Finally he makes a decision I can support with enthusiasm. Guess that proves I'm bipartisan. "
LOL! Me, too! I almost - almost - feel bad for Melania. After all, isn't her job to look 'pretty' at these events? With them being cancelled she has nothing else to do as FLOTUS (and forget her Cyberbullying campaign - she already forgot about it).
Glad they pulled out so the Honorees could deservedly enjoy their time. But, God, even a wonderful tradition like this had to get all f---ed up on account of him.
Finally he makes a decision I can support with enthusiasm. Guess that proves I'm bipartisan. "
LOL! Me, too! I almost - almost - feel bad for Melania. After all, isn't her job to look 'pretty' at these events? With them being cancelled she has nothing else to do as FLOTUS (and forget her Cyberbullying campaign - she already forgot about it).
"
I feel bad for Melania on a human level because most first ladies at least can smile in public. Melania seems to be in that stage of misery where she can't even pretend to look happy in her rare public appearances. Her constant frown and downward glances seem to scream "HELP ME!"
Finally he makes a decision I can support with enthusiasm. Guess that proves I'm bipartisan. "
LOL! Me, too! I almost - almost - feel bad for Melania. After all, isn't her job to look 'pretty' at these events? With them being cancelled she has nothing else to do as FLOTUS (and forget her Cyberbullying campaign - she already forgot about it).
"
I feel bad for Melania on a human level because most first ladies at least can smile in public. Melania seems to be in that stage of misery where she can't even pretend to look happy in her rare public appearances. Her constant frown and downward glances seem to scream "HELP ME!"
Don't feel even a speck. She married an obvious megalomaniac 25 years older than her for one reason only, and she reaped the rewards. She just didn't bank on his wanting to be president and being so polarizing. She can pay the piper.
This program was nice back in the day when we still assumed that we lived in a decent society trying to better itself. Now, as we slide into right wing dictatorship, the whole thing reeks of Bayreuth.
Agreeing with the above that LL cool J is a bizarre inclusion. Nothing against the man, he was certainly one of the best rappers in his heyday. But he's only 49 and has largely left his music career behind in favor of acting.
We should definitely include rap and hip hop as a genre that the Kennedy Center Honors salute, but in terms of artists who have the most impact, shouldn't an act like Run DMC make the cut before LL? Or if we are dipping into people in their 40s, how do we argue that Jay-Z, Nas, or Missy Elliott not make the grade before him? All artists who were pioneers in their field and who STILL continue to make impactful and unique music. Though I think the honors should just introduce an eligibility age of 55 or older.
The real problem is the lack of balance they selected in the disciplines represented. Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan, and LL Cool J all represent an element of pop music, and in past years only one of them would have been included. The honors are at their best when they include 5 very different artists from different disciplines.
The criteria for the Kennedy Center is contribution to American culture. You can argue there are/were better rappers, but his endurance as an actor/host mitigate in his favor. That said, I agree he's a little young. In my opinion, Lionel Ritchie is the weak link in this group.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
madbrian said: "The criteria for the Kennedy Center is contribution to American culture. You can argue there are/were better rappers, but his endurance as an actor/host mitigate in his favor. That said, I agree he's a little young. In my opinion, Lionel Ritchie is the weak link in this group.
Common is 45 and recently won an Academy Award. To me, that's a better sign of endurance and relevancy if that's the argument. "Endurance as an actor/host" doesn't work for Mark McGrath or Mario Lopez or Wayne Brady or Ryan Seacrest.
Curious to know how the ceremony will be handled this year with the Trump's not attending. Will the Presidential box be empty? Will Pence and his wife attend and sit there? A first for the Kennedy Center and CBS.
My opinion- Lionel Richie does not deserve a Kennedy Center Honor- Neither Does LL COOL J- Gloria probably does- but not before so many other more deserving possibilities- Lear deserves it- Kennedy Center Awards are now a commercial endeavor- too bad. And this pandering to minority groups in search of inclusion is causing a backlash that is actually at least partly responsible for the Trump era- I find it very troubling- awards should be about excellence- period. I see no reason why color counting has to be the main criteria- I am gay and Jewish- and do not feel that Jews or gays should be included in every award because of past discrimination.
This will be the first time I can recall not watching the show when it is televised. The passage of time since announcement has done nothing to alter my opinion that this list is so far inferior to the second worst year that it seems fitting that it would occur when we also have the worst president in my lifetime. Of course, I find a certain joy that 4 of the 5 honorees fall into minority categories when we have a fascist in the White House.
The televised special has not aired. Just as every year before, it is taped the first weekend of December and then aired on TV between Christmas and New Year's