Issa Rae cancels Kennedy Center event, Shonda Rhimes exits as Trump appointed chairman
President Donald Trump is the new chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and some stars are heading for the exit.
Shonda Rhimes, the creator of hit shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal," confirmed Wednesday that she has resigned from the Kennedy Center's board. In an Instagram post, Rhimes shared a quote from former President John F. Kennedy, which read, "If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."
Meanwhile, musician Ben Folds announced on Instagram he is resigning as artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the Kennedy Center, citing recent "developments."
"Not for me," Folds wrote. "It's been a wonderful 8 years working with Kennedy Center President Deb Rutter, fellow artistic advisor Renee Fleming, and the entire NSO staff, encouraging thousands of fresh new audiences to appreciate symphonic music. Mostly, and above all, I will miss the musicians of our nation's symphony orchestra — just the best!"
Neither Rhimes nor Folds explicitly referenced Trump in their posts. Paste BN has reached out to representatives for the producer and the musician for comment.
But their announcements came on the same day that Trump became chair of the Kennedy Center. He had previously announced his intention to "immediately terminate multiple individuals" from the board of trustees, including the chairman, David Rubenstein. Trump also fired the president of the Kennedy Center, Deborah Rutter.
"We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!" he said in a Truth Social post last week, adding, "The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation."
Actress and singer Renee Fleming also announced Wednesday that she is exiting as artistic advisor for the Kennedy Center. She said it was "right to depart" out of "respect" for Rubenstein and Rutter, calling the former the "greatest patriot I know" and the latter a "tireless, creative leader."
"I've treasured the bipartisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best," Fleming wrote. "I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation's capital and across the country."
Issa Rae cancels Kennedy Center show, citing 'an infringement on the values of an institution'
Issa Rae, the creator and star of her Emmy-winning HBO series "Insecure," canceled her scheduled appearance at the Kennedy Center and stopped short of naming Trump as the reason for the move.
"Thank you so much for selling out the Kennedy Center for An Evening with [Me]," she wrote in a Wednesday Instagram Story. “Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I've decided to cancel my appearance at this venue.”
She added, "All tickets will be refunded. Thank you so much for understanding and I hope to see you soon. Love, Issa."
Ben Folds, Shonda Rhimes have been critical of Trump
The Kennedy Center, which has enjoyed bipartisan support for years, describes itself as a "living memorial" to John F. Kennedy and a "vibrant cultural hub that connects thousands of artists with millions of people each year — in person, online, and in their home communities."
Former President Barack Obama appointed Rhimes to the Kennedy Center board of trustees in 2013. In October, the Shondaland founder told The New York Times that "Donald Trump's second term will be worse," adding, "In any episode of 'Grey's' or 'Scandal,' I could not make this up. I would not make this up. But this is real. We have a problem, people, and his name is Donald Trump."
Folds was named artistic advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra in 2017. He said in October that he voted "enthusiastically" for former Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Leave the entertainment and reality show stuff to the entertainers, and put experienced public policy people, with hearts and judgement, at the helm," he said in a Facebook post. "The weirdo stuff isn't even that entertaining, and it's gonna get us all killed."
Contributing: Jeff Mason, Reuters