You may want to look at the composition of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. You may be technically correct that Barry doesn't personally select them. But his first lady, his Secretary of HHS, Secretary of State, NPS Director and Secretary of Education all have a hand in it.
It's kind of like saying, "Harbaugh didn't win the superowl, his players did."
It just makes your assertion that, "I seriously doubt Barry even knows who he’s talking to," nothing but silly.
The head coach directs every aspect of a football team; he doesn't pick a personnel team and chief of staff who in turn choose players and then tell them to go have fun. The Kennedy center awards are selected based on lifetime achievements and some of the President's people are involved in the approval, but 0 is no more than a distant spectator in that process.
Congratulations for giving me a great laugh at your lack of football knowledge, though.