Comedian and Trump critic Bill Maher on Sunday received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington institution that is entangled in a legal battle over President Donald Trump’s effort to overhaul it.
The center — which Trump has sought to put his stamp on — was set to temporarily close its doors for a yearslong renovation, but is now faced with difficult financial choices after a judge ordered it to continue operating. Plummeting ticket sales, artist withdrawals, political controversies and a diminished staff have made restarting a full-scale programming schedule a challenge, multiple sources familiar with the operation previously told CNN.
Maher noted the potential closure during remarks on the red carpet before the event, saying, “This is the last show here for at least two years.”
“It is a beautiful building. They keep talking about how they need to renovate. It looks perfectly fine to me. I don’t see one thing that needs a single thing changed,” he said.
The performing arts center has been at the center of Trump’s remaking of Washington, DC — and the limits he faces in enacting his wishes. Two weeks ago, the Kennedy Center complied with a judge’s order in removing Trump’s name from the building, which was added by the president’s handpicked board of trustees.
