John Legend gets to be a part of this weekend’s Super Bowl activities, and it’s a big deal for the football fan. Legend, who grew up in Ohio, says he’s pulling for the Pittsburgh Steelers to down the Arizona Cardinals. He acknowledges that the Steelers are a big rival of his two home state teams — the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals — but he’s staying regional. During a press conference yesterday, Legend said, “Given the choice between Pittsburgh-Arizona, I lean towards Pittsburgh.” He says he never could have predicted Arizona making it to the big game. John will perform during a pre-game concert, that will start at 5:30 p-m on Sunday, just ahead of kickoff.
Legend isn’t alone in his support of the Steelers. President Obama let the nation know in no uncertain terms yesterday that he’ll be rooting for the Steelers on Sunday.
Jennifer Hudson will be making her first public performance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew when she sings the national anthem before the game. Country star Faith Hill, who will sing “American the Beautiful” before the anthem, commented yesterday that Hudson was “the perfect choice” for singing “The Star Spangled Banner.” Hill, for what it’s worth, is backing the Arizona Cardinals. –Glen Weisman
