Kiss will be recognized at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, marking their inclusion among the latest class of honorees in what will be the first awards gala overseen by U.S. president Donald Trump as chairman of the Kennedy Center board. Considering the Kennedy Center Honors originally began in 1978, at least they had a good run up until getting utterly ruined this year.
Joining the rock icons are country star George Strait, Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. Trump announced the lineup during a press conference at the performing arts centre on Wednesday, calling them “outstanding people” and “an outstanding group — incredible.”
The Kennedy Center Honors celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts. The ceremony, traditionally held each December in Washington, D.C., will air on CBS.
This will be the first gala held since Trump overhauled the leadership of the Kennedy Center, replacing its board of trustees with his own appointees. During his first term, Trump largely ignored the annual honours, often skipping the ceremony entirely. He has since promised to “transform” the arts institution, taking an active role by hosting and producing this year’s show.
The Kennedy Center teased the announcement a day before via X (formerly Twitter), posting: “A country music icon, an Englishman, a New York City Rock band, a dance Queen and a multi-billion dollar Actor walk into the Kennedy Center Opera House…”
The 48th Kennedy Center Honors ceremony is set to continue the tradition of celebrating achievements in music, film, theater, and performance — albeit under a very different leadership style than in previous decades.
For those unaware of the slow dictatorship forming right before our very eyes, Trump appointed himself the new chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Trump said he was “unanimously elected,” which was easy considering he was elected by a board that excluded the 18 Democratic appointees purged prior to the vote.
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