By Ginika Igboke
The 2025 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, hosted earlier this month by President Donald Trump, has been released on CBS and the Paramount+ streaming service.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the broadcast was scheduled to begin on Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. He hosted the event on Dec. 7, marking the first time in the ceremony’s nearly 50-year history that a current or former president served as master of ceremonies.
“A very big hello and welcome to a very special evening, and one of the most important evenings in the American cultural realm,” Trump said in his opening monologue. “This is something going to be very special, and the Kennedy Center is very special, and we’re bringing this building back to life like nobody ever thought was even possible.”
Hours before the broadcast, Trump joked on Truth Social about a possible career change.
“THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER HONORS will be broadcast tonight, on CBS, and Stream on Paramount+,” he wrote. “Tell me what you think of my ‘Master of Ceremony’ abilities. If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make ‘hosting’ a full time job?”
The annual honors program, established in 1978, is intended to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to American culture and the arts.
This year’s honorees include actor Sylvester Stallone for his roles in the “Rocky” and “Rambo” film franchises; singer Gloria Gaynor for her hit song “I Will Survive”; the rock band KISS; country music singer George Strait; and Tony Award–winning actor Michael Crawford. Trump described the honorees on Truth Social as “true GREATS in the History of Entertainment.”
The two-and-a-half-hour special premieres days after the Kennedy Center’s board voted to rename the complex the Trump–Kennedy Center, with preliminary steps already underway to update signage.
Trump was selected to host the ceremony by the Kennedy Center’s board, which also chose the 2025 honorees. Speaking to reporters on the red carpet ahead of the event, Trump said he did not prepare extensively for the role.
“I didn’t really prepare very much,” he said. “I have a good memory, so I can remember things, which is very fortunate. But I wanted to just be myself. You have to be yourself. Johnny Carson, he was himself.”
Trump was asked to host the event after replacing the Kennedy Center’s board with members more aligned with his administration’s priorities. He has previously indicated that he was directly involved in selecting candidates for this year’s awards and has spoken openly about his close relationship with Stallone, who was named a “Hollywood Special Ambassador.”
Original article
Comments