Jennifer Hudson Has Not Been Invited To Perform At Inauguration, Obama Camp Says

'An inauguration committee hasn't even been formed yet,' president-elect's transition official says.

By Gil Kaufman

For the second time this week, a spokesperson for President-elect Barack Obama has had to shoot down a rumor that had nothing to do with cabinet appointments or pressing issues, such as, say, the continuing economic collapse.

On Thursday (November 13), Obama transition official Nick Shapiro denied the rumor that Obama's camp had reached out to fellow Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson to perform at the January 20 inauguration. This is just days after the Obama team told MTV that no official offer has gone out to first daughters Malia and Sasha to appear on the "Hannah Montana" show.

"An inauguration committee hasn't even been formed yet," Shapiro said, adding that it was too early to speculate on who may play the event.

The invitation would make sense, given that Obama has often expressed his love for the kind of classic R&B with which Hudson has made her name and that the Oscar-winning singer/actress is from the South Side of Chicago, not far from Obama's home base. But nobody has been asked to perform just yet, and Hudson has been in virtual seclusion for the past several weeks since the murders of her mother, brother and young nephew last month.

Even though no offers have gone out, that hasn't stopped other artists, such as Beyoncé, from offering their services. B recently said she'd love to sing in honor of the nation's first black president.

The inauguration and attendant inaugural balls always feature a wide variety of performers. In 2005, for president Bush's second inauguration, the acts saluting the president ranged from JoJo, Hilary Duff, Ruben Studdard and 3 Doors Down to Kenny Chesney. In 2001, the lineup included fellow Texans ZZ Top, Lyle Lovett and Clint Black, as well as Van Morrison, Ricky Martin and Destiny's Child.