Jun 6
Lawyer for Chuck Redd, who pulled out after Trump renamed center, called case ‘political retribution’
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Lawyer for Chuck Redd, who pulled out after Trump renamed center, called case ‘political retribution’
A jazz drummer canceled his show because he wouldn't perform under Trump's name. The regime sued him for $1M to destroy him, but a judge just threw it out and ordered the government to pay HIS legal bills: 👇
https://dworkinsubstack.com/p/great-news-thats-brutal-for-trump
But freedom of speech includes freedom to not praise the king.
Noah Berlatsky at Public Notice:
This year, in honor of the holiday season, jazz drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd canceled his annual Christmas Eve performance at the Kennedy Center. Redd has helmed the holiday concert for 20 years, but declined to appear this year to protest President Trump’s decision to illegally add his name to the institution without congressional approval. The Kennedy Center now bears the awkward name, “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told the AP.
Trump’s apparatchiks were furious. Kennedy Center spokesperson and regime stooge Roma Daravi fumed, “Any artist cancelling their show at the Trump Kennedy Center over political differences isn’t courageous or principled — they are selfish, intolerant, and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people.” Kennedy Center officials said they plan to sue Redd for $1 million. Richard Grenell, a longtime Trump sycophant who is now the Kennedy Center president, shared a post about the threatened lawsuit on X and huffed that “we will not let them cancel shows without consequences.” This is a grotesque effort to bully Redd. It’s also meant to intimidate other artists who might consider boycotts or cancelations. The episode is the latest in Trump’s ongoing efforts to stifle free expression. But Redd’s refusal to play along is a reminder that there is substantial and ongoing resistance to those efforts, both from artists and from the public.
Artists don’t want to associate themselves with fascism
Trump’s hand-picked, supine Kennedy Center board voted to rename the building on December 18 — only a couple of weeks ago. But Trump has been meddling with the institution since almost the moment he became president. In February, he fired members of the board of trustees, named loyalists in their stead, and proclaimed himself chairman. He also said that he would make programming changes. Sure enough, in April the Center cancelled a slate of LGBT pride events in line with the Trump administration’s official policy of homophobia, intolerance, and hate.
Numerous other events, however, have been cancelled not at Trump’s behest, but as a protest against his garbage. Folk musician and MacArthur Award winner Rhiannon Giddens cancelled her concert at the Center soon after Trump’s administrative change, stating, “I cannot in good conscience play at The Kennedy with the recent programming changes forced on the institution by this new board.” Brooklyn-based Puerto Rican band Balún also refused to appear. Mystery writer Louise Penny cancelled her book launch at the Center, writing on Facebook, “It was, of course, going to be a career highlight. But there are things far more important than that.” The musical Hamilton cancelled a Kennedy Center run; so did actor and comedian Issa Rae, whose appearance at the Center was sold out.
The Trump Regime is fuming over musicians cancelling gigs at the Kennedy Center in protest of the Trump Regime’s takeover of the place and the unlawful name change.
See Also:
Daily Kos: Trump crony has embarrassing meltdown after more Kennedy Center performers quit
The Kennedy Center is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after Preside
Kristin Wright at NPR:
The Kennedy Center says it plans to file a $1 million lawsuit against jazz artist Chuck Redd, after the musician canceled his annual Christmas Eve performance. The Associated Press first reported that Redd pulled out of the show days after President Trump's name was added to the exterior of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C. In an email to NPR on Saturday, Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said Redd's decision is a disservice to the arts. "Any artist cancelling their show at the Trump Kennedy Center over political differences isn't courageous or principled—they are selfish, intolerant, and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people," she said. Redd, an international performer on drums and vibraphone, hosted the center's Christmas Jazz Jam for many years. NPR's messages to Redd were not returned Saturday morning. "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 told the AP.
Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell sent a scathing letter to Redd on Friday, criticizing him and calling the cancellation a political stunt. The center shared the letter with NPR. "Regrettably, your action surrenders to the sad bullying tactics employed by certain elements on the left, who have sought to intimidate artists into boycotting performances at our national cultural center," it reads. In a post on X on Friday, Grenell wrote: "The left is boycotting the Arts because Trump is supporting the Arts. But we will not let them cancel shows without consequences. The Arts are for everyone - and the Left is mad about it."
Several artists have pulled out of performances and cut ties with the Kennedy Center since Trump replaced the board and was elected chairman. In March, Hamilton canceled its 2026 run at the Kennedy Center. Actor and producer Issa Rae also called off her appearance. Folk musician Rhiannon Giddens moved her concert to a different venue in the city.
Trump's name was added to the Kennedy Center building last week, after the Board of Trustees voted to rename it. The exterior's iconic lettering now reads "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
The Trump Regime-controlled Kennedy Center management are such whiny babies.
See Also:
AP, via The Guardian: Kennedy Center president demands $1m from musician who canceled Christmas Eve show
An annual Christmas Eve jazz concert held at the Kennedy Center was canceled on Wednesday after its host learned of the recent addition of President Donald...
"I’ve been performing at the Kennedy Center since the beginning of my career," musician Chuck Redd said.
Chuck Redd, who has hosted the annual Jazz Jam for nearly 20 years, pulled out in the wake of the president's controversial move
Jazz artist Chuck Redd called off the performance over Donald Trump adding his name to the venue.