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2012 Kennedy Center Honorees Announced


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The 2012 Kennedy Center Honorees have been announced!

Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman and Led Zeppelin Among New Kennedy Center Honorees

By ASHLEY SOUTHALL

WASHINGTON— The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday named Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman, David Letterman, Natalia Makarova and Led Zeppelin to receive this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

 

The award is given for lifetime achievement in the performing arts. David M. Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center, said the recipients demonstrated “extraordinary talent, creativity and tenacity” over their careers.

 

Mr. Hoffman, 75, the Academy Award-winning actor who demonstrated his versatility with roles ranging from an autistic man in “Rain Man” to a divorcée in “Kramer v. Kramer,” mused about what the award said about his career. “Are they telling me it’s over?” he said a telephone interview from the Toronto International Film Festival, where he is making his directorial debut with the film “Quartet.” “I hope it means on to the next frontier.”

 

Mr. Letterman, 65, who is on track to surpass Johnny Carson as the longest tenured late-night television talk-show host, described his selection as a “mix-up,” but said he was grateful to receive the award. Mr. Guy, 76, the pioneering blues guitarist and singer whose energetic way of playing the electric guitar inspired a generation of rock musicians, said he was in disbelief. “I said, No, it can’t be me,” he said in a telephone interview on Tuesday from New Jersey, where he was headlining a show with Jonny Lang. “I’m not that big.”

 

Active for about a decade, in the late 1960s and 70s, the British band Led Zeppelin is regarded as one of the most successful rock groups in history.

 

Like Yo-Yo Ma in 2011, Ms. Makarova’s selection highlights a foreign-born artist with past ties to the center. A prima ballerina, she left the Soviet Union to join the American Ballet Theatre and performed in Romeo and Juliet the week the Kennedy Center opened in 1971. At 71, she said receiving the award was a “remarkable twist of fate.”

 

The Center has said that the primary criterion in the selection process is excellence and that the board of directors strives for balance across disciplines. But social diversity also seems to be part of the mission. In all but eight years, the recipients included one or more women, African Americans and foreign-born performers.

 

The 35th Honors medals will be presented at a dinner at the State Department on Dec. 1, followed the next day by a reception at the White House and a performance at the Kennedy Center. The performance will be taped for a television broadcast on Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. on CBS.

 

I'm very happy with Dustin Hoffman's honor. I like David Letterman, but there are so many other television personalities who are more deserving at this time.

 

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The 2012 Kennedy Center Honorees have been announced!

 

 

I'm very happy with Dustin Hoffman's honor. I like David Letterman, but there are so many other television personalities who are more deserving at this time.

 

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Dustin Hoffman has A L W A Y S been one of my all time favorite actors, from the first time i saw him on the big screen in The Graduate. Why on earth are you so down on Mr Letterman, he's been doing a great job for decades and doing it extremely well, i dunno how many Emmys he's won, but it's quite a few. I never miss his show and find him so real compared to that leno putz. I am extremely happy that he's finally being given this great honor. He might not be as great as he used to be but the man is 65 and has been doing this for so long that it must be very grueling to him by now but as Lucy said in MAME, it hardly shows! Led Zeppelin however i could have done without.

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"I think there may have been a mix up". That sounds like Dave. The man is VERY hard on himself. Im happy he is getting the award. When he really tries he is the best broadcaster in the business today. And unlike Leno he seems genuine to me. I don't agree with him on politics but oh well. How many of you saw the American Masters episode on Johnny Carson? There really are a lot of similarites between Johnny and Dave.

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"I think there may have been a mix up". That sounds like Dave. The man is VERY hard on himself. Im happy he is getting the award. When he really tries he is the best broadcaster in the business today. And unlike Leno he seems genuine to me. I don't agree with him on politics but oh well. How many of you saw the American Masters episode on Johnny Carson? There really are a lot of similarites between Johnny and Dave.

