arts
March 29, 2026
The Bill Maher Effect
For the past year, Donald Trump has made the Kennedy Center all about him. Last night, the comedian revealed the limits of that approach.
TL;DR
- President Trump has exerted significant personal influence over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, affecting programming and decision-making.
- The White House initially denied that comedian Bill Maher would receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, causing a reversal and subsequent public commentary from Maher.
- Trump has sought to align the Kennedy Center's programming with his personal tastes, including personally approving honorees for the Kennedy Center Honors and influencing renovation decisions.
- Several artists have withdrawn their performances from the Kennedy Center, citing their desire to distance themselves from Trump's influence.
- Maher's award selection and the ensuing controversy illustrate the challenges Trump faces in completely controlling the artistic output of the institution.
- Despite Trump's efforts to make the center his own, the awarding of a prize to a critical comedian like Maher suggests that the center is not entirely censorious.
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