Internet Reacts to False Speculation, Leaves Users Devastated

The internet collectively sighed in disappointment recently, as Yvette Noel-Schure, Beyoncé’s publicist, debunked rumors about the 32-time Grammy winner performing at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Noel-Schure clarified Beyoncé’s whereabouts, stating, “At home watching and anticipating the VP’s historic speech. Focus on the win and register to vote. Do not report rumors. FOCUS.”

This statement addressed the widespread speculation that the Renaissance star would make an appearance at the four-day event. The buzz began with a TMZ report suggesting Beyoncé would perform on the final night of the DNC, and it spread swiftly across social media platforms.

Verified X/Twitter accounts with large followings further fueled the rumor, causing even Democratic party organizers and Chicago government officials to prepare for a potential Beyoncé performance.

“It’s been crazy,” a source shared with Rolling Stone. “People running the show and working here obviously will prepare for Beyoncépalooza… We just keep being told ‘I don’t know’ when this comes up. It has come up frequently.”

As the reality that Beyoncé wouldn’t be attending sunk in, the internet, particularly the Beyhive, reacted with a flood of memes and posts expressing their disappointment.

TV writer Ben Siemon humorously commented, “Has TMZ ever been this wrong before? This is a total failure of American intelligence. A special counsel needs to be assigned.” Adam Smith, vice president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, joked, “It’s time to subpoena TMZ.”

Has TMZ ever been this wrong before? This is a total failure of American intelligence.
A special counsel needs to be assigned.

— Ben Siemon (@BenjaminJS)
August 23, 2024

Beyoncé fan accounts echoed this disappointment, with Beyoncé Press. posting a list of events where Beyoncé was not expected to appear.

Beyoncé at the closing ceremony — ❌
Beyoncé at the DNC event — ❌
Beyoncé at the VMAs — PENDING
Beyoncé at my birthday party — PENDING

pic.twitter.com/I0frqduldd

— Beyoncé Press. (@beyoncepress)
August 23, 2024

Despite the absence of Beyoncé, the DNC was not devoid of star power. Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Sheila E performed on Wednesday night, and there was a surprise appearance by Lil Jon during the delegation roll call for Georgia.

The Chicks closed out the convention with the National Anthem, and Pink, alongside her daughter Willow Sage, delivered an emotional rendition of “What About Us.”

Beyoncé has shown her support for Kamala Harris, allowing her song “Freedom” to be the Harris-Walz campaign’s unofficial anthem. Harris’s team even debuted a campaign ad featuring the track earlier in the week.

Since launching her presidential campaign, Harris has consistently used “Freedom” with Beyoncé’s blessing. Notably, Harris walked out to the podium to the tune of “Freedom” during her first public appearance after securing Biden’s endorsement.

Beyoncé has long been a supportive Democrat. Before the 2020 Election, she shared a photo of herself in a Biden-Harris face mask, urging her followers to vote. Her support for voter protections was evident as she backed her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, in efforts to safeguard voting rights that year.

In 2016, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z joined forces with Hillary Clinton for a voter mobilization concert in Ohio, where Chance the Rapper, Big Sean, and J. Cole also performed.

“There was a time when a woman’s opinion did not matter,” Beyoncé said during that election. “If you were Black, white, Mexican, Asian, Muslim, educated, poor or rich; if you were a woman, it did not matter… Less than 100 years ago, women did not have the right to vote. Look how far we’ve come… We are on the brink of making history again by electing the first woman president.”

In the 2012 election, Beyoncé expressed her support for President Barack Obama’s re-election through a handwritten note on her website, praising him as “the leader to take us from where we are to where we need to be.”