The annual invitation-only Kennedy Center Honors convened in Washington, DC to celebrate honorees George Clooney, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, Tania León and the Irish rock band U2 December 4th. Despite the massive changes in the entertainment industry and dwindling viewer interest in other awards shows, this event has been going strong since 1978.
For Gladys Knight, she hopes this honor will resonate for generations to come.
“I don’t just want them to do their thing. I want to be able to put something out there that’s worth a whole lot of stuff, spirit, mind, heart, and all of that, and they’ll be picking that up along so we can get it all together and have some foundation.” the music star told The Click.
In anticipation of approximately 1,800 people attending the event, staff and crew, including head chef Jaime Montes de Oca worked diligently to prepare for the ceremony.
“It takes 250 waiters to service this meal. It takes 100 chefs to put the meal out, so that’s like 350. Plus, I’m sure there’s an additional 50 other people somewhere else. But it takes a lot of planning,” Oca says.
With stellar surprise performances and tributes, the 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors premieres December 28th on CBS at 8pm/7pm central.
Related Posts
December 8, 2025
Letting Things Grow: The Hirshhorn’s Sculpture Garden Reimagined
With new pathways, restored connections, and spaces shaped for lingering, Hiroshi Sugimoto’s redesign of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden promises a contemplative encounter with art on the National Mall.
November 24, 2025
The Unconventional Journey of a Black Artist Who Wanted to do Something Different
Ukwensi Chappell credits his mentor, Élan Vital, for leading him into the art world in which Chappell created an art gallery that won best galleries in Norfolk seven years in a row.