Kennedy Center Honorees 2017

[nealb1]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 12:22pm

Some very interesting choices this year......dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, Gloria Estefan, LL COOL J, Norman Lear and Lionel Richie. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 12:24pm

I'm guessing Gloria Estefan will be receiving the performance with Broadway actors? 

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 12:33pm

Will any of them turn it down in these Trump years?

[kaykordeath]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 1:06pm

bwaylyric said: "Will any of them turn it down in these Trump years?

 

"

Conversely-Will he even bother to show up and feign interest in anything remotely cultural?

[nealb1]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 1:09pm

Exactly - will he just skip it like he did the White House Correspondents dinner?  Or, propose cutting the program all together?  Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[JBC3]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 1:16pm

Washington Post critic—

The Kennedy Center Honors abandons the arts for pop culture

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 1:24pm

JBC3 said: "Washington Post critic—

The Kennedy Center Honors abandons the arts for pop culture"

 

I am not knowledgeable enough regarding the works of LL Cool J, Gloria Estefan, or Lionel Ritchie to really argue one way or another, but Norman Lear is a F@CKING PIONEER. His art changed our society. I would go so far as to say he's the Voltaire of late 20th Century America.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 2:06pm

JBC3 said: "Washington Post critic—

The Kennedy Center Honors abandons the arts for pop culture

 

"

I wonder how much say does CBS/Les Moonves have in the choice of recipients.  LL Cool J (NCIS)?  If they wanted to honor a rapper/hip hop artist, there are others who are more worthy IMO.  Looking at this list, seems like they're more concerned about who would give CBS the best telecast.  On the other hand, it would be great to see the US Marine Corps chorus belt out Mama Said Knock You Out.

Updated On: 8/3/17 at 02:06 PM

[nealb1]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 2:21pm

Very true.  When all is said and done, it's a tv show.  

[bryan32]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 3:14pm

I think that ll cool j is to young 

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 3:19pm

I think Lionel Ritchie is the weak link in that group.  For the life of me, I can't understand how Cher hasn't been honored yet.

[nealb1]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 5:14pm

Cher?  Ok....................???????????????????

[nsguy45]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 5:44pm

Still no love for Carol Channing? Chita, and others, have been campaigning for years to get Carol a KCH.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 7:11pm

http://variety.com/2017/tv/politics/norman-lear-president-donald-trump-kennedy-center-1202515465/ 

 

This article says that Normal Lear plans to skip the reception dinner (but he will attend the ceremony) because of Trump's proposed arts cuts. It also says that all other recipients plan on attending.  

[Melissa25]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 7:38pm

I second the vote for Cher.

LL Cool J ??????????

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 8:37pm

This is the most ridiculous Kennedy Center honorees list ever.  LL Cool J and Lionel Richie and Gloria Estefan when Bernadette Peters or Patti Lupone or Sally Field or Jessica Lange or Glenn Close or Kevin Kline or Cher or Bette Midler or Jeff Bridges have not been rewarded, just off the top of my head.  What about Cynthia Gregory?  I am not sure if Peter Martins has won or Suzanne Farrell.  

How old is Cool J? 

Maybe this list of people -- which definitely is not Trump's idea of appropriate honorees, i.e., three African Americans, one Hispanic immigrant and one of the most liberal producers in television / entertainment history and serious Trump critic into his 90s -- is actually directed at Trump.  It will give Trump an excuse not to participate, which I am sure the winners would love.

Where is Chachi?  Where is Antonio Sabato Jr?  Where is that country singer?

 

 

 

PS -- Chita Rivera has already won

Updated On: 8/18/17 at 08:37 PM

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 8:49pm

Does the president have to be invited?

Updated On: 8/3/17 at 08:49 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 8:55pm

bwaylyric said: "Is the president always invited?

Absolutely.  I have seen many pictures of him at the actual award ceremony (as opposed to the entertainment) and have always assumed that he was the one who presented the award, i.e., placed it over their head.  

It is the biggest event of the Washington season.  Everyone is there.  They get to gawk at all the 'stars'.

 

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 10:24pm

Not a single classical music star? Well, at least I can save the couple hours I usually use watching the show. LL Cool J ???? You have got to be kidding me.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 8/3/17 at 10:41pm

I wonder if this bears part of the responsibility for the turn away from dull classical and jazz performers to our current trash pop culture? Will we see Kim Kardashian next year?

A year-ago Kennedy Center Honors had a 1.2 rating/4 share in the key 18-49 demographic and about 9.3 million viewers overall. This year, it tied a record low 0.9 rating, which it previously had fell to in 2013. The show two-years-ago marked a low of a rounded 7.2 million viewers; this one was up around 7.5 million — still down quite a bit year over year.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 3:38pm

Will this year's celebration end up being cancelled???

http://www.showbiz411.com/2017/08/18/kennedy-center-honors-in-trouble-as-3-of-5-inductees-wont-go-to-white-house-ceremony

Updated On: 8/18/17 at 03:38 PM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 4:30pm

I mean, they're declining to attend the dinner at the White House, not the ceremony itself. I would assume it will go ahead, though I wonder if the infant in chief will attend at all. 

[SidebySidebyLogan]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 5:35pm

JBC3 said: "Washington Post critic—

The Kennedy Center Honors abandons the arts for pop culture

 

"

My problems with articles like this is it only furthers the artistic/cultural divide and in the end hastens the demise of the "high art" it is trying to protect by making the people who feel that kind of art is too intellectual, lofty, or expensive for them to enjoy. By making it an "us vs. them" mentality, you'll never spread the fine arts to the masses because rock, hip-hop, and pop have already won. You need people like Gloria Estefan who sees the value of Broadway theatre. Or Stephen Sondheim who can enjoy his own work as much as he enjoys The Book of Mormon (honestly, that's when he lost me. It's not my favorite show in the world but it's still musical theatre so he's basically arguing against his own case...). And art should evolve with the times. Norman Lear is a genius plain and simple. He made ART for television. So do I think more classical artists should be inducted into the KCH? Yes. Does that discredit the achievements of this VERY DIVERSE group of modern artists. Not one bit. 

Also count me in on Team Carol & Cher. And let's throw Liza in there as well. lol

[David10086]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 7:52pm

Melissa25 said: "I second the vote for Cher.

LL Cool J ??????????"

+ 1. I agree 100%.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 8:45pm

David10086 said: "Melissa25 said: "I second the vote for Cher.

LL Cool J ??????????"

+ 1. I agree 100%.

"

Run DMC is more worthy.