CliqueClackThanks for faking the Presidential Inauguration, Beyonce
Haven’t we seen enough lip syncing in televised performance? Where’s the satisfaction in knowing you’re doing something real instead of canned? Where’s the integrity? The confidence? The display of ability?
The Presidential Inauguration was faked.
Wait … let me be a little more exacting: Certain aspects of Monday’s Presidential Inauguration were faked … not the reinvestiture of the president itself.
That monkey business music director, composer and producer Rickey Minor stated in the piece? “There’s (sic) too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.” Bull pucky with extra cream on top. You’re a damned professional, aren’t you? Don’t you perform for a living? Don’t you walk out on stage in front of thousands of people and do your thing? What the hell?!? Get out there and do what you do best!
Yeah … I know that’s easy for me to say watching from the other side of the television screen. But I’ve been in the position of having to “display my wares” (so to speak) in front of an audience and do the best I could do without the aid of pre-recorded copy. Without lip syncing. Without faking it. Did I flub up? You betcher bippo I flubbed up at times. But when I was right as rain, I was beaming. Beaming in the afterglow of knowing I practiced my heart out and I delivered. The tape didn’t deliver for me — I did.
Again, Beyonce’s a professional. For Pete’s sake: It says right there in the article she was rehearsing for the upcoming Super Bowl! So I know she knows how to do that! It’s not a foreign concept.
Worse? The Marine Corps Band bluffed their performance as well! Talk about your let downs! I’m just as displeased with this bit of information as I am with what Beyonce pulled.
But wait … there’s more. I didn’t watch the inauguration. I caught snippets of it here and there on the evening news Monday night. I didn’t get the benefit of witnessing Beyonce do her thing “live” at the time. But what I did see was the removal of her earpiece during her “performance.” And, in light of the information she feigned her execution, this little detail really put the icing on the cake. Not only did she fool us once, she fooled us twice. In removing that earpiece, she suggested she was becoming disoriented by the music, that there was feedback, that she may have been “off” in some manner or another (which was absolutely the case), that it was affecting her ability to take care of business when, in fact, it was simply more chicanery being perpetrated.
Haven’t we seen this time and again? And haven’t we seen performers, whoever they may be, get caught with their pants down? Milli Vanilli? Ashlee Simpson on SNL? Let’s go way back: Tito Larriva’s performance with The Plugz on Richard Blade’s MV3 back in the day?
*sigh*
There’s a contingent of folks out there who will say, in light of the important proceedings that took place, what Beyonce did was prudent. I call bullshit. I say: Put up or shut up. < /rant >
P.S. I applaud Kelly Clarkson wildly for her wherewithal in contributing live to the event.
“I understand too little too late.
I realize there are things you say and do you can never take back.
But what would you be if didn’t even try?
You have to try.”
– Lyle Lovett, “Here I Am”
8 Comments on “Thanks for faking the Presidential Inauguration, Beyonce”
But you’re overlooking Yo Yo Ma “finger-syncing” his performance at the last inauguration. From what I’ve read, the Marine Corps band didn’t get to rehearse with her, so that’s why the decision was made … and it could have been the cold. Even Aretha said she would lip-sync next time (next time?!). Whitney Houston lip-synced her version of the anthem, and that is kind of like the standard-bearer now for anthems. Lip-synced or not, it was still her voice. It’s not like they called Marni Nixon in to do the vocals!
Houston may be the biggest proponent of why it might be a good idea to pre-record a performance, but I say hogwash: At an event like a Presidential Inauguration, go big or go home.
I site Clarkson and the last two lines of Lovett’s lyrics I published in the post, Chuck. That’s what I’ve got to say about that.
Here’s what it would have sounded like if she hadn’t lip-sync-ed (lip-sunk?) … go to the 1:51 mark.
I’m just going to leave this here for posterity’s sake. And for your posterior’s sake.
https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/01/beyonce_lip_syncing_at_the_inauguration_musician_mike_doughty_says_she_was.html
Pish, posh.
Doughty might make some convincing arguments – and I respect him for that – but the fact of the matter is there isn’t even an admission, one way or another, from Beyonce.
I stand by what I wrote until such a time something concrete comes along to refute my belief.
*Whoomp* … here it is.
And … in the words of Drunk Hulk:
“IF JOURNALIST APPROACH POLITIC WITH SAME ENERGY THEY USE TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER BEYONCE SING OR NOT! THERE MIGHT BE LESS CRAP GOING ON!”
I think she isn’t accustomed to performing live much at all and that is why she faked it. Many pop performers are merely dancing whilst lip syncing while fans are paying exorbitant amounts of cash to see them “live'” in concert. They claim, “It’s hard to sing and dance and put on a grand show.” Well, princess of pop, your dance moves aren’t the reason people buy CDs and download your tunes. For what it is worth, performers in live musical theater dance their asses off WHILE singing sometimes difficult pieces of music. I don’t buy that “it’s hard” excuse one bit. In fact, it really gets my feathers ruffled.
There have been LIVE performances by true singers at various sporting events in all sorts of weather conditions. They tackle the Star Spangle Banner a capella. WOW! They sing it clear and as written without all the riffing (because they can actually nail the notes). How? They practice until it becomes part of their DNA. Our National Anthem is not an easy diddy to sing. But let’s just all be honest rather than making excuses.
OK, back-up rant complete.
ps. Musical instruments are often unpredictable in the cold (re: YoYo Ma). The last time I checked, a persons voice box is not exposed to the elements