Kennedy Center Cancellation

by **Steve-o** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:39 pm

I couldn't find the old thread....but I'm waiting for someone to blame this on Heather, LOL. I hope he's planning on being somewhere across the ATlantic on tour...or maybe just a well deserved rest.

Sooner or later we all will be there....

by **Steve-o** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:39 pm

I couldn't find the old thread....but I'm waiting for someone to blame this on Heather, LOL. I hope he's planning on being somewhere across the ATlantic on tour...or maybe just a well deserved rest.

Sooner or later we all will be there....

by **Ram1** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:41 pm

Steve, what?????? I haven't checked the main news site. Paul cancelled? Man, I'm out of the loop!

Plastic soul, man....plastic soul....

by **Steve-o** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:45 pm

Paul McCartney Bows Out of Kennedy Center Honors #755
Saturday, August 17, 2002 By David Segal, Washington Post Staff Writer Article #755

Citing a personal scheduling conflict, Paul McCartney has withdrawn from the 2002 Kennedy Center Honors, officials at the Kennedy Center announced yesterday.
But Sir Paul isn't snubbing the nation's top artistic prize -- he's merely delaying his acceptance by a year. The Kennedy Center says he has agreed to be an honoree in 2003.

The withdrawal, the first in the history of the awards, is a deep disappointment to organizers, who had striven to put together a particularly impressive roster of talent for what will be the 25th anniversary of the ceremony, scheduled for Dec. 8. In addition to McCartney, the Kennedy Center lined up actress Elizabeth Taylor, conductor James Levine, dancer and actress Chita Rivera and actor James Earl Jones. Now the Artists Committee and the Kennedy Center's board will meet next week to select a new honoree for this year's event.

What's behind McCartney's postponement is unclear. A call yesterday afternoon to his publicist, Paul Freundlich, was not returned. Tiki Davies, a spokeswoman for the Kennedy Center, said no one in her office knew the cause of the one-year delay.

"It's a personal reason," she said. "That's all we know."

Since 1978, the bestowal of the Kennedy Center Honors has been as close to an imprimatur of government-stamped greatness as the United States has to offer. Over the years it has brought to the city such luminaries as Richard Rodgers, Marian Anderson, Bob Dylan, George Balanchine, Martha Graham, James Cagney, Lucille Ball and James Stewart.

See related article: Taylor, McCartney Get Kennedy Honors

Sooner or later we all will be there....

by **Ram1** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:48 pm

Wow. Hmmm...interesting.

Thanks for posting, Steve.

Plastic soul, man....plastic soul....

by **Steve-o** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:50 pm

But--he'll be there next year...

Sooner or later we all will be there....

by **MACCAFAN2K** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 2:04 am

Is it possible that the 'personal reason' has anything to do with the fact that the ceremony falls on Dec 8th, the day John was killed?

Perhaps Paul doesn't think it is a day to celebrate. Does anyone else out there know of any events concerning Paul that he has attended on that date?

by **shinestar** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 4:39 am

Or maybe Stella's getting married on that day and he's going to give her away.

by **MACCAFAN2K** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 8:01 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. That would be a very good personal reason indeed.

by **Liam OSM** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 7:18 am

Well, any personal reason would obviously be a good reason for him, and we should respect his judgement on the issue.

Besides, he's still going to be honoured next year, as Steve specified

The difference between genius and insanity is merely the difference between success and failure.