NBA Fans Roast Tony Award Winner's National Anthem at Thunder-Pacers Game 7

Tony Award Winner Kristin Chenoweth Sings a Sour Note with NBA Fans

The usually sweet-toned Kristin Chenoweth, Tony Award winner and Oklahoma native, struck a discordant chord with NBA fans when she belted out a warbled rendition of the national anthem before Game 7 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. The performance, broadcast live on ABC, was met with a chorus of boos, hisses, and scathing social media reviews.

Chenoweth, a self-proclaimed Thunder fanatic, donned her team's colors to deliver the iconic tune, which ended up being anything but patriotic. Her signature high note left some viewers cringing, prompting one ABC viewer to quip, "That was the worst national anthem I ever heard!" Another fan posted, "Geeze, these national anthem singers are getting worse every time!"

But Chenoweth's Thunder fandom is no secret. The Tony winner has been a die-hard OKC fan since the franchise's early years and has even confessed to liking other teams - like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks - as well. However, her devotion to the Thunder knows no bounds: she once spent three hours bedazzling a team hat and even dresses up her 8-year-old dog, named Thunder, in matching outfits.

The Tony Award-winning actress, who has won two other nominations for best leading actress in a musical and an Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series, has sung the national anthem at several Thunder games in the past. This latest performance was not her finest hour, with some fans labeling it "horrible" and "rough."

Despite the backlash, Chenoweth remains unapologetically dedicated to her beloved Thunder. When asked about her devotion, she exclaimed, "I never miss a game unless I'm on stage! I was a cheerleader in high school in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and I loved football, but my favorite is basketball. I like how much of a team player you've got to be, and this is my team!"

Chenoweth's passion for the Thunder extends beyond just attending games. She has also founded an arts and education fund called Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp, which aims to cultivate "young artistic expression by enriching children's lives through the power of education, entertainment, and experience."

This fall, Chenoweth will return to Broadway in the role of Jackie Siegel in 'The Queen of Versailles,' based on the news article just shown.