Ten years after his career as a television star ended when he launched his first campaign for the White House, President Donald Trump is returning to his TV roots as host of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors award ceremony this December.
The president, who appointed himself head of the Kennedy Center shortly after taking office, made the announcement at a press conference to unveil this year’s slate of honorees.
He insisted the Kennedy Center board had requested that he serve as the emcee of this year’s show, stepping into shoes once filled by the late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite from 1981 to 2002, then by Ambassador Caroline Kennedy — the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, for whom the arts center is named — from 2003 to 2012.
More recently, the award ceremony was hosted by Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert, Gloria Estefan, LL Cool J and David Letterman.
“I think we’re going to do very well, because we have some great honorees, some really great ones,” he said.
Trump, most likely in jest, claimed he’d always wanted to be among those honored for lifelong contributions to American arts and culture but was “never able to get one.”
He initially claimed the center’s board had selected “a truly exceptional class of honorees.” But under questioning from reporters he admitted that he had signed off on the list and rejected multiple picks for honorees because they’d been “too woke.”
“I would say I was about 98 percent involved … they all went through me,” he said. “I turned down plenty who were too woke.”
He added that the annual event’s roster is “very different than it used to be” and is packed with “great people.”
Here’s who is on the list.
George Strait
The first nominee announced by Trump is country music artist George Strait.
The award-winning singer, songwriter and actor is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with 33 different albums certified as gold or platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The RIAA also ranks him as the 12th best selling recording artist in the United States with over 70 million records sold.
Called the “King of Country Music” by some critics and writers, Trump remarked that Strait was a “good-looking guy” as his photograph was unveiled.
“Over an extraordinary four decade career, George has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, amassed 60 number one hits Wow, and produced 33 Platinum certified albums, more than any other living American. That is amazing,” Trump said.
“He’s beloved by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. He’s really something, and they call him the king of country, and we know him very well.”
Michael Crawford
The second member of this year’s honoree class will be British-born actor and singer Michael Crawford, who originated the title role in one of Trump’s favorite musicals, The Phantom of the Opera.
Trump, whose obsession with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit show dates back to his heyday as a New York cultural figure in the 1980s, said of Crawford: “I think he’s one of the greatest talents I’ve ever actually seen.”
“He became an international sensation in the 1980s for his original portrayal of The Phantom of the Opera, one of the greatest ever, ever, ever, ever, you don’t see him like that very often, winning him the esteemed Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He’s won so many awards. Michael is truly a generational talent. Had a voice that was unbelievable,” he said.
“These are just unbelievable talents, but Michael is very special and one of the greatest roles in the history of Broadway, and nobody did it like him.”
Sylvester Stallone
Trump also announced that the Kennedy Center would be honoring one of his most famous supporters, actor Sylvester Stallone.
Stallone, who shot to fame by writing, directing and starring in the 1976 film Rocky and has starred in box office topping films across six decades, is a close friend and strong booster of Trump. He belongs to the president’s private club, Mar-a-Lago, and once delivered a speech at the America First Policy Institute in which he claimed the 45th and 47th president was “the second George Washington.”
“We look forward to honoring three time Oscar nominee, Golden Globe Award winner, an action movie icon and a friend of mine, very unique man,” Trump said.
“There was nobody else could have done the roles that he did like he did. I’m not even close, and they’ve tried, and they didn’t work out too well. His name is Sylvester Stallone.”
Gloria Gaynor
The fourth honoree revealed by Trump is disco-era singer Gloria Gaynor, whose 1978 anthem “I Will Survive” was in regular rotation in clubs across the country during Trump’s years as a New York nightlife fixture at places such as the infamous Studio 54.
The president noted Gaynor had won both a 1980 Grammy for Best Disco Recording and a second award 60 years later in 2020 for a gospel album, Testimony.
“To have the two, top two, top of anything in that span of time, and with that kind of period between, is pretty amazing. But I will say that “I Will Survive” is an unbelievable song. I’ve heard it, you know, like everyone else here, 1000s of times, and it’s one of those few that get better every time you hear it, and nobody can sing it like her,” he said.
KISS
The last act to be honored at this year’s awards show will be KISS, the iconic costumed rock band fronted by bassist Gene Simmons.
The band, which also includes singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, is known for their face paint and outlandish stage presence including fire-breathing performances and levitating drum sets.
Trump noted that the band had been a “global phenomenon” that has produced 30 gold-rated albums and sold more than 100 million records across the globe.
“They made a fortune, and they’re great people, and they deserve it, and they work hard, and they’re still working hard,” he said.
