Kennedy Center Honors: George Clooney, U2, Gladys Knight And Others Feted On A Bipartisan Night — With Some Reminders Of MAGA And Donald Trump
Guest after guest at the Kennedy Center Honors told reporters of the spirit of bipartisanship at the ceremony, what with the presence of President Joe Biden, Chief Justice John Roberts and congressional leaders of both parties.
But throughout the evening there still were reminders of the darker aspects of where politics has gone in recent years: Sacha Baron Cohen’s tribute to U2 was actually a satire on the extent to which anti-semitism has reemerged in discourse and threat, while the appearance of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was greeted with a standing ovation for his recovery. He survived a brutal attack by an intruder at their San Francisco home, in what police say was the suspect’s attempt to harm his wife.
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On the red carpet, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) reminded reporters that even in a time of division, the Senate “has done a lot of great things over the past couple of years.”
“We’re becoming a little more polarized as a nation, and that’s being reflected in the people that are being elected,” he said. “So hopefully we can keep the partisan effort alive.”
The Kennedy Center Honors lacks the suspense and nationwide news attention of EGOT, but the show itself is one of the better produced and entertaining of all kudos broadcasts. And with POTUS in attendance, there are few other premiere events at the top of the D.C. social calendar.
That never really changed when Trump was president, even as he skipped the ceremony and declined to hold a pre-event White House reception.
Starting last year, Joe Biden returned that tradition, sprinkling his comments with words of graciousness and some levity for the honorees, George Clooney, U2, Tania León, Gladys Knight and Amy Grant, each of them, in their own way, activists in social causes or groundbreakers in representation.
This year, figures like Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and Matt Damon attending the East Room ceremony for honoree Clooney.
“This is going to be a roast instead of an honor,” Clooney quipped to reporters, noting the teasing he’s gotten from some of his past co-workers.
During the ceremony, Roberts emerged with a dress featuring pictures of her Ticket to Paradise co-star, while Damon reminded that Clooney “was everyone’s 6th favorite Batman.” Richard Kind referred to a failed sitcom pilot that he and Clooney appeared in as young actors.
But the razzing often turned to tribute, particularly when Clooney’s father Nick told of his son’s “quick mind, vitality and empathy” and that he was “always so funny.”
Nick Clooney recalled that in 1968, when he was hosting a TV talk show and was writing some remarks in the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, his family joined him in the green room.
“Seven year old George had a large paper bag. I asked him, what in the world was in the bag. Well, he went to the coffee table, turned the bag upside down. Out poured all of his toy guns.” His son told him that no one needs them. “None of them.”
“I tore up my speech,” Nick Clooney recalled. “Nothing I would have written would have been nearly as eloquent had just done and said.”
George Clooney has for years been one of Hollywood’s leading liberal voices, including advocacy for gun reform and, internationally, for human rights and aid to the South Sudan region. Speaking to reporters before the ceremony, Clooney praised Biden as a president with “great intentions and he has passed some incredible legislation, which kind of gets overlooked. They are not very good at bragging about it. And so he’s done a really good job and I am very proud to be a supporter.”
As for Donald Trump’s first presidential bid, Clooney noted that he was “dead wrong” about the prospects for his first run in 2016 so “I am not allowed to talk about it anymore.”
D.C. soon will be different, Republicans take a slim majority in the House, with promises of investigations and, if the past is any guide, attacks on government arts funding.
Asked about what’s ahead, Clooney said, “Every two years these things turn around and governments change and we always worry about it for periods of time, and we find a way. I think we will find a way. We have to so far. Hopefully.”
“It’s going to be tricky,” he added. “It’s going to be a tough couple of years. I think it is going to be harder on the House because you are going to have to kowtow to some pretty extreme views on one side, and I think that’s going to make it difficult. And so I hope we can actually get past all the crap and actually deal with the things that people need to have dealt with. We’re trying to avoid World War, Ukraine continues to need to be supported. There’s so many things that actually matter that shouldn’t be politicized. So hopefully we can get around that. For a year.”
Asked whether he has ever been tempted to go into politics himself, Clooney’s wife Amal Clooney gave a rather grimaced face and he told reporters, “We have a really nice life.”
More to come.
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