There was an energetic, music-filled edition of the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., on Sunday on behalf of the newest group of honorees: actor/filmmaker George Clooney, soul legend Gladys Knight, Christian music singer-songwriter Amy Grant, composer/maestro Tanya Lyon, and musician Irish rockers U2.
The U2 set was “interrupted” midway by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who came out in full Borat mode, debuting for the Unruly Artist at an Honors event. He stared at the packed house before giving a hilarious take on off-color topics like the persecution of Jews in “native” Kazakhstan (while targeting Kanye West) to Donald Trump, who sought to locate him in the presidential box. (Trump has notoriously avoided the Honors event throughout his tenure.)
Seated in the Center’s Opera House’s presidential box alongside President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, as well as Vice President Camilla Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, the honorees were treated to a mix of entertainment and heartfelt testimonials from assorted friends.
I pity the folks at CBS who will have to trim precious items for the polished three-hour event for its scheduled December 28 broadcast.
Others sitting in the VIP class include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul, who made his first public appearance after the assault at his California home. The couple received a standing ovation from the crowd full of insiders and politicians in the capital.
Among the main themes of the evening were the many philanthropic/goodwill activities stemming from this year’s cohort of honorees – particularly members of Clooney, U2’s Bono, Dave “the Edge” Evans, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. and others. This relationship has been confirmed by A-listers including Julia Roberts for Clooney and Sean Penn for U2.
The 45-year-old was first produced by Dun + Dusted, in association with ROK Prods. , after the Center’s contract with White Cherry Entertainment expired. (The Honors event has been designed and produced for years by George Stevens Jr.) D+D also produces the center’s Mark Twain Award, which now takes place every spring.
It was a fast-paced production that included limited but effective use of video elements replicating the life and profession of each honoree, live entertainment and director duties from past honorees such as Garth Brooks and LL Cool J. There was no official host for the evening.
In accordance with the event’s longstanding tradition, the line-up of participants—usually the honoree’s showbiz friends and other colleagues—was kept a closely guarded secret to surprise both the audience and the honoree alike. Case in point: the evening’s closing tribute to U2, which featured polished renditions of group favorites “Elevation” and “One” by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. U2’s rousing “Walk On” helped close the evening with a boom.
The show opened with a tribute to Knight that began with “Midnight Train to Georgia” performed by Brooks with backup from the Biebs themselves – Knight’s brother Merald “Bubba” Knight Jr., and cousins William Guest and Edward Patton. “Best Thing That Happened To Me” and “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” were followed by Mickey Guyton and Ariana DeBose, respectively.
Showcasing six decades of friendship with the honoree, Patti Labelle joined the other artists as they sang “That’s What Friends Are For Friends For.” Former honoree Michael Tilson Thomas said of Knight, “She has staying power and a voice that has brought us eternal joy.”
The clip for Clooney was led by Julia Roberts, who called him a “renaissance man”. Then the curtain rose to reveal a cozy bar and nightclub scene, where Clooney’s father, Nick, was sitting at a table. He recalled unforgettable times with young George, who “never ceased to amaze me—just look who he married!” Obviously, Clooney and his wife, Amal, enjoyed this tribute in their box.
Others on the set sat out actors Richard Kind, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle, each offering praise for their co-star. The compilation also included a sexy version of “How High the Moon,” sung by Diane Reeves.
The segment for Grant recipient was introduced by TV news anchor Katie Couric, who highlighted the artist’s multifaceted talents. Former winner Chita Rivera also welcomed Grant to the “club” as the first member of contemporary Christian music, whose religious career has generated nearly 30 million in album sales. He has performed on songs including “Sing Praise to the Lord” by Sheryl Crow, BBC and C.C. Winans, and the women – Brandi Carlisle, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Sheares. It was supported by the Howard University Gospel Choir.
Honoree Leon receives a loving tribute from Anna Deavere Smith, who reenacts her life as a refugee from Cuba as talent and good fortune–including a boost from Leonard Bernstein–helped her success. The group included the Dance Theater of Harlem, which Lyonne co-founded, and performed one of her compositions. Highlights included a moving performance of Alicia Hall Moran’s Leon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Stride”, accompanied by the Kennedy Center Honors Orchestra.
The closing segment for U2, the fifth concert band to receive Kencen’s honor, featured an animated film about social justice and human rights and ended with a laser light show. In between, along with Borat, was Actor Ben’s testimony about the legendary (and still performing) band formed during the violence of the ’70s that still champions causes worthy of generous and benefit concerts in their fight against poverty and other causes.
The show closed with “Walk On”, which was joined by several artists from the evening.
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