Kennedy Center Honors See Procedural and Design Changes for Upcoming Event

The Kennedy Center Honors, an annual event recognizing lifetime contributions to American culture, will feature procedural and design modifications for its upcoming ceremony. The gala is scheduled to be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on December 23.\n\nThis year's honorees include Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, the band KISS, Gloria Gaynor, and English actor and singer Michael Crawford.\n\nThese changes follow a period of leadership transitions at the Kennedy Center. In February, President Trump replaced Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter and board chair David Rubenstein. Staff members involved with the ceremony and broadcast have also resigned recently.\n\n### Changes to the Event Structure\n\nSelection Process:\nHistorically, honorees were chosen through a multi-month, bipartisan process involving Kennedy Center board members, public input, and consultation with past honorees. Final selections were made by executive board members and senior staff, with input from figures such as Julie Andrews, Lionel Richie, and John Williams. For the current year, President Trump stated a 98% involvement in the selection process and publicly announced the honorees at a press conference in August, departing from the previous practice of announcements via the center's website and press releases.\n\nEvent Host:\nPast Kennedy Center Honors ceremonies have been hosted by individuals such as Walter Cronkite, Stephen Colbert, Gloria Estefan, and Queen Latifah. This year, President Trump will serve as the host, marking the first time a U.S. president has fulfilled this role. During his first term, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump did not attend Honors events. The traditional seating arrangement in the Box Tier with the President and First Lady remains unclarified given President Trump's hosting duties.\n\nMedallion Design:\nThe iconic rainbow medallion, traditionally presented to honorees at a State Department dinner, will feature a new design. For the first time since 1978, the medallions will not be produced by the long-standing family of artists. The new design, created by Tiffany & Co., incorporates a blue ribbon with rainbow stripes on the medallion itself.\n\n### Attendee Participation\n\nThe Kennedy Center maintains its practice of not disclosing the names of performers scheduled to pay tribute to the honorees, traditionally maintaining an element of surprise for the recipients.\n\nQuestions regarding performer and former honoree attendance have arisen due to the institutional changes. While past events have seen broad participation even amidst political disagreements, some individuals have confirmed they will not attend this year. Former honoree Herbie Hancock, who has attended previous ceremonies and provided consultation in the selection process, will not be present due to an Asia tour. Bonnie Raitt, an honoree from the previous year and a past tribute performer, has also stated she will not attend. In August, President Trump remarked that he and the center's new leadership had "ended the woke political programming."