I love the United States of America. Sure we’ve got our problems. But compared to every other nation in the world, I’m dad-gum proud to be an American.

I also love our National Anthem. The wife gets all teary when she hears it performed well. And we both can not stand it when someone gets all Marvin Gay, trying to show off their “talent” singing The Anthem before a sporting event.

Look, if you think you need to add words, repeat phrases, or throw in a bunch of extra key changes to show off, don’t. All you’re doing is making yourself look like a total boob by sacrificing a gem of patriotic pride on the alter of your self-interested non-career. I think they should tell the performer before hand, “We’re turning off the mic after 90 seconds. You go longer than that and we’ll spare our audience your screeching final stanza.”

Case in point, this “Pop Sensation” (pfft, yeah right) before a Cowboys game. You can tell it’s going to be bad when she starts off with some head bobbles and pointless pointing. But hang on ’til the end, if you can stand it that long. (Over two minutes!!) The real music in this clip is the melodic calls of the boo birds at the end.

Well, at least she got all the words right.