We've all been there – maybe not in front of thousands of fans at a Major League Baseball game, but we've all had that moment where our brains just… err.
Because Hamilton star Christopher Jacksonthat moment came on national television.
The Tony Award nominee takes the microphone before the opening night game for the New York Mets on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Citi Field. All was well until he reached the fourth line of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Instead of singing “O'er the rapparts we watched,” Jackson repeats “What so proudly we hailed” from the beginning of the song. If you haven't seen the clip yet, TMZ shared the video on X and quickly changed it.
Here's the thing, though – Jackson recovered almost immediately. He returned to the path of “spreading wisely,” not allowing a register of stumbles.
Blink and you might miss it. Almost.
Social media reacts to Christopher Jackson's flub
The internet, naturally, had thoughts. But here's where the story becomes a good thing: the reaction was more admiration than derision.
“I'm driven like a professional! I respect someone who makes a mistake and moves on without missing a beat,” wrote one X user.
Some couldn't resist connecting the flub to the Mets' recent history of heartbreak. The team had the best record in the major leagues as recently as June 13 of last season before falling and missing last season.
So, yes, the comics write themselves.
“You just cursed the entire 2026 Mets season,” wrote another X user.
Mets fans know the pain. They couldn't let a perverted song go without turning it into a prophecy of doom.
Despite the so-called “curse,” the Mets went on to win 11-7. So maybe the hit song was really lucky? Mets fans will take anything they can get at this point.
Christopher Jackson Answered Like an Absolute Pro
After the game, Jackson spoke directly to TMZ, and honestly, his response was the definition of grace under pressure.
“I've had the privilege of singing the National Anthem many times in stadiums across the country. Today was a great Opening Day and it was great to be there!” he said as he left.
He described singing the national anthem as “a unique and challenging experience.”
“Today it was 5 seconds … and one line got out of me,” he added. “I'm human. But I wouldn't hesitate to step up to the microphone and pay tribute to those we honor with a song. I'm grateful to the Mets and MLB for allowing me to be a small part of the day.”
Christopher Jackson is no stranger to the Big Stages
For those who only know him from this viral clip, Jackson has important information. He was nominated for a Tony Award for the play George Washington in a Broadway musical Hamilton.
He also played Benny in the Lin-Manuel Miranda's At the height and made his Broadway debut in 1997 in The King is the King. He even played Derek Jeter in a Broadway show The Bronx Bomberswhich lasted less than a month.
And this is not something that rarely comes out depending on the song either. Jackson sang the song without fail at a New York Knicks game last week, according to the Toronto Sun.
He also did it before the NFL playoff game between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams in January, via People.
YouTube We've all been distracted at work — it's not always in front of 20,000 people. Singer Liceli was in the middle of a perfectly acceptable performance of the Star Spangled Banner before Thursday night's game between the New York Knicks and the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden when an unruly heckler grabbed her. […]
One out of “countless” performance? In fact, those are strong odds. The internet had its fun, Jackson handled it with class and the Mets got their W. Everyone wins.
