The Music Universe is in Washington, DC, at the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is filming the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors tonight (Sun, Dec 7th) in Washington, DC, honoring George Strait, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and Sylvester Stallone. While on the red carpet, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump chatted with the press. Our Matt Bailey and James Miller are in attendance, where Bailey asked the President about some of his favorite songs.
“Well, I have so many different songs,” he tells us with his wife by his side. “Lee Greenwood really hit big with [God Bless The U.S.A.]. From day one, that was– we put it on the first rally, and we never took it off. And he’s great. I have a lot of favorites, and I can tell you we both love Elton John — special man, special guy. He’s really talented. I like a lot of different songs, a lot of different types of music. I have a good playlist. Thank you!”
Our red carpet coverage will continue after the taping with exclusive interviews and photos of members of Kiss and others.
The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors, featuring special performances yet to be announced, will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Tuesday, December 23rd at 8 pm ET/PT. We’ll have a full wrap of the event after the East Coast airing.
Yesterday (Sat, Dec 6th), President Trump presented the honorees with their newly designed medallions, donated by Tiffany & Co., in the Oval Office. As the first American high jewelry house, Tiffany and Co. has played a defining role in American luxury culture for nearly two centuries, making them the ideal collaborator to design the Honors medallion. The new medallion features a gold disc etched on one side with a depiction of the Kennedy Center. The building is flanked by rainbow colors that represent the breadth of the arts celebrated during the Honor ceremony. The reverse side bears the Honorees’ names in script above the date of the Medallion Ceremony, December 6, 2025. The medallion hangs from a navy-blue ribbon, a color associated with dignity and tradition.
The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique contributions have shaped the way we see ourselves, each other and our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the national consciousness, and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; over the years, the selection process has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.