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13 Worst National Anthem Performances, From Roseanne to Fergie

See how badly these stars bungled “The Star Spangled Banner” over the years


Believe it or not, Roseanne Barr wasn’t trying to be funny when she screeched her way through the National Anthem in 1990. She told the LA Times she was flattered and that she was a good singer. But she failed to take Johnny Carson’s advice and started too high. The boos come loud and fast, but like any comic who’s bombed before, she barrel rolled through her ear-piercing, crotch-grabbing rendition in a little over a minute, then spat on the mound.

This performance by Carl Lewis before a Chicago Bulls game seems almost inexplicable, because he’s not a singer but an Olympic track and field star. He murdered Francis Scott Off-Key’s song, as these ESPN broadcasters put it, in failing to hit the high notes and apologizing midway through with an intent to make it up to the crowd (he never could). He later told Oprah he was “glad” he botched it.

Fresh off their 2001 album “Just Push Play,” people were “Jaded” after seeing Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler try and spruce up the National Anthem, first by riffing on harmonica, then essentially shouting through the performance. He doesn’t even sing “brave” at the end of the song, opting to call out to the Indy 500 crowd as fireworks went off. In 2012, he also earned some groans when he belted out his throaty “yeaaahhh” during the song.

Tyler wasn’t the only one to get creative with the anthem. R. Kelly brought his signature R&B soul to a performance at a boxing match in Las Vegas throwing in some synths, backbeats and hand clapping smoothness into the song. Unfortunately we won’t be getting more of the same at this year’s inauguration, as he’s one of the celebrities who said he won’t perform.

Lead singer of alt-rock band Staind Aaron Lewis delivered a relatively strong, growling rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” but early on he missed the line “at the twilight’s last gleaming.” He said in a statement he felt devastated, asking for “the Nation’s forgiveness” by saying “nerves got the best of me.”

Christina Aguilera likewise nailed her pitch but found herself doubling back to “the twilight’s last gleaming” rather than moving on to “gallantly streaming.” Maybe she doesn’t nail the last note, but she still performed like a pro.

The incredible echo you can hear in this video would’ve been enough to doom Michael Bolton’s crooning of the Anthem at this 2003 Red Sox vs. Yankees game, but Bolton had to stop and peek at lyrics scrawled in his palm in order to remember “twilight’s last gleaming,” and the Boston fans let him have it.

Clearly the 20-year-old Dominican pop star Kat DeLuna put a lot of bluster and verve into her performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The eye test would make you think she’s killing it. But a pitchy last note and a chorus of boos from this Dallas Cowboys crowd would disagree.

Maybe this one isn’t bad so much as perplexing. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea performed a solo, phased out performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Staples Center this past April for Kobe Bryant’s farewell game that drew mixed reaction. Compare that to when he formed a bizarre duet with Josh Groban singing the Anthem back in 2010.

Maybe she would’ve been better of singing “O Canada”? Canadian jazz singer Alexis Normand’s mind went completely blank as she fumbled words left and right to the Anthem that she ended up humming the remainder of the song. Thankfully the crowd was polite enough to bail her out.

Country star Dierks Bentley received no mercy online after performing the anthem ahead of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals in June 2017: “Sounded like the drunk guy at the bar trying to be in tune,” wrote one commenter.

Rachel Platten, best known for “Fight Song,” messed up the national anthem not once, but twice, while performing before the NWSL soccer game between the Utah Royals and the Chicago Red Stars in April. She forgot the words and had to start over, asking the crowd for help.

Fergie got ripped for her rendition before the NBA All-Star Game in February 2018: “Fergie sang that Anthem so bad, Kaepernick stood up and told her not to disrespect the Anthem like that.”
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90 Day Fiance spoilers: Akinyi says Benjamin ‘doesn’t have the alpha male aura,’ brother says Benjamin was ‘average’

Benjamin Taylor managed to make it to the end of Season 3 of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days and he even managed to gain Akinyi’s father’s approval in order to marry her. There are still questions about how much he’ll be paying for the bride price and that’s likely what was being discussed leading up to these spoilers from the upcoming Tell All.

