If I may take off my jokester hat for a minute, as someone who watched the tragedy surrounding Jennifer Hudson pour across my daily tabloid reads I couldn’t help but feel inspired by her performance of the National Anthem last night. I never really pay attention to who’s singing and generally curse them for interrupting my precious beer commercials. (What if they have bikinis in them?!) But this time I listened and felt enriched for it.
The Superficial thanks you, Jennifer Hudson. Don’t stop singing.
Now back to your regularly scheduled chicanery….
Photos: Getty
charles | February 2, 2009 at 12:41 pm
One of the greatest lip-synching performances of our time. I cried a pre-arranged tear when I heard her sing.
ny*ny | February 2, 2009 at 12:42 pm
first hehe
testing | February 2, 2009 at 12:42 pm
for sure she kicked ass last night
Rachel | February 2, 2009 at 12:42 pm
She really did a fantastic job.
You go Jennifer Hudson.
Lindsay | February 2, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Well done!
Crabby | February 2, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Yo Yo Ma and that Jewish guy also faked their performances moments before Obama got sworn in.
We live in a world of liars.
Crusty | February 2, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Exactly.. Faith Hill lip-synched – so did Jennifer Hudson. To be fair, that decision was made by the NFL, not the almost singer.
Jim | February 2, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Finally- some positive praises where they are do- lip-sync or not, who cares- she pulled out one amazing performance last night and what a way to get back in to the swing of things.
Jim | February 2, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Finally- some positive praises where they are do- lip-sync or not, who cares- she pulled out one amazing performance last night and what a way to get back in to the swing of things.
mayor mcdougal | February 2, 2009 at 12:48 pm
8-
Actually, she pulled out an amazing performance a few days ago. Last night, the audio guy pulled out the amazing performance and hit the *Play* button.
Area Man | February 2, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Meh…
The National Anthem is one of those songs that I like to hear performed straight. There’s no need to add your personal touch to it. It doesn’t need to be all jazzed up, or countried up, or rocked up, or souled up, or gospled up.
Just sing the notes as written – no extra glitz from the performer is needed – then take a bow and get off the stage.
mimi | February 2, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I guess the Fish has too much wax in her ears. You must be kidding? That schmuck sings as well as a hyeana.
Jeff W. | February 2, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Meh, what’s the point if you’re just going to lip synch? Why bother to bring her there when they could just play her performance. I never understand the point of lip synching. I mean, isn’t the whole idea that she’s an amazing singer and therefore she was given the honor of singing the anthem? Hell, I’ll sing the anthem if I can just lip synch to it. I reiterate my “meh”.
Doc Holiday | February 2, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I could have done just as good of a performance if I had lip synced to her recording too!
Geoff | February 2, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Area Man I have to agree with you. Her rendition sounded like a hooker moaning to get paid more rather than a respectful performance of our national anthem. Faking the national anthem brings shame to its words and out nation.
Geoff | February 2, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Area Man I have to agree with you. Her rendition sounded like a hooker moaning to get paid more rather than a respectful performance of our national anthem. Faking the national anthem brings shame to its words and our nation.
West Door | February 2, 2009 at 1:03 pm
It was beautiful and I hope that it gets her at a place where she feels like preforming more. BTW, I didn’t see anything pre-recorded about it, and I would’ve loved to have seen LESS of Bruce’s crotch-slide into the camera. Side by side, Jennifer was perfection.
ManiacFive | February 2, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I’m always envious when i hear the US anthem, or Canadian, both songs celebrating the relevant country that you can put some gutso into. Try putting any gutso into God Save The Queen, Its a dirge, celebrating only one person, not the country. miserable in comparison.
JMonster | February 2, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I have a feeling some of you are mad she pulled this off. NFL has specific rules regarding Superbowl performances. Mariah, Whitney, Aretha, Beyonce, Carrie, Jordin, Jewel, Cher and pretty much everyone post-Roseanne Barr has lip synched it. She did a phenomenal job. Shut up haters!
Binky | February 2, 2009 at 1:08 pm
What a powerful voice she has !
Michael | February 2, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Yeah…great lip-syncing performance. Gimmie a break!
Jrz | February 2, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Normally I’d agree with Area Man that the anthem isn’t a cover song, but shit……she was truly fucking awesome. GOD! I hope that jerk off who killed her family was getting butt-flogged while he was being made to watch it.
