Bucking tradition once again, President Trump on Wednesday announced his picks for Kennedy Center Honors and said he will host the ceremony himself — a first for any president. Actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, glam-rock band KISS, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait and English actor and comedian Michael Crawford made the list.
The Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize lifetime achievement in the performing arts, have been given annually since 1978 and are the highlight of the center’s season each December. The award is considered a career milestone for the performers who receive it. Past honorees include Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Lucille Ball, James Brown, Mel Brooks, Paul McCartney and Meryl Streep, among others.
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“I want to congratulate all the nominees. They’re unbelievable people, and we’re going to have a tremendous day in December,” Trump said in a rambling news conference that began with him unveiling five velvet-draped portraits. He went on to mention his recent deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., his contention that the 2020 election was stolen, his disdain for Democrats and his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The usual suspects and some unexpected choices
Some culture watchers might be surprised by Trump’s choices, particularly that of KISS. Trump fired bassist Gene Simmons during the first season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Simmons went on to support Trump during his first term, but later spoke out sharply against him in an interview with Spin magazine.
Gaynor was also unexpected. The disco queen is best known for her fierce anthem of female empowerment, “I Will Survive,” which has become an LGBTQ+ anthem over the years. When Trump initially decided to take over the Kennedy Center, he criticized drag performers, writing on Truth Social, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
Stallone, however, made sense. He’s one of the actors, alongside Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, whom Trump named as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. His goal: to bring the film industry back to Hollywood, “which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries.”
During the news conference Trump said he decided to host the ceremony at the encouragement of his staff. He called Stallone a friend and also said he was a big fan of Crawford’s work as the titular character in “The Phantom of the Opera,” a role Crawford took on in the late 1980s and for which he won both a Tony and an Olivier Award.
A heavy-handed approach
Trump said he was “98% involved” in the selection of the honorees, which is also highly unusual. In typical years recipients are suggested, vetted and ultimately chosen during a process that can take months and involves input from the center’s board as well as past honorees and even the general public.
“I turned down plenty. They were too woke, I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump said. “This is very different than it used to be; these are great people.”
He also said he didn’t want to politicize the honors because the Academy Awards got too political and it “went down the tubes.”
“It gets lousy ratings,” Trump said of the Oscars. “All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore.”
Trump’s decision to take an outsize role in the honors has already caused waves. Done+Dusted, the production company that produced that last few ceremonies as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, has decided not to produce this year’s show. And two key leaders involved with the honors have resigned: Matthew Winer, the center’s internal executive producer of the honors, and producer and honoree manager Emeline Carlisle.
Radical change at the Kennedy Center
Trump’s announcement, including his unusual decision to host, capped a tumultuous seven months at the Kennedy Center, beginning in early February when Trump sent the arts world reeling by revealing his intention to appoint himself chairman of the board and terminate members of the board of trustees “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Trump named a former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim executive director and the center began losing marquee names, including TV producer Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds and opera star Renée Fleming.
The touring production of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” also decided to no longer perform at the center, with creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda issuing a statement that read in part, “The Kennedy Center has long been an artistic center historically devoid of a political point of view, with programming agnostic to the policy shifts of the times. At its heart, ‘Hamilton’ celebrates American diversity. The recent shift in the Kennedy Center’s ideology and board leadership has made it untenable for a production like ‘Hamilton’ to celebrate and be celebrated there today.”
Trump’s takeover of the center came after he actively shunned it during his first term. In 2017, he and First Lady Melania Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors after being criticized by honorees, marking only the fourth time in the organization’s history that a president was not in attendance.
During his first visit to the center as chairman in March, Trump said he didn’t like the musical “Hamilton,” adding that big Broadway shows were going to be the future of the center. He soon attended a performance of “Les Misérables,” famously declining to say whether he identified more with protagonist Jean Valjean or cruel police inspector Javert.
Changing the face of arts and culture in America
The Kennedy Center has emerged as a cornerstone in Trump’s ambitions to alter the landscape of art and culture in America. His efforts include ensuring that the Smithsonian Institution and its many museums excise any programs involving diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump’s controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law in July, earmarked $257 million for the Kennedy Center — more than six times its annual allotment from Congress. Then there is the matter of the center’s name, which has become a focus for Trump and Republicans who’ve been vocal about wanting to change it to “Trump.”
Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee approved an extra $32 million for the center, but stipulated that the funds would only be forthcoming if the Kennedy Center’s opera house is renamed for Melania Trump. The House then introduced another bill that would rename the Kennedy Center the “Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts.” It remains unclear if such renaming would be legally permissible under the rules established when the center was first opened in 1971.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors will take place Dec. 7 and will later be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
Bucking tradition once again, President Trump on Wednesday announced his picks for Kennedy Center Honors and said he will host the ceremony himself — a first for any president. Actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, glam-rock band KISS, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait and English actor and comedian Michael Crawford made the list.
The Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize lifetime achievement in the performing arts, have been given annually since 1978 and are the highlight of the center’s season each December. The award is considered a career milestone for the performers who receive it. Past honorees include Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Lucille Ball, James Brown, Mel Brooks, Paul McCartney and Meryl Streep, among others.
-
Share via
“I want to congratulate all the nominees. They’re unbelievable people, and we’re going to have a tremendous day in December,” Trump said in a rambling news conference that began with him unveiling five velvet-draped portraits. He went on to mention his recent deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., his contention that the 2020 election was stolen, his disdain for Democrats and his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The usual suspects and some unexpected choices
Some culture watchers might be surprised by Trump’s choices, particularly that of KISS. Trump fired bassist Gene Simmons during the first season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Simmons went on to support Trump during his first term, but later spoke out sharply against him in an interview with Spin magazine.
Gaynor was also unexpected. The disco queen is best known for her fierce anthem of female empowerment, “I Will Survive,” which has become an LGBTQ+ anthem over the years. When Trump initially decided to take over the Kennedy Center, he criticized drag performers, writing on Truth Social, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
Stallone, however, made sense. He’s one of the actors, alongside Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, whom Trump named as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. His goal: to bring the film industry back to Hollywood, “which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries.”
During the news conference Trump said he decided to host the ceremony at the encouragement of his staff. He called Stallone a friend and also said he was a big fan of Crawford’s work as the titular character in “The Phantom of the Opera,” a role Crawford took on in the late 1980s and for which he won both a Tony and an Olivier Award.
A heavy-handed approach
Trump said he was “98% involved” in the selection of the honorees, which is also highly unusual. In typical years recipients are suggested, vetted and ultimately chosen during a process that can take months and involves input from the center’s board as well as past honorees and even the general public.
“I turned down plenty. They were too woke, I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump said. “This is very different than it used to be; these are great people.”
He also said he didn’t want to politicize the honors because the Academy Awards got too political and it “went down the tubes.”
“It gets lousy ratings,” Trump said of the Oscars. “All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore.”
Trump’s decision to take an outsize role in the honors has already caused waves. Done+Dusted, the production company that produced that last few ceremonies as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, has decided not to produce this year’s show. And two key leaders involved with the honors have resigned: Matthew Winer, the center’s internal executive producer of the honors, and producer and honoree manager Emeline Carlisle.
Radical change at the Kennedy Center
Trump’s announcement, including his unusual decision to host, capped a tumultuous seven months at the Kennedy Center, beginning in early February when Trump sent the arts world reeling by revealing his intention to appoint himself chairman of the board and terminate members of the board of trustees “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Trump named a former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim executive director and the center began losing marquee names, including TV producer Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds and opera star Renée Fleming.
The touring production of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” also decided to no longer perform at the center, with creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda issuing a statement that read in part, “The Kennedy Center has long been an artistic center historically devoid of a political point of view, with programming agnostic to the policy shifts of the times. At its heart, ‘Hamilton’ celebrates American diversity. The recent shift in the Kennedy Center’s ideology and board leadership has made it untenable for a production like ‘Hamilton’ to celebrate and be celebrated there today.”
Trump’s takeover of the center came after he actively shunned it during his first term. In 2017, he and First Lady Melania Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors after being criticized by honorees, marking only the fourth time in the organization’s history that a president was not in attendance.
During his first visit to the center as chairman in March, Trump said he didn’t like the musical “Hamilton,” adding that big Broadway shows were going to be the future of the center. He soon attended a performance of “Les Misérables,” famously declining to say whether he identified more with protagonist Jean Valjean or cruel police inspector Javert.
Changing the face of arts and culture in America
The Kennedy Center has emerged as a cornerstone in Trump’s ambitions to alter the landscape of art and culture in America. His efforts include ensuring that the Smithsonian Institution and its many museums excise any programs involving diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump’s controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law in July, earmarked $257 million for the Kennedy Center — more than six times its annual allotment from Congress. Then there is the matter of the center’s name, which has become a focus for Trump and Republicans who’ve been vocal about wanting to change it to “Trump.”
Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee approved an extra $32 million for the center, but stipulated that the funds would only be forthcoming if the Kennedy Center’s opera house is renamed for Melania Trump. The House then introduced another bill that would rename the Kennedy Center the “Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts.” It remains unclear if such renaming would be legally permissible under the rules established when the center was first opened in 1971.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors will take place Dec. 7 and will later be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
Bucking tradition once again, President Trump on Wednesday announced his picks for Kennedy Center Honors and said he will host the ceremony himself — a first for any president. Actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, glam-rock band KISS, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait and English actor and comedian Michael Crawford made the list.
The Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize lifetime achievement in the performing arts, have been given annually since 1978 and are the highlight of the center’s season each December. The award is considered a career milestone for the performers who receive it. Past honorees include Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Lucille Ball, James Brown, Mel Brooks, Paul McCartney and Meryl Streep, among others.
-
Share via
“I want to congratulate all the nominees. They’re unbelievable people, and we’re going to have a tremendous day in December,” Trump said in a rambling news conference that began with him unveiling five velvet-draped portraits. He went on to mention his recent deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., his contention that the 2020 election was stolen, his disdain for Democrats and his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The usual suspects and some unexpected choices
Some culture watchers might be surprised by Trump’s choices, particularly that of KISS. Trump fired bassist Gene Simmons during the first season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Simmons went on to support Trump during his first term, but later spoke out sharply against him in an interview with Spin magazine.
Gaynor was also unexpected. The disco queen is best known for her fierce anthem of female empowerment, “I Will Survive,” which has become an LGBTQ+ anthem over the years. When Trump initially decided to take over the Kennedy Center, he criticized drag performers, writing on Truth Social, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
Stallone, however, made sense. He’s one of the actors, alongside Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, whom Trump named as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. His goal: to bring the film industry back to Hollywood, “which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries.”
During the news conference Trump said he decided to host the ceremony at the encouragement of his staff. He called Stallone a friend and also said he was a big fan of Crawford’s work as the titular character in “The Phantom of the Opera,” a role Crawford took on in the late 1980s and for which he won both a Tony and an Olivier Award.
A heavy-handed approach
Trump said he was “98% involved” in the selection of the honorees, which is also highly unusual. In typical years recipients are suggested, vetted and ultimately chosen during a process that can take months and involves input from the center’s board as well as past honorees and even the general public.
“I turned down plenty. They were too woke, I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump said. “This is very different than it used to be; these are great people.”
He also said he didn’t want to politicize the honors because the Academy Awards got too political and it “went down the tubes.”
“It gets lousy ratings,” Trump said of the Oscars. “All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore.”
Trump’s decision to take an outsize role in the honors has already caused waves. Done+Dusted, the production company that produced that last few ceremonies as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, has decided not to produce this year’s show. And two key leaders involved with the honors have resigned: Matthew Winer, the center’s internal executive producer of the honors, and producer and honoree manager Emeline Carlisle.
Radical change at the Kennedy Center
Trump’s announcement, including his unusual decision to host, capped a tumultuous seven months at the Kennedy Center, beginning in early February when Trump sent the arts world reeling by revealing his intention to appoint himself chairman of the board and terminate members of the board of trustees “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Trump named a former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim executive director and the center began losing marquee names, including TV producer Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds and opera star Renée Fleming.
The touring production of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” also decided to no longer perform at the center, with creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda issuing a statement that read in part, “The Kennedy Center has long been an artistic center historically devoid of a political point of view, with programming agnostic to the policy shifts of the times. At its heart, ‘Hamilton’ celebrates American diversity. The recent shift in the Kennedy Center’s ideology and board leadership has made it untenable for a production like ‘Hamilton’ to celebrate and be celebrated there today.”
Trump’s takeover of the center came after he actively shunned it during his first term. In 2017, he and First Lady Melania Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors after being criticized by honorees, marking only the fourth time in the organization’s history that a president was not in attendance.
During his first visit to the center as chairman in March, Trump said he didn’t like the musical “Hamilton,” adding that big Broadway shows were going to be the future of the center. He soon attended a performance of “Les Misérables,” famously declining to say whether he identified more with protagonist Jean Valjean or cruel police inspector Javert.
Changing the face of arts and culture in America
The Kennedy Center has emerged as a cornerstone in Trump’s ambitions to alter the landscape of art and culture in America. His efforts include ensuring that the Smithsonian Institution and its many museums excise any programs involving diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump’s controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law in July, earmarked $257 million for the Kennedy Center — more than six times its annual allotment from Congress. Then there is the matter of the center’s name, which has become a focus for Trump and Republicans who’ve been vocal about wanting to change it to “Trump.”
Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee approved an extra $32 million for the center, but stipulated that the funds would only be forthcoming if the Kennedy Center’s opera house is renamed for Melania Trump. The House then introduced another bill that would rename the Kennedy Center the “Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts.” It remains unclear if such renaming would be legally permissible under the rules established when the center was first opened in 1971.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors will take place Dec. 7 and will later be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
Bucking tradition once again, President Trump on Wednesday announced his picks for Kennedy Center Honors and said he will host the ceremony himself — a first for any president. Actor and filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, glam-rock band KISS, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country music star George Strait and English actor and comedian Michael Crawford made the list.
The Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize lifetime achievement in the performing arts, have been given annually since 1978 and are the highlight of the center’s season each December. The award is considered a career milestone for the performers who receive it. Past honorees include Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Lucille Ball, James Brown, Mel Brooks, Paul McCartney and Meryl Streep, among others.
-
Share via
“I want to congratulate all the nominees. They’re unbelievable people, and we’re going to have a tremendous day in December,” Trump said in a rambling news conference that began with him unveiling five velvet-draped portraits. He went on to mention his recent deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., his contention that the 2020 election was stolen, his disdain for Democrats and his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The usual suspects and some unexpected choices
Some culture watchers might be surprised by Trump’s choices, particularly that of KISS. Trump fired bassist Gene Simmons during the first season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Simmons went on to support Trump during his first term, but later spoke out sharply against him in an interview with Spin magazine.
Gaynor was also unexpected. The disco queen is best known for her fierce anthem of female empowerment, “I Will Survive,” which has become an LGBTQ+ anthem over the years. When Trump initially decided to take over the Kennedy Center, he criticized drag performers, writing on Truth Social, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
Stallone, however, made sense. He’s one of the actors, alongside Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, whom Trump named as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. His goal: to bring the film industry back to Hollywood, “which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries.”
During the news conference Trump said he decided to host the ceremony at the encouragement of his staff. He called Stallone a friend and also said he was a big fan of Crawford’s work as the titular character in “The Phantom of the Opera,” a role Crawford took on in the late 1980s and for which he won both a Tony and an Olivier Award.
A heavy-handed approach
Trump said he was “98% involved” in the selection of the honorees, which is also highly unusual. In typical years recipients are suggested, vetted and ultimately chosen during a process that can take months and involves input from the center’s board as well as past honorees and even the general public.
“I turned down plenty. They were too woke, I had a couple of wokesters,” Trump said. “This is very different than it used to be; these are great people.”
He also said he didn’t want to politicize the honors because the Academy Awards got too political and it “went down the tubes.”
“It gets lousy ratings,” Trump said of the Oscars. “All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore.”
Trump’s decision to take an outsize role in the honors has already caused waves. Done+Dusted, the production company that produced that last few ceremonies as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, has decided not to produce this year’s show. And two key leaders involved with the honors have resigned: Matthew Winer, the center’s internal executive producer of the honors, and producer and honoree manager Emeline Carlisle.
Radical change at the Kennedy Center
Trump’s announcement, including his unusual decision to host, capped a tumultuous seven months at the Kennedy Center, beginning in early February when Trump sent the arts world reeling by revealing his intention to appoint himself chairman of the board and terminate members of the board of trustees “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Trump named a former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim executive director and the center began losing marquee names, including TV producer Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds and opera star Renée Fleming.
The touring production of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” also decided to no longer perform at the center, with creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda issuing a statement that read in part, “The Kennedy Center has long been an artistic center historically devoid of a political point of view, with programming agnostic to the policy shifts of the times. At its heart, ‘Hamilton’ celebrates American diversity. The recent shift in the Kennedy Center’s ideology and board leadership has made it untenable for a production like ‘Hamilton’ to celebrate and be celebrated there today.”
Trump’s takeover of the center came after he actively shunned it during his first term. In 2017, he and First Lady Melania Trump skipped the Kennedy Center Honors after being criticized by honorees, marking only the fourth time in the organization’s history that a president was not in attendance.
During his first visit to the center as chairman in March, Trump said he didn’t like the musical “Hamilton,” adding that big Broadway shows were going to be the future of the center. He soon attended a performance of “Les Misérables,” famously declining to say whether he identified more with protagonist Jean Valjean or cruel police inspector Javert.
Changing the face of arts and culture in America
The Kennedy Center has emerged as a cornerstone in Trump’s ambitions to alter the landscape of art and culture in America. His efforts include ensuring that the Smithsonian Institution and its many museums excise any programs involving diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump’s controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law in July, earmarked $257 million for the Kennedy Center — more than six times its annual allotment from Congress. Then there is the matter of the center’s name, which has become a focus for Trump and Republicans who’ve been vocal about wanting to change it to “Trump.”
Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee approved an extra $32 million for the center, but stipulated that the funds would only be forthcoming if the Kennedy Center’s opera house is renamed for Melania Trump. The House then introduced another bill that would rename the Kennedy Center the “Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts.” It remains unclear if such renaming would be legally permissible under the rules established when the center was first opened in 1971.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors will take place Dec. 7 and will later be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
