CBS reportedly edits DJT's monologue at Kennedy Center Honors

[Bob F]

And didn't use Ol' Smellypants' name in the title, either...

https://archive.is/bKGLB (link, from the paywalled WaPo)
B

[Mark Jeffries]

I am suspecting that those in charge felt that getting him to and from the stage to the presidential box and back might be more trouble than it was worth, so he pre-taped in the Oval Office his intros to the honorees (supposedly, he is using a walker in the White House when cameras aren't around).

I'm sure Melissa may've noticed that the blackballed from Broadway Laura Osnes performed during the MIchael Crawford tribute, interestingly enough after Bari Weiss' Free Press did an article on her calling her a victim for her refusal to take a COVID shot during the pandemic:and because she came from a reality show:

https://www.thefp.com/p/laura-osnes-didnt-get-the-covid-shot

Interestingly enough, OnStage Blog's Chris Peterson, mentioned in the FP article for allegedly attacking Osnes, wrote a post at the end of September saying that Osnes was getting an unfair shake from Broadway and should be given another chance, hinting that Kristin Chenoweth's reaction to Charlie Kirk's assassination was much worse:

https://www.onstageblog.com/editorials/2025/9/29/when-do-we-welcome-back-laura-osnes

Mark Jeffries

spotl...@gmail.com

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[Tom Wolper]

I don’t have the numbers in front of me but I saw that the ratings for the broadcast tanked. They were 35% below last year’s, which had been the new low.

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[Adam Bowie]

Sourced from this post from @programminginsider: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSqFLgYD1VQ/?short_redirect=1

'According to preliminary Nielsen data, “The Kennedy Center Honors” on CBS drew its smallest audience ever on the night of December 23, 2025, averaging an estimated 2.65 million viewers. To put that in perspective: the 2024 broadcast averaged 4.1 million viewers, which itself had already marked a historical low. Do the math, and this year’s telecast represents a 35% year-over-year decline — a staggering drop for one of broadcast TV’s most traditionally reliable specials.'

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[Mark Jeffries]

For the record, the Done and Dusted production company, who had been doing the Honors for the last several years after Glenn Weiss and RIcky Kushner dropped out, had been replaced by the people who produce the CMA Awards and CBS' Nashville New Year's Eve countdown show, which explains why there were so many shitkickers performing and that ditzoid TikTok influencer I've never heard of who introduced the Gloria Gaynor segment. Yes, I watched this morning, but with a finger on the fast forward button (and P+'s rewind/FF is crap).

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com

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[Melissa P]

Speaking of which...

I cannot remember a time when I didn't watch the KC Honors live.  I was not intending to watch this year -- unless I read about a performance I wanted to see.  That happened when I read that Bill Conti was going to conduct the orchestra playing the Rocky theme.  

So, I DVRed the show so that I can fast forward through the junk, including, of course, the First Felon.  

I haven't watched it yet, so I didn't know about Laura Osnes singing for Michael Crawford.  In fact, Crawford is the honoree who interested me the most, and I was wondering who would be taking the stage for him.

In a normal year, I would probably attend about three performances at the KC.  Last year, I saw a wonderful, truly memorable performance of the musical Nine.  I'm trying to stay away and am grateful DC has no shortage of great stages.  In fact, I'm seeing Guys and Dolls tomorrow at the Shakespeare Theater and Fiddler on the Roof at the Signature next month.  I also hope to see a new musical at the Signature next month and Inherit the Wind at Arena Stage and Eureka Day at Theater J in March.

I confess to having been to the KC once since Trump took over.  I had a moral dilemma -- but a friend gave me good advice:  if you can get a half-price ticket go, she told me.  I did and I went.  I got an excellent seat for an orchestral tribute to Dolly Parton.

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