Bill Maher Slams Kennedy Center Boycott by 12-Plus Artists Over Trump's Renaming Push
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 20
Bill Maher Slams Kennedy Center Boycott by 12-Plus Artists Over Trump's Renaming Push
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 20
Summary
Bill Maher said artists canceling Kennedy Center appearances over Donald Trump are handing him “the victory,” arguing the president does not “own” the venue or comedy.
ABC’s extended interview aired after Maher accepted the Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center, where Trump now serves as chairman, and after Maher said the administration had initially tried to block the honor.
NPR-listed cancellations include Hamilton, Issa Rae, Renée Fleming, Philip Glass and the San Francisco Ballet, part of a wider backlash to Trump’s takeover of the center’s board.
That fight began in February 2025, when Trump replaced trustees, became chair and backed renaming the venue “Trump-Kennedy Center,” a move a federal judge said required an act of Congress.
Workers began removing Trump’s name on June 13, capping a culture-war dispute that has also strained Maher’s standing with some liberals after his White House dinner with Trump.