As the Before the 90 Days finale was ending, TLC teased what to expect for the upcoming Tell All for Ben and Akinyi. Both she and her brother showed up via video chat to tell their side of what happened when Ben visited Kenya, and it doesn’t look like it was a great experience for him.

In the short 90 Day Fiance spoiler clip, Akinyi says via video chat that her new husband Ben “doesn’t have the alpha male aura” and that can’t feel good for him, especially since he sees himself as the spiritual leader of their new family.

To make matters worse, Akinyi’s comment piggy-backed off her brother (or at least that’s the way it looked in the clip). And when asked how Benjamin fared while in Kenya, his response was that “he was average.”

Ben looked stunned as his bride and new brother-in-law didn’t have nice things to say about him on the Before the 90 Days Tell All stage. The scene would be more worrisome if not for another recent spoiler report that we shared, which claims that Benjamin has already applied for Akinyi’s K-1 visa.

They still have to go through the visa process as an engaged couple even though they are considered married in Kenya. Or at least Benjamin should hope that is accurate because he and Akinyi consummated that marriage before he flew back home to Arizona. They can be seen talking about their first night together in the clip below.

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Superhero Bits: Next 'Batman: Arkham' Game Title Maybe Revealed, 'Wonder Woman 1984' Trailer Coming Soon & More

How were the ratings for the series premiere of Watchmen? What is the rumored title for the next Batman: Arkham game? When does the first trailer for Crisis on Infinite Earths arrive? How about the first trailer for Wonder Woman 1984? What secrets does Bucky’s Wakandan metal arm hold? What’s one recent comic book movie that Francis Ford Coppola actually liked? All that and more in this edition of Superhero Bits.

The third episode of The CW’s new Arrowverse series Batwoman is on the way, and here’s a new promo.

The recently announced female-led Arrow spin-off has the official title of Green Arrow and the Canaries.

Here’s a new look at Brandon Routh suited up as Kingdom Come Superman for Crisis on Infinite Earths.

A new rumor says the next Batman: Arkham video game in the works may be called Batman: Arkham Legacy.

Martian Manhunter‘s brother is causing trouble for Supergirl in the upcoming fourth episode of season five.

Arrowverse EP Marc Guggenheim says the first Crisis on Infinite Earths trailer arrives in November.

Ms. Marvel looms large on this poster for the upcoming Avengers video game slated for release in May 2020.

Ratings for Supergirl hit a new series low, but viewership for the new Batwoman series so far seems to be solid.

Continue Reading Superhero Bits

Due to the amount of graphics and images included in Superhero Bits, we have to split this post over THREE pages. Click the link above to continue to the next page of Superhero Bits.

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Star Wars 9 Rise of Skywalker theory: Darth Vader’s helmet destroyed as Palpatine is IN it

In the early hours of this morning, the final trailer for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker landed online. And in one shocking scene, Rey and Kylo Ren are seen using their lightsabers to destroy Darth Vader’s helmet. Just why would they do such a thing? Well, there’s a popular fan theory out there that Palpatine’s soul has possessed the Dark Side artifact.

Perhaps the two are working together to stop Palpatine in his return, suggesting something of a redemption for Kylo Ren?

But just how would Palpatine be in Darth Vader’s helmet, which we’ve seen in the keeping of Ben Solo since The Force Awakens?

Well, think back to Darth Sidious’ apparent death in Return of the Jedi aboard the Death Star II.

Darth Vader picked him up and threw him over a balcony, but in doing so Palpatine struck him with Force lightning.

The redeemed Anakin Skywalker’s helmet lit up, showing his skull before he succumbed to his wounds.

Well, what if in that moment Palpatine transferred his soul to Darth Vader’s headgear.

READ MORE: STAR WARS 9 BREAKS AVENGERS ENDGAME TICKET PRESALE RECORD

After all, it’s now Star Wars canon that Sith can live on through Dark Side artifacts like helmets.

In the official Darth Vader comics, Palpatine gave his apprentice the helmet of a deceased Sith called Lord Momin.

But soon after receiving the headgear, the soul of Momin began speaking to Vader.

