L.A. poet Amanda Gorman feels the Twitter love after inauguration performance
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As President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took their oaths of office Wednesday, celebrities on Twitter cheered on the historic moment — particularly the jaw-dropping performance by L.A. poet Amanda Gorman — during a diverse inauguration ceremony.
While history was being made several times over during the inauguration, Hollywood hailed the new madam vice president, breathed a sigh of relief over the departure of former President Trump and gave shoutouts to performers Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks, as well as Gorman, the ceremony's breakout star.
"With her strong and poignant words, @TheAmandaGorman reminds us of the power we each hold in upholding our democracy," tweeted Michelle Obama, one of many praising the 22-year-old poet's shining moment.
With her strong and poignant words, @TheAmandaGorman reminds us of the power we each hold in upholding our democracy. Keep shining, Amanda! I can't wait to see what you do next. 💕 #BlackGirlMagic
Photo credit: Rob Carr pic.twitter.com/C2cf0U5iEj— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) January 20, 2021
I have never been prouder to see another young woman rise! Brava Brava, @TheAmandaGorman! Maya Angelou is cheering—and so am I. pic.twitter.com/I5HLE0qbPs
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) January 20, 2021
Amanda Gorman’s message serves as an inspiration to us all. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/7zkyDoFHaQ
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) January 20, 2021
How it started How it's going pic.twitter.com/xnYhDUzomG
— L.A. Public Library (@LAPublicLibrary) January 20, 2021
Extraordinary. @TheAmandaGorman
— dan levy (@danjlevy) January 20, 2021
Wonderful https://t.co/vAoqvI8xhE
— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 20, 2021
Gorman responded to the outpouring of online love with a salute to "the women whose footsteps I dance in," she tweeted not longer after her performance, mentioning fellow inaugural poet Maya Angelou.
Thank you! I would be nowhere without the women whose footsteps I dance in. While reciting my poem, I wore a ring with a caged bird—a gift from @Oprah for the occasion , to symbolize Maya Angelou, a previous inaugural poet. Here’s to the women who have climbed my hills before. https://t.co/5Tegd20sko
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) January 20, 2021
And then there was the overall happiness about the change in leadership.
THANK GOD!! Our long national nightmare....well, you know the rest! God bless #joeandkamala and God bless America.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) January 20, 2021
It matters. Happy Inauguration everyone. pic.twitter.com/eGZWpQAWoh
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) January 20, 2021
I love the smell of democracy in the morning.
— ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) January 20, 2021
Damn, listen to all these complete sentences and empathy.
— Chris Redd (@Reddsaidit) January 20, 2021
Big day for complete sentences.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) January 20, 2021
Trump is just an old rich guy from New York retiring in Florida.
How basic. #InaugurationDay— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) January 20, 2021
hello @joebiden I have been blocked by the president for four years can I get a follow plz
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) January 20, 2021
Thank you, Stacey, for all that you have done to make this day a reality. Deeply inspired by you.
— Edward Norton (@EdwardNorton) January 20, 2021
Commentary also ran wild about the involvement of pop stars Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez as the entertainers certainly brought their personalities and agendas to the U.S. Capitol.
Gaga surprised many when the Capitol doors opened and she descended to the lectern wearing another show-stopping look. This time, a voluminous custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture jacket and red skirt, accessorized with a massive gilded dove of peace brooch.
She also used a golden microphone to sing the national anthem in a performance that The Times' Mikael Wood said "brought a welcome — and moving — splash of razzmatazz" to the proceedings.
Gaga > Maga pic.twitter.com/XsVGhfPXYt
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 20, 2021
Gaga coming thru with that TRAIIIINNNIIINNNGGGG!!! https://t.co/fMvkzes6oY
— Skylar Astin (@SkylarAstin) January 20, 2021
lady gaga is a wonderful american
— tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) January 20, 2021
So, @JLo and @ladygaga are running the country now? I’m confused.... 👀
— Bianca Del Rio (@TheBiancaDelRio) January 20, 2021
Lopez dressed in suffragist white, wearing head-to-toe Chanel. But unlike with Gaga, Twitter was taken by the flourishes she added to her recital of "America the Beautiful," slipping into Spanish to deliver a message of unity to Latinx people and referencing her own hit "Let's Get Loud."
I need to know if the Biden team was aware that JLO would work in "let's get loud"....
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 20, 2021
I waiting fir the remix damnit! pic.twitter.com/OvTTc0t97i
— Leslie Jones 🦋 (@Lesdoggg) January 20, 2021
My cat when JLo broke into “Let’s get Loud” 😂 pic.twitter.com/HemrhcnFGU
— Sarah Kaplan (@sarahkaplan48) January 20, 2021
"this land is your land, this land is my land from Brazil, Morocco, London to Ibiza, straight to LA, New York, Vegas to Africa" 🎶 pic.twitter.com/48FQiZn5If
— The $2000 (@ericschmerick) January 20, 2021
Read on for more reactions to Wednesday's inaugural festivities.
Michelle Obama is never NOT a vision. Stunning. Every time.
— lalah hathaway (@lalahhathaway) January 20, 2021
I’m loving Amy Klobuchar as Biden’s Ryan Seacrest
— Cam (@cameron_kasky) January 20, 2021
Amanda Gorman. GOD BLESS YOU! #HOPE
— Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) January 20, 2021
THIS is the split screen I wanted. @MichelleObama gave those other folks the low bun. She SERVED up layers, highlights and the flip heard around the world for @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris! ✊🏾❤️#BidenHarrisInauguration https://t.co/uj7kFhc5NU
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) January 20, 2021
I was saying the string arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner (done by Rickey Minor in 91) was very similar to that of Gaga’s today. Both great performances!
— Charlie Puth (@charlieputh) January 20, 2021
DID YOU KNOW...@KamalaHarris took her oath of office on Thurgood Marshall's Bible? She did so to honor her personal hero. Share your thoughts with us using the tag #HU2WH.
— Howard University (@HowardU) January 20, 2021
#JoeBiden’s finest hour. So moving, and so hopeful. It’s good to able to breathe again. Welcome home, #America!
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) January 20, 2021
Sooooo much work to do. But TODAY I want to celebrate. And pray. And revel in our tremendous power (even against all odds) to make history happen.
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) January 20, 2021
Honored to witness history today. May God bless @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris as they take on the work of healing our nation. May we all fulfill our duty as citizens to help our country and our fellow Americans through the challenges ahead. pic.twitter.com/dooSLnFePe
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 20, 2021
BREAKING: President Trump had pardoned Thanos. pic.twitter.com/JNXzvJzpuT
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 20, 2021
— Mike Leffingwell (@mikeleffingwell) January 20, 2021
Today is just the best day ever. Like, in the history of Ever.
— O M (@oliviamunn) January 20, 2021
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.