Several artists are beginning to consider cancelling their shows scheduled at the Kennedy Center in the wake of Donald Trump’s name being added to the side of the building.
Folk singer Kristy Lee appears to have become the first to publicly admit that she is working to cancel her January 14 show at the center, according to The Daily Beast.
Others are also reportedly making similar plans behind the scenes.
One entertainer told the Beast that the name change left a permanent “stain” on the center, while another said the name change is a strain on everyone involved in the center.
“Kennedy Center is supposed to be a memorial, focusing on being nonpartisan,” the source disingenuously said. “A place where people, it doesn’t matter what party they believe in, should be performing and experiencing the arts together regardless of what their party is. And it has not become that.”
The upheaval comes after last week’s renaming of the Center from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to the Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
The president said he was “surprised” and “honored” by the name change, but those on the left — which includes most of the artists that appear at the entertainment complex — feel far less than honored by the situation.
“Reality show personality and con artist aren’t the type of artist the center showcases,” a scheduled artist told the Beast, and added that they “don’t associate the arts, or this building, with Trump.”
“And I guess the real debate up till now is what you boycott it and help ensure it goes down the tubes,” the artist said. “Or do you do the concerts and keep the audiences that love going to the Kennedy Center. And make sure there’s something there after this guy leaves. And it could be restored from however he trashes it.”
This is not the first time artists have rushed to cancel their events thanks to the center’s connection to Donald Trump.
In February a list of artists canceled their events at the center when Trump fired former center head Deborah F. Rutter and announced he was appointing himself to run the center.
At that time, left-wing comedian W. Kamau Bell, for instance, announced that he would never do another show at the Center while Trump is running things.
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