Since Palpatine gave Vader Momin’s helmet, it seems likely he’d know Sith can live on in this way.

So maybe The Rise of Skywalker will see Darth Sidious talking to Kylo Ren through his grandfather’s helmet and requesting a new body.

Perhaps, this freaks Kylo Ren out and he decides to destroy Darth Vader’s helmet with Rey.

However, the closing scene of The Rise of Skywalker trailer sees Rey confronting Palpatine.

We cannot see the Emperor’s face, but he’s certainly in a physical form.

Maybe there’s something about his face that’s a spoiler?

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker will be released in UK cinemas on December 19, 2019.

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The Young and the Restless: Daniel Goddard out as Cane Ashby

The Young and the Restless fans may have seen the writing on the wall, but the news still isn’t any easier to read. Daniel Goddard confirmed that he is out at The Young and the Restless after 13 years of playing Cane Ashby.

With the current storyline on The Young and the Restless, Cane inherited Devon’s (Bryton James) money. It hasn’t made sense, and with Lily (Christel Khalil) back in Genoa City, news of his departure is a bit stunning.

On Instagram, Daniel Goddard revealed that he was no longer going to be a part of The Young and the Restless. His statement read, in part, “I am forever grateful for the 13 years I have been a part of the Y&R family… but sadly it seems that without Neil and Lily there just is no Cane. 💔”

Details regarding Cane’s exit from Genoa City have not been revealed. News of Daniel Goddard’s departure from The Young and the Restless came straight from him, and at the time of writing this, CBS has not commented on the news.

With Neil (Kristoff St. John) gone due to the actor’s passing earlier this year, and Lily being gone and brought back only sparingly since she went off-contract, it seems that Cane is no longer needed. The writers haven’t woven him into the canvas as much in recent months, which has led to speculation that Cane may be exiting soon.

As for when Cane’s final air date in Genoa City will take place, there are no answers. If Daniel Goddard has completed filming, his exit could likely coincide with November sweeps. Sometimes scenes are taped around six weeks in advance. Without confirmation though, it is hard to guess when he will be exiting for good.

Fans will miss Daniel Goddard as he has been a part of the show for more than a decade.

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'Teen Mom 2': Why Jenelle Evans' Ex Nathan Griffith Says He Shouldn't Have Been Arrested

Jenelle Evans Eason, formerly of MTV’s Teen Mom 2, and her ex-boyfriend Nathan Griffith were embroiled in a custody battle over their son Kaiser earlier this year. But now, Griffith is facing a legal battle of his own.

Last Thursday, Griffith was arrested for a DWI in Cary, a town in Wake County, North Carolina. While the Cary Police stated that Griffith had failed a series of sobriety tests and had empty alcohol containers in his car, Griffith recently told TMZ a very different story.

The former ‘Teen Mom 2’ cast member was arrested in North Carolina for a DWI

Nathan Griffith, who was previously engaged to Teen Mom 2‘s Eason and shares a son, Kaiser, with her, was arrested for a DWI outside a grocery store in North Carolina in the early evening hours of Oct. 17.

Police said they responded to a call for a potential medical issue with Griffith, as he allegedly appeared to be unconscious, according to Radar Online. When they arrived, they instead arrested him.

This was far from Griffith’s first brush with the law, especially involving alcohol use. Griffith has had at least three DWI arrests in the past in North and South Carolina. He has also had domestic violence arrests for allegations of assault against both Eason and another ex-girlfriend, Jessica Henry.

Griffith, an ex-Marine, has previously stated that he struggles with PTSD. Many fans have speculated that Griffith also battles addiction, as many of his other arrests (from open containers and disorderly conduct to public intoxication and threatening a police officer) have involved substance abuse.

Griffith said he wasn’t driving at the time of his arrest

Despite police reports, Griffith claims that he was not driving when he was arrested. While he admits that he had been drinking, he says he wasn’t even in his car when police approached him.

In an exclusive interview, Griffith told TMZ of the incident, “So supposedly there was a call or disturbance saying a man was sleeping…in his car. The fire station showed up, and I pretty much practically told them I didn’t want to deal with them, and I said everything was fine.”

