Politicians and journalists are not alone in wondering how to handle President Donald Trump. American artists also face a moment of reckoning.

A-list actors and musicians poured into the 39th Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday night seemingly united in praise for Barack Obama and regret at his imminent departure.

They were somewhat more unsure and uneasy about whether they would return next year if Trump is in attendance and whether they would accept invitations to perform at his inauguration or at the White House.

The thorny relationship between the president-elect and the arts community has already been apparent in his denunciations of Alec Baldwin’s satirical portrayal of him on TV show Saturday Night Live and of the Broadway musical Hamilton, after its cast voiced their concerns to the vice-president-elect, Mike Pence.

With this in mind, the Kennedy Center gala was a celebration of five great artists – the gospel singer Mavis Staples, actor Al Pacino, singer-songwriter James Taylor, pianist Martha Argerich and the Eagles – but also a requiem for Obama and his wife, Michelle, who were attending for the eighth and final time of his presidency.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Al Pacino, who was honoured at the gala. Photograph: UPI/Barcroft Images

Politics were kept out of the tributes, even from activist Hollywood actors such as Don Cheadle and Sean Penn, on a night that is all about cultural excellence. But last month’s electoral earthquake was nevertheless inescapable in a complex named after John F Kennedy and situated near the Watergate building. Speakers included Bill Clinton and one of Kennedy’s grandchildren.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, distinguished honorees, politicians, diplomats, endangered swamp dwellers,” began the host, Stephen Colbert, earning loud laughter and applause for a reference to Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp”.



In another dig, the late-night show presenter said: “The Kennedy Center Honors were created in 1978 to celebrate our nation’s greatest artists and enshrine them here, on this wall, that again Mexico has said they will not pay for.”

But then, on a more serious note, Colbert continued: “I think we can all agree: for the last eight years, the White House has given us a leader who’s passionate, intelligent and dignified.”

The sell-out, formally attired audience rose for a 45-second ovation, the longest of the night, prompting Obama to stand and wave. “Sir, I don’t know why you stood up,” Colbert said. “I was talking about Michelle.”

That got one of the biggest laughs of the night.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Kevin Spacey and Nancy Pelosi at a White House event for the award honorees. Photograph: Aude Guerrucci/EPA

Colbert then pretended to read next year’s list of honorees by mistake: actors Scott Baio and Gary Busey and musician Meat Loaf. All endorsed Trump for president.

Earlier, at the White House, Obama welcomed the honorees at a reception and said participating in the event was “one of the perks of the job that I will miss”.

He said: “The arts have always been part of life at the White House, because the arts are always central to American life. That’s why over the past eight years Michelle and I have invited some of the best writers, musicians, actors and dancers to share their gifts with the American people and to help tell the story of who we are.”

The feeling has generally been mutual, with artists flocking to the White House and embracing the Obamas. Whether Trump will extend similar invitations, and whether they will feel it is appropriate to accept, is one of many upcoming quandaries.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mavis Staples receives applause during the Kennedy Center Honors gala. Photograph: Chris Kleponis/AFP/Getty Images

On Sunday Aretha Franklin, whose rendition of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman at the same event a year ago moved Obama to tears, was asked on the red carpet whether she would perform at Trump’s inauguration if invited. “That’s a good question,” she said. “That’s a very good question.”

It was also put to cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who played at Obama’s first inauguration in 2009. “Well, actually, I’m going to be travelling so much in January …” he said, implying that he would not be able to make it.

But he added: “I think an inauguration should always be a bipartisan thing. I think we have to constantly believe in the best of people.”



Ma, a past Kennedy Center honoree, said: “The thing is, we know so little about Donald Trump. We don’t what his policies are: maybe he’s incredibly arts-friendly, you know. What we hope is that everybody who is in office is going to think what’s best for America.”

The actor Jeff Goldblum agreed that the Kennedy Center Honors were not likely to feel the same next year. “I imagine it won’t be. I’ll cross all the bridges at the appropriate time.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Aretha Franklin sang at Barack Obama’s inauguration. Photograph: Aude Guerrucci/EPA

Fellow Hollywood star Laurence Fishburne also declined to say whether he would attend next year. “Yeah, I’m going to leave that one alone. It’s too early to put any kind of expectations on anyone at this point,” he said. “I think we really have to just deal with the final days of this administration and wish them well and, if we can, wish the new administration well and give them an opportunity to demonstrate what they’re going to do.”

Asked whether artists would boycott Trump at future ceremonies, the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, replied: “I hope not, no. It’s about the arts.”

During the three-hour ceremony in the opera house, the Kennedy Center chairman, David Rubenstein, thanked the Obamas and noted that the president was not required to attend the honours or host a reception. It will be for Trump to decide whether he wants to maintain the tradition.

There was a standing ovation for Clinton, who spoke about how Taylor’s music resonated in difficult times. “Our nation was reeling from the pain of Vietnam,” he said. “James was there to satisfy our hunger for both intimacy and authenticity … He has been and he still is the sweet and steady voice of our better angels.”

Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker performed medleys of Taylor’s music.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest James Taylor and Eagles band member Don Henley. Photograph: Aude Guerrucci/EPA

The tribute to Pacino, star of The Godfather and Scarface, included remarks by Penn and recitations of Shakespeare by Fishburne and Lily Rabe. Chris O’Donnell and Gabrielle Anwar re-enacted the tango that Pacino danced with Anwar in Scent of a Woman, the 1992 movie that won him a long-awaited Oscar.

Kevin Spacey offered a tutorial on how to impersonate the actor, with tips including looking surprised and exhaling loudly. “Al seems to have a lot of air,” he said.

The former Beatle Ringo Starr introduced the three surviving Eagles, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy Schmit, as well as the late Glenn Frey’s widow, Cynthia. “Well done, boys, and peace and love to everybody,” he said.



There was a musical montage of footage of John F Kennedy, whose centenary falls next year – under a Trump presidency. Kennedy’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, son of Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, was joined by his sisters Tatiana and Rose on stage. He praised Obama for carrying JFK’s legacy “into the new century and for showing us all that politics still can be a noble profession”.

International guests included the Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo and the South African comedian Trevor Noah. The ceremony will be shown at 9pm on 27 December on CBS, whose contract to broadcast the annual event has been extended until 2025.