And Johnny wanted Dave to be his replacement but we got leno, a man whose humor could be written by ten year olds. Did you know Carson ued to send jokes to Letterman and Letterman used some and that made Johnny so happy in retirement. It's not a question of other deserving talk show hosts, it's an honor for Letterman to be included in the superstar hall of fame that the Kennedy Center honors happen to be, well, it's all downhill from here though.

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And Johnny wanted Dave to be his replacement but we got leno, a man whose humor could be written by ten year olds. Did you know Carson ued to send jokes to Letterman and Letterman used some and that made Johnny so happy in retirement. It's not a question of other deserving talk show hosts, it's an honor for Letterman to be included in the superstar hall of fame that the Kennedy Center honors happen to be, well, it's all downhill from here though.

 

 

Yes, Johnny really did want Dave to replace him. I think Johnny saw a little of himself in Dave. Johnny loved how Dave would rip into the NBC "suits". Another uncanny thing is both men have "mother issues". Johnny's mother could never give him a complement and Dave has the same problem with his mother.

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Yes, Johnny really did want Dave to replace him. I think Johnny saw a little of himself in Dave. Johnny loved how Dave would rip into the NBC "suits". Another uncanny thing is both men have "mother issues". Johnny's mother could never give him a complement and Dave has the same problem with his mother.

Really? Never heard that before. Maybe that's why he's so hard on himself and is so humble. But he sure is not making the same mistake with HIS son, he seems to be one terrific dad. As was Johnny!

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The 2012 Kennedy Center Honorees have been announced!

 

 

I'm very happy with Dustin Hoffman's honor. I like David Letterman, but there are so many other television personalities who are more deserving at this time.

 

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Apparently The Kennedy Center has an age cutoff point, when was the last time someone 80+ was honored even though there are SCORES of great possibilities. I consider this "honor" something of a joke now, like the American Film Institute they are going after somewhat modern names to bringing in ratings for the tv special rather than honoring landmark talents who might not be with us much longer. They are terrible snobs (although they're now going after the "hip" crowd for the Nielsens) about Broadway, prime-time tv, and classic movies, don't forget it took them until 1987 to give it to Lucy and then Bette Davis only got it because Lucy went to bat for her and insisted they consider her.

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Really? Never heard that before. Maybe that's why he's so hard on himself and is so humble. But he sure is not making the same mistake with HIS son, he seems to be one terrific dad. As was Johnny!

Ya its true. He has a very difficult relationship with her. You'd never guess it watching them on tv. He would really like a word of approval from her but I guess she doesn't understand him or his comedy. He has even said many times on the show that all he can talk about with his mom is the cat and the weather. And I don't think he's joking. But he really does seem to be a wonderful dad to Harry. You can tell he really loves that kid. Johnny sadly was not a really good father. He loved his three sons but he was a man very much within himself away from the cameras. Not many people really knew Johnny even his own friends and family. Bill Zehme has been at work on the definative biography on Johnny for about eight years now. Its going to be released in 2013 or 2014 and I can't WAIT! Bill knows just about everything there is to know about the late shows and the hosts behind the desks.

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Apparently The Kennedy Center has an age cutoff point, when was the last time someone 80+ was honored even though there are SCORES of great possibilities. I consider this "honor" something of a joke now, like the American Film Institute they are going after somewhat modern names to bringing in ratings for the tv special rather than honoring landmark talents who might not be with us much longer. They are terrible snobs (although they're now going after the "hip" crowd for the Nielsens) about Broadway, prime-time tv, and classic movies, don't forget it took them until 1987 to give it to Lucy and then Bette Davis only got it because Lucy went to bat for her and insisted they consider her.

Never knew that last part either, God, you guys are a wealth of info today. Speaking of age, i lost respect when they gave it to Oprah who was only fifty at the time. Seems to me it should ALWAYS go to older people who have done everything and have gotten every other honor.

