Posted on 12/30/2025 8:10:39 AM PST by Miami Rebel
A veteran jazz ensemble and a New York dance company have canceled events at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, intensifying the fallout at one of the nation’s pre-eminent arts centers after it was renamed to include President Trump. The center had previously promoted two New Year’s Eve performances by the Cookers as an “all-star jazz septet that will ignite the Terrace Theater stage with fire and soul.” But those performances, like an annual Christmas Eve jazz concert hosted by Chuck Redd, are now canceled. The Cookers did not give a reason for the decision in a statement on Monday that said, “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.” But the band’s drummer, Billy Hart, told The New York Times that the center’s name change had “evidently” played a role. He acknowledged that the group was concerned about possible reprisals. Doug Varone and Dancers, a New York dance company, also said on Monday that it was canceling two performances in April that had been intended to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Mr. Varone, the head of the company, said it would lose $40,000 by pulling out. “It is financially devastating but morally exhilarating,” he said in an email. Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center’s chairman, said in a statement on Monday night that the artists canceling shows were “far-left political activists” and that they had been booked by previous leadership. “Boycotting the arts to show you support the arts is a form of derangement syndrome,” he said. After Mr. Redd canceled the Christmas Eve concert, Mr. Grenell called it “classic intolerance” and threatened a $1 million lawsuit.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Good 👍. How much does this save the American taxpayer?
Richard Grenell, Kennedy Center chairman, said that the
artists canceling shows were “far-left political activists”
<><>the cancellers had been booked by previous leadership.
<><>Grenell called Redd cancelling “classic intolerance” and threatened a $1M lawsuit.
<><>“Boycotting the arts to show you support the arts is a form of derangement syndrome.”
There should be hundreds of other Jazz-capable groups who would love such a gig. I don’t know if there would be enough time to properly vet everyone, to make sure none of the musicians were not also potentially dangerous people or troublemakers. Maybe it doesn’t just have to be Jazz.
Zero. The Kennedy Center will lose money because people are not buying tickets and performing artists won’t perform there.
Rats are scurrying.
It costs the taxpayer. The center has fixed costs whether or not it’s booked.
That $40,000 of “moral exhilaration”is gonna cost somebody in that dance company
Better make sure they are not funded by federal grants
Absolutely.
There isn’t the time or resources. Most performers of all kinds are left wing. Good luck finding ones that aren’t and good luck finding people in DC who are willing to buy tickets to Trumps Kennedy Center. It’s a disaster.
Does anyone know why Trump put his name on that place?
What a bunch of hooey.
Bach started jazz because he could.
The statement above describes whiny protest songs.
‘Rats gonna ‘rat.
Because he wanted to.
Source?
I thought it was the board of the center that did it due to Trump’s contributions and finding donors, but I could be mistaken.
Exactly. The Federal Govt pays for the building and upkeep and some employee salaries. More people are going to lose their jobs.
Okay. Got it.
I thought maybe he’d actually done something of significance.
Like put slot machines in the lobbies.
Give folks something to do during the intermissions.
Source? Read the papers. I cant reveal my sources so stick it in your ear.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.