Latest news with #JohnHickenlooper
Fox News
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
DAVID MARCUS: Dems' Kennedy Center gay ‘Guerrilla Theater' stunt is why their act wears thin
I'm sorry to report that the theater kids in the Democrat Party are at it again, this time quite literally and in Washington's jewel of the performing arts, the Kennedy Center. On Monday night, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., put on the "Love is Love" concert co-hosted by Democrat Sens. Tammy Baldwin , of Wisconsin; Jacky Rosen, of Nevada; Brian Schatz, of Hawaii; and Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, as an affair to protest what they claim is anti-LGBT bias at the arts center. The show, featuring Broadway stars and a gay men's chorus in the 144-seat Justice Forum was invitation only, and no, you were not invited. It turns out Hickenlooper had reached out to Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller, to co-produce the show, the same Seller behind the hit musical "Hamilton," and who recently canceled a production at the Kennedy Center, along with the show's creator Lin Manuel-Miranda, also in protest against alleged anti-gay bias. The senators used a little-known provision that allows them to rent space at the Kennedy Center as a perk of the job. Who knew? Setting aside the fact that the merits of the claim that the Kennedy Center has somehow become anti-gay fall somewhere between wet tissue paper flimsy and non-existent, the form of this protest by powerful Democrats warrants some scrutiny, and can tell us a lot. According to The New York Times, Hickenlooper reached out to Seller and asked if he wanted to make some "guerrilla theater," which, for anyone who knows anything about theater, is absolutely hilarious. Guerrilla theater, often associated with the Living Theater founded in 1947, is when a company just takes over a space and starts putting on a show. In the 1980s, they used to have stage lights they could plug into municipal light poles, for example. What guerrilla theater is definitively and unquestionably not, is 5 of the most powerful human beings on earth asking a super-rich Broadway producer to put on a concert in one of the most venerated performance spaces in America that they can rent by Congressional prerogative. That is, in fact, the perfect polar opposite of guerrilla theater. This confusion by Hickenlooper and Seller is an incredibly illuminating window into the current mindset of the far-left elites in the Democrat Party and their cultural wingmen. They think they are being raw and edgy, when actually, they just look ridiculous. We see this performative nonsense everywhere from Democrats, whether in Corey Booker's farcical filibuster, Rep. Eric Swalwell's cringeworthy TikTok skits, or elected officials getting themselves arrested on purpose for eager cameras. They think all of these things, like their "guerilla theater," are provocative and brave, a counter-culture that stands up to Trump and all his alleged crimes. What these prancing Democrats fail to understand is just how inauthentic their antics are to the everyday Americans who can see through them like Superman checking what's in the fridge without opening the door. Democrats and their advisers have lost sight of the difference between symbolism and reality, Booker wasn't filibustering any real bill, members of Congress aren't really being arrested in any meaningful way, and 5 senators sure as hell did not really "occupy" the Kennedy Center. Everybody knows it's all for show, because they have seen the show before. Hickenlooper and Seller thought they were speaking their truth to the power of Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell, a gay man who they absurdly accuse of anti-gay bias because he wants the institution he leads to focus on artistic excellence instead of identity grievance. In fact, it is Grennell and the new board of directors at the Kennedy Center who are pushing back against decades of hegemonic left-wing power in arts and culture, and at the slightest threat to its power, the political and artistic left has thrown a hissy fit. Americans don't need guerrilla theater from our elected officials, especially those who have no idea what guerrilla theater actually is. Democrats need to wake up to the fact that just doing one more performative stunt isn't going to convince Americans they are living in a fascist dictatorship and should come running back to their party. While Republicans are tackling the budget and the border, the Democrats are making sure that gay people aren't underrepresented in theater, which is like making sure that guys named "Cheech" aren't underrepresented in the mafia. The American people have no idea who leads the Democrats, what they stand for, or what policies they would enact, it is my job to know these things and I don't even know, because they won't tell us. For now at least, the theater kids are gonna be theater kids, so keep your Playbills handy, you never know what mind numbingly awful show these Democrats may put on next.
