Springsteen, Kaling, Louis-dreyfus among 22 honored by Biden

President Joe Biden welcomed a high-wattage collection of singers, authors, artists and humanitarians to the White House on Tuesday to present them with medals — and then stole the show himself with a quip about seeking reelection.

Bruce Springsteen, Julia LouisDreyfus, Mindy Kaling and Gladys Knight were among the 22 people and organizations being honored.

It was a feel-good event in the East Room, as the honorees stepped forward to receive their awards one by one. Louis-dreyfus, who channeled Biden’s resume when she starred in“veep,”jokingly sagged under the weight when the president placed the medal for the arts around her neck.“wow!”she exclaimed.

Springsteen, with his everyman persona, looked incongruous in a black suit. He was lauded for“his extraordinary contributions to the American songbook, and for being ‘The Boss.’”poet and author Richard Blanco stunned in a teal tuxedo.

Knight, the“empress of soul,” gave the president a giant hug when he put the medal around her neck. Jaclyn Sallee, who received the medal on behalf of Native America Calling, a podcast and radio show, beamed with pride. So did social historian Earl Lewis, who, according to the president, chronicles African American history and“explores how diversity strengthens our nation.”

The medals are Biden’s first batch of awards for the arts and humanities and were delayed by the pandemic.

The honorees did not perform or speak to the crowd after they received their awards. But the U.S. Marine Corps band that often plays for East Room ceremonies did orchestral numbers of Springsteen

hits“born to Run”and“born in the U.S.A.”