What a difference a second term makes. After boycotting the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term, President Donald Trump — who also now serves as chairman of the vaunted performing arts house — broke with tradition and became the first President to host the annual gala during its 48th incarnation on Sunday (Dec. 7).
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While the acting President traditionally sits in the balcony with the honorees, Trump took the stage three times during the event that honored Sylvester Stallone, KISS, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor and Broadway legend Michael Crawford. And, as he alluded when he walked the red carpet pre-show with First Lady Melania Trump, “Maybe I haven’t prepared. Maybe you want to be a little bit loose. If you look at the great hosts, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, those are the greats,” he said. “If you look at the not-so-greats, like Jimmy Kimmel, he was terrible… I think you want to be just loose,” he said on a night when he seemed to zigzag around the script.
It’s unclear how much of Trump’s comments will make the broadcast on CBS (select Paramount+ customers will also be able to stream the show) on Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Here are some outtakes and observations:
MC Trump: During a 12-minute intro, a shorter mid-show bit for which he came on stage to the theme from Rocky and a brief farewell, Trump heaped praise on the honorees, and on himself and his loyalists, in comments that were largely standard-fare adulations, and at times just plain quirky. The audience, which largely comprised his supporters and cabinet members, reciprocated with applause and laughter.
“If there’s one thread that connects all of these amazing artists together, it is the word persistence,” he said during his opener. “I can say that with a lot of members of our audience. I know so many of you. You are persistent. Many of you are miserable, horrible people. You are persistent. You never give up. Sometimes I wish you’d give up, but you don’t.”
Noting the gala was the “greatest night in the history of the Kennedy Center,” he said the establishment “is back and is going to be bigger and better and more beautiful than ever before… We raised over the last month over $100 million. Can you believe it? They’ve never done that. So we’re doing well.”
In a reference his previous suggestion he would rename the center — at one point he called it “the Trump Kennedy Center” — then pretended to gathered himself, noting, “I’m sorry, this is terribly embarrassing.” He also quipped that they tried to get former President Joe Biden to host the Honors gala for four years, noting, “I would’ve watched that.”
But Wait, There’s More: In years past, video footage saluting the honorees featured well-wishes and reflections from their peers. This time, it was all Trump. Through prerecorded videos, he introduced every honoree, ensuring a constant presence throughout the show, whether he was on stage or not.
And ensuring, he promised the live audience, big ratings success. “I will say that I guarantee the fake news is going to give me horrible [reviews]. ‘He was horrible as an MC. Don’t ever let that happen again. Don’t ever let it happen.’ But I guarantee you one thing, we get big ratings tonight.”
Politics in the Picture: Trump intermingled politics on occasion. He touted the signature policy bill he signed into law in July, and when introducing Sylvester Stallone’s segment, he noted: “When I ran for office, he was right out there. He said… I won’t say what he said because you wouldn’t believe it. It was the nicest things he’s ever said about anybody.”
Medallion Makeover: The honorees’ medallions also got a makeover. The new design, created and donated by Tiffany & Co., features a gold disc etched with a depiction of the Kennedy Center hanging from a dark blue ribbon that replaces the traditional rainbow ribbon. The rainbow symbol, denoting the breadth of the arts celebrated, is now incorporated into the medallion itself. The reverse side bears the honorees’ names above the date of the Medallion Ceremony (Dec. 6).
Stage Presence: The stage design and run of show has evolved tremendously since the first Kennedy Center Honors in 1971. While the recent direction had been on more elaborate, distinct sets for each honoree’s segment, this year’s stage had a consistent design structure throughout that consisted of a modern angular frame that showcased the new medallion design in the top center and on the side.
