Kennedy Center Honors

The Gift

The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and honoring—the Honorees at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

The Honors were created by George Stevens, Jr. and the late Nick Vanoff; as of 2010, Stevens remains involved as producer and co-writer for the Honors Gala. From 1978 until 2002, the ceremony was hosted by Walter Cronkite; since 2003, it has been hosted by Caroline Kennedy. It is also one of two holiday specials from Stevens' production company (the other being Christmas in Washington).

The Kennedy Center Honors started in 1977, in the wake of that year's 10th-anniversary White House reception and Kennedy Center program for the American Film Institute (AFI). Roger Stevens, the founding chairman of the Kennedy Center, asked George Stevens, Jr. (no relation), the founding director of the AFI, to have an event for the Center. George Stevens asked Isaac Stern to become involved, and then "pitched" the idea to the television network CBS, who "bought it." With the announcement of the first honors event and honorees, CBS vice president for specials Bernie Sofronski stated: "George [Stevens] came to us with this. What turned us on is that this is the only show of its kind. In Europe and most countries they have ways of honoring their actors and their athletes. England has its command performances for the queen. We see this as a national honoring of people who have contributed to society, not someone who happens to have a pop record hit at the moment...Our intention is not to do just another award show. We're going to make an effort in terms of a real special."

At the first ceremony, held on December 3, 1978, Roger Stevens said that the honors awards "is to help build more enthusiasm for the performing arts and bring the public's attention to the artist's true place in society." At an earlier reception, President Jimmy Carter commented "These five people - Americans, great, beloved - come here tonight to be honored through the auspices of the Kennedy Center, but as a matter of fact they come here to honor us and all the people of the world." Performers and speakers at the first ceremony included Edward Villella, Harry Belafonte, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Isaac Stern, Mary Martin, Tony Bennett, Florence Henderson, John Raitt, and Grace Bumbry.

George Stevens, Jr. is the long-time producer of the event and is the co-chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

Walter Cronkite was the host until the 2003 event, when Caroline Kennedy took over. According to USA Today, "For the first time in 23 years, Walter Cronkite did not host the event, so Caroline Kennedy filled in." Kennedy remarked: "I'm here because the most trusted man in America has laryngitis and that's the way it is." At the 2004 event, Cronkite returned, "but only to make things official and hand over the reins for good." He said: "It's so fitting that she take over these duties." In return, Kennedy offered a special "homage to Cronkite and his own unique contribution to the American cultural landscape."

 Each year the Kennedy Center's national artists committee and past honorees present recommendations for proposed Honorees to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The selection process is kept secret, though "certain criteria seem apparent: a mix of artistic disciplines, the inclusion of men and women, minority recognition."

The announcement is made in late summer, and the ceremony is held the first weekend of December. Highlights from the gala performance are televised in a 90-minute (with commercials in a 2-hour slot) version broadcast on CBS television between Christmas and the New Year.

The weekend-long ceremony consists of lunch, dinner, reception and a performance introducing and honoring the new Honorees. The lunch is on Saturday at the Kennedy Center, with a welcoming speech by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. At that evening's reception and dinner at the State Department, presided over by the Secretary of State, the year's Honorees are introduced. On Sunday, there is an early evening White House reception with the President of the United States, who will then hang a specially designed ribboned award around their necks.

The performance takes place Sunday evening at the Opera House in the Kennedy Center. The Honorees (wearing their medals) and guests sit in the front of the Box Tier, a few seats away from the President and the First Family. The Honorees do not appear on stage nor do they speak to the general audience. The show consists of events from the recipients' lives, presented documentary style in film and live onstage, with the complete list of guest performers kept unpublicized until the show is in progress. George Stevens, Jr. said: "Our tradition of surprises and surprise guests is particularly special..." For example, for Dolly Parton, a 2006 Honoree, Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Rogers, Alison Krauss and Shania Twain performed. The pre-taped portion of the presentations typically include excerpts from the honoree's work, donated by rights' holders, with revenues generated by the occasion supporting the nonprofit arts and education activities of the Kennedy Center.

The Honors Gala is "really two different shows", according to George Stevens, Jr., its producer; the priority is on the 2300-member audience in the Opera House, some of whom pay over $6000 for their seats, a source of revenue that provides (as of 2005) almost 10% of the center's annual contributions.