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Ya its true. He has a very difficult relationship with her. You'd never guess it watching them on tv. He would really like a word of approval from her but I guess she doesn't understand him or his comedy. He has even said many times on the show that all he can talk about with his mom is the cat and the weather. And I don't think he's joking. But he really does seem to be a wonderful dad to Harry. You can tell he really loves that kid. Johnny sadly was not a really good father. He loved his three sons but he was a man very much within himself away from the cameras. Not many people really knew Johnny even his own friends and family. Bill Zehme has been at work on the definative biography on Johnny for about eight years now. Its going to be released in 2013 or 2014 and I can't WAIT! Bill knows just about everything there is to know about the late shows and the hosts behind the desks.

I stopped being a fan of Carson's when i read the book on him that said everything on the show was scripted and he never ad libbed for the life of him, it was always written for him and he seemed so full of himself, BUT, when i watched the show after his son died, one of his three sons, and he showed his paintings and seemed so wonderful and caring in his tribute to him there. Did Carson ever get the Kennedy Center Honor?

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Never knew that last part either, God, you guys are a wealth of info today. Speaking of age, i lost respect when they gave it to Oprah who was only fifty at the time. Seems to me it should ALWAYS got to older people who have done everything and have gotten every other honor.

 

Exactly. That's why I think it is too early for David Letterman. I know he's 65, but he's still very active. The Kennedy Center has only honored four people from TV - Lucy, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, and Oprah. I think it should be someone like Dick Van Dyke (winner of a Tony, Grammy, and five Emmys). I know I always say this, but he's someone whose name always comes up when people talk about Kennedy Center omissions.

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Exactly. That's why I think it is too early for David Letterman. I know he's 65, but he's still very active. The Kennedy Center has only honored four people from TV - Lucy, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, and Oprah. I think it should be someone like Dick Van Dyke (winner of a Tony, Grammy, and five Emmys). I know I always say this, but he's someone whose name always comes up when people talk about Kennedy Center omissions.

O M G are you serious? I had no idea they only gave it O N L Y four times to T V stars. But didn't they give it to many more stars who had starred in their own tv shows over the years but became huge stars in movies or on Broadway? So, although they were tv stars, they got it in another catagory? I certainly agree about the great Dick Van Dyke and i'm aware you have been one to acknowledge his huge talents over the years, but you're right and he certainly should be before he exits this world. Back to Letterman, yes, 65 might not be considered ancient anymore BUT, all he does is that tv show, it's not like he's on everywhere all the time, he never does interviews and his recent ones with Regis were exceptions. I can think of many more names that should be considered, Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore and Betty White among many others.

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O M G are you serious? I had no idea they only gave it O N L Y four times to T V stars. But didn't they give it to many more stars who had starred in their own tv shows over the years but became huge stars in movies or on Broadway? So, although they were tv stars, they got it in another catagory? I certainly agree about the great Dick Van Dyke and i'm aware you have been one to acknowledge his huge talents over the years, but you're right and he certainly should be before he exits this world. Back to Letterman, yes, 65 might not be considered ancient anymore BUT, all he does is that tv show, it's not like he's on everywhere all the time, he never does interviews and his recent ones with Regis were exceptions. I can think of many more names that should be considered, Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore and Betty White among many others.

 

Carol received the honor in 2003. I accidently forgot to list her. Sorry about that!

 

Yes, there are other people like Bob Hope and your favorite Angela Lansbury who are TV stars, but they clearly were not being honored for their television work.

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I stopped being a fan of Carson's when i read the book on him that said everything on the show was scripted and he never ad libbed for the life of him, it was always written for him and he seemed so full of himself, BUT, when i watched the show after his son died, one of his three sons, and he showed his paintings and seemed so wonderful and caring in his tribute to him there. Did Carson ever get the Kennedy Center Honor?

