President Trump will host the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, becoming the first president to host the event.
Since returning to office, the president has seized control of the performing arts center, named for former President Kennedy.
In February, he terminated the tenures of multiple board members and installed himself as the Kennedy Center’s new board chair. Days later, he named longtime ally Richard Grenell the center’s interim executive director. The event, which is being taped Sunday, will air on CBS on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m. ET.
Here is what to know about the event:
What are the Kennedy Center Honors?
The honors, dating back to 1978, recognizes “individuals whose unique contributions have shaped our world,” according to the center’s website.
This year’s honorees are country musician George Strait, the band KISS — composed of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley — disco singer Gloria Gaynor and actors Michael Crawford and Sylvester Stallone.
Grenell said on the center’s website that the five honorees “have left an indelible mark on our history, reminding us that the arts are for everyone.”
Sunday’s gala will feature performances and tributes honoring the group.
Who has hosted the event?
A president has not hosted the event in its 47-year history. Leonard Bernstein hosted the inaugural edition in 1978, with Walter Cronkite, Caroline Kennedy, Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert and David Letterman among the various hosts since.
Trump did not attend any of the three editions of the event during his first term. But in August, the president said he would host this year’s gala.
During an event paying tribute to the honorees in the Oval Office on Saturday, Trump predicted that this year’s edition of the event “will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done.”
“They’ve gotten some pretty good ratings,” the president continued. “But there’s nothing like what’s going to happen tomorrow night.”
Trump also bashed Jimmy Kimmel, calling the late-night comedian a “horrible” host. Kimmel has not hosted the Kennedy Center Honors.
“If I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president,” he added.
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