Latest news with #KennedyCentre
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘To deal with Donald Trump, everyone should be a little drunk,' says Stephen Colbert before bashing the US President for taking $10 million trip to Scotland
The gloves are off, and they have been thrown out of the window by Late Show host Stephen Colbert. Since discovering that CBS has cancelled his show for the next year, Colbert has been relentless in his pursuit of exposing US president Donald Trump. He didn't hesitate to call him out on his involvement in the Epstein files or the several statements he made after The Late Show got cancelled. It seems that Colbert isn't done, as he delivered another monologue during the latest episode about Trump's exorbitant spending habits. He gave an example of a scientific study that proved the same and then said, 'I think at this point it would help if we were all just a little drunk, because maybe then it wouldn't be so painful when he drives the world into a telephone pole. We all know he is crazy, but maybe doing this would help in making the more crazy stuff less crazy. Let's face it, if you think you are going to stop all the crazy stuff he does, you're the one who is crazy.' ALSO READ: South Park creators troll President Donald Trump with mock apology after White House backlash: 'We're terribly sorry' He then moved on to a bill that was introduced by a Republican, who wanted to change the name of the Kennedy Centre to the Donald J. Trump Centre for Performing Arts. The bill reportedly calls Trump a patron of the arts and a staple of the pop-culture landscape. Colbert continued, 'I am sorry, but Trump is a staple of pop culture; just last week he was great on South Park. You know what they say about the people who forget the past—they just name stuff after Donald Trump. Let's just rip the band-aid off and name everything after him.' He then gave some name suggestions for iconic locations like the Washington Memorial and the Grand Canyon. Colbert told his audience to accept the fact that crazy is the new normal and referenced Trump's latest trip to Scotland to prove his point. 'He went to Scotland to play golf. He spent your tax dollars to open a new golf course in Aberdeen, and the course was designed by his son Eric Trump, who was allowed out of his crate to say a few words.' He then plays a video of Eric describing the course and saying, 'This course is remarkable; nothing was left out. We had an unlimited budget, and we exceeded it.' Colbert revealed that this is Trump's third golf course in Scotland and that his overall trip to the country cost $10 million. Colbert ended his rant about Trump, saying that the only way the president could care about investing in social services, strengthening the middle class, and respecting the immigrants was if he was drunk himself.
New Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Republicans seek to rename opera house after Melania Trump
WASHINGTON: Republicans in the US House of Representatives sought Tuesday to rename the opera house in Washington's John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts after First Lady Melania Trump. The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee voted to advance language that would condition funding for Washington's premier cultural institution on the name change as it debated the 2026 budget. Idaho congressman Mike Simpson, who introduced an amendment to call the venue the "First Lady Melania Trump Opera House," said it was an "excellent way to recognise her support and commitment to promoting the arts." The move marked the latest front in President Donald Trump's hostile takeover of the Kennedy Centre, after he fired board members in February and appointed himself chairman, and replaced its longtime president with ally Richard Grenell. Trump, who accused the institution of being too "woke," also picked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Second Lady Usha Vance to serve as trustees. The president was met with cheers and boos at the centre in June as he attended an opening night performance of hit musical "Les Miserables." Republicans have been keen to flatter Trump and help the president cement his legacy in his second term, including by introducing legislation to rename the capital region's Dulles International Airport after him. There have also been efforts in Congress to replace Benjamin Franklin with Trump on the US$100 bill, to carve Trump's likeness on the iconic Mount Rushmore, to name a national holiday after him and to reimagine Washington's Metro train service as the Trump Train. The Kennedy Centre change was added to legislation principally providing 2026 funding for the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. But the 2,364-seat theatre – the second-largest at the Kennedy Centre complex – would only get its new designation if the change was approved by both chambers of Congress. Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate and spending bills require 60 votes to pass, meaning Democrats may be able to strip the name change out of the text before any final vote.
