The Trump–Kennedy Center has recently pushed back against claims that its annual Honors awards show flopped in ratings under President Donald Trump. According to Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, such comparisons are misleading and reveal bias from critics. “Comparing this year’s broadcast ratings to prior years is a classic apples-to-oranges comparison and evidence of far-left bias,” Daravi stated.
The 48th Kennedy Center Honors took place on December 7 in Washington, D.C., featuring notable figures like George Strait, KISS, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor, and Sylvester Stallone. This year’s broadcast aired late on December 23, which, combined with a Tuesday air date just two days before Christmas, posed unique challenges. Despite these hurdles, Daravi emphasized the show’s success, asserting that it “performed extremely well across key demographics and platforms.”
Nielsen ratings indicated a drop to 3.01 million viewers, a significant decline from 2024’s 4.1 million. Critics jumped at this figure, with late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel mocking the event for being “the lowest-rated Kennedy Center Honors telecast of all time.” However, Daravi countered these criticisms. She noted the show “tied for the #1 spot among adults aged 25–54” against a competing NBA doubleheader, highlighting that overall television viewership has decreased by around 20 percent year-over-year.
Daravi did not stop there. She pointed out that the Honors amassed an impressive 1.5 billion social media impressions, a stark increase from the prior year’s 50 million. “This was a successful night celebrating the outstanding achievements of our Honorees at the Trump Kennedy Center,” she declared.
Trump had anticipated a robust turnout and expressed confidence that he would outweigh the ratings of longtime adversary Kimmel. “I’ve watched some of the people that host… I’ve seen them. I will do fine,” he remarked before the event.
The fundraising aspect of the show is worth noting. This year saw a record $23 million raised, nearly double the $12.7 million from 2024, which was marked by the influence of the Biden administration. The previous broadcast aired on a Sunday and was scheduled to take advantage of an NFL game preceding it.
The name change to “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” is another point of contention. This decision, made just days before the show, faced significant pushback from Democratic leaders who claim the move was unlawful due to a lack of congressional approval. Yet, Daravi pointed to a unanimous board vote recognizing Trump’s role in saving the institution from “financial ruin and physical destruction.”
In summary, while critics highlight the drop in traditional viewership numbers, the Trump–Kennedy Center presents a broader narrative of success tied to social media engagement and financial accomplishments. The ongoing dialogue about the honors show and the Trump–Kennedy Center is layered, resonating not just through the lens of entertainment but also reflecting deeper cultural and political divides in America today.
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