Broadway Actress Sparks Controversy for Reading National Anthem Lyrics from Phone

The opening day for the New York Yankees was supposed to be a celebration of baseball, but it didn’t take long for controversy to sneak onto the field—before the first pitch, no less. Betsy Wolfe, a Broadway actress known for her role in "Juliet," sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," but her performance sparked unexpected backlash.

Fans quickly noticed Wolfe referring to her phone while singing the anthem, presumably to read the lyrics. While some online comments praised her vocal talent, others criticized the move, labeling it as unprofessional. One fan even urged the Yankees to "do better" on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Ouch, that’s gotta sting.

Despite the anthem drama, the Yankees made history early in the game. Catcher Austin Wells smashed a solo homer as the lead-off batter, becoming the first catcher in MLB history to hit a lead-off home run on opening day. Talk about starting with a bang!

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for New York. In the ninth inning, closer Devin Williams faced a tense moment after allowing a Joey Ortiz single and an Isaac Collins double, which led to a run for the Brewers. Williams managed to strike out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich to clinch the Yankees’ 4-2 win, leaving fans relieved but undoubtedly breathless.

The Yankees will face the Brewers again on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Let’s hope the drama stays on the scoreboard next time.