Griffith claimed that he then starting walking to meet his friends at a restaurant. “I was going ahead and meeting some friends, and so of course I locked my doors. And I was walking down the street, you know, to go meet my friends.”

That’s when, Griffith claimed to TMZ reporters, he was questioned by a police officer. “About, a good four or five minutes, I got pulled over by a police officer. They told me to walk back to my vehicle. They could not get into my vehicle. They asked me if I’d been sleeping and if the car was being operated, I said, no ma’am.”

Griffith also alleged that the sobriety tests he’d been issued weren’t legitimate, saying, “They gave me a sobriety test. I think they were highly subjective to whether I was passing or failing those sobriety tests.”

The former Teen Mom 2 cast member continued, “So anyways, they arrested me for a DWI and I was like, ‘How are you arresting me for a DWI if I’m not even behind a vehicle, operating a vehicle…and my vehicle isn’t even turned on?’ And they said, ‘Well, we have witnesses saying that you were sleeping behind your wheel of your vehicle while your vehicle was turned on. I said, ‘Obviously not, because I can’t even get into my vehicle.’”

Griffith told TMZ reporters that he believes he should have been charged with public intoxication, not a DWI.

Fans think that Griffith’s arrest will affect his custody battle with his ‘Teen Mom 2’ ex

Griffith’s and Eason’s five-year-old son Kaiser was temporarily removed from Eason’s care earlier this year.

Griffith notified police that his ex’s husband, David Eason, had allegedly killed the family dog, Nugget. Eason later publicly admitted to killing Nugget, but said he did so because he posed a threat to the couple’s young daughter, Ensley.

The former Marine cared for Kaiser before returning him to Eason’s custody after the investigation was closed. In July, Griffith announced that he would be battling his Teen Mom 2 ex for sole custody of Kaiser.

Given Griffith’s most recent arrest, some fans speculate that it will now be an uphill battle for him to get primary or sole legal and physical custody of his son.

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Where the Real Couples Who Inspired Amazon Prime's Modern Love Are Today

Amazon Prime’s new series, Modern Love, is drawing emotion from viewers with its complex stories inspired by real-life love.

The show, which consists of eight 30-minute standalone episodes, is based on The New York Times‘ weekly column that features personal essays about love penned by New York residents.

The show’s premiere episode, “When the Doorman Is Your Main Man,” features Cristin Milioti as Maggie Mitchell, a woman who finds comfort in her doorman, played by Laurentiu Possa, after she learns she is pregnant. The inspiration for the gripping story came from writer Julie Margaret Hogben in 2015.

Hogben, who is now mom to a 12-year-old girl, told the NYT in a recent interview that her friendship with the doorman, Guzim, has carried over a decade later.

“Whenever I’m in town, I always peek in to see if he’s at the door,” she said.

As the story tells, Guzim and Hogben never entered in a romantic relationship. In fact, she hasn’t been in one since her daughter was born.

“My daughter will occasionally open up an account for me. Three months ago she opened up a Bumble account and uploaded seven of my pictures and wrote me a little profile,” she said.

In the show’s second episode, Deborah Copaken’s 2015 story about her own lost love was adapted with Catherine Keener, Dev Patel and Andy Garcia starring. Years later, Copaken told the NYT that she now only sees her former love’s life from afar on social media.

However, she has successfully found her own happiness. In September 2017, she went on a Bumble date and connected her new love Will, whom she had actually first met back in 2001 when he was a magazine editor and she was a writer.

Dev Patel and Catherine Keener

“That was two years ago,” she said. “We moved in together a year later. And I feel extremely lucky that I get this second chance at love.”

And Patel’s character is modeled after Justin McLeod, the founder of the dating app Hinge. He also got a happy ending: Inspired by his conversation with Cokapen, he flew to Europe to declare his love for college sweetheart Kate, who was engaged to another man. They are now married and expecting their first child.

The third episode, “Take Me As I Am, Whoever I Am,’ stars Anne Hathaway in the gripping story about a woman living with bipolar disorder, originally penned in 2008 by then-entertainment lawyer Terri Cheney.

