Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. A Washington, DC, judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay a jazz artist’s legal fees after the performing arts institution sued him for canceling his performance over the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the venue. I mean, who doesn’t love a good drama-filled story about a jazz concert and a presidential name change? It’s like a real-life soap opera. The Kennedy Center sued Chuck Redd, the jazz artist, for breaching his contract when he canceled his Christmas Eve show in protest of Trump’s name being added to the building.
The judge, Tanya M. Jones Bosier, awarded Redd over $250,000 in legal fees and gave the Kennedy Center 45 days to make the payment. I guess that’s what happens when you try to sue someone for exercising their right to free speech. Redd’s attorney, Lisa Banks, said the Trump-controlled Kennedy Center tried to silence opposition to its illegal name change by filing a meritless lawsuit against her client. Bless their hearts, I think they underestimated the power of a good lawyer.
The Kennedy Center’s spokesperson said they intend to appeal the decision, because why not, right? It’s not like they have anything better to do with their time and resources. The whole thing started when Redd canceled his performance less than a week before the show, citing his opposition to the name change. The Kennedy Center argued that Redd’s cancellation caused them reputational, marketing, and concert preparation damages. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
In June, Judge Jones Bosier dismissed the lawsuit, finding that the center failed to state a valid breach of contract claim. Later that month, Trump’s name was removed from the exterior of the building and its website. I guess that’s a win for Redd and his fans. Redd, who has hosted the holiday jazz concert for nearly two decades, told CNN in December that he was saddened to see the name change. I can understand why, it’s not every day you get to see a national treasure’s name changed to honor a president.
After Redd’s exit, then-Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell wrote him a letter sharply criticizing his decision. Grenell called Redd’s decision “classic intolerance” and said it was costly to the non-profit arts institution. I think Grenell might have been a bit too invested in the whole thing, but hey, that’s just my opinion. CNN previously reported that several artists pulled out of shows at the Kennedy Center following the renaming of the building, including the jazz group the Cookers and folk singer-songwriter Kristy Lee. The center also faced lagging ticket sales during the holiday season. I guess that’s what happens when you alienate your artists and fans.
In the end, it seems like the Kennedy Center learned a valuable lesson about trying to silence opposition and messing with a jazz musician’s free speech. As I finish my coffee, I have to say, this whole ordeal has been quite entertaining. And to the Kennedy Center, I say, you might want to stick to hosting jazz concerts and leave the drama for the soap operas. 😊
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
