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Despite Donald Trump‘s growing chokehold on the Kennedy Center, Conan O’Brien was determined to fill the venue with laughs.
After the 5x Emmy winner received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, O’Brien explained why he went through with the Kennedy Center ceremony following the president’s enforced regime change.
“There was obviously for the last couple of months with the new administration, there’s been some controversial stuff going on with the Kennedy Center, and there was the question of should I go, should I not go?” he explained on his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast. “And I felt like it was important to show up. First of all, we were brought in under the old regime, and the people who brought me in are no longer there, but I thought we should honor their decision.”
Meanwhile, O’Brien said the Kennedy Center’s new atmosphere “added to the evening somehow” as his fellow comedians came together with a common goal.
“It really made it feel like this is — and without being pompous, it just felt like this is not a normal event. Something, and we all need to be on our toes and kind of be funny, but also bring some optimism, maybe,” he explained.
“I have such respect and admiration and awe for everybody who showed up, and I was, you know, there’s that part of you that feels like, ‘Oh no, people have to fly here. That’s making me uncomfortable,'” added O’Brien. “You know what I mean? It’s an imposition. Then everybody was so funny that that all melted away … It was a happening, and it was also really nice to talk to all of the people — I say young people, they’re all different ages, but to me now everyone’s young — who have worked so hard for so many years for the Kennedy Center and just really want to give their lives to the arts.”
As comedians paid tribute to O’Brien with last month’s Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center, they also took the opportunity to call out Trump, following his appointment as the Center’s new chairman after he ousted half the organization’s board members, who were nominated by Joe Biden.
Since Trump took over, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center, and Issa Rae has canceled a show scheduled for the venue. Meanwhile, Trump has faced backlash from supporters of the Kennedy Center’s canceled touring children’s musical Finn and the Gay Men’s Chorus of DC.
Trump threatened to make the Kennedy Center “GREAT AGAIN” in February, announcing his plan to remove those “who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
“We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!” he added. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
