The Kennedy Center Honors 2025 took place on Sunday, December 7. As people who follow the blog may know, I almost always watch the program when it’s broadcast on CBS; this year it’s scheduled for Tuesday, December 23. This year, though, is… different.
In an article in The Atlantic [behind a paywall], Alexandra Petri wrote: “For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the Kennedy Center Honors, a strange, D.C.-based entertainment-awards show where four celebrities you’ve heard of (and one you should have) wear medals, sit in a special box at the Kennedy Center with the president, and receive some form of artistic tribute. Unlike other awards shows, which honor celebrities of the present, these celebrate a lifetime of achievements.” What she said.
The five
I don’t have a strong problem with the awardees. Sylvester Stallone, I’ve seen in five Rocky-related films, though no Rambo flicks, and he’s still a working actor.
I have a George Strait greatest-hits album – here’s the first cut – titled Ten Strait Hits, whose simplicity appeals to me. He is “the only act in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades. Offstage, Strait’s philanthropy has raised tens of millions of dollars for military and children’s causes, including the Jenifer Strait Foundation to preserve the memory of their daughter, and presenting 127 mortgage-free homes to wounded veterans through the Military Warriors Support Foundation.”
I know the least about Gloria Gaynor, whose “legendary career spans over 50 years, never losing momentum. The 2x Grammy winner has achieved global stardom with hit songs in the charts in all five decades. She has also shared her talent through roles in film, television, and on the Broadway stage.” Well, except for that song, which is an anthem.
Michael Crawford, I know for one thing, which he has apparently done very well. “Best known for originating the role of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Crawford’s legendary performance captivated audiences in London’s West End, on Broadway, and in Los Angeles.” He is “one of the most celebrated performers of his generation, with an illustrious career spanning theatre, television, film, and music.”
Makeup
The only KISS music I own is on a couple of compilation albums. But I used to own a couple of Marvel comics featuring the group. “Kiss, one of the most successful Gold Record Award–winning groups in American history, has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Rising from New York’s rock scene to the pinnacle of rock royalty, they’ve earned countless awards, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame [in 2014].”
The KCH only inducts folks who were living as of the selection date. Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, and the late lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, who died in October, were awarded. This is similar to the Grateful Dead last year, when Mickey Hart, Billy Kreutzmann, Bobby Weir, and the late Phil Lesh (d. Oct 2024) were selected.
By the way, the KCH bios pages were far more robust in previous years.
Previously, the host was someone such as Walter Cronkite, Caroline Kennedy, Stephen Colbert, Glenn Close, and Queen Latifah. This year, it’s FOTUS.
This is (mostly) not a political rant. It’s not that he’s taken over the Kennedy Center, though that’s problematic. It’s that I can’t stand the sound of the man’s voice. His self-serving prattle – at the medal ceremony, he mispronounced “Stallone” twice – bugs me. Maybe I’ll record the show and fast-forward through him. Or mute him. Or something.
Oh, and how will he deal with it when CBS edits the broadcast, which they always do, and some of his yammer is cut out? Will he sue CBS? Again? (See 60 Minutes.)
I do like to see the look of wonder and surprise when the honorees are feted by their colleagues. Sigh!