Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
New Kennedy Center inductees honored for career achievements
The latest group of Kennedy Center honorees, including comedian Billy Crystal and actor Queen Latifah, were feted Sunday night at a star-studded event commemorating their lifetime achievement in arts and entertainment.
Opera singer Renée Fleming, music star Barry Gibb and prolific hitmaker Dionne Warwick were also honored at the black-tie gala in Washington, D.C.
President Joe Biden welcomed the honorees to the White House before the event, saying the performing arts “reflect who we are as Americans and as human beings.”
Crystal, 75, came to national prominence in the 1970s playing Jodie Dallas, one of the first openly gay characters on American network television, on the sitcom “Soap.” He also starred in a string of movies, including hits such as “When Harry Met Sally... ,” “The Princess Bride” and “City Slickers.”
Rob Reiner narrated a large portion of Crystal’s tribute, speaking from a stage made up as a replica of the diner from the famous “When Harry Met Sally...” scene.
Further testimonials came from Meg Ryan, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Costas and 2009 Kennedy Center honoree Robert DeNiro. Lin-Manuel Miranda, a 2018 honoree, performed an original song in Crystal’s honor.
Warwick, 82, shot to stardom in the 1960s as the muse for the superstar songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Her discography includes a multidecade string of hits like “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “That’s What Friends Are For.”
Warwick’s tribute kicked off the show with a testimonial by 2021 honoree Debbie Allen, a performance by Cynthia Erivo, and “Saturday Night Live” cast member Ego Nwodim. Gladys Knight, a 2022 Kennedy Center honoree, performed Warwick’s signature hit, “I Say a Little Prayer.”
Fleming, 64, is one of the leading sopranos of her era, with a string of accolades that includes a National Medal of Arts bestowed by President Barack Obama, a Cross of the Order of Merit from the German government and honorary membership in England’s Royal Academy of Music.
Fleming received testimonials from actors and friends Christine Baranski and Sigourney Weaver. A quartet of opera singers performed one of her signature tunes: “Song to the Moon” from Antonín Dvořák’s opera “Rusalka.”
Latifah, 53, has had a diverse career that has included seven studio albums, starring roles in TV shows and movies and an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.
Latifah, the stage name of Dana Owens, was honored with performances from prominent female rappers of her generation, including Yo-Yo, MC Lyte and Monie Love. Missy Elliott spoke on the cultural importance of her stage name: Latifah is Arabic meaning “gentle” or “kind” while the queen moniker conveyed respect, dignity and a determination to play a leadership role in the culture.
Gibb, 76, achieved global fame as part of the Bee Gees. Along with his late brothers Robin and Maurice, the trio launched a nearly unmatched string of hits that defined a generation of music.
His tribute featured performances from country band Little Big Town, singer Michael Bublé, Broadway star Ben Platt and a show-closing greatest hits medley by Oscar-winning singer and actor Ariana DeBose.
The ceremony will be broadcast Dec. 27 on CBS.