Kiss, Sly Stallone Receive Medals Ahead of Kennedy Center Ceremony

Kiss, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, and Sylvester Stallone received their Kennedy Center Honors medals at an Oval Office ceremony Saturday ahead of Sunday’s gala at the Washington, D.C. venue.

President Donald Trump gathered the four honorees at the Oval Office — “The most famous office in the world, the most powerful office in the world,” Trump said — and praised “the group of icons whose work and accomplishments have inspired, uplifted and unified millions and millions of Americans. This is perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.”

Trump then awarded the medals to Strait, Broadway actor Michael Crawford, “disco queen” Gaynor (“That’s a great head of hair,” Trump told her), star of “some of the greatest movies ever” Stallone, and “members of the incredible rock band” Kiss’ Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, and posthumously, Ace Frehley, whose daughter was on hand to receive the Tiffany & Co.-redesigned medal.

“These are among the greatest actors and performers of their generation,” Trump said. “Each of you has made an indelible mark on American life, and together you have defined entire genres, and set new standards for the performing arts.”

The Kennedy Center Honorees ceremony will take place at the troubled venue Sunday night, with President Trump himself set to host. “It’s going to be something that I believe, and I’m going to make a prediction: This will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done and they’ve gotten some pretty good ratings, but there’s nothing like what’s going to happen,” Trump predicted, adding that he believes the ceremony will air Dec. 23 on CBS and Paramount+.