Over a decade later, Cheney gave up law and pursued writing fulltime. “My book, ‘Manic,’ became a New York Times best seller and an L.A. Times best seller and was translated into eight foreign languages,” she told the NYT.

Anne Hathaway, Gary Carr

And as for her love life?

“When I decided to write again after I got out of the hospital, I was much healthier and I dated a lot and had a few long-term relationships,” Cheney said. “Right now I’d say I’m in love and I’m loved back. I don’t know necessarily if I’m in a relationship. I do love. I am in love. So that’s great.”

The NYT also caught up with Ann Leary, who inspired the fourth episode, “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” which stars Tina Fey and John Slattery. In her 2013 essay, Ann wrote about her marriage to actor husband Denis Leary that almost didn’t last.

Tina Fey and John Slattery

Seven years later, Ann confirmed to the NYT that the couple are still together (and do indeed still play tennis!). Plus, her celebrity husband gave her full permission to display their marital problems to the world.

“I had to run it by him,” she said. “And if he had said, ‘I don’t want that,’ I don’t think I would have published it. He was like, ‘It’s O.K. I think it’s good.’ “

Modern Love is streaming on Amazon Prime now.

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Lori Loughlin Charged With Conspiracy to Commit Bribery in College Admissions Scandal

Department of Justice files new charges against 11 parents

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Lori Loughlin was among 11 parents hit with new charges connected to the college admissions scandal.

The third indictment handed down by the federal grand jury on Tuesday said that 11 of the parents connected to the scandal “conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of the University of Southern California (USC) to facilitate their children’s admission,” according to the Department of Justice.

“In exchange for the bribes, employees of the university allegedly designated the defendants’ children as athletic recruits – with little or no regard for their athletic abilities – or as members of other favored admissions categories.”

“Today’s charges are the result of ongoing investigation in the nationwide college admissions case,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Welling said in a statement. “Our goal from the beginning has been to hold the defendants fully accountable for corrupting the college admissions process through cheating, bribery and fraud. The superseding indictments will further that effort.”

The charge of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery comes with a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, in addition to a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Other parents were also hit with additional charges of bribery and wire fraud.

The additional charges come after all of the parents, including Loughlin, were arrested in March 2019 and charged with conspiring with William “Rick” Singer and others to cheat their children’s way into elite colleges and universities.

According to the charging documents filed last month, Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

The couple pled not guilty to the charges earlier this year and have maintained their innocence in the months since.

One of the other parents involved, “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman, entered a guilty plea to one count of mail fraud and began her 14-day prison sentence last week.

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Singer Tom Grennan surprises shoppers by busking in the centre of Coventry for the National Lottery's 25th birthday

SINGER Tom Grennan gave shoppers in Coventry a real treat when he started busking in the city centre.

The rising star, 24, wowed shocked locals yesterday by singing hits including Found What I’ve Been Looking For, Praying, Sober and Something In The Water.

Fans looked on in awe as he belted out tune after tune in front of the city’s Lady Godiva monument.

His impromptu 17-minute long gig was to celebrate the National Lottery, who have helped invest over £2.2 billion into the performing arts over the last 25 years.

Tom was joined by local dancers from the East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network.

It was also supported by the Godiva Academy of Performing Arts, who performed at an event to announce Coventry as the City of Culture 2021 in March this year.


Tom said: “It is great to perform in Coventry, the City of Culture 2021, as part of the National Lottery 25th birthday celebrations.

“The £2.2 billion they have contributed to the performing arts has been instrumental in helping support UK talent and elevating important projects close to our hearts.

“Performing my song Found What I’ve Been Looking For, alongside Coventry’s leading performers, is a perfect way to showcase the variety of different projects that The National Lottery supports across the nation.”

Tom shot to fame last year, seeing out 2018 with a top-five debut album and a sold-out nationwide tour.

He also recently made it into the Guinness World Records Book for performing the highest number of concerts (10) in 12 hours.

The National Lottery has invested in nearly 30,000 projects to help develop a range of performance arts in England, spanning theatre, dance and music.

More than 44,000 theatre, dance and music projects that support the development of the performance arts sector in the UK, have been made possible thanks to National Lottery funding.

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