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Stellar

(5,644 posts)
Mon Dec 5, 2016, 09:11 AM Dec 2016

Standing Ovation for Obama at His Last Kennedy Center Honors

Much More at: ABCNEWS

The longest, loudest standing ovation of the Kennedy Center Honors gala wasn't reserved for Al Pacino, Mavis Staples or the Eagles. Instead, it went to the man sitting to their left, attending his eighth and most likely his last honors presentation: President Barack Obama.

While politics were absent from the tributes to the performers who were recognized for influencing American culture Sunday night, the arts community's affection for Obama — and its nervousness about President-elect Donald Trump — was palpable in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama were introduced last, after Pacino and his fellow honorees: gospel singer Staples; pianist Martha Argerich; singer-songwriter James Taylor; and Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmidt and Joe Walsh, the surviving members of the Eagles.

After a sustained ovation, host Stephen Colbert greeted the crowd of Washington insiders as "endangered swamp-dwellers," referencing Trump's "drain the swamp" campaign pledge. He joked that Obama would need to receive the honor to attend again and that "unlike the Nobel Peace Prize, they don't just give these away."

The Kennedy Center Honors are in their 39th year, a period that has included six presidents — three Republicans, three Democrats — and all have taken time to welcome the recipients. But the 2016 election was noteworthy for the way A-list performers lined up behind Obama and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, while Trump had relatively few celebrity endorsements.

Although the president has no say in who receives the awards, Colbert joked that next year's honorees would include Scott Baio, Gary Busey and Meat Loaf.

"For the past eight years, the White House has given us a leader who's passionate, intelligent and dignified," Colbert said, and the crowd rose for another prolonged ovation, prompting Obama to stand and wave.

"Sir, I don't even know why you stood up. I was talking about Michelle," Colbert said....

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Standing Ovation for Obama at His Last Kennedy Center Honors (Original Post) Stellar Dec 2016 OP
"Sir, I don't even know why you stood up. I was talking about Michelle" tanyev Dec 2016 #1
Priceless! RFKISNEEDED Dec 2016 #5
Pictures.... lamp_shade Dec 2016 #2
Thank you! Stellar Dec 2016 #6
Will this be shown again on TV?? eom a kennedy Dec 2016 #3
Tuesday, 12/27/16 Stellar Dec 2016 #7
Thank you. eom a kennedy Dec 2016 #10
Found a video! Stellar Dec 2016 #9
Thanks..... eom a kennedy Dec 2016 #11
I wonder if Trump will last long enough to bestow these honors. Paladin Dec 2016 #4
Don't forget Ted Nugent. greatauntoftriplets Dec 2016 #8

Stellar

(5,644 posts)
6. Thank you!
Mon Dec 5, 2016, 10:22 AM
Dec 2016

I hoped to see videos but I guess those reporters were out following Trump and his Deplorables around.

Stellar

(5,644 posts)
7. Tuesday, 12/27/16
Mon Dec 5, 2016, 10:36 AM
Dec 2016
The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 27 at 9 p.m. The center also announced a new contract with CBS to air the annual honors gala through 2025.

Paladin

(28,202 posts)
4. I wonder if Trump will last long enough to bestow these honors.
Mon Dec 5, 2016, 09:39 AM
Dec 2016

And if he does, I wonder if he'll approve of all the honorees. Colbert probably has it right: Baio, Busey and Loaf.

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