As part of his campaign to rid the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from the influence or “radical left lunatics,” Donald Trump Monday attended his first meeting as the center’s new chairman of the board and proposed ideas for the more “welcoming” entertainment he’d like to see, the New York Times reported.
Given Trump’s demonstrated preference for “golden oldies” when it comes to his music playlist, or to movies like “Gone With the Wind,” it’s not surprising that he’d like to go back several decades — or more — to find shows worth producing at the Kennedy Center, as well as celebrities worth honoring.
A leaked audio of Trump’s first board meeting revealed how retro the 78-year-old president wants to go, according to the New York Times. At one point, Trump waxed nostalgic about going to see the 1982 Broadway premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats,” starring Betty Buckley. At the time, Trump was a hot-shot New York City real estate developer and man-about-town — though newly married to Ivana Trump.
“They were treating me good because I was a young star, for whatever reason,” Trump told the other board members, according to the recording.
Trump said he was initially turned off by the sight of dozens of dancers lying onstage, according to the recording. But he had a change of heart when he saw the “gorgeous” bodies, especially the bodies of the female performers. He said, “They had silk tights on, and they were all ballerinas, and women from Broadway.”
Trump also remembered the actress who played Grizabella — stage and TV star Betty Buckley, who won a Tony Award for her performance. When Buckley got up to sing “Memories,” Trump recalled, “the place went crazy.” He opined: “Of all the great voices and stars, bigger stars than her, she had the best voice.”
But when someone at the meeting suggested that Buckley could help the Kennedy Center, Trump asked: “Is she still alive?”
Yes, Buckley is still alive. Meanwhile, in other ways, Trump revealed that he’s still stuck in the 1980s — culturally that is.
Among the questions he asked the board members: Which musical is best, “The Phantom of the Opera” or “Les Misérables”? Both shows also debuted on Broadway in the 1980s.
After several trustees agreed that the best musical was “Phantom,” Trump expressed a preference for its original Broadway production and its star, Michael Crawford, who also is still alive. “Oftentimes it seems the original is the best, but I don’t know,” Trump said, with a small but surprising measure of uncertainty.
During the meeting, packed with more than 30 of his allies, Trump suggested that he himself could host the televised Kennedy Center Honors, asserting that it would get great ratings, according to the recording. While he said he would probably be accused of trying to garner “publicity,” he said, “I want this thing to be successful.”
Trump stressed that the Kennedy Center should go “slightly more conservative” with the stars it honors, according to the recording. The center has historically honored luminaries from music, theater, film and TV. Recent recipients have included Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Tilson Thomas, Philip Glass, Earth, Wind & Fire and Lin-Manuel Miranda. But past honorees have included well-known Trump critics like George Clooney and Cher.
Some board members suggested the center could honor Sylvester Stallone, a prominent Trump supporter, according to the recording. Meanwhile, Trump questioned why only artists or living people get honored. He wondered if entrepreneurs could be feted as well, such as casino mogul Steve Wynn, a major Republican donor. Meanwhile, he brought up the idea of giving awards to dead figures from culture and sports, including Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth.