Thursday, September 12, 2013

2013 Kennedy Center Honors Go To...

We just last week discussed the impending Kennedy Center Honors list, and lo-and-behold, we have another Triple Crown Winner!  Shirley MacLaine added the Kennedy Center Honor to a mantle that includes the AFI Award and the Cecil B. DeMille Award (not to mention an Oscar, 6 Globes, and an Emmy).  Joining her is rock-and-roll legend and 6-time Grammy Winner Billy Joel, Oscar-and Grammy Award-winning jazz icon Herbie Hancock, Metropolitian Opera soprano Martina Arroyo, and rock maestro Carlos Santana.  Some have mentioned that both Arroyo and Santana may have been the beneficiaries of the Kennedy Center's new nominating system, which was tinkered with to give more opportunity to Latino artists, but Arroyo and Santana have had such excellent careers that they easily could have gotten in without the system.

I'm incredibly excited to see the performances at the ceremony in December (one of the rare times that politicians get together to acknowledge the incredible role the arts play in our nation), but I have to admit that my biggest thrill is Shirley getting this honor.  I love a great actress, and to quote Meryl, "that's our Shirl."  Congrats to all!!!

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