Issa Rae, Shonda Rhimes, and several other celebrities have distanced themselves from The Kennedy Center following Donald Trump’s takeover.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts theater in Washington, D.C. Named in honor of President Kennedy, the theatre is the country’s National Cultural Center. It strives to promote and highlight performing arts that “reflect the cultural diversity of the United States.” Through a mixture of private-public funding and bipartisan support, the center has long strived for independence, keeping a balance of Democratic and Republican representation on its board and attempting to keep politics at bay. However, Trump decided abruptly to end its independence and bipartisan nature.
Despite admitting to never attending a performance at the Kennedy Center, Trump decided he wanted control of it. He quickly purged the board of all of its Democratic members and replaced them with a random assortment of Trump loyalists. In what he claims was a “unanimous” decision, the board fired longtime president Deborah Rutter and elected Trump as Chairman of the Board. The rapid takeover left Americans aghast as Trump prepared to push his agenda in a center that was supposed to be about artistic expression and freedom. In response to the situation, multiple high-profile figures have cut ties with the center.
Celebrities begin to cut ties with The Kennedy Center
Shortly after Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center, a spokesperson for Rhimes confirmed she had resigned from her role as treasurer, which she was appointed to by President Barack Obama. Many others quickly followed suit, including artistic advisors Renée Fleming and Ben Folds. Additionally, the center has already lost one major performance, as actor and writer Issa Rae announced she was canceling her upcoming sold-out event.
Rae was set to appear at the center on March 16 for her special event, “An Evening with Issa Rae.” On February 13, she announced her decision to cancel the event. In an Instagram Story, she wrote, “Thank you so much for selling out the Kennedy Center for An Evening with Issa Rae. Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue.” She assured them that all tickets will be refunded.
Considering that the Kennedy Center relies on ticket revenue and donations for about 80% of its operational costs, Rae’s canceled events mark a significant loss. Further show cancelations and resignations also remain possible. There’s a chance that the Center will also have difficulty booking events in the future. After all, Trump has been on a DEI witch hunt and taken to blaming BIPOC individuals, women, and the disabled community for every tragedy in America, making it highly likely a very large portion of the artistic community will no longer feel welcome at the Center under his leadership. The future of the Kennedy Center remains uncertain as a center that was supposed to be a beacon of freedom of expression is now infiltrated with the MAGA agenda.
