PHOTOS: Oprah Winfrey & Paul McCartney Among Stars Celebrated At Kennedy Center Honors
Posted on Dec 06, 2010 @ 05:00AM
Hollywood came to Washington, DC this weekend.
PHOTOS: Stars Shine At Kennedy Center Honors
The 33rd annual Kennedy Center Honors were held Sunday night, and Oprah Winfrey and Paul McCartney were among the stars honored for their life-time of contributions to the arts.
The other honorees included country singer Merle Haggard, legendary Broadway composer Jerry Herman, and dancer/choreographer Bill T. Jones.
PHOTOS: Oprah Through The Years
President Barack Obama thanked the honorees at the black-tie event for giving "the extraordinary gift of the arts."
According to a pool report, one highlight of the evening was a duet of Haggard's hit song Today I Started Loving You, performed by Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson.
Tributes to McCartney included Gwen Stefani and her band No Doubt performing several Beatles hits: Hello Goodbye, All My Lovin' and Penny Lane.
30 Rock star Alec Baldwin surprised McCartney with a spoof VH-1 style retrospective of the "years of anonymity McCartney suffered with the Beatles," noted a pool report.
PHOTOS: Oprah And Her Famous Friends
More Beatles covers were performed by new American Idol judge Steven Tyler, Norah Jones and Dave Grohl, while other musical performances came from Glee star Matthew Morrison and 89-year-old Tony Award winner Carol Channing.
VIDEO: Oprah Gives Away Biggest Cruise On Farewell Favorite Things Episode
According to the Washington Post, while an extended sing-along of the Beatles' classic Hey Jude carried on through "all 19 'Na na naah' lines," the entire crowd, including Mr. and Mrs. Obama leapt to their feet.
Caroline Kennedy opened the program, and Julia Roberts, Barbara Walters, John Travolta and Sidney Poitier were among those singing Winfrey's praises.
Roberts, the first star to appear on stage, admitted that she was nervous to speak in front of hundreds of people, including the president.
Poitier, a 1995 Kennedy Center honoree, called Winfrey "what a social network should be."
PHOTOS: Oprah Goes Fly Fishing With Gale At Yosemite
A who's who of politicians attended the event, and among the stars spotted in the audience: Diana Ross; Sam Waterston; Mary-Louise Parker; Lynda Carter; Forest Whitaker; Florence Henderson; Smoky Robinson; James Taylor; and actor John Lithgow.
The Kennedy Center Honors were taped and will be broadcast on CBS on Tuesday, December 28.
At a reception earlier in the East Room of the White House, President Obama said that the honorees possessed "a staggering amount of talent." But, he added, that was not the sole reason they had been chosen.
EXCLUSIVE: Oprah Winfrey’s Australian Trip Could Be Grounded By Qantas Airplane Malfunction
"They're being honored for their unique ability to bring us closer together and to capture something larger about who we are, not just as Americans, but as human beings," the president said.
"Each of these honorees help us understand the human experience -- to illuminate our past, to help us understand our present, and to give us the courage to face our future," said Obama.
While Mr. Obama spoke of each honoree's accomplishments, he used only a single sentence to sum up his take on the reigning queen of daytime talk, "Michelle and I love Oprah," he said.
Winfrey appeared visibly moved by Sunday's recognition.
PHOTOS: Jennifer Hudson -- One Dazzling Dreamgirl At Kennedy Center Honors!
"It feels like you on your very best day," she told CNN. "It feels like when every single thing in your life comes together in one moment to say, 'Wow. That actually happened for me.'"
Winfrey also smiled when asked about the president's praise for her earlier in the evening. "He said he loved me," she said. "He said he loved me."
RELATED STORIES:
NEW DETAILS: Inside Oprah’s Trip Down Under – Police Escorts, Wild Horses & High Security Hotels!
- Beyonce's Returning To The Stage For The First Time Since Becoming A Mom — Huffington Post
- Sienna Miller & Her Baby Bump Are All Smiles — The Frisky
- Jay-Z To Score New "Annie" Movie Starring Willow Smith — Global Grind
- Simon Cowell Asks 'What Was I Thinking?' After Choosing Britney Spears & Demi Lovato for 'X Factor' — Celebuzz
- Anne Hathaway's Ex Raffaello Follieri Released from Jail — Just Jared
- Age Appropriate? Kylie Minogue, 43, Dons Racy Webbed Dress — Celebuzz
- Click Here & Join Our Facebook Page — Facebook
Sample Header
The Daily Juice
Oprah, I'm horrified at your boobs - not a good. They look like someones butt cheeks!! Should have checked the mirror before you left and maybe changed outfits.
Posted Mon, 12/06/2010 - 6:12pm
Gee Oprah, with all your money, SOMEONE should have told you to dress more tasteful to a White House event. Like your good friend Halley on a tonight show appearance, the dress might look good standing up, but when you sit, everything falls out.
Posted Mon, 12/06/2010 - 4:11pm
Oprah needs to shove those dam boobs back into her shirt. Nobody wants to see an overweight black woman, wearing 5 lbs of make-up with boobs jammed up into her neck. C'mom Oprah!
Posted Mon, 12/06/2010 - 2:22pm
Okra needs to put down the damn fork.
Posted Mon, 12/06/2010 - 11:54am