- President Trump praised honorees as legendary artists with unmatched influence on culture.
- Ceremony featured performances, including a tribute to rock band Kiss' late guitarist.
- Trump emphasized persistence as a shared trait among honorees and the audience.
“They say this is the first time that a president of the United States has ever hosted the Kennedy Center Honors‚” President Donald Trump said during his opening remarks at Sunday’s event.
The Kennedy Center Honors, hosted by the president, will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on Dec. 23, per Deadline.
Trump helped choose the slate of honorees for the evening, which included Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford and George Strait. In his opening remarks, the president praised the honorees as being “legendary in so many ways.”
“Billions and billions of people have watched them over the years,” the president said, adding that they are “among the greatest artists and actors, performers, musicians, singers, songwriters ever to walk the face of the Earth,” according to The Associated Press.
Trump hosts the Kennedy Center Honors after taking over the organization
At the start of his second term, Trump took over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, per The New York Times. He then removed Democrats from the traditionally bipartisan board of directors, replaced its president and installed himself as the chairman.
Previously, presidents would watch the show alongside the honorees. During his first term, Trump skipped the honors altogether, per the AP.
The president took to the stage three times, to open and close the show and after intermission. He also appeared in prerecorded videos that appeared before each of the artists’ tributes.
As he moved along the red carpet with first lady Melania Trump, he said he “didn’t really prepare very much,” for the gig.
“I have a good memory, so I can remember things, which is very fortunate,” the president said, per the AP. “But just, I wanted to just be myself. You have to be yourself.”
Several of Trump’s Cabinet members attended the event, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
During his remarks the president was both gracious and critical.
“Well, we’re really having a good time tonight,” Trump said. “So many people I know in this audience. Some good. Some bad. Some I truly love and respect. Some I just hate,” Trump said, according to the AP.
Who was honored during the event
The Kennedy Center honors have recognized stars for their influence on American culture and the arts since 1978, per the AP.
Actor Stallone is known for his “Rocky” and “Rambo” movies and singer Gaynor made an impact with her feminist anthem “I Will Survive.” The rock band Kiss is iconic in culture for its flashy, cartoonish makeup and onstage displays of smoke and pyrotechnics.
Singer Strait is an icon in the world of country music, and Tony-winning actor Crawford is best known for starring in “Phantom of the Opera.”
The ceremony was expected to be emotional for the members of Kiss after the band’s original lead guitarist Ace Frehley died in October after being injured during a fall.
A lone red guitar that emitted smoke was placed on stage in remembrance of Frehley during the tribute to Kiss, per the AP. The program ended with a performance of Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Cheap Trick.
Trump praises honorees for their persistence
Trump said that one of the traits shared by the honorees is persistence.
“Some of them have had legendary setbacks, setbacks that you have to read in the papers because of their level of fame,” he said from the stage, per the AP. “But in the words of Rocky Balboa, they showed us that you keep moving forward, just keep moving forward.”
While talking about some of the changes he is making to the Kennedy Center, the president feigned a slip-up and referred to the “the Trump Kennedy Center — I mean, Kennedy Center.” The audience erupted in laughter and applause to the comment, per The New York Times.
“I’m sorry!” the president said, holding up his hands. “I’m sorry, this is terribly embarrassing.”
Trump also boasted that the show, hosted by himself, was the “greatest night in the history of the Kennedy Center.”
Trump avoided the event in his first term
During Trump’s first term, some of the artists who were honored at the Kennedy Center criticized Trump and said they would not attend a reception at the White House. According to The New York Times, both the president and the first lady announced they would not participate in the honors to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.”
This year, presenters and artists either praised the president, or worked to distance themselves from the politics of it all.
He predicted the show would get bad reviews but very good ratings.
“Now, I will say that I guarantee the fake news is going to give me horrible reviews,” per Deadline. “But I guarantee you one thing, we get big ratings tonight.”