Yes he got it in 1993. Its true that much of the show could be scripted but Johnny did ad lib. He had a very quick sharp mind and made hosting a show look so easy! He also really listened to his guests something most of the others don't do(leno anyone). Johnny was shy and socially uneasy with people which could come off as "being full of yourself". Not that he didn't have an ego(who doesn't in Hollywood) Aside from Lucy and Desi, I love and respect Johnny Carson more than just about anyone in Hollywood.

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Carol received the honor in 2003. I accidently forgot to list her. Sorry about that!

 

Yes, there are other people like Bob Hope and your favorite Angela Lansbury who are TV stars, but they clearly were not being honored for their television work.

My constant swipes at angie are usually done in humor for her remarks about Lucy and Mame, nothing else, i do respect her as an actress, you'll find out how much when she finally croaks, LOL! I disagree about Hope, he was known just as much for tv as he was for movies or humanitarian work. Although i admit that yes, Burnett was known as a tv star before anything else. Well then, if it's only five from tv, that brings a whole slew of performers who should have been thus honored, like Uncle Miltie, Sid Ceasar, Imogene Coca, Danny Thomas, and so many others.

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Yes he got it in 1993. Its true that much of the show could be scripted but Johnny did ad lib. He had a very quick sharp mind and made hosting a show look so easy! He also really listened to his guests something most of the others don't do(leno anyone). Johnny was shy and socially uneasy with people which could come off as "being full of yourself". Not that he didn't have an ego(who doesn't in Hollywood) Aside from Lucy and Desi, I love and respect Johnny Carson more than just about anyone in Hollywood.

I apologize for my comments about him then, i still have some resentment for his being listed above Lucy at number one when she came in at number two for all time greatest tv icons though. That simply was not right, the First Lady of Television certainly was BIGGER than Carson, it's fitting that when the same poll was done with regular people instead of critics, Lucy came in at number one. I suspect Fidelman had voted more than once in the critics poll. LOL! Another point that plays into it is that Carson never gave the respect to Lucy that he gave to others in Hollywood, notably Jimmy Stewart who would go on to bore us with his poems while Lucy had to wait for Joan Rivers to ask her on. But i own two Carson compilation boxed sets dvds and have always thought he was great at what he did.

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I apologize for my comments about him then, i still have some resentment for his being listed above Lucy at number one when she came in at number two for all time greatest tv icons though. That simply was not right, the First Lady of Television certainly was BIGGER than Carson, it's fitting that when the same poll was done with regular people instead of critics, Lucy came in at number one. I suspect Fidelman had voted more than once in the critics poll. LOL! Another point that plays into it is that Carson never gave the respect to Lucy that he gave to others in Hollywood, notably Jimmy Stewart who would go on to bore us with his poems while Lucy had to wait for Joan Rivers to ask her on. But i own two Carson compilation boxed sets dvds and have always thought he was great at what he did.

No need to apologize! I wasn't upset just trying to explain some of Johnny's complexities. I guess since im such a big fan of both Lucy and Johnny it didn't bother me that he was placed before her on that list lol. Anyway I have a question. How do you add people as friends around here? Im just clueless.

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No need to apologize! I wasn't upset just trying to explain some of Johnny's complexities. I guess since im such a big fan of both Lucy and Johnny it didn't bother me that he was placed before her on that list lol. Anyway I have a question. How do you add people as friends around here? Im just clueless.

Click on their name, and then on the left there's this ADD ME AS A FRIEND button, went there today myself and proceeded to defriend or unfriend two people that i thought were not on already, as a matter of fact, one of them was YOU, the other was Pasadena Trenton who was already a friend but never showed up as one, weird huh?

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Click on their name, and then on the left there's this ADD ME AS A FRIEND button, went there today myself and proceeded to defriend or unfriend two people that i thought were not on already, as a matter of fact, one of them was YOU, the other was Pasadena Trenton who was already a friend but never showed up as one, weird huh?

 

 

Thank you!

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