West Australian
23-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
‘First Lady Melania Trump Opera House' proposed as new name for John F. Kennedy Centre opera house
House Republicans have voted to rename the opera house at Washington's John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in honour of First Lady Melania Trump. The newly proposed name, the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House, was included as an amendment to a spending bill for the Interior Department. The House Appropriations Committee adopted the amendment by a 33-25 vote. The move comes after lawmakers approved $US256.7 million ($AU390m) for improvements to the Kennedy Centre, highlighting the growing influence of US President Donald Trump over the institution. Since taking office, Mr Trump fired several Kennedy Centre board members and appointed himself chairman. During a tour of the facility in March 2025, he pledged to 'make it great again'. 'I'm very disappointed when I look around. The bottom line: It has tremendous potential,' Mr Trump said. While the change has passed this committee vote, the name switch for the 2364-seat opera house still faces hurdles as it must be approved by both the full House and the Senate before becoming official. With Republicans holding 53 Senate seats but needing 60 votes to pass spending bills, the measure's future remains uncertain. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, who introduced the amendment, said renaming the venue is an 'excellent way to recognise her support and commitment to promoting the arts'. Critics argue the proposal is a politicised gesture inserted into essential funding legislation. The Kennedy Centre has yet to comment on the renaming initiative, which is part of broader efforts by Republicans to cement US President Donald Trump's legacy through symbolic moves, including attempts to rename Dulles International Airport and place Trump's likeness on Mount Rushmore.
Perth Now
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Shock move to rename famed Kennedy Centre after Melania
House Republicans have voted to rename the opera house at Washington's John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in honour of First Lady Melania Trump. The newly proposed name, the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House, was included as an amendment to a spending bill for the Interior Department. The House Appropriations Committee adopted the amendment by a 33-25 vote. The move comes after lawmakers approved $US256.7 million ($AU390m) for improvements to the Kennedy Centre, highlighting the growing influence of US President Donald Trump over the institution. Since taking office, Mr Trump fired several Kennedy Centre board members and appointed himself chairman. During a tour of the facility in March 2025, he pledged to 'make it great again'. 'I'm very disappointed when I look around. The bottom line: It has tremendous potential,' Mr Trump said. While the change has passed this committee vote, the name switch for the 2364-seat opera house still faces hurdles as it must be approved by both the full House and the Senate before becoming official. With Republicans holding 53 Senate seats but needing 60 votes to pass spending bills, the measure's future remains uncertain. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, who introduced the amendment, said renaming the venue is an 'excellent way to recognise her support and commitment to promoting the arts'. Critics argue the proposal is a politicised gesture inserted into essential funding legislation. The Kennedy Centre has yet to comment on the renaming initiative, which is part of broader efforts by Republicans to cement US President Donald Trump's legacy through symbolic moves, including attempts to rename Dulles International Airport and place Trump's likeness on Mount Rushmore.
Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Kennedy Centre Opera House could be renamed after Melania Trump
The Kennedy Centre's Opera House could be renamed after Melania Trump. Republican Senator for Idaho Mike Simpson proposed the change during a House appropriations committee markup of the centre's funding. Committee members were considering if the change should be made on Tuesday. Mrs Trump is an honorary chairwoman of the Kennedy Centre's board, as is tradition for first ladies. The Opera House is the Washington DC-based institution's second largest theatre, behind the Concert Hall. Mr Trump sacked the chairman of the Kennedy Centre board and its 13 trustees soon after coming into office – making himself chairman and Richard Grenell, his Venezuela envoy, the interim leader. He said his reason for terminating the contracts of members of the board of trustees is that they did not 'share our vision for a golden age in arts and culture '. Since Mr Trump's takeover, the Kennedy Centre's new president has expressed a wish to scrap the current programming and has so far announced a 'big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas'. Mr Trump's takeover of the centre – one of the foremost cultural institutions in the US – has been greeted with dismay in the arts world. Lin Manuel Miranda, the brain behind the Broadway musical Hamilton cancelled shows at the centre in March, in protest over Mr Trump. Issa Rae and the musician Rhiannon Giddens also cancelled shows. Ben Folds, the songwriter, and Renee Fleming, the singer, stepped down from advisory positions on the board following the Maga takeover. Vice-President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were booed by the audience when attending a concert by the National Symphony Orchestra in March.