Telegraph
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Democrats dupe Kennedy Center into hosting gay Pride concert
Democrat senators have duped the Kennedy Center into hosting a gay Pride concert after Donald Trump pledged to end its 'woke programming'. The performing arts institution in Washington, DC, which is led by a senior member of Mr Trump's administration, had apparently been told that the senators intended to put on a talent show. Instead, it was used to stage a Pride event where performers, among them the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, sang Broadway tunes in protest against Mr Trump. Ric Grenell, whom Mr Trump installed as president of the performing arts center after replacing its board with loyalists, said they had engaged in good faith with the request but instead had been used for a 'political stunt'. Earlier this year, the US president assumed control of the Kennedy Center, denouncing its programme as too 'wokey' and pledging to bring in a 'Golden Age of arts of culture'. Numerous artists have since boycotted the venue, which recently cancelled its 'Tapestry of Pride' to celebrate Pride month. John Hickenlooper, one of the Democrat senators to host Monday's event, said: 'What's happening in the world is deeply concerning, but even in our darkest hours, we must continue to seek out the light. 'The LGBTQ community has long embodied this resilience, maintaining joy and creativity in the face of adversity.' Mr Hickenlooper, along with senators Tammy Baldwin, Jacky Rosen, Brian Schatz and Elizabeth Warren, rented out the Justice Forum lecture hall for the 90-minute 'Love is Love' concert, which explored 'gay characters, gay culture, gay music and gay Pride'. It was produced by Jeffrey Seller, the lead producer of 'Hamilton', who recently cancelled a run of the musical at the Kennedy Centre scheduled for 2026. 'This is our way of reoccupying the Kennedy Centre,' he said. 'This is a form of saying, 'We are here, we exist, and you can't ignore us'. This is a protest, and a political act.' Mr Grenell said staff working for Mr Hickenlooper had approached the centre about putting on a talent show and that it had been 'pleased to welcome them'. 'We were only later notified by the New York Times that Senator Hickenlooper's event was instead an invite-only political stunt,' he said in a statement on social media. 'Once again, the Kennedy Centre was being used by political operatives to larp as victims of intolerance in order to get a story in the Times.' He continued: 'No one has been cancelled by the Kennedy Centre; we welcome everyone who wants to celebrate the arts, including our compatriots on the other side of the political aisle. 'We especially welcome artists and audience members who come to the Kennedy Centre not for partisan political pranks but to experience excellence in the performing arts.' Earlier this month, many of the seats in the audience were filled by drag queens when Mr Trump visited for a performance of Les Misérables. One told local media they attended the musical to 'protest in our own way' by 'existing in the space that they've tried to block us from'. Ms Warren, a former contender for the Democrats' presidential nomination, said the concert was an attempt to fight the Trump administration's 'hateful attacks' with 'resilience and joy'. 'We're celebrating that joy at the Kennedy Centre with artists and stage workers for a special performance,' she said. 'I'll never stop fighting to make sure every single person is free to live exactly who they are.' Ms Baldwin, the first openly gay US senator, said the country had 'some big hills to climb' to reach 'true equality'. 'Look no further than the Trump administration's shameful attacks on the LGBTQ community and our right to live a life with dignity, respect, and free from discrimination,' she claimed. 'While this administration won't say it, we will: to all LGBTQ members of our community, we see you, we respect you, and we are proud to celebrate you.'
