BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

Fergie's Star-Spangled Banner given a 'foul' at NBA All-Star Game

  • Published
    19 February 2018
Share page
About sharing
Singer Fergie on the basketball court of the NBA Al-Star Game in Los AngelesImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Fergie's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner prompted a huge amount of social media chatter

Sherie Ryder
BBC UGC and Social News

When celebrities are asked to sing the US national anthem, they are keen to make their rendition stand out.

At the NBA All-Star basketball game in Los Angeles, former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie Duhamel performed her unique version of The Star-Spangled Banner, generating a lot of reaction on social media, and not all of it good.

ESPN journalist Jemele Hill tweeted a clip from TNT's coverage of the event, external, pointing out even NBA player Draymond Green could not keep a straight face.

  • NBA All-Star Weekend: Slam dunks, superheroes and a shaky anthem

Memes were soon circulating, comparisons to previous singers were abound and #Fergie was trending on Twitter, with nearly 92,000 posts made overnight and thousands more on Instagram.

You might also like:

  • Saudi footballer in trouble for dabbing

  • Step up to the invisible box challenge

  • Australia rugby team same-sex marriage spat

Some thought she was trying to "Marilyn Monroe the Star-Spangled Banner, external," in reference to Monroe's public singing of 'Happy Birthday, Mr President', external to John F Kennedy.

Others claimed the performance made a "great argument for auto tune, external".

However, sportswriter Shea Serrano was a little more subtle in his criticism.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post by Shea Serrano

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post by Shea Serrano
Presentational white space

Fergie is not the first person to come under fire after a performance, with several people referring to Roseanne Barr's public rendition of the national anthem, external.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 2 by Heather Clark

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 2 by Heather Clark
Presentational white space

The comedian could not resist comparing her performance with Fergie's by tweeting, "I think mine was better lowkey".

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 3 by Roseanne Barr

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 3 by Roseanne Barr
Presentational white space

It's not just Roseanne and Fergie who have been slated for their singing of the anthem. Social media users have been recollecting athlete Carl Lewis' rendition, external at the NBA finals in 1993 and Steven Tyler's 2012 performance at the Super Bowl.

As one person pointed out, "you know it's bad" when the replies to the NBA tweet about Fergie's performance had more replies than retweets and likes combined.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 4 by DΛNIEL

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 4 by DΛNIEL
Presentational white space

However, some people came to the singer's defence, saying at least she did not forget the words or sing out of key.

Others pointed out many commenting using the term #Fergie "think they are vocal coaches."

And Lithuanian singer Simona Milinyte called for a bit of "respect", externalfor the artist, adding "it was just a bad day" for Fergie, external.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 5 by Simonna (Simona Milinyte)

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 5 by Simonna (Simona Milinyte)
Presentational white space

More on this story

  • Every NBA team now worth at least $1bn

    • Attribution
      Sport
    • Published
      8 February 2018
    Steph Curry

Around the BBC

  • Fergie - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music

  • Black Eyed Peas reunite for anti-violence song with all-star guests - BBC Newsbeat

Top stories

  • Live. 

    UK summons Russian ambassador after strikes on Kyiv kill at least 17

    • 11465 viewing11k viewing
  • Man arrested over racist abuse sent to Jess Carter

    • Published
      19 minutes ago
  • Electric cars eligible for £3,750 discount announced

    • Published
      1 hour ago

More to explore

  • Jacqueline Wilson on the 'easiest and hardest book I've ever written'

    Jacqueline Wilson
  • Teacher stabbed by girl 'could never' return to work

    Liz Hopkin looks directly at the camera. She wears round black lens reading glasses and has blue eyes and blonde hair with a fringe. She wears a blue paisley pattern top. A blurred living room lit up by a side table lamp can be seen behind her in the background.
  • Xi shows Trump who holds the cards as he sets up meeting with Kim and Putin

    Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the G20 leaders summit on June 28, 2019 in Osaka, Japan.
  • What we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

    People gather outdoors while holding candles at a vigil for the victims of the shooting,  at a local park at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening.
  • Taylor Swift's engagement ring, and the celebrity trend for big rocks

    Kelce's hand holding Swift's hand, and her ring, which is big and sparkly, is visible on her ring finger. She also wears a gold watch with diamonds.
  • How Tokyo is using AI video to prepare for a Mt Fuji eruption

    Split screen of BBC reporter Tessa Wong wearing red on the left and AI-generated eruption of Mount Fuji erupting
  • Has crime in Washington fallen two weeks on from Trump's crackdown?

    Donald Trump in a suit and a red tie backed by military personnel wearing fatigues.
  • A pregnant woman's diary of escape from war zone: 'I prayed the baby wouldn't come'

    A Sudanese flag flying on a vehicle (not seen) mounted by a gun manned by RSF soldiers.
  • 'Our hot homes are making our children sick'

    A nine year old girl wearing a black print t-shirt stands beside her mother who is wearing a long sleeved green t-shirt
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    Electric cars eligible for £3,750 discount announced

  2. 2

    Reform council boss bans local newspaper's reporters

  3. 3

    'My friend got hit in the back': Witnesses describe terror of US school shooting

  4. 4

    Woman says Zou raped her hours before other attack

  5. 5

    Starmer to replace third top aide in less than a year

  6. 6

    Epping hotel case could set precedent, court told

  7. 7

    Fired CDC director says RFK 'weaponising public health' as more leaders quit agency

  8. 8

    Teacher stabbed by girl 'could never' return to work

  9. 9

    A charity is giving people money to stop homelessness - and it says it's working

  10. 10

    Newly married MPs celebrate 'beautiful' wedding

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

Best of the BBC

  • The ups and downs of a 30-year marriage

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Marriage
  • Bewitching drama from Anne Rice

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Mayfair Witches
  • Lies, forgeries and fraud worth $86 million

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    The Great Art Fraud
  • A celebration of Britain's finest composers

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Great British Classics at the Proms
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.