The Kennedy Center Will Not Hold

Rhiannon Giddens cancels her concert. Plus a different kind of "Severance" and the usual hot cartoons.

Feb 26, 2025

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now Watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl.” Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. At Blue Sky and Twitter: as @gregmitch. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by orderings one of his books.

The news last night: the House barely passes spending resolution that will provide new tax cuts for the rich and mandate cuts in programs which will no doubt target Medicaid and more. After all of the Trump craziness and absurd or evil appointments—after Musk and his chainsaw and the DOGE boys—and the shanking of Ukraine—after all that….. exactly ONE Repub voted against it….

Steve Brodner this morning:

In “resistance” news, and as I predicted a few days ago, national treasure Rhiannon Giddens has announced:

I have decided to cancel my show at The Kennedy Center on May 11, 2025 and move it to The Anthem. The Kennedy Center show was booked long before the current administration decided to take over this previously non-political institution, but I cannot in good conscience play at The Kennedy with the recent programming changes forced on the institution by this new board. I kept quiet until now because I wanted to make a thoughtful and thought-out decision, but also because it took time to get the new gig set up and I wanted to make it as easy as possible for folks to follow us the 8-minute drive down the street to The Anthem! All Kennedy Center tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. Anthem tickets are now on sale. I am lucky to have found another venue willing to make this change at such a late date.
I will say here that I don’t judge anyone for choosing to go on with their shows; it’s a highly difficult situation for artists right now and everyone has to do what makes the most sense for them in the moment.
John F. Kennedy himself said: “If sometimes our great artists have been the most critical of our society, it is because their sensitivity and their concern for justice, which must motivate any true artist, makes him aware that our Nation falls short of its highest potential. I see little of more importance to the future of our country and our civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist.”

So in tribute, one of her many great songs and yes, she is really on her way but not to the JFK Center:

BTW, singer-songwriter Victoria Clark went ahead with her Feb. 15 show at the Center, but on stage wore a T-shirt reading “ANTI TRUMP AF.”

Then there’s this: Trump’s net job approval average, in both the Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight averages, has slid about 7 points over the first month of his second term, leaving his approval rating just barely above his disapproval, an historically bad beginning for a presidency. The only worse example: Trump’s first term..

Now, need a laugh? A takeoff on the famous opening credit sequence from “The Office” applied to a current “office” show…..”Severance.”