All posts tagged: Kennedy Center

Bill Maher Says President Trump Tried to Block Kennedy Center Honor

Bill Maher Says President Trump Tried to Block Kennedy Center Honor

Published by Daniella Wilson

After a confusing swirl that included “fake news” denials from the White House communications team, Bill Maher offered some clarity about being picked to receive the 27th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center. The veteran host leaned into this week’s big news during Friday night’s episode of Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO Max by addressing it in the opening minutes of his monologue as he recognized there’s been “a lot of back and forth” about whether or not he was actually going to get it. “We have reached a compromise. The compromise is that I am going to get it and then I’m going to give it to [President Donald Trump],” he joked. “Everybody’s happy. I just want things to work out.” Looks like they are now after the Kennedy Center confirmed Thursday that Maher would receive the 27th Mark Twain Prize for Humor at a ceremony scheduled for June 28 (and streaming on Netflix at a later date). The honor “recognizes individuals who have had an impact on …

Kennedy Center Begins Staff Layoffs

Kennedy Center Begins Staff Layoffs

Published by José Betancourt

The Kennedy Center began laying off staff on Thursday, according to a report in the Washington Post. The cuts, which employees say affected multiple departments, are tied to President Donald Trump’s plan to shut down the Washington, D.C., cultural institution for two years, which was approved by its board earlier this month. Included in the layoffs were the Kennedy Center’s executive vice president Nick Meade and vice president Rick Loughery, both of whom were installed in their roles by the center’s former president Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist hired a year ago to overhaul the institution’s “woke” programming. Trump and the rest of the board replaced Grenell, whose tenure was marked by slumping ticket sales and public backlash, earlier this month with Matt Floca. Related Articles The cuts follow a year-long saga that began in February 2025, when Trump announced plans to fire existing Kennedy Center board members, including chairman David Rubenstein, and replace them with his allies. That December, the president renamed the venue the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for …

Council on American-Islamic Relations Speaks Out On Bill Maher

Council on American-Islamic Relations Speaks Out On Bill Maher

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the selection of Bill Maher for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor given his support for Israel. “The Kennedy Center‘s decision to give this prestigious award to Bill Maher highlights the glaring double standards surrounding bigotry and violence that exist in our society,” CAIR, a prominent Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said in a statement.   “Mr. Maher would have never received this recognition if he were an antisemitic comedian who supported terrorism against Jewish-Americans or Israelis, but his open bigotry against Muslims and support for the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza are somehow perfectly acceptable,” the statement continues.  “Until our society rejects all forms of hate and all forms of violence against innocent people as wrong, regardless of the victim, hypocrisy and inconsistency will continue to undermine the reputation of institutions like the Kennedy Center,” the organization added. A publicist for Maher did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  While CAIR did not single out specific statements Maher has made, the host has expressed a …

Preservation Societies Sue Trump Administration Over Kennedy Center Plans

Preservation Societies Sue Trump Administration Over Kennedy Center Plans

Published by José Betancourt

A group of eight preservation societies filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the president’s plans for a two-year renovation of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Last week, the Kennedy Center’s board approved to close the institution for two years, beginning after its July 4 celebrations for the US’s 250th anniversary, so that it could undergo renovations. The extent of the planned renovations remains unclear. President Donald Trump said in February the Kennedy Center is “tired, broken, and dilapidated.” Related Articles In their suit, which was first reported on by the Washington Post, the plaintiffs describe the Kennedy Center as “a defining landmark within the monumental core of the Nation’s capital” and that it’s modernist design and role as a venue for the performing arts “form an irreplaceable legacy of history, architecture, and civic purpose.” Now, “[t]hat legacy is in peril,” the suit adds, citing Trump’s plan to close the Kennedy Center within four months “undergo major structural work—up to and including demolition and reconstruction.” The suit asks the court to intervene in …

Kennedy Center Board Votes in Favor of Two-Year Closure

Kennedy Center Board Votes in Favor of Two-Year Closure

Published by José Betancourt

The board of directors the Kennedy Center voted on Monday in favor of President Donald Trump’s proposal to shut the institution down for two years, according to the Associated Press. Related Articles The closure will begin after celebrations there on July 4, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. When Trump announced plans to close the Center in February, he said he wanted to transform “a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center,” into “the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind,” which would necessitate its complete closure. According to the AP, in a press conference ahead of the vote on Monday, Trump told reporters, “We’re going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kind anywhere in the world.” The New York Times reported that he also said, “What I know best in the world is construction. The best way to do it is close it, do it properly and reopen it, have a grand reopening. And when it’s finished it’s going to be far better than it was when it was …

