Washington – AS New chairman Kennedy CenterPresident Donald Trump added a highly personal stamp to this year’s announcement of the recipients of annual awards, which he called the Country Music Star George Strait, actor “Rocky” Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, Rock Band Kiss and actor Michael Crawford.
Instead of the center of Kennedy revealing his name in a press release, Trump himself announced a distinction during a Wednesday press conference at this place where he was surrounded by American flags and photos for photos for each of the artists who were initially covered by red drapes. Unlike the first term, when he did not even participate in the award ceremony, he announced that he would be the host this year and that he was deeply involved in the selection process. He also suggested that he could go to the future prize.
The performance meant a up-to-date era for John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which Trump took over Installing as chairman and replacing the confidant council with loyalists. He even suggested that he would like to see a place renamed the center of Trump/Kennedy.
Trump has rebuilt the Kennedy Center – and what he calls his “awake” – a center of constant emphasis on a review of such cultural institutions as National Equipment of Humanities AND Smithsonian museums.
»Read more: From February: Low Cut Connie, join Shondy Rimes, Renee Fleming and Issa Rae in protest against the takeover of Donald Trump Centrum Kennedy
Double -sided history
Kennedy Center awards were founded in 1978 and were handed over to a wide range of artists. Until Trump’s first term, the presidents of both main political parties traditionally participated in the annual ceremony, even when they disagreed politically with a given recipient.
Outstanding liberals like Barbra Streisand And Warren Beatty was honored during the republican administration of George W. Bush, and the leading conservative Charlton Heston was celebrated during the democratic administration of Bill Clinton.
At least some of this year’s winners have the history of Trump’s support. Stallone is an outstanding supporter who called Trump “the second George Washington” and was named by the president together with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson as Hollywood special ambassador. The member founded Ace Freehley supported Trump in 2020, calling him the “strongest leader we have.” Meanwhile, the musician of Kiss Paul Stanley often criticized the Republican President, especially His resistance acceptable his election loss Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
“After numerous audits, refuted claims about the raging manipulation of voters, voting dead people and countless matters thrown out by the judges appointed by Trump and others … When is there no hope for the result adopted?
Kennedy’s center informs Honorees in advance, and all four original KISS performers, who also include Gene Simmons and Peter Criss, issued statements through the team’s journalist.
“The prestige of Kennedy Center’s awards cannot be overestimated, and I accept it on behalf of Long Legacy of Kiss and all team members who helped create our iconic band,” said Stanley.
Kiss and other nominees had significant, even iconic careers. Portrey Stallone about the weaker boxer Rocky Balboa and Vietnam veteran, John J. Rambo, are luminaires in popular culture. Dozens of Strait hits, including “Check Yes or NO” and “I Cross My Heart”, led to his nickname of the Country Music King. Few bands sold more albums or more famous, withdrew their faces in makeup than Kiss, members of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Crawford is a famous stage actor who won Tony for his main role in “The Phantom of the Opera”, and Gaynor is a leading star from the disco era from the 70s, which “I Will Surve” is a feminist hymn.
Breaking with many years of tradition, none of the awards comes in the field of dance, jazz or classical music.
This year’s Kennedy Center award ceremony will take place on December 7 and will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.
Personal approach
Historically, the two -sided advisory committee chooses recipients who have been hesitating for years from George Balanchine and Tom Hanks after Aretha Franklin and Stephen Sondheim. Trump said on Wednesday that he was “about 98% involved” in the choice of awards and confessed to such careful Kennedy Center officials as Ric Grenell and Sergio Gor. He said he “rejected” the names, saying that these people were “too awake” or too liberal. He described the artists he announced on Wednesday as “wonderful people” and joked after unveiling the image of a 73-year-old strait: “A good-looking guy. I hope it still looks like this.”
In addition to calling himself the chairman and converting the board, Trump pointed out that he made decisions regarding programming in the center and swore final events with the participation of performers in Drag. Choosing himself as the host of the December meeting, he accepts a role that Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, namesake of the center, was once filled.
Steps drew further criticism of some artists. In March, producers “Hamilton” He withdrew from the staging of the hit on the Broadway Musical In 2026, citing the aggressive takeover of the institution’s leadership by Trump.
Republicans House added an amendment to the expenses of the Act, which Trump signed in July Change the name of the Kennedy Center opera After the first lady, Melania Trump, but this place has not yet been renamed. Maria Shriver, JFK niece and a long -term Democrat, criticized as a “crazy” separate house proposal to change the name of the entire center after Trump.
