Lady Gaga Performance Confirmed For President Obama's Staff Inaugural Ball

Proceeds from $10 tickets will go to charitable foundation...
UPDATE: CLICK HERE for the post about the Ball
Less than an hour before President Obama was scheduled to head to the Washington Convention Center at 9:00 PM on Tuesday for the Staff Inaugural Ball, Lady Gaga's performance was confirmed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee via a White House email to reporters.  But the superstar's media team had already started tweeting about her appearance, including posting the photo above of the piano Gaga will use to perform.  Gaga herself tweeted "#WhiteHausBall" at 7:15 PM.

"Tonight, the Presidential Inaugural Committee is hosting the Staff Ball, a tradition started by the President and First Lady at their 2009 Inaugural as a way to thank their staff and celebrate with them," read the White House email with background information on the party.

"Obama for America staff, White House/administration staff, and PIC staff were invited to attend tonight's ball and tickets were purchased at a price of $10. The guests attending tonight's event were just informed that Lady Gaga will perform at the Ball, in an email sent out by the PIC's Executive Director David Cusack. All proceeds from tonight's concert will go to the Alex Okrent Memorial Fund."

Gaga's performance was first tipped to The Hollywood Reporter and AP by an "inaugural source" earlier this week, but was not officially announced by organizers.

#whitehausball
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) January 23, 2013

Lady Gaga’s piano for tonight’s performance at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration Ball. #WhiteHausBall - twitter.com/TomyKMonster/s…
— Lady Gaga (@TomyKMonster) January 23, 2013

*Photo by @TomyKMonster, Admin of @GagaMediaDotNet.

Beyoncé's Inaugural Performance Creates More Drama For The White House

The megastar's inclusion in the inauguration had already outraged public health advocates...
Popstar Beyoncé is getting headlines around the globe today after it was confirmed that she lip-synced the National Anthem at Monday's swearing-in ceremony.  The superstar taking center stage at President Obama's second inaugural was already under fire from public health advocates, thanks to her being PepsiCo's global spokesman.  As she stood before a crowd of close to a million people packed onto the National Mall, Beyoncé seems to have moved her lips to her own pre-recorded version of the song, reported The Washingtonian.  The "President's Own" Marine Corps Band also faux-played their instruments while "accompanying."  A Marine Corps spokesman confirmed the faux instrument playing.  (Above, the story starred above the banner on Drudge Report today)

Beyoncé got a hug and kiss from the President after her performance, and a two-fisted cheer from First Lady Michelle Obama--and a big grin from Malia--as she squeezed by on the inaugural platform after the song was over (above).

The White House last week disabled a petition posted to the We the People site that called for Beyoncé to be "disinvited" from the inaugural ceremony thanks to her PepsiCo deal, saying the petition was a "violation of our Terms of Participation."  Posted by environmental and health activist Laurie David, the petition had 500 signatures when the White House ditched it.  Beyoncé's former work with the Let's Move! campaign has horrified public health advocates.

White House spokesman Shin Inouye told Obama Foodorama that the petition was removed not due to any controversy, but simply because Beyoncé's inaugural performance was "not something the White House actually has jurisdiction over."

"Since the Presidential Inaugural Committee is a whole separate entity that handles the inauguration...the White House doesn't control who is singing at the Inaugural ceremony," Inouye said.  

Or, apparently, who is lip-syncing.

*The screenshot at top is the featured headline on Drudge Report today.  Beyoncé photo by Obama Foodorama.