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Wicked Blue

(7,698 posts) Thu Feb 13, 2025, 06:35 PM Feb 13

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Stars pull out of shows and positions at Kennedy Center after Trump takeover [View all]

Source: Guardian

Donald Trump’s takeover of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington has generated outcry from performers and members, with several stars pulling out of engagements or associations.

Trump purged the board of the arts foundation last week, clearing the group of appointees by Joe Biden. Stacked with Trump loyalists, the new board terminated the center’s president, Deborah Rutter, and installed Trump as chair. The board then named Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, as interim president.

In response, several stars have disassociated from the center. Issa Rae, creator and star of Insecure, announced on her Instagram story on Thursday that she was cancelling her upcoming one-night-only show at the Kennedy Center. The sold-out show, An Evening with Issa Rae, was scheduled at the venue in March.

-snip-

On Wednesday, the renowned soprano Reneé Fleming said she would step down from her role as artistic adviser to the center. Though her statement did not mention Trump, she praised its ousted chair David M Rubenstein and Rutter, and said: “Out of respect, I think it right to depart as well."

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/feb/13/kennedy-center-trump-issa-rae-shonda-rhimes

82 replies

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Stars pull out of shows and positions at Kennedy Center after Trump takeover [View all] Wicked Blue Feb 13 OP

Who in their right mind would want to stay? crim son Feb 13 #1

No doubt Putin will send over some Russian performers Wicked Blue Feb 13 #5

Turn it over to the Russian ballet. Change the name to Moscow Dancers. Irish_Dem Feb 13 #12

Sadly, this guy died a few years ago... regnaD kciN Feb 14 #76

Wait for it BonnieJW Feb 13 #47

I'd like to see Toby Keith pull that one off! Haggard Celine Feb 13 #51

They'll dig him and do a "weekend at Bernie's" type show Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Feb 14 #61

... installed as stool Donkees Feb 13 #2

I love your choice of words RainCaster Feb 13 #43

Good for them! 3catwoman3 Feb 13 #3

Perfect solutionj. bluestarone Feb 13 #4

No performer should agree to appear. NADA. NONE. hlthe2b Feb 13 #6

He could rotate with Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, Lara Trump, Carrie Underwood mtngirl47 Feb 13 #9

The Circus Dan Feb 13 #15

I forgot Lara. BonnieJW Feb 13 #50

Hulk Hogan used to sing! Linda ladeewolf Feb 14 #56

The Undertaker. Mawspam2 Feb 14 #59

The Village People Mossfern Feb 14 #68

And no one should buy tickets to the various events there. MLWR Feb 13 #10

Now appearing at Trump's Kennedy Center: Aristus Feb 13 #7

Dont forget Kid Rock! OldBaldy1701E Feb 13 #8

Better yet radical noodle Feb 13 #44

"the body of water formerly known as the gulf of mexico" seth meyers rampartd Feb 14 #60

Kid Who ... pazzyanne Feb 14 #55

LOL! crim son Feb 13 #18

I forgot him. Aristus Feb 13 #24

Don't forget the vocal offerings of Lara Trump! Ocelot II Feb 13 #28

Usually I agree with you, but dissing banjo players is a step too far. quaint Feb 14 #67

Lol I was just thinking that Javaman Feb 14 #70

T-rump can have a nightly clown show. No offense to real clowns. Onthefly Feb 13 #11

He can put his enemies in pillories right on stage Wicked Blue Feb 13 #13

Trump and his cabinet would like lap dancers. Irish_Dem Feb 13 #14

Is Kim available? sheshe2 Feb 13 #48

Kim is too crazy even for the Trumps. DonJr dumped her and his dad sent her to Greece Irish_Dem Feb 14 #64

This would work for a friend IzzaNuDay Feb 13 #16

They won't do classical music. MAGAs find it too snooty. Ocelot II Feb 13 #29

Oedipus Rex should be the first play starring Barron and Melania. twodogsbarking Feb 13 #17

I, for one, am looking forward to Chachi's one man show. Midnight Writer Feb 13 #19

It's so sad to see all the old heart throbs who markodochartaigh Feb 13 #22

Wait... druidity33 Feb 13 #46

I guess I'm not that picky. markodochartaigh Feb 14 #57

I would guess most people who go see shows at The Kennedy Center will not be going anymore. Raftergirl Feb 13 #20

K&R Solly Mack Feb 13 #21

Ted Nugent is waiting for his phone call - he's a headliner! FakeNoose Feb 13 #23

Underage Girls nwliberalkiwi Feb 13 #25

Trump doesn't seem to know much about booking talent perdita9 Feb 13 #26

The Aristocrats appearing nightly and twice on Sunday. crud Feb 13 #27

Will An Evening With Kid Rock sell? Sneederbunk Feb 13 #30

Seriously I do expect the Kennedy Family Chipper Chat Feb 13 #31

I think so too serbbral Feb 14 #77

I foresee a stripper pole in the center of the stage. n/t TurboDem Feb 13 #32

Good for them! The felon will have plate jugglers and ventriloquists headlining in no time. Scrivener7 Feb 13 #33

I feel bad vankuria Feb 13 #34

Me too serbbral Feb 14 #78

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Beck23 Feb 13 #35

I have no doubt sdfernando Feb 13 #49

Nope. They are all DEI hires. Ray Bruns Feb 14 #66

Hopefully Rebl2 Feb 14 #79

Fascists have no taste in creativity Dem4life1234 Feb 13 #36

Tickets now on sale for Kevin Sorbo and his Donkey Express! NBachers Feb 13 #37

He is probably looking into renaming it the Trump Center from the Kennedy Center. mackdaddy Feb 13 #38

I wouldn't be shocked if changed it to the 🍑💩🤡 center kimbutgar Feb 13 #39

Don't give them any ideas ... and that idea is terrifying FakeNoose Feb 13 #53

The resistance is determined. Martin68 Feb 13 #40

Ok here is a problem ... Will PBS continue to showcase Kennedy Center? off-the-clock Feb 13 #41

"If PBS say no then bye-bye PBS..." LudwigPastorius Feb 13 #52

EVERYTHING THAT TRUMP TOUCHES DIES. n/t birdographer Feb 13 #42

Truth. sheshe2 Feb 13 #45

They could have Snoop Dog but then they would be investigated for DEI. Norrrm Feb 13 #54

Nah. aocommunalpunch Feb 14 #74

yes by all means, refuse to work YoshidaYui Feb 14 #58

He'll be flushing that thing forever then. Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Feb 14 #62

Kid Rock will get lots of playing time rpannier Feb 14 #63

Jill Biden, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton should resign too - Laura Bush as well muriel_volestrangler Feb 14 #65

Good, and no artist who believes in Democracy should perform there as long as the sociopath is the chair. JohnSJ Feb 14 #69

Rightwingers will just say this proves their point about wokeness or whatever. Beartracks Feb 14 #71

Any Artist With Even an Ounce of Integrity Would Do the Same Thing! Daleuhlmann Feb 14 #72

Yep 😡. he ruins everything TommieMommy Feb 14 #73

the cult still has Sailingdiver Feb 14 #75

Big deal. The Kennedy Center is now an organ of the State. malthaussen Feb 14 #80

Protestors take to the streets of Washington D.C. last night to protest Trump's hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center LetMyPeopleVote Feb 16 #81

Ty. electric_blue68 Feb 16 #82