Trumps skipping Kennedy Center Honors to prevent ‘political distraction’

NYPost ^ | August 19, 2017

[SMGFan]

President Trump is skipping this year’s Kennedy Center honors after backlash from the honorees.

Three of this year’s five award winners, including television icon Norman Lear, singer Lionel Richie and dancer Carmen de Lavallade, vowed to boycott the annual White House reception.

Of the remaining honorees, Queens native and rapper LL Cool J hasn’t commented on whether he would attend, and singer Gloria Estefan pledged to use the event as an opportunity to influence Trump on immigration issues.

[exit82]

Good.

Best to stay away from a place named after a serial adulterer and sex addict.

[morphing libertarian]

Yeah, that’s water under the bridge.

[PUGACHEV]

The Kennedy Center is slowly destroying itself, and I for one am ready to say good riddance. This year I have not renewed by season subscription or my membership and I doubt that I ever will again. (1) Their ticket prices are ridiculous. (2) They gouge for parking. (3) The National Symphony Orchestra, despite being one of the highest paid in the country, is glaringly second rate and routinely bested by visiting orchestras from smaller cities. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is miles ahead and where I will now be spending my money. (4) Their program selections are atrociously second-rate, boring, and exquisitely and narcissistically politically correct whenever the opportunity arises.

For the most part, the place is now a tourist rip-off and a left-coast echo chamber

[ronnie raygun]

F them

[ladyjane]

Not one of them is worth his presence. Not one of them is worth $1

[originalbuckeye]

WHAT INGRATES THESE FAUX CELEBRITIES ARE!

[Borges]

So no one should attend National Symphony concerts?

[exit82]

So no one should attend National Symphony concerts?

If the President is not welcome, no.

[Borges]

The point is that they have nothing to do with this event...or the various other events held there .

[exit82]

The point is, the Kennedy Center basically smiled at Trump and said FU.

Who has ever heard of any place saying to the POTUS “thanks for NOT coming”?

What, was he going to cause a riot? Can you imagine such disrespect given to Obama and getting a pass?

[Borges]

The honorees did that. The Kennedy center is just a venue.

[exit82]

No, the Center issued the “thank you”, not the honorees:

“Kennedy Center leaders said they were “grateful for the gesture” from the White House.

“In choosing not to participate in this year’s Honors activities, the administration has graciously signaled its respect for the Kennedy Center,” chairman David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter said.”