On Christmas Eve, jazz artist Chuck Redd cancelled the annual performance at the Kennedy Center in protest of the (questionably legal) name change.
The Kennedy Center has now responded with criticism…and a law suit.
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell (hand selected by the White House after the hostile takeover in February) responded via letter, “your decision to withdraw at the last moment — explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure — is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution.”
In reference to the “save this national treasure”, the Kennedy Center had a full calendar of events prior to the takeover with a vast majority of the annual budget resulting from box office receipts.
Calling Redd’s actions a “political stunt”; Grenell is seeking $1 million in damages.
After the takeover, several artists cancelled their events with no remarks from Grenell or the new hand picked and very partisan board (that included some White House personnel). Nor were any suits filed for “damages”.
A drummer and vibraphone player, Redd took over the annual holiday event over 20 years ago; taking over form William “Keter” Betts.
Speaking on his choice to cancel the annual “Jazz Jams”, Redd said, “when I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert.”
He added, “the event has been a very popular holiday tradition and that he often featured at least one student musician.”
President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963. The following year Congress named the Performing Arts Center after Kennedy as a living tribute to the former President.