Fox News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Democratic senators host Pride concert at Kennedy Center to protest Trump takeover
Five Democratic senators joined forces with a "Hamilton" producer to stage a gay pride concert on Monday night in protest of President Donald Trump's takeover of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The New York Times reported that Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado along with Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren rented the Justice Forum, a lecture hall within the Kennedy Center, for a 90-minute concert expected to feature "gay characters, gay culture, gay music and gay pride." "What's happening in the world is deeply concerning, but even in our darkest hours, we must continue to seek out the light," Hickenlooper said in a statement. "The L.G.B.T.Q. community has long embodied this resilience, maintaining joy and creativity in the face of adversity." The concert will be produced by Jeffrey Seller, the lead producer of "Hamilton" who described how he was asked to take part in "guerrilla theater" to the New York Times. "This is our way of reoccupying the Kennedy Center," Seller said. "This is a form of saying, 'We are here, we exist, and you can't ignore us.' This is a protest, and a political act." Seller and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda previously canceled a planned production of the popular rap musical at the Kennedy Center for 2026 in protest of the Trump administration. The concert will feature several Broadway artists as well as the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, whose May performance at the Kennedy Center was canceled. Fox News Digital was told, however, that the decision came before the center's leadership change due to lack of ticket sales rather than politics. Fox News Digital reached out to the Kennedy Center and the five Democratic senators' offices for comment. In February, Trump fired several Kennedy Center board members, including the president and chairman, and replaced them with pro-Trump figures, who then named the president as chairman. Trump later appointed Richard Grenell, who was the first openly gay Cabinet member after serving the first Trump administration, as president and interim executive director.
New York Times
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Democrats to Protest Trump's Takeover of Kennedy Center With Pride Event
Five Democratic senators have rented a small theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and invited the producer of 'Hamilton' to stage a gay pride concert there as a form of symbolic protest against President Trump's takeover of the institution. The event, scheduled to take place on Monday night before an invited audience, will feature Broadway artists performing songs and readings. The concert, hosted by Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado, is being called 'Love Is Love,' a slogan used by the gay rights movement and quoted by the 'Hamilton' creator Lin-Manuel Miranda when his show won at the Tony Awards in 2016. 'What's happening in the world is deeply concerning, but even in our darkest hours, we must continue to seek out the light,' Mr. Hickenlooper said in a statement. 'The L.G.B.T.Q. community has long embodied this resilience, maintaining joy and creativity in the face of adversity.' Mr. Trump took over the Kennedy Center in February after purging its previously bipartisan board of Democratic appointees and replacing them with his allies. He denounced its programming as too 'wokey' and promised to usher in a 'Golden Age in Arts and Culture.' The senators, who exercised a prerogative extended to members of Congress to rent space in the center, chose this week for the event because June has long been when supporters of the gay community have celebrated Pride Month. Mr. Trump, in a departure from previous presidents, has not acknowledged Pride Month, and some of his actions in recent months have prompted concern in the L.G.B.T.Q. community. Since his takeover of the center, several groups have canceled events there, saying they no longer feel welcome. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Axios
20-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Congress could sell off 14 million acres of public land in Colorado
More than 14 million acres of federal public land in Colorado could be eligible for sale if Congress passes the Trump administration's budget bill, per a new analysis by a conservation nonprofit. Why it matters: This includes some of the state's most popular hiking, skiing and camping areas across the Western Slope. The big picture: The Republican-led proposal would require the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to put up to 3.3 million acres on the market for housing development. The bill's focus is on parcels outside of protected lands (like national parks, monuments or wilderness areas, which are exempt) but near roads and other development deemed suitable by local and state lawmakers. The Wilderness Society estimates more than 250 million acres across 11 Western states could be eligible for sale. Zoom in: In Colorado, that means some of its most prized public lands could be up for grabs, including sweeping sections of the Arapaho, San Juan and Rio Grande national forests. Also on the line are iconic stretches of the Million Dollar Highway and beloved hiking spots near Kenosha and Guanella passes, especially popular during fall leaf-peeping season. Follow the money: Most of the revenue — projected between $5 billion and $10 billion over the next decade — would go to the U.S. Treasury. Just 5% would trickle down to local governments. It's unclear how much the sale of public lands would negatively impact the outdoor recreation economy, which generated $1.2 trillion in economic output and supported 5 million jobs nationwide in 2023. Reality check: A recent Headwaters Economics report found less than 2% of public lands in the West near housing-hungry towns are actually suitable for development, and could be complicated due to high wildfire risk. The fine print: For the first decade, the land could only be sold for housing or related infrastructure — but after 10 years, that restriction vanishes, opening the door to virtually any kind of development, from strip malls to oil rigs. What they're saying: Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, told CPR no Democrats on the committee were given advance notice or could offer input, despite their states being on the list.