Jacqueline Hyde | February 2, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Even if it was pre-recorded and lipsynced it was still her voice, and she was obviously singing along even if you didn’t hear her live. She sounded amazing and looked amazing and it was….wonderfull.
Jacqueline Hyde | February 2, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Even if it was pre-recorded and lipsynced it was still her voice, and she was obviously singing along even if you didn’t hear her live. She sounded amazing and looked amazing and it was….wonderfull.
Bee | February 2, 2009 at 1:17 pm
She was amazing. She lip syhched over her own live voice recording from earlier at a rehearsal so its not like she lied. They don’t allow live singing during the game thanks to Roseanne Bar.
christine | February 2, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Nice typo in the headline. I thought you meant “pawned”
joann@solutionproperty.com | February 2, 2009 at 1:20 pm
You got Jennifer keep up the good work…..
joann@solutionproperty.com | February 2, 2009 at 1:20 pm
You got Jennifer keep up the good work…..
havoc | February 2, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I agree. Sing it straight. It’s not a gospel song.
.
Jrz | February 2, 2009 at 1:26 pm
um, christine, he meant to say pwned. You are teh gay.
atotalcad | February 2, 2009 at 1:27 pm
The NFL just doesn’t want a Robert Goulet moment where the singer forgets the lyrics.
Kristy Swnoion (Swee-ya-on) | February 2, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Pwned= owned…where have you been? J. Hud is super strong, if I was in her case I’d probably kill myself…I mean really, life without my mom or my siblings–just too crazy to even think about.
Bee | February 2, 2009 at 1:37 pm
29. OMG some of you are so freaking retarded. She sang it with feeling, it doesn’t sound like a gospel song. If you want a boring solo sing it yourself and shut the fuck up!
Frankly Speaking | February 2, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Frankly, I thought it was spectacular
Freddo | February 2, 2009 at 1:40 pm
What the hell is wrong with this writer. You wouldn’t be praising her if her family hadn’t been butchered. You’re an ass-sucking wanker.
Jesse | February 2, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Singing from the soul, lethal domestic violence, sustained over-eating: Jennifer Hudson’s life is a classic black American story.
Cindy | February 2, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Her nephew thinks this version of the National Anthem with be on charts this week, in the top 20…with a bullet.
duh | February 2, 2009 at 1:47 pm
“The National Anthem is one of those songs that I like to hear performed straight. There’s no need to add your personal touch to it. It doesn’t need to be all jazzed up, or countried up, or rocked up, or souled up, or gospled up.
Just sing the notes as written – no extra glitz from the performer is needed – then take a bow and get off the stage.”
It’s a fucking barroom drinking song. It’s meant to be sung 100 different ways, depending on which collection of drunks is singing it. Your comment is merely empty-head patriotism.
wow #36 | February 2, 2009 at 1:53 pm
my faith in humanity would be further regained if you dropped dead. i’d also laugh and laugh. you are useless.
the version was absolutely brilliant. the best that i’ve ever heard at a game.
Dar | February 2, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I thought she did a spectacular job–I don’t care if the performance was live or lip-synched as long as it was her voice to begin with.
Like “Area Man”, I’m also sick of singers who have to throw in their trills and exaggerations from beginning to end and generally turn the song from a national anthem to a “look at what I can do” self-indulgent display. However, I didn’t feel Jennifer did any of that–she sang the song respectfully and true and gave it a strong finish. Perfect.
Steph | February 2, 2009 at 1:57 pm
You go girl!! What a great example JH truly is :).
Hey #37... | February 2, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Whatever the fuck it is you’re trying to say, which I’m assuming is supposed to be a joke at the expense of a murdered child, is ridiculously incoherent….you low-class fuck.
effyeray | February 2, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Fat girl fake sings…. badly
Lyn | February 2, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Pathetic to pretend to sing no matter who you are.
Andy | February 2, 2009 at 2:30 pm
She’s America’s Nutrasweetie.
pete | February 2, 2009 at 2:33 pm
It’s impressive that she could do this so soon after her nephew went to the big KFC in the sky.
Winston | February 2, 2009 at 2:34 pm
She was planning to wait to sing the National Anthem on opening day for the Cubs, but her psychiatrist thought she might start convulsing when the umpire yelled “Ball Four!”
Wendy | February 2, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I see she’s still on the Jessica Simpson diet.
Pinkgrapefruit | February 2, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Why all the sycophany about someone lip-synching? She came, she saw, she pretended. Big deal.
10pound | February 2, 2009 at 2:57 pm
She looks like a shit I took this morning