The pop culture-filled Democratic National Convention ended in disappointment when a rumor that Beyoncé would appear before Vice President Kamala Harris never materialized.
For days, the discussion at the DNC was whether Queen Bey would crown Harris, after allowing the Democratic nominee to use her son Freedom in campaign ads and at rallies during the campaign.
Hours before Harris’s nomination speech, TMZ reported that Beyoncé He was actually the guest star, just for Rival outlet, Hollywood Reporter to say that a cameo was never in the cards, citing a spokesperson.
Beyoncé’s longtime publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, then republished The Hollywood Reporter’s account after ignoring multiple inquiries from media outlets including DailyMail.com.
It is not clear exactly how the rumor started, nor why cold water was never thrown on it.
The pop culture-filled Democratic National Convention ended in disappointment when a rumor that Beyoncé would appear before Vice President Kamala Harris never materialized.
A Republican spokesman for the House Ways and Means Committee, JP Freire, suggested that Democrats “duped” people into watching the Democratic National Convention with the Beyoncé buzz.
On the Internet, some people joked (while others charged more seriously) that Democrats used Beyoncé as bait to get Americans to tune in to their convention.
“Have you noticed how you were tricked into thinking there was a special guest and staying?” asked JP Freire, a Republican spokesman for the House Ways and Means Committee. “What do you think his approach will be on policy?”
One user posted a video clip of President Joe Biden attending the first night of the convention and then leaving for a vacation in California, commenting: “who started the Beyoncé as a special DNC guest rumor.”
“Who the hell does he think he is? Who does he think he is?” Biden roars.
Another X user posted a video of actor Kieran Culkin watching his computer go crazy.
“The guy who runs the DNC’s social media accounts, watching as speculation swirls about a surprise appearance by TayTay and Beyoncé while George W. Bush is backstage painting a watercolor of Kamala,” the post read.
Journalists joked that there was a special guest and the audience missed it.
“I can’t believe the special guest was Leon Panetta,” Puck News’ Peter Hamby wrote. “I’ll always remember where he was.”
Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report joked: “The special guests were the friends we made along the way…”
Before Beyoncé failed to perform, Republican Senator Mitt Romney joked that he wasn’t the Democrats’ special guest.
“Contrary to what the fake news reports say, I will not be the surprise guest at tonight’s Democratic National Convention,” Romney wrote in X. “I’m guessing it will be Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. How disappointing, I know!”