By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Dec 7 – U.S. President Donald Trump solidified his takeover of Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday by hosting its flagship awards program, mixing politics with a celebration of stars from music and film.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors, widely seen as the top U.S. recognition for achievement in the performing arts, feted actor Sylvester Stallone, disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country musician George Strait, “Phantom of the Opera” star Michael Crawford and rock band KISS.
Trump, who had a hand in picking the recipients, did not attend Kennedy Center events during his first term. But he has taken a keen interest in the institution during his second, firing its president, installing a new board that made him chair and ordering a renovation of the building.
Sunday’s show marked the first time that a U.S. president had hosted the Kennedy Center Honors, a role previously filled by celebrities or other notable figures.
“The Kennedy Center is very special. We’re bringing this building back to life,” he said, speaking to a friendly audience and standing center stage.
TRUMP PUTTING STAMP ON KENNEDY CENTER
Trump sat next to his wife, Melania, during most of the show, making remarks at the beginning of each act and at the very end. His introductions of the segments about each honoree were prerecorded and played on a large screen.
The honorees themselves largely welcomed the president’s role.
“Most probably I wouldn’t be here if he … wasn’t a fan,” Crawford told reporters ahead of the show, referring to Trump.
KISS singer Gene Simmons said: “Whether you’re a fan of the president or not, he’s never boring.”
Trump, in remarks to reporters, declined to rule out having his name added to the Kennedy Center, saying that such a decision was up to the board that he now chairs. He referred to it as the “Trump Kennedy Center” at one point during his remarks from the stage. Last week, Trump’s name was put on the U.S. Institute of Peace building.
The former real estate developer, whose name is on buildings around the country, is putting his stamp on both the White House and the Kennedy Center structures, controversially tearing down the White House’s East Wing to make room for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The Kennedy Center’s new president, Ric Grenell, who once served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany, is overseeing the performing arts complex’s multimillion-dollar renovation and revamping the organization’s events, including hosting the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday.
Grenell’s tenure has been marked by staff turnover and discontent in the arts community about the center’s direction.
‘GREATEST OF THEIR GENERATION’
In the Oval Office on Saturday, Trump praised this year’s honorees and gave them newly designed gold medallions with blue ribbons, rather than the rainbow-colored ribbons used since 1978 to represent the spectrum of performing arts.
“These are among the greatest artists, actors and performers of their generation,” Trump said at the White House.
“We can hardly imagine the country music phenomenon without its king of country, or the American disco without its first lady, or Broadway without its phantom…or Rock and Roll without its hottest band in the world, and that’s what they are, or Hollywood without one of its greatest visionaries.”
The show started with a tribute to Stallone, who established himself with movies such as “Rocky” and “Rambo.” Actor Kurt Russell praised the star and Trump noted that Stallone had supported him when he ran for office.
Next up was a tribute to English stage actor Crawford, who originated the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” A rafter-raising rendition of that show’s title song and ballad “The Music of the Night” were performed in his honor.
Singers Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert and country duo Brooks & Dunn sang selections in Strait’s honor, and Gaynor, who is known for her disco hit “I Will Survive,” was celebrated with a version of her signature song, complete with disco lights shining around the theater.
The final tribute went to KISS, whose members Paul Stanley, Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss rose to fame in the 1970s with hits such as “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” Frehley died in October.
Singer Garth Brooks performed a rousing rendition of KISS song “Shout It Out Loud” and rock band Cheap Trick closed out the evening with a performance of “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
The Kennedy Center Honors show will air on the CBS television network on December 23.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Sergio Non and Saad Sayeed)
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