Michael Feinstein Slams Kennedy Center For 'Government-Sanctioned Censorship'
Michael Feinstein is the latest theater star to take a stand against the Trump administration's takeover of the Kennedy Center.
In an essay titled 'Fear of Queer?' posted to Instagram, the 5x Grammy nominee called out the performing arts center for reportedly canceling its Pride Month programming.
More from Deadline
Kennedy Center Quietly Cancels World Pride Events In 'Disappointing' Move
Harvey Fierstein Says He's 'Banned' From Kennedy Center Amid Trump Takeover: 'How Freedom Ends'
Francis Ford Coppola Talks 'Megalopolis' Cult Status "After The Election" & Denounces Trump's Tariffs
'Recently, I was invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, perform and speak at a program entitled 'A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride' at The Kennedy Center, which celebrated the rainbow of influences upon art, music and our entire culture,' he wrote in part in the post.
'This program was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled,' added Feinstein. 'These recent Kennedy Center losses may well be defined in the years ahead, as the 21st century government-sanctioned censorship and silencing of creativity, regardless of value, based strictly on sexual orientation. Art, in its purest form, is where we suspend our differences to illuminate elements of the human condition.'
After the Trump administration terminated grants this month that fund PBS and NPR, Feinstein stressed 'the fact that any government-supported access to the arts is no longer safe.'
'Since the current administration has banned, cancelled or forbidden, in an effort to erase any concert or program at the Kennedy Center, that in any way allows art to acknowledge existence of homosexuality (and these 'cancellations' do not acknowledge the disturbing, racist, misogynistic and other bigoted forms of censorship, which I find equally distressing, infuriating and indeed, despicable),' Feinstein continued. 'The next logical step is to ban all works written by homosexual, bisexual, omnisexual, transsexual people, friends of gay people or people suspected of being queer. It worked for the Nazis right?'
Feinstein urged readers to 'please take action' and write their senator, congressperson or the White House, also encouraging donations to The Trevor Project.
'Oh, and I hope they don't forget to ban my upcoming show, 'The Gay American Songbook'!' he concluded.
Deadline has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.
Donald Trump visited the Kennedy Center in March, following his appointment as the Center's new chairman after he ousted half the organization's board members, who were nominated by Joe Biden.
Since Trump took over, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center, and Issa Rae has canceled a show scheduled for the venue. Meanwhile, Trump has faced backlash from supporters of the Kennedy Center's cancelled touring children's musical Finn, the Gay Men's Chorus of DC and International Pride Orchestra over scrapped performances.
Trump previously threatened to make the Kennedy Center 'GREAT AGAIN,' announcing his plan in February to remove those 'who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.'
'We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!' he added. 'Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!'
Best of Deadline
All The Songs In Netflix's 'Forever': From Tyler The Creator To SZA
2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Travis Kelce Has Reportedly Dropped 25 Pounds Ahead of NFL Season
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce will be entering his 12th NFL season at the age of 35 and is coming off a 2024 campaign where he finished with 823 yards receiving and three touchdowns, marking the lowest output of his career in both categories, among others. So, perhaps some kind of change was in order? Advertisement Given his age—Kelce will turn 36 the day before a Week 5 Sunday Night Football showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars—and the physical nature of playing tight end, some kind of change might have been in order anyway in the name of keeping up, regardless of the stats he put up last season. Travis Kelce attends the Amazon 2025 Upfront at Beacon Theatre on May 12, 2025 in New York that appears to be the case, as reports have circulated that Kelce, officially listed at 250 pounds, has dropped 25 pounds in the offseason. That's a pretty significant drop in weight, and one that may have been necessary considering NFL insiders have indicated Kelce was playing "a little heavier" last season. "He [Kelce] will debut a bit of a slimmer look," ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said. "He's told people close to him that he's lost about 25 pounds this offseason. Played a little heavier in 2024, it was sort of a thing. He vowed to change it, and he has." Advertisement "This could be the last dance here for him," Fowler continued. "Mid 30s, still a productive player. They want to go to him on third down, but declining a little bit, so he's trying to be slimmer and has gone hardcore this offseason to make it work in what could be his final season." With Fowler mentioning that the 2025 season could very well be Kelce's final run with the Chiefs, it's completely understandable for the seven-time All-Pro to have placed a significant focus toward trimming down. Remember, when he explained on his popular New Heights podcast to brother Jason Kelce as to why he chose not to retire, one of the major factors contributing to him coming back for at least one more go was due to how unhappy Kelce was with the level he was playing at, and feeling like he let his teammates down. Related: Travis Kelce Admits Financial Pressure Challenged Retirement Decision "I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them," Kelce said back in March. "I got a bad taste in my mouth on how I ended the year and how well I was playing." Advertisement Considering star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs as a whole will likely be entering the 2025 season with a rather large chip on their shoulder following an ugly 40-22 Super Bowl blowout loss that was even worse than the final score indicates, a recharged and in-shape Kelce has got to be music to the ears of head coach Andy Reid and his staff. NFL fans will get an official look at the rejuvenated Kelce almost immediately, with Chiefs' mandatory minicamp beginning on Tuesday, June 17, and set to wrap up on Thursday, June 19. Related: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Attend Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final Travis Kelce Has Reportedly Dropped 25 Pounds Ahead of NFL Season first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 16, 2025
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tories challenge Liberals on promised tax cuts
OTTAWA – Daily hot chocolates are off the menu. Fresh from the Parliamentary Budget Officer's new report showing the government's promised middle-class tax cut falling far from what was promised, the last Question Period of the abbreviated spring sitting saw the Conservatives demanding answers. 'Just like Trudeau, he can't even get a tax cut right,' said Calgary East MP Jasraj Hallan, accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of deceiving Canadians. 'He promised $800, yet the average Canadian will only save $90 this year – not even enough to get a hot chocolate from Tim Hortons weekly.' Despite Carney's election promise that his middle-class tax cuts would save families an average savings of $825 per year, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux said that number's actually closer to $280, with most families expected to see savings of around $90 in 2025. Tories accuse PM of thinking about Brookfield's 'bottom line' with EV mandate Pull plug on gas engine ban, Tories urge government Two-income families with a child could see the biggest savings, but no more than $750. 'I recognize the job of prime minister comes with many responsibilities, I didn't know addition and division were one of them,' Carney said in response, pointing across the aisle to jeering Conservatives. 'The Parliamentary Budget Officer refers to the reductions for all Canadians,' he said. 'The vote that the members opposite supported this government on delivers tax cuts for the 22 million Canadians who pay taxes.' The PBO priced the Liberal tax cut at just under $64 billion over five years, while the Department of Finance Canada pegged the cost at $27 billion over the same time period. — With files from The Canadian Press bpassifiume@ X: @bryanpassifiume
Washington Post
32 minutes ago
- Washington Post
It's time for sports to take a stand against Trump's excesses
Several hours before President Trump's vainglorious military parade, officially called the 250th Army Birthday Parade and Festival — paid for in part by the NFL — rolled past the National Mall last Saturday, a protest against what many of us see as the diminution of the Constitution was underway a few miles away at Logan Circle. And just as I visited there, Jim Keady was introduced.
