Kennedy Center Honors: Morgan Freeman

The 31st annual John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was taped December 7 and aired last night. Among the six recipients honored was actor Morgan Freeman. Other receiving awards were director, singer, actress, composer and producer Barbra Streisand, singer George Jones, choreographer Twyla Tharp, and musicians Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.

Since their inception in 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have redefined America's perception of its artistic legacy and reinvented the way this nation rewards its artists. The Honors have been compared to a knighthood in Britain, or the French Legion of Honor--the quintessential reward for a lifetime's endeavor. The annual Honors gala is an evening without categories, without disappointments, and without competition. The Honors telecast is always aired during the week between Christmas and New Year's. It serves for millions of American arts lovers as the year's crowning event, paying tribute to our nation's preeminent artists with performances by the great stars of today who have followed in their footsteps.

The complete list of guest performers is kept secret until the show is in progress, keeping both the Honorees and the nation on the edge of their seats, making the evening much more exciting for the Honorees. In addition to the gala performance in the Kennedy Center Opera House, the Honorees are treated to a White House reception and a banquet at the State Department.

Among the performances was Denzel Washington who saluted Morgan Freeman with words. Koko Taylor and B. B. King honored him in song. Bettye LaVette honored the Who with their song “Love Reign O’er Me”. Queen Latifah paid tribute to Barbra Streisand for revolutionizing the standard idea of beauty and breaking barriers for women. Beyoncé sang "The Way We Were" and Ne-Yo sang "Lover, Come Back to Me."

On a side note, Beyoncé is making a liar, me included, out of all those who say that she is nothing but a good looking dancer. She blew me and the audience away with her rendition of The Way We Were. And she looked absolutely classy doing it. I’m sure she will be a Kennedy Honors recipient in the years to come.