Political activist MAN-E recently sparked social media buzz by changing a single word of the National Anthem during his MLB game performance.
The Pittsburgh Pirates invited the local political activist to sing the national anthem before their game against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. During his performance, he may have used the opportunity to promote his political beliefs by altering the lyrics of the "Star-Spangled Banner."Instead of singing "and the rockets red glare," he sang "and the rockets blue glare."
Whether Man-E's antics were a slip-up or a sneaky tweak remains a mystery. Despite his radio silence since the pre-game show, the clues suggest he might've been dropping some not-so-subtle hints.
MAN-E's girlfriend is Allegheny County (PA) Councilmember Bethany Hallam, who shared the video of the lyric change on social media. Her X (formerly Twitter) bio states: "Formerly Incarcerated. Recovery. Abolitionist. Law student."
Unsurprisingly, many denizens of the internet were not too happy about the National Anthem "blue glare" moment.
"At the :50 mark. This is totally embarrassing and self-important. This guy --- Bethany Hallam's boyfriend --- sang the anthem last night at the Pirates game and changed the lyrics to "...and the rockets' blue glare ....,'" Colin Dunlap, a Pittsburg radio host, wrote.
At the :50 mark.
This is totally embarrassing and self-important.
This guy --- Bethany Hallam's boyfriend --- sang the anthem last night at the Pirates game and changed the lyrics to "...and the rockets' blue glare ...." https://t.co/p3IxbwQqfa— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) June 19, 2024
The Internet Weighs in on the "Blue" National Anthem Lyric Remix
Many folks on X seemed to agree with Dunlap's assessment.
"I wish that we had leaders that acted like leaders instead of leaders that act like attention-starved Tik Tok kids," one critic bemoaned. "For a party that constantly cries victimhood, you sure seem "privileged", another agreed.
"First of all the Political statement is, why is he singing the national anthem for the Pirates game? The National anthem is not a joke to the many of us who have carried flag draped coffins," another fan added. "I guess my bigger question is why is he singing at the Pirates game in the first place?" another fan agreed.
One listener was positive that the "blue glare' National Anthem lyric change was deliberate. "Every American knows the national anthem, it's what we're taught from the beginning of our lives. This ain't a mistake. You don't confuse red and blue when the words are on the screen and in your ear," they pointed out.
However, another fan noted that all the pearl-clutching might be a bit of overkill. "Thankfully it was a pirate's game so no one heard it," they quipped.
