Some went through the stages of grief when word emerged that Beyoncé lip-synched "The Star Spangled Banner" at Monday's Presidential Inauguration. Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul and Saying Weird Things in Public from Time to Time (remember the Kathie Lee beef of 2012?), however, was tickled by the news and may emulate Beyoncé going forward. Or something. Franklin told ABCNews.com that she thought King Bey "did a beautiful job," adding (and here's the weird part):

But, when I heard the news this evening that she was pre-recorded I really laughed. I thought it was funny because the weather down there was about 46 or 44 degrees [ABC clarifies that it was around 40 degrees] and for most singers that is just not good singing weather...When I heard that I just really cracked up. I thought it was really funny, but she did a beautiful job with the pre-record...next time I'll probably do the same.

Franklin says that her performance of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the 2009 Inauguration, while imperfect, was live because, "I wanted to give people the real thing and pre-recording never crossed my mind." That makes it sound like Beyoncé introduced the concept of lip-synching to the formerly oblivious Franklin, except she admits to lipping the national anthem before a Pistons/Lakers finals game in 2004.

Lipping, not lipping, 46 degrees, 44 degrees, so what who cares? The sometimes-cranky Franklin had nothing but nice things to say about Monday's other performers. She enjoyed James Taylor. Kelly Clarkson was "magnificent." Beyoncé's allegedly pre-recorded voice was of reason:

...Having come face to face with 28, 22 degrees I am not surprised she pre-recorded. She wanted her performance to be what she wanted to be and she realized it wasn't going to be the way she wanted it to be or she was going to be running a risk. That's probably why she pre-recorded exactly how she wanted it to be heard.

Twenty-eight degrees, twenty-two degrees, so what who cares again? The queen has spoken. If she doesn't care about Beyoncé's lip-synching, why should anyone?

[ABC News]

[Image via Getty]