My Publicist Note Book

President Donald J. Trump  and  Melania Trump  said they wouldn't participate in this year's Kennedy Center Honors to avoid "political distraction."   It will be the fourth time in 40 years of the event that the sitting president won't be attending. WASHINGTON — The White House announced early Saturday that President Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, would not participate in this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, “to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.” The decision was another episode in an already fraught week for the White House. Mr. Trump has become increasingly isolated after a series of comments about the white supremacist marches in Charlottesville, Va. Concerned about being aligned with Mr. Trump, business leaders on the Strategic and Policy Forum agreed to disband this past week. And on Friday, all 16 members of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities resigned in ...

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the recipients of the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors on Thursday (Aug. 3). Hip-hop artist LL Cool J, singers Gloria Estefan and Lionel Richie, television writer and producer Norman Lear and dancer Carmen de Lavallade made this year's list LL is set to become the first hip-hop artist to be celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors, one of America's top awards in the arts that marks its 40th anniversary this year. Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan, soul singer Lionel Richie, television writer and producer Norman Lear, and dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade are the other 2017 honorees, organizers announced Thursday. The awards ceremony at the Kennedy Center will take place on December 3 and will be the first under President Donald Trump. Traditionally, the honorees are received at the White House before the event. LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith, was hailed by Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenst...

                     WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barack Obama hosted his final  Kennedy Center Honors  gala at the White House. The president and first lady Michelle Obama were introduced after the inductees: actor  Al Pacino ; gospel singer  Mavis Staples ; Argentine pianist  Martha Argerich ; singer-songwriter  James Taylor;  and  Don Henley ,  Timothy B. Schmidt  and  Joe Walsh , the surviving members of the Eagles.    Sean Penn, Garth Brooks, Aretha Franklin, David Letterman ,  Diana Ross ,  Kevin Spacey  and  Ringo Starr  were just a handful of the stars drawn to the event to toast the five honorees and see the Obamas sing their Kennedy Center swan song. The Kennedy Center Honors is in its 39th year.  The ceremony will be broadcast Dec. 27 on CBS.  Earlier, at the White House, Obama welcomed the ho...