Overview
- The Cookers canceled New Year’s Eve shows, Doug Varone and Dancers and folk singer Kristy Lee dropped upcoming dates, and jazz musician Chuck Redd scrapped his Christmas Eve concert.
- Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell dismissed the withdrawals as political and said the institution will seek $1 million in damages from Redd over his cancellation.
- The board unanimously voted on Dec. 18 to add Donald J. Trump’s name, with the website updated within hours and exterior signage added the following day.
- Members of the Kennedy family condemned the change, and Rep. Joyce Beatty filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was muted during the vote and questioning the board’s power to rename a congressionally designated memorial.
- New leadership has removed drag and some LGBT+ programming and invited religious-right events, with press reports citing declining ticket sales since the overhaul.