Sylvester Stallone, Gene Simmons get Kennedy Center honours as Trump takes spotlight
US President Donald Trump has solidified his takeover of Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by hosting its flagship awards program, 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 rockers KISS.
Mr 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.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.He told reporters that the Kennedy Center is “going to be brought back to life.”
“We are saving the Kennedy Center,” Mr Trump said, with first lady Melania Trump at his side.
The President 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 8361-square metre 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.
In the Oval Office, Mr 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,” Mr 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, country star Strait’s hits include Down and Out and Gaynor is known for I Will Survive. English stage actor Crawford starred in the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera, and Stallone established himself with movies such as Rocky and Rambo.