Trump Confirms New Leadership at Kennedy Center, Ric Grenell Leaves

Trump Confirms New Leadership at Kennedy Center, Ric Grenell Leaves

Published by Daniella Wilson

Matt Floca has been named new head of the Kennedy Center, according to President Donald Trump, amid rumblings that president Ric Grenell would be leaving his post.  Floca, the vp of operations at the Kennedy Center, takes over leadership after Grenell has led the institution through its turbulent past year. The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request for comment. Axios first reported the news of Grenell’s departure. However, Trump announced the news of Floca’s appointment in a post on Truth Social on Friday. Floca takes over the post as the Kennedy Center prepares to be closed for a two-year remodeling period.  “I am pleased to announce that Matt Floca, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, will be named the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, of THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER where, as Vice President of Operations, Matt has helped us achieve tremendous progress in bringing the Center to the highest level of Excellence!” the post reads. “A Complete Reconstruction of THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER will begin after the July 4th Celebration, …

JFK’s Grandson Blasts Trump’s Closing Of The Kennedy Center

JFK’s Grandson Blasts Trump’s Closing Of The Kennedy Center

Published by Sam Flores

President Donald Trump’s plan to shutter the Trump-rebranded Kennedy Centre for two years isn’t sitting well with the family members of former President John F. Kennedy, for whom the Washington, DC performing arts venue was named. Trump made the announcement late on Sunday on his Truth Social platform, calling the existing structure “tired, broken, and dilapidated.” The venue, he said, will close on July 4 ― the nation’s 250th anniversary ― and will reopen shortly before he leaves office. Kennedy’s niece, Maria Shriver, took to social media to share her suspicions about Trump’s real motivations. “Translation: It has been brought to my attention that due to the name change (but nobody’s telling me it’s due to the name change), but it’s been brought to my attention that entertainers are canceling left and right, and I have determined that since the name change no one wants to perform there any longer,” she wrote Sunday on X. “I’ve determined that due to this change in schedule, it’s best for me to close this centre down and rebuild …

Kennedy Center Board Votes in Favor of Two-Year Closure

Trump Plans to Close Kennedy Center for Two Years, Beginning July 4

Published by Jenni Sidey

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he would close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which has been facing an existential crisis for the past year, for up to two years as part of a renovation project. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the closure, which is still “totally subject to Board approval,” would happen on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the US. He said that the planned closure was meant to turn “a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center,” into “the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind,” which could only be accomplished by a total closure. Related Articles The Kennedy Center has been beleaguered since Trump was elected chair of its board last February. The following month, Vice President JD Vance was booed during a performance of the National Symphony Orchestra. In December, Trump took steps to add his name to the Kennedy Center’s façade and tried to officially rename it to include his name, though the …

Composer Philip Glass Withdraws World Premiere From Kennedy Center

Composer Philip Glass Withdraws World Premiere From Kennedy Center

Published by Daniella Wilson

Celebrated composer Philip Glass is removing the premiere of his new symphony from the Kennedy Center lineup. In a post on Instagram Tuesday, Glass said the message of the symphony, entitled “Lincoln,”  is in “direct conflict” with the values of the now-embattled Kennedy Center. The new work was scheduled to premiere June 12 and June 13 at the arts center, which the board has now renamed the Trump Kennedy Center, in a move that was met with outrage by Kennedy family members as well as the arts community.  “After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 “Lincoln” from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” Glass wrote on social media. “Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”  Glass was awarded the 2015 National Medal of Arts by President Obama and was …

Washington National Opera to Exit Kennedy Center After 50 Years

Washington National Opera to Exit Kennedy Center After 50 Years

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Washington National Opera decided on Friday to walk away from the Kennedy Center as its performance home after more than 50 years, in a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s sweeping changes to the institution. The decision by the storied opera company to leave the Kennedy Center was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by a spokesperson for the nation’s premier arts venue on Friday evening. A resolution to depart was approved by the Washington National Opera’s board of trustees; a representative for the arts center said the decision ultimately came down to budget challenges. “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship,” the representative said. “We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.” The decision was not unanimous and has led to internal strife among board members. “There were disagreements among the board on whether to disaffiliate or not. …