Jamie Foxx defended his rendition of the national anthem at the Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao fight in an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Tuesday, saying his earpiece fell out and he could not hear the accompanying organ.
Foxx's Saturday night performance was savagely criticized on social media, but the actor told DeGeneres he felt song was well-accepted inside the arena.
"Some people were a little upset about how it went down," he said. "My inner ears came out. I'm singing with the organ and I can't hear what the organ is doing with the big crowd, so some of it was a little off, but I though . . . in the arena it killed. The telecast was a little off, but we still love America."
Foxx also appeared on "Access Hollywood" Tuesday, and said he did not learn about the firestorm his performance caused on social media until he searched the Internet after the fight. He said he was stunned by the response.
"I think, a little bit was just people wanted to have something to talk about," he said. "But everything's cool."
Thousands on social media, though, did not cut Foxx a break after he sang the national anthem.
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