Doctor Odyssey was also filled with megastars appearing in cameo roles – including Shania Twain, Angela Bassett, Kelsea Ballerini and John Stamos. However, it seems the jam-packed cast wasn't enough to keep the show afloat. At the time of writing, none of the main cast have commented on the show's cancellation. But fans have flocked to X (formerly Twitter) begging their "weird" and "nonsense" series to be saved. "They really cancelled Doctor Odyssey and I feel personally attacked. Yeah, it was chaotic," wrote one. "Yeah, it didn't always make sense. But it had heart and in the end, I weirdly loved every minute of it. I'm gonna miss this messy, unserious emotional gem." "I don't know how they'd do it but they need to get Doctor Odyssey on a new channel somehow. I don't care if they have to have a major budget cut and it has to be filmed on a dinghy. Just bring it back to me," said another. While a third wrote: "I'm mourning the loss of #DoctorOdyssey today. I was hoping for Season 2 where the group goes through the Bermuda Triangle, goes back in time and sees dinosaurs." 6 6 6
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Emma Raducanu's Carlos Alcaraz comment sees her dubbed 'heartbreaker' by Wimbledon star
Emma Raducanu's Carlos Alcaraz comment sees her dubbed 'heartbreaker' by Wimbledon star Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz have been the subject of much speculation regarding their relationship after it was confirmed they would play mixed doubles together at Wimbledon A Wimbledon star has branded Emma Raducanu a "heartbreaker" amid romantic links to Carlos Alcaraz (Image: Max Cisotti/for evian ) Tennis ace Danielle Collins has lightly teased Emma Raducanu over her recent comments quashing romance rumours with fellow player Carlos Alcaraz. Both players are no strangers to media attention, but gossip has intensified after they confirmed they'll be teaming up in mixed doubles at the US Open later this year. Raducanu is currently preparing for her opening-round Wimbledon showdown against Welsh wildcard Mimi Xu. Nonetheless, the 2021 US Open winner fielded a question about her rumoured involvement with Alcaraz during a recent media appearance. Collins, who takes on Camila Osorio in her opening match at SW19, highlighted Raducanu's brisk reply online, responding with a humorous remark. While speaking to the press before the tournament, Raducanu was quizzed on whether there was any truth to the supposed romantic links with Alcaraz. This came after the pair were seen shooting a commercial together for Evian. "We're just good friends," Raducanu stated. After cutting the speculation short, the journalist who asked the question light-heartedly suggested the interview might as well end. "Way to wrap up," Raducanu chuckled. Collins, formerly ranked No. 7 in the world, couldn't help but weigh in. She responded to a clip of Raducanu's comments with a cheeky Instagram post, writing: "Brutal!! @emmaraducanu such a heartbreaker," alongside a laughing emoji. Article continues below Danielle Collins enjoyed Emma Raducanu's response (Image: Richard Callis/Sports) Raducanu and Alcaraz will share the court at Flushing Meadows this August in what's shaping up to be a standout mixed doubles pairing. The Spanish prodigy, who recently clinched his fifth Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros, expressed excitement about their collaboration in New York. "She's gonna be the boss," Alcaraz said. "Yeah, I've known Emma since a really long time ago, so we know each other. I have really good relationship with her. "So it's just gonna be interesting. You know, obviously both, you know, we are gonna enjoy, for sure. I will try, you know, to put my doubles skill on it. We will try to win. But obviously it's going to be really, really fun." Raducanu and Alcaraz are teaming up at the US Open this year (Image: 2024 Getty Images ) Alcaraz also admitted that he made a "special request" to partner with Raducanu and joked that she didn't immediately confirm. However, she later explained the situation more clearly. She joked: "Gotta keep them on their toes! I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play. But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to kind of go through the formality of asking my coach, so I didn't just make the decision." Raducanu hopes that this doubles collaboration could help lead her to another Grand Slam crown at the venue where she first made headlines with her historic 2021 victory. Emma Raducanu takes on Welsh wildcard Mimi Xu in the opening round at Wimbledon (Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images ) Article continues below Before then, though, she'll need to overcome the talented 17-year-old Xu, who poses a real challenge at SW19. The Brit spoke about the tricky match-up, having already practiced with the Swansea star on several occasions. "I think it's a very dangerous match, very difficult. Mimi is a really, really good player. I've practiced with her a few times," Raducanu explained. "She has a lot of weapons. She also moves really well. It's going to be a really different match. "For her, it's one where there's nothing to lose. I remember when I had my first Wimbledon here and I was 18. It's a great feeling. You just feel, like, completely fearless."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
NBA legend LeBron James, 40, makes official decision on retirement
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James as officially opted into his $52.6million player option for the upcoming NBA season. James was widely expected to make the move where he gains the huge payday, with his decision to play on for the Lakers prolonging his retirement at least one year. James will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season, when he will be 41. James opting in leaves the Lakers with under $6million to spend on free agents and other moves this offseason, per ESPN. Klutch Sport CEO Rich Paul, James' agent told the outlet that LeBron 'knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.' James has been with the Lakers since 2018, winning an NBA Championship in 2018. The team has inserted his good friend JJ Redick as Los Angeles' head coach and drafted son Bronny James to the team last year. James could retire at the end of this upcoming season, with a severe pay cut expected should he want to continue playing. Rarely has a player over 40 garnered the kind of money James would like, with Tom Brady being an exception. If someone could replicate that, James appears to be in good shape to do so. James has held a contract at the NBA's maximum since 2014, with that figure likely coming to an end at the end of this season no matter what. James may be trading out the hardwood for Hollywood after he retires from the NBA, as he has hinted at making the jump to acting. James has previously hosted ' Saturday Night Live ' and was the star in the movie 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' - which flopped compared to its iconic predecessor. A full-time career in Hollywood would no doubt be lucrative for James, with interest from studios an unknown. 'If the scripts start to roll in and there's an opportunity for me to do some acting and I have the time... I don't mind looking at it and seeing if I can make it happen,' James said to the Hollywood Reporter.
