Outside the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a giant tarpaulin remained in place to conceal the removal of Donald Trump’s name from the building’s facade, after a court order ruled the addition illegal. Guests entering the national arts complex on Sunday night for the Mark Twain prize for American humour ceremony were greeted with jokes at the president’s expense, as performers seized on the thwarted renaming.
Paying tribute to this year’s recipient, the comedian Bill Maher, actor Woody Harrelson said: “Finally, an award for my dear friend – ironically at the Trump Kennedy Center. No, all right, we fixed that.” The audience erupted in applause, and Harrelson added, acknowledging the tarp: “Not as though you’d be able to notice.”
Former late-night host Jay Leno said on the red carpet: “This is funny to me. It’s not war, it’s not antisemitism, it’s not racism – it’s vanity. It’s so silly, it’s like high school with money. Covering the name now – hilarious!” Comedian Whitney Cummings added: “The thing about comedy is that we aren’t scared. We try not to be scared of people that bully.” She also joked about Trump’s influence, referring to the cancelled Hamilton run.
Trump seized control of the Kennedy Center last year, installing himself as chair, and his board voted to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center. But last month, US district judge Christopher Cooper ruled the addition illegal, ordering the 18 letters removed. Trump posted on social media that Cooper “should be ashamed of himself” and indicated he was finished with the centre, though Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday the president remained committed.
Lutnick stated: “The president is not only the commander in chief, but he’s the builder in chief. He’s gonna try his darnedest to make this building shine and I think he’s going to be successful. These courts are always sort of fighting with him but, in the end, he wins.” Asked how Trump felt about his name being removed, Lutnick declined to comment.
