Donald Trump Takes Over the Kennedy Center- Page 14

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:25pm

All it would take is for one theatrical union (Actors' Equity I'm looking at you) to put them on their Do Not Work list, and they'd be screwed.

Now is the moment for Brooke Shields to step things up.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:28pm

Trump's criticisms directly implicated IATSE, as well. Both them and AEA need to step up and step up now, because otherwise Trump will pull the rug out from underneath them both.

Updated On: 3/19/25 at 05:28 PM

[DaveyG]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:40pm

JSquared2 said: "All it would take is for one theatrical union (Actors' Equity I'm looking at you) to put them on their Do Not Work list, and they'd be screwed. Now is the moment for Brooke Shields to step things up."

She's already rejected Trump once. Do it again, Brooke! 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/brooke-shields-got-classic-trump-201651162.html

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:43pm

Kad said: "Trump's criticisms directly implicated IATSE, as well. Both them and AEA need to step up and step up now, because otherwise Trump will pull the rug out from underneath them both."

Kennedy Center is going to be turned into a full on non-equity theater. Pay will absolutely suck, housing for actors will be a detention camp and wearing of MAGA gear will be mandatory for all guests.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:49pm

Eliminating union involvement is certainly a surefire way to financially ruin the KC and maybe that's their end goal.

[merle57]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:51pm

Trump's plan to bring in non-equity tours would aexclude using Equity, SAG, AFTRA, IATSE and union musicians, ushers, etc.  That would eliminate Opera, Symphony, Ballet, and Broadway and most recording artists.  

Trump - Musk- Vance and the GOP billionaires plan to destroy all unions, not just in the arts, but  in all professions around the country. That has become obvious.  

The attack on DEI is to eliminate Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ and Women's civil rights themes from shows. That would eliminate productions of Show Boat, South Pacific, Hamilton, Kinky Boots, La Cafe Aux Folles, The Crucible, Enemy of the People, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cabaret, M. Butterfly, Yellow Face, Fences - most of the great American plays and musicals.  It would even eliminate a farce like Some Like It Hot since the last line does not condemn gender fluidity.

This is back to I Love Lucy not being able to use the word Pregnant ..... 

 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 5:53pm

Kad said: "Eliminating union involvement is certainly a surefire way to financially ruin the KC and maybe that's their end goal."

This. He doesn’t care about running a successful arts organization. He wants to grift whatever he can out of it and then tear it down

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 3/19/25 at 8:10pm

Agree. He only wants to break it down and sell it for parts…just like he’s doing to the country. He’s never attended a cultural event in his life. He’s strictly MMA and pro wrestling. He’s as tacky and uncultured as a person can be—perfect for America in 2025. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 6:29am

Touring Kennedy Center, Trump Mused on His Childhood ‘Aptitude for Music’

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/arts/music/trump-kennedy-center-music.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5U4.9o58.P56l5i9ubnXj&smid=nytcore-android-share

Rosebud!

 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 7:19am

It’s Conan O’Brien’s big night — at Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center

 

https://wapo.st/4iHOwgv

[SeanD2]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 9:28am

MasterThespian 2 said: "Agree. He only wants to break it down and sell it for parts…just like he’s doing to the country. He’s never attended a cultural event in his life. He’s strictly MMA and pro wrestling. He’s as tacky and uncultured as a person can be—perfect for America in 2025."

I hate Trump as much as anybody, but the assertion that "he's never attended a cultural event in his life" is patently false. He regularly attended cultural events throughout the 80s (and talks about his love of certain Broadway shows). It's also insanely reductive and snobbish to define "cultural" as narrowly as you are.

[cmorrow]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 12:13pm

SeanD2 said: "MasterThespian 2 said: "Agree. He only wants to break it down and sell it for parts…just like he’s doing to the country. He’s never attended a cultural event in his life. He’s strictly MMA and pro wrestling. He’s as tacky and uncultured as a person can be—perfect for America in 2025."

I hate Trump as much as anybody, but the assertion that "he's never attended a cultural event in his life" is patently false. He regularly attended cultural events throughout the 80s (and talks about his love of certain Broadway shows). It's also insanely reductive and snobbish to define "cultural" as narrowly as you are."

In 2005, Trump attended the Broadway premiere of (believe it or not) The Color Purple. He told a reporter he was there "to support my friend Oprah," who co-produced it. I have no idea what he thought of it. That show seems to be pretty far outside his comfort zone.

