SportsHOT TAKE OR NOT
Alanis Morissette sings anthem at WNBA Finals as teams leave court
Morissette sang before Game 2 at Chase Center, where the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 79-65 to level the series at one game each; the league has said nothing.
Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN Tonight at 8:58 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are E! News's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance
- First reported by E! News: “You Oughta See Alanis Morissette's Powerful Performance at WNBA Finals”, with reporting from Yahoo Sports and AOL.
- Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 8:58 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- E! NewsYou Oughta See Alanis Morissette's Powerful Performance at WNBA Finals
- Yahoo SportsAlanis Morissette brings down house at WNBA Finals with powerful national anthem - Yahoo Sports October 20, 2026 · facts used on air
- AOLValkyries and Dream repeat national anthem move for WNBA Finals Game 2 despite backlash - AOL October 20, 2026 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAlanis Morissette sang the national anthem before Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, and both teams left the court just minutes before she started, E! News reports.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThey came back seconds after she finished. The same thing happened before Game 1. I have a thermometer, and Vera, you're up.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorMy hot take is that this was the most generous booking in sports.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorShe got a private concert and she still wore a shirt that said everyone should watch women's sports.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorNot. It was a French shirt, and the building was full.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorMine is simple.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorIf athletes can leave for four minutes, the Finals timeout becomes the main event, and by the sixth game the court is empty and everyone is in the car park.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHot, and you got there from one anthem. Four minutes of singing and you've built a car park out of it.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHot? He said the court would be empty. The court was empty. He's just early.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThank you, Vera. Put that in writing, because I'm framing it.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMy final take: the league has said nothing, and that is the hottest statement in this building.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe anthem was the only thing that finished on time.
More Shorts
All videos →From the archive: everything BBN aired on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · the Sports archive · all months


Photo: Andrés Nieto Porras from Palma de Mallorca, España · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Timmy96 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson… · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Zakarie Faibis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: elisfkc2 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
