Naming the Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Republicans tacked Reagan’s last name onto an airport that was already named after a president. Now they want to strip a president’s name from an opera house to slap a First Lady’s name on it. Interesting that they want to set the precedent of removing presidents’ names from things. In the future, the Trump name can be removed by Congress from anything to which it has been bestowed by Congress.

His name will be poison soon enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Republicans tacked Reagan’s last name onto an airport that was already named after a president. Now they want to strip a president’s name from an opera house to slap a First Lady’s name on it. Interesting that they want to set the precedent of removing presidents’ names from things. In the future, the Trump name can be removed by Congress from anything to which it has been bestowed by Congress.

As I understood it, only the Opera House in the Kennedy Center is proposed for renaming. That would mean that the Trump name and the Kennedy name would be associated with each other in the same arts focused space. I’m guessing his supporters think the association will somehow validate the Trumps.

This is a reminder that, a few wives ago, Trump was eager to be accepted by old New York Society — people who were on the Board of the Metropolitan Opera and the Metropolitan Museum. It seems like he’s still scrabbling to prove that he’s accepted — even though neither he nor Melania have publicly supported the arts in any discernible way. This is in sharp contrast to the JFK and Jackie Kennedy — who truly used the White House to celebrate art and artists, especially musicians.

As with the White House Rose Garden, and the Bonwit Teller building Art Deco friezes, destruction seems to be a Trump thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Republicans tacked Reagan’s last name onto an airport that was already named after a president. Now they want to strip a president’s name from an opera house to slap a First Lady’s name on it. Interesting that they want to set the precedent of removing presidents’ names from things. In the future, the Trump name can be removed by Congress from anything to which it has been bestowed by Congress.

I actually liked Reagan (yes, he had his flaws and made his share of mistakes - including some doozies, like all humans, including the other presidents). However, I always thought it was ridiculous to change the airport’s name. It was already well established as Washington National, which is a more informative name.

I’m not sure why you would name any airport after him, unless it was to commemorate his firing of the air traffic controllers. Moreover, if you were going to name any airport after Reagan, it would make more sense to do so in California where he spent most of his life than in DC where he only spent eight year. While they may have been eight highly significant years in his life, I don’t think he ever considered himself a Washingtonian.

Frankly, I consider the prevailing political obsession about naming and renaming things to be largely pointless gestures of empty flattery and political posturing, just one step above declaring every day “National Day of” something-or-other. I wish we’d stop naming so many things after people and settle for more descriptive (and consequentially less controversial) names. As far as I’m concerned, I would be delighted if you would remove Reagan’s name from the airport in question and return it’s name to Washington National, which is how I will always think of it, anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
…who, according to OperaWire “is not known for her contribution to the arts.”

I get that it’s a control thing, and a narcissism thing, and an “own the Libs” thing, but the Trumps have made no secret re: how awful they think DC is. At some level, they’re just branding things that they apparently despise. Perhaps they view this as somehow being transformative?


https://operawire.com/kennedy-center-opera-house-could-be-renamed-first-lady-melania-trump-opera-house/

Melania's only contribution to the arts was baring her bits for money.

[Anonymous]

I like the idea.

After all, she raised a special-needs son. She is a hero!

[Anonymous]

What’s the proposed name? The Whore House?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Republicans tacked Reagan’s last name onto an airport that was already named after a president. Now they want to strip a president’s name from an opera house to slap a First Lady’s name on it. Interesting that they want to set the precedent of removing presidents’ names from things. In the future, the Trump name can be removed by Congress from anything to which it has been bestowed by Congress.

As I understood it, only the Opera House in the Kennedy Center is proposed for renaming. That would mean that the Trump name and the Kennedy name would be associated with each other in the same arts focused space. I’m guessing his supporters think the association will somehow validate the Trumps.

This is a reminder that, a few wives ago, Trump was eager to be accepted by old New York Society — people who were on the Board of the Metropolitan Opera and the Metropolitan Museum. It seems like he’s still scrabbling to prove that he’s accepted — even though neither he nor Melania have publicly supported the arts in any discernible way. This is in sharp contrast to the JFK and Jackie Kennedy — who truly used the White House to celebrate art and artists, especially musicians.

As with the White House Rose Garden, and the Bonwit Teller building Art Deco friezes, destruction seems to be a Trump thing.

I just got a flash of The Gilded Age reading this!

I just googled what music does Melania like (Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Aerosmith) but she walked out at the convention to Beethoven
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/07/18/rnc-live-updates-coverage/melania-trump-walkup-music-rnc-00169651

[Anonymous]

Oh my, check out this AI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:President JFK was a Democrat.
You people here are such bigots.

He was also a lifelong supporter and advocate for the arts, and raised $30 million to fund the center, so it makes sense to have his name on it. Melania's a shallow grifter who probably couldn't name five operas if she tried (and the ones from Bugs Bunny don't count).

It's not enough that they ruin Jackie's Rose Garden, close Job Corps and Peace Corps, destroy NASA, and reopen a federal prison that was deemed obsolete. Trump wants to erase any gains JFK achieved.

[Anonymous]

When I read the headlines my immediate reaction was deflection from the Epstein debacle and another thought is that he's trying to appease her because her name is now also being denigrated and dragged (rightly so) through the mud. Maybe he thinks he can make her scowl a little less prominent when they are in public together. It's a bad idea of course, but this entire administration is a disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From escort to having your name on the Kennedy center. The American dream!

Yup.

This is crass and embarrassing. But also, who cares? It is 1001st on my list of horrible things and the easiest to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:President JFK was a Democrat.
You people here are such bigots.

He was also a lifelong supporter and advocate for the arts, and raised $30 million to fund the center, so it makes sense to have his name on it. Melania's a shallow grifter who probably couldn't name five operas if she tried (and the ones from Bugs Bunny don't count).

It's not enough that they ruin Jackie's Rose Garden, close Job Corps and Peace Corps, destroy NASA, and reopen a federal prison that was deemed obsolete. Trump wants to erase any gains JFK achieved.

If you can name the rose garden after Jackie, it’s only fair to change the name of the Kennedy Center to the Melanie Center.

Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don’t waste time on these stupid deflection tactics. Let him rename it, we can change it back and stop going in the interim.

Once you pour so much money into name changes, it’s not so easy to go back. Washington national airport was renamed to another, and it never resumed it’s original name after twenty years and counting. A pity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one cares. Kennedy center is for the rich in DC. Normal people do not go there anymore

The Kennedy Center had plenty of free concerts, as well as reasonably priced performances prior to February 2025. I cannot tell you what offerings they currently provide because I checked out. So please stop spouting bullshat. If you know you know, and you obviously don’t or didn’t know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don’t waste time on these stupid deflection tactics. Let him rename it, we can change it back and stop going in the interim.

Once you pour so much money into name changes, it’s not so easy to go back. Washington national airport was renamed to another, and it never resumed it’s original name after twenty years and counting. A pity.

Kennedy Center has customers and donors. Trump can change it to the Robert E Lee Center for Dukes of Hazzard and Hee Haw Studies or whatever it is he wants for now and no one will go. When sanity prevails they’d better get on changing it or it will just whither on the vine and die.