<\/p>\n
You have to wonder who said, “No.”<\/p>\n
The Kennedy Center has revealed its list of 2025 honorees, ahead of the institution’s Honors this December. The announcement comes in the midst of upheaval in Washington, D.C., as National Guard troops have taken over policing of the nation’s capital, which hit a 30-year low in violent crime in 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n More from Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n Sylvester Stallone<\/strong>, Kiss<\/strong>, George Strait<\/strong>, Gloria Gaynor<\/strong>, and Michael Crawford<\/strong> will all receive the honor, months after President Donald Trump<\/strong> took the unprecedented step of firing the normally bipartisan board of the Kennedy Center and declaring himself host of the upcoming ceremony.<\/p>\n The list is a notable step down in profile from previous rosters of honorees, but it’s not exactly the nightmare many were imagining when the cultural center was dismantled.<\/p>\n Stallone is a three-time Oscar nominee as well as a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award winner. The Rocky and Rambo star was already in the orbit of the executive branch as one of the “special ambassadors” to Hollywood, alongside Mel Gibson<\/a><\/strong> and Jon Voight<\/strong>. (While Stallone and Gibson’s exact roles remain murky, Voight has been lobbying Congress for a bipartisan bill backing tax credits<\/a> for film and television projects made in the U.S.)<\/p>\n Gaynor is primarily known for “I Will Survive,” the disco hit that dwarfed the rest of her output. In 1980, she won the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording. It was the only time that category was ever given out.<\/p>\n Kiss, however, has been even less successful at the Grammys. The theatrical rockers \u2014 whose classic lineup included Gene Simmons<\/strong>, Paul Stanley<\/strong>, Ace Frehley<\/strong>, and Peter Criss<\/strong> \u2014 have only been nominated once, in 1998 for their track “Psycho Circus.” They didn’t win. However, they were enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.<\/p>\n Strait, on the other hand, won a single Grammy in the Best Country Album category with his record Troubadour. He has been more successful at the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Awards, winning Entertainer of the Year five times between the two bodies. He is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n Crawford peaked in 1988, when he won the Tony and Drama Desk awards for his portrayal of the Phantom of the Opera in The Phantom of the Opera. His concert performances and recordings have been minimal in recent years as he has dealt with health issues.<\/p>\n The Kennedy Center Honors traditionally takes place in December and airs on CBS. Last year<\/a>‘s recipients<\/a> included Francis Ford Coppola<\/strong>, the Grateful Dead<\/strong>, and Bonnie Raitt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Best of Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for Gold Derby’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n