Beyoncé mimed Barack Obama inauguration Star-Spangled Banner rendition Beyonce's New York publicist did not reply for a request for comment by The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, as the story exploded onto social media networks, including Facebook and Twitter, with some fans expressing dismay that the performance was pre-recorded. Many observed that at one point during the performance Beyoncé had dramatically pulled out her earpiece, sparking a debate over whether this was part of the charade or - for the faithful - evidence that she had indeed decided to sing live after all. While some cried "fraud," others took a more knowing approach, pointing out that Beyoncé had posted a photograph of herself in a recording studio with members of the Marine Corps band taken the day before the inauguration. It was also recalled that during Mr Obama's first inauguration in 2009, cold weather and wind meant that recordings were used for performances by the cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman. For Conservatives, it was a chance to score political points, with the influential Drudge Report website, devoting half of its front page to a picture of Beyoncé with Barack Obama beneath the words: "Faked It!" "This clearly means that President Obama is not really president anymore," joked one liberal commentator on Twitter, poking fun at Conservative outrage, "First scandal of a second term?," asked another.