The Kennedy Center Honors were taped this past weekend in Washington DC for a December 26th broadcast on CBS. This year's honorees include Andrew Lloyd Webber, Zubin Mehta, Dolly Parton, Smokey Robinson and Steven Spielberg. The moment making the internet and gossip blog rounds right now features Jessica Simpson flubbing the lines to Dolly's "9 to 5." You won't see that in the broadcast. In fact, what you see in the broadcast is an extremely pared down version of the live awards show.I worked at the Kennedy Center for several years, and if there's one thing I remember about the Honors, it's that they turn The Center and Washington upside down. DC rarely gets the A-list, celebrity glamor that comes with the Honors. And, this year, they pulled out the big guns. Dolly Parton was saluted by Reese Witherspoon, Reba McEntire and Alison Krauss. Aretha Franklin came out for Smokey Robinson. Tom Hanks and Liam Neeson saluted Steven Spielberg.
The honorees are chosen by The Kennedy Center Board of Directors. Over the past few years, the awardees have swung over to the pop culture side - leaving only one or two slots for fine arts performers and creators. The show used to be more high-falutin' and less TV savvy, but what are you going to do? Our culture has changed, and shows like the Honors change with it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-05-2006 @ 8:22PM
Dee said...
Maybe everyone will realize she has no talent. Just boobs!
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12-05-2006 @ 8:34PM
Jim said...
The Kennedy Center Honors is one of my favorite TV events of the year. It's educational, uplifting and highly entertaining, save the awkwardness of the politicians standing, dancing and/or clapping their hands to the obligatory pop or rock number at the end.
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12-05-2006 @ 10:56PM
Tim said...
My wife sings in a local choir that the producers of the KC Honors often use in the television production. Before security at the Center went overboard after 9/11, I used to go to the dress rehearsal. The whole thing is pure chaos, literally thrown together in two days. The live show usually runs close to three hours which is chopped down to about 1:40 plus commercials.
By the way, most of the people sitting in the audience are paying big bucks for the privilege, although that does include dinner and drinks after. KC uses it as a major fund raiser.
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12-06-2006 @ 11:20AM
Scott H said...
The Kennedy Center Honors is the best-produced "awards"-type show on the air. But why on earth does CBS chop it down so mercilessly? They always feel so rushed. The bio pieces are always outstanding, and then there are one or two performances crammed in before it's on to the next honoree. Why not give it a 3 hour slot? It's not the Tonys--it does WELL in the ratings, I think.
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12-27-2006 @ 10:27AM
Gloria J Walker said...
I'd love to hear Reba McEntire's salute to Dolly Parton. Just as she came on, my son called and how can you tell you're son, calling from CA to PA, you'll call him back after you hear the salute to Dolly Parton on the Kennedy Center Honors?
I'd love to see some replays of previous recipients. Wow, talk about the creme de la creme.
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12-28-2006 @ 1:27AM
Ronnie Demer said...
Does anyone have a recording of the show. My TiVo did not record all of it. I am willing to pay for it.
rdemer@sbcglobal.net
Thanks.
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12-28-2006 @ 8:45PM
Christi Thereault said...
I would like to have a copy of the recent Kennedy Center Honors show, or I would like to know if I could find a copy of the song that was performed at the end of the show as part of the tribute to Steven Speilberg. What a beautiful song!!!
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1-01-2007 @ 7:50PM
JC said...
Does anyone have a recording of the complete show, either on dvd or VHS. I am willing to pay for it. I got into an accident and missed the show.
jcpunkrocker007@yahoo.com
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1-26-2007 @ 12:02AM
Ami Weiss said...
I think for my collection of this kind interteinment
very important. Would like to buy! I`m a new costumer.
amiweiss@adelphia.net
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