In 1994, at the finale of the BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition, Trump took the stage to read off the monetary totals raised for the charity. I've seen the video of this event, and can attest that while doing so, he wore an Abe Lincoln-style stovepipe hat. Swear to God!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 12:20pm

Him and his kids frequently visited Broadway shows back in the day. During the Apprentice (mostly the Celebrity version), he had several times had involved Broadway shows or cast members and would typically donate to BC/EFA. His attack on the Kennedy Center appears to strictly be to bust up the unions that work there. And to disallow any type of "Woke" show from performing there.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 12:20pm

He also "paid to play" in order for his then-wife Marla Maples to go into WILL ROGERS FOLLIES to replace Cady Huffman. Maples was god awful!  There's footage of her on YouTube.

Speaking of Maples -- is she locked up in a tower somewhere?? Her divorce settlement must have a REALLY strong NDA!

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 5:33pm

Maybe Kennedy Center can do a production of Our American Cousin and offer the orange thing a nice box seat. 

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 7:40pm

This is far too passive. Either create a "Kennedy Center in Exile" the way George Soros created a University in exile after he was kicked out of Hungary by the authoritarian, anti-LGBT, anti-feminist Viktor Orban or shut up about this idiot. 

The alternative space can be a black box with a couple of hundred thousand kicked towards it by people like Lin-Manuel Miranda and perhaps some guest appearances. But at least it is something real and positive. This gawking at this douchebag's lame-ass Nazi shenanigans has got to stop. 

Updated On: 3/20/25 at 07:40 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 8:05pm

Trump used to attend many shows thru the 80’s and 90’s.  When the local channels used to cover Broadway openings ( as they used to do regularly back then) he would always appear .  I am sure there’s lots of footage out there. Unless my memory is playing tricks on me .. I recall him participating in the tribute to Mary Martin at the Schubert theater with Nancy Reagan. I believe he introduced an extensive medley. But someone correct me if I’m wrong.

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 8:06pm

Should we be impressed because that fat slob slept through a few Broadway shows? Yup, he’s so cultured, sophisticated, and well-read. A true patron of the arts. 
 

cmorrow said: "SeanD2 said: "MasterThespian 2 said: "Agree. He only wants to break it down and sell it for parts…just like he’s doing to the country. He’s never attended a cultural event in his life. He’s strictly MMA and pro wrestling. He’s as tacky and uncultured as a person can be—perfect for America in 2025."

I hate Trump as much as anybody, but the assertion that "he's never attended a cultural event in his life" is patently false. He regularly attended cultural events throughout the 80s (and talks about his love of certain Broadway shows). It's also insanely reductive and snobbish to define "cultural" as narrowly as you are."

In 2005, Trump attended the Broadway premiere of (believe it or not) The Color Purple. He told a reporter he was there "to support my friend Oprah," who co-produced it. I have no idea what he thought of it. That show seems to be pretty far outside his comfort zone.

In 1994, at the finale of the BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition, Trump took the stage to read off the monetary totals raised for the charity. I've seen the video of this event, and can attest that while doing so, he wore an Abe Lincoln-style stovepipe hat. Swear to God!"

 

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 8:09pm

DAME said: "Trump used to attend many shows thru the80’s and 90’s. When the local channels used to cover Broadway openings ( as they used to do regularly back then) he would always appear . I am sure there’s lots of footage out there. Unless my memory is playing tricks on me .. I recall him participating in the tribute to Mary Martin at the Schubert theater with Nancy Reagan. I believe he introduced an extensive medley. But someone correct me if I’m wrong."

Yep.  He was a regular .  Who knows when the lunatic turned.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 8:31pm

It’s been widely reported that evil thing has the attention span of a rotten pea, so yeah, maybe he sat through some musicals in the 80’s but no freaking way he is still doing that. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/20/25 at 8:51pm

Bette's Turban said: "Yep. He was a regular . Who knows when the lunatic turned."

Dude was never not a lunatic...

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/21/25 at 11:40am

The Kennedy Center Performers Who Didn’t Cancel - The Atlantic

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/kennedy-center-trump-cancellations/682106/

[SingingEachtoEach]

Posted: 3/21/25 at 1:14pm

A friend of mine pointed out he sounded exactly like Lady Catherine from Pride and Prejudice during his tour of KC.

“There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.”

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:02pm

Well, if you can't get to the Kennedy Center, why keep it open?

-'

CEO’s dismissal signals the beginning of the end for Amtrak: Analysis - Trains

 

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/ceos-dismissal-signals-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-amtrak-analysis/

[Kad]

Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:15pm

While Amtrak is hardly perfect- I've found myself stuck when trains were canceled at the last minute for no explained reason- I find traveling on it is far more comfortable and pleasant, overall, than any airline.