WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump solidified his takeover of Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday (Dec 7) by hosting its flagship awards programme, mixing politics with a celebration of stars from music and film.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honours, widely seen as the top US recognition for lifetime 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.
It marked the first time that a US president had hosted the Kennedy Center Honours, a role previously filled by celebrities or other notable figures.
He told reporters as he arrived for the show that the Kennedy Center is “going to be brought back to life.”
“We are saving the Kennedy Center,” Trump said, with first lady Melania Trump at his side.
Trump declined to rule out having his name added to the Kennedy Center, saying that such a decision was up to the centre board that he now chairs. Last week Trump’s name was put on the US Institute of Peace building.
The former real estate developer 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 multi-million-dollar renovation and revamping the organisation’s events, including hosting the World Cup final draw on Friday.
Grenell’s tenure has been marked by staff turnover and discontent in the arts community about the centre’s direction.
In the Oval Office on Saturday, Trump praised this year’s honourees and gave them newly designed gold medallions with blue ribbons, rather than the rainbow-coloured 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. “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.”
KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss rose to fame in the 1970s with hits such as I Was Made for Lovin’ You and Rock and Roll All Nite. Country star Strait’s hits include the song Down and Out. Gaynor is known for her disco hit I Will Survive.
English stage actor Crawford originated the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera, and film star Stallone established himself with movies such as Rocky and Rambo.
The Kennedy Center Honours show will air on the CBS television network on Dec 23.
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