Biden Celebrates the 46th Annual Kennedy Center Honorees

At a reception in the White House’s East Room, President Joe Biden speaks about how performing arts have the power to shape the conscience and soul of the nation (Image courtesy of the White House).

In the East Room of the White House, President Joe Biden welcomed this year's star-studded inductees including Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah, Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb, and Dionne Warwick.

Article by Victoria Newsome, Junior Election Correspondent

WASHINGTON - On Sunday, a room full of stars and their families illuminated with joy to celebrate the inductees of the 46th Annual Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center honors a select group of talented professionals yearly for their artistic influences on American culture. The official TV airing of the inductees and their talents will be presented on CBS, Wednesday, Dec. 27th.

At the reception in the East Room, President Joe Biden spoke about how performing arts have the power to shape the conscience and soul of the nation.

“Performing arts is more than just sound," he said. "They reflect who we are as Americans. And as human beings. That's especially true for more than 200 Kennedy Center Honorees over the past 46 years for helps shape, how we see ourselves, how we see each other, and how we see our world honors not just based on the length of the career, the scope of the work of heightened fame, but because of their unique place in the conscience, and the very soul of our dynamic and diverse nation."

Biden listed the lengthy accomplishments of each established honoree, mentioning Crystal as someone who “makes everyone stop and laugh” and is an “American showman” with a heart of gold. Crystal came to national prominence in the 1970s playing Jodie Dallas, one of the first openly gay characters on American network television, on the sitcom “Soap.” He went on to a brief but memorable one-year stint on “Saturday Night Live” before starring in a string of movies, including hits such as “When Harry Met Sally...,” “The Princess Bride” and “City Slickers.”

He also said that Fleming has a voice of “pure gold,” especially when she performed at a private mass for his family before his inauguration. Fleming is one of the leading sopranos of her era, with a string of accolades that includes a National Medal of Arts bestowed by President Barack Obama, a Cross of the Order of Merit from the German government, and honorary membership in England’s Royal Academy of Music. In addition, he stated that when he thinks of her accomplishments, he is reminded that, “You cannot separate the voice from the heart.”

Biden didn’t shy away from the praised music and family bond shared by the Bee Gees, represented by Gibb. Gibb achieved global fame as part of one of the most successful bands in the history of modern music, the Bee Gees. Along with his late brothers Robin and Maurice, the trio launched a nearly unmatched string of hits that defined a generation of music.

Biden called prominent female rapper, Queen Latifah, a “natural storyteller” and one of several Black artists who use infinite love and art to break down barriers. Latifah, whose real name is Dana Owens, has a diverse career that includes seven studio albums, starring roles in multiple television shows and movies, and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie musical “Chicago.”

Lastly, he emphasized Warwick’s accomplishments as a singer, recapping her impressive career and the various awards she’s won over the years. She was launched into stardom in the 1960s as the muse for the superstar songwriting team of Burtacharach and Hal David, known for a string of hits including, “I Say a Little Prayer,” “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “That’s What Friends Are For.”

"Her voice and heart make us feel something deep within ourselves," he said.

The crowd of families, friends, and loved ones applauded in agreement as they went on to celebrate with a small black-tie gala. Familiar faces like Kerry Washington, Debbie Allen, and Jay Leno were in attendance. Biden concluded the event as all guests and inductees headed to the Kennedy Center to watch a musical performance.