Kristin Chenoweth is brushing it off after some critics panned her performance of the national anthem at Game 7 of the NBA finals which saw the Thunder beat the Pacers 91-103. The Broken Arrow, OK native delivered a theatrical rendition of the song that showcased her soaring Broadway-style vocals, before later celebrating the victory by exclaiming, “We did it!” on her Instagram Stories. Judge her performance for yourself in the video below, and then read on to find out what Chenoweth had to say to her doubters.
Kristin Chenoweth Shared Message About ‘Authenticity’ After Anthem Criticism
On June 23, 2025, the day after the divisive performance, Chenoweth to took her Instagram Stories to share two telling messages.
The first one simply read, “The price of authenticity is being disliked.”
Her next post said, “You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear. The 56-year-old credited Oscar Wilde for the quote.
Chenoweth proved her sunny mood wasn’t affected by the controversy by posting several lighthearted jokes both before and after appearing to react to her critics. One directed at her husband, 42-year-old guitarist Josh Bryant, read, “Please pray for my husband. Nothing is wrong with him. He’s just married to me and I am a lot.”
Bryant, who reposted the playful message on his own Stories, married Chenoweth in a September 2023 Texas ceremony, according to People.
The outlet says Chenoweth jokingly told them in 2020 that Bryant, 14 years her junior, helped her get her TikTok account up and running after she came around to the idea of being on the app.
Opinions Were Split On Kristin Chenoweth’s National Anthem Performance
Chenoweth’s performance was a subject of fierce debate in the YouTube comments of the viral moment, as some viewers panned her while others jumped to her defense.
One fan insisted, “Why are people complaining about this? This is a phenomenal performance. Going above and beyond, wow!”
Another said, “WHAT’S this about a controversy!? That was extraordinary! There’s is nothing close to wrong…except some people’s taste.”
The original controversy was sparked by people who were less impressed by the performance, such as one person who wrote, “When I saw ESPN posted this, I immediately had flashbacks to Fergie,” referencing the “Big Girls Don’t Cry” singer’s panned 2018 rendition at the NBA All-Star game.
Another complained, “Ugh! Apparently no one can sing our national anthem good anymore.”
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