DNC Showrunners Say Even Their Own Staff Believed Beyoncé Was Going to Make a Cameo — Despite Their Denials

Rumors were rampant during the entire stretch of this month’s Democratic National Convention that Beyoncé was set to make a surprise appearance and, perhaps, endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. It never materialized — and was never going to, according to the executive producer and director of the convention.

DNC executive producer Ricky Kirshner and director Glenn Weiss spoke to The Hollywood Reporter after the four-day event wrapped to get their impressions on the ratings-friendly event that yielded several viral moments. But the most viral of them all was the constant speculating about Beyoncé swooping in on the final night of the program for a surprise musical performance. However, despite a report from TMZ that confirmed the appearance (for which they apologized), there were never any plans that involved Queen Bey:

Q: Speaking of surprises…

Kirshner: (Laughs.) Oh no.

Q: I mean, I gotta. Beyoncé. Was it ever going to happen Thursday night? What actually went down here?

Kirshner: We never put out anything about Beyoncé. We denied it every time the media asked us — even though, by the way, people on my staff didn’t believe me. I kept getting texts from news organizations saying, “When is Beyoncé coming out?” But come on, we have the biggest star, the Democratic nominee for president. Why would we overshadow that?

Weiss: This is the internet taking on a life of its own and people taking something as fact — literally to the point that people in my booth are saying, “Is she coming? You can tell me.” And I would say, “I have no knowledge she’s coming.” And they would say, “No knowledge? So there’s something to know!” It was pretty crazy. But she wasn’t coming. In the end even TMZ [which first reported it] had to issue an apology.

Beyoncé did grant the Harris campaign express permission to use her single “Freedom” at campaign events and in ads, including Harris’s very first one as presidential candidate, and it was heard regularly throughout the DNC.

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