Oh, what a December it was for the Kennedy Center, now controversially rebranded as the Trump-Kennedy Center! đ This iconic venue kicked up quite the storm leading up to Christmas, introducing its new name, which sparked major boycotts and legal threats faster than you can say 'drama'!
People expected fireworks when Donald Trump, then the first sitting president ever to host the Kennedy Center Honors, predicted it would break viewership records. But the reality? Well, let's just say the ratings didn't exactly light up the scoreboard as planned.
Magazine Quotes got the scoop with Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice president of public relations, who called any comparisons to past ratings a 'classic apples-to-oranges' deal. She assured us everything was lit, despite airing just days before Christmas with all the festive distractions.
Nielsenâs new data system showed a 26% dive in viewers from last year, but hey, whoâs counting when youâve hit 1.5 billion impressions on social media overnight? Mic drop! đ¤
Despite the TV hit, this yearâs honors still shimmered with glitz and glam, celebrating legends like Sylvester Stallone, KISS, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, and Broadway star Michael Crawford.
Controversy kept rolling with Trump hopping onstage thriceâyes, thriceâduring the ceremony, breaking the tradition of presidents chilling in the balcony. Trumpâs vision for a âGREAT AGAINâ Kennedy Center led to a complete board makeover, sparking legal questions since renaming it shouldn't be a walk in the park due to existing laws.
The drama didnât stay quiet: stars like Rhiannon Giddens, Issa Rae, Renee Fleming, Shonda Rhimes, and Ben Folds distanced themselves from anything-Trump-Kennedy-Center, and iconic shows like Hamilton gave a swift ânopeâ to future performances there.
So, is the Kennedy Center spinning into a stormy soap opera? One thingâs for sure, folksâyou won't want to miss the next episode! đŹâ¨