Despite a massive outcry and protests from Democrats over President Trump’s taking over the center after his win, the Kennedy Center has broken an all-time attendance record and proved them all wrong.
The Daily Wire reported that President Trump promised to reform the Kennedy Center by appointing Special Envoy Richard Grenell as the Center’s interim director.
Back in February, President Trump had written, according to the Daily Wire, “At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” and added, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.” Judging by the numbers from the March 29 performance, he is well on track to keep his promise.
The groundbreaking fireworks show “EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky” had a record 11,000 attendees. When President Trump took over the center, many leftist critics voiced their concerns about his understanding and appreciation for the arts. This prompted a meltdown from leftist artists who staged protests in the form of interpretative dancing and saw shows like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton.”
Breitbart reported that Lin claimed, “This latest action by Trump means it’s not the Kennedy Center as we knew it.” Yet the center is currently drowning in a whopping $40 million debt and has no way to pay the bills. Without President Trump, this record attendance would not have existed.
According to the Daily Caller, this shift away from politically charged programming has seen a rise in numbers, especially from first-time visitors. The stunning show had viewers flocking to the 360-degree rooftop terrace and sidewalks to catch a glimpse of Cai Guo-Qiang’s “Interspecies Love Letter” show, and a Kennedy Center representative revealed that 76 percent of all attendees were first-time visitors.
Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, expressed his joy at the success of this event in a statement issued to the Daily Caller. Daravi said, “It was wonderful to have so many new visitors at the Kennedy Center for Cai Guo-Qiang’s firework showcase. We look forward to their return for more wonderful programming soon. Everyone is welcome here!”
