Wokeness is out and entertainment is in at The Kennedy Center. 
The Center’s lineup for the <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/">new season was just announced</a> as new staffers at the venue continue to make headlines for fighting back against progressive propaganda that’s been on the docket for years.
Now The Kennedy Center will feature a full lineup of music, drama, and dance that’s inspiring for all ages.
For younger fans, there are two world premiere productions as part of the season, including “The Sea Beyond the Ocean” and the Center’s first Theater for the Very Young commission, “Fishing for Stars,” an immersive non-verbal work for ages 2–6. 
There’s also a new play, “Young Dragon,” and a nostalgic throwback millennials are sure to recognize. The brand-new musical adventure “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock LIVE” presented by the Jim Henson Company debuts in 2026.
“This season brings students of all ages on inspiring journeys,” Jordan LaSalle, Vice President of Education, said of the new shows. “Featuring some of the most exciting companies from across the nation and world, each performance encourages the young and young-at-heart to unleash their imaginations. We are thrilled to continue our decades-long commitment to commissioning new works, including our first for our youngest of audiences and their families.”
In the realm of dance, the Center will showcase ballet and dance offerings from world-class companies and artists. As America nears its 250th anniversary, the 2025-26 season features programming that reflects the deep history of the nation plus fresh, modern interpretations. This includes some new shows plus returning favorites such as “The Nutcracker” from The Cincinnati Ballet.
The theater season also has new and award winning shows, per the press release.
“There is truly a great theater season of excitement and joy coming to the Kennedy Center,” said Senior Vice President of Artistic Programming and Executive Producer of Theater, Jeffrey Finn. “I couldn’t be more proud to feature a season filled with Best Musicals from Broadway, including three Tony®–winning original Best Musicals: ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical,’ and ‘Spamalot.’”
Trump made headlines earlier this year when he promised to reform the Kennedy Center, which began when he replaced its board and was elected chairman. Trump also tapped Special Envoy Richard Grenell to serve as the Center’s president.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
The changes the new board made led to full-scale meltdowns on the Left, including protests expressed through interpretive dancing.
According to a previous report published on The Daily Wire, the Kennedy Center is $40 million in debt and will be making major cuts to staff.
&#8220;The former leadership built a broken budget with an operating deficit of 100 million dollars and a bottom-line deficit of 26 million dollars,&#8221; CFO Donna Arduin said. &#8220;The former leadership led Board members to believe there was a balanced budget when there was $26 Million in false funds. Fiscal Year 25 budget was previously passed with $26M of fictitious funds. We have now truly balanced the budget.”
Besides their financial goals, the Center’s new leadership is focused on offering high-quality entertainment that’s free from radical progressive messaging.

The Kennedy Center

New Kennedy Center Lineup Includes Family-Friendly Content, Zero Drag Shows For Kids

Culture

Dance

Entertainment

Music

Theater

U.S.

Washington D.C.

Singer and leftist Bruce Springsteen opened his &#8220;Land of Hopes and Dreams&#8221; tour with his E Street Band by delivering a lengthy diatribe on foreign soil against President Donald Trump, which led to mockery and criticism on social media.
The 75-year-old recording artist took to the stage on Wednesday in Manchester, England, to make his complaints. 
“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!” Springsteen <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert.html">said</a>, per Vulture.
The longtime Democrat supporter made multiple political statements during his two-and-a-half-hour-long set, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert-2072574">Newsweek</a>.
Before playing the song, My City of Ruins, he said, &#8220;There&#8217;s some very weird, strange, and dangerous s*** going on out there right now.&#8221;
&#8220;In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world&#8217;s poorest children to sickness and death.&#8221;
On the topic of the Trump administration targeting illegal aliens for deportation, Springsteen said, &#8220;They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons.&#8221;
&#8220;In my country they&#8217;re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They&#8217;re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society,” the singer said at another point. “They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won&#8217;t bow down to their ideological demands.&#8221;
While some social media users agreed with Springsteen’s message, a large number of commenters were critical of the statements he was making.
“Nobody cares what Bruce Springsteen has to say,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/IanJaeger29/status/1922809978991124748">replied</a>. 
“Bruce Springsteen has completely lost his mind,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1922988892732391472">observed</a>. “He goes full MSNBC instead of just playing the music people were there to hear. Entertainers are such narcissists.”
“Fans don&#8217;t want to hear this bullsh**&#8230;.They want to hear music. They should have booed him off the stage,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/RealHickory/status/1922966007754162319">said</a>. 
Another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Alsboringtweets/status/1922937826166870386">wrote</a>, “Bruce Springsteen waited until his European tour to badmouth Trump. Was he afraid of the response he would have gotten if he tried it here?? I will answer this for you, Yes. Coward move.”
Besides being an outspoken Democrat supporter, Springsteen is a friend of former President Barack Obama and campaigned for both of his presidential campaigns. The singer also headlined rallies for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris&#8217; last election cycle.

Bruce Springsteen

‘Nobody Cares’: Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump

'Nobody Cares': Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump During His Concert

concert

Donald Trump

Manchester

Politics

singer

Pop singer Lady Gaga set the record for biggest attendance for a female performer during a free performance in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend.
The 39-year-old singer attracted a crowd estimated to be 2.5 million people strong for her Saturday night show at Copacabana Beach. The concert was sponsored by the local government in an effort to help stimulate the local economy.
During her performance, Gaga told the crowd, “Your spirit may be heard around the world tonight. Two and a half million people,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/news/lady-gaga-free-concert-rio-copacabana-beach-draws-record-breaking-2-5-million-people-1236386386/">Variety</a>. “Tonight, we’re making history,” she added. “Thank you for making history with me… The people of Brazil are the reason why I can shine.”
The outlet noted that the “Bad Romance” singer last performed in Rio 12 years ago. Fans stood in line for hours hoping to get a good spot.
During Saturday’s show, Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, performed older songs like “Poker Face,” “Bloody Mary,” and “Alejandro” along with songs from her newly released album, “Mayhem.”
The record for most concert attendees for a single female performer was previously held by Madonna, who played for a crowd of 1.6 million at the same location in May 2024, also during a free concert.
While free concert attendance is only based on estimates and is therefore impossible to determine for sure, it’s believed that the <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/73085-largest-free-rock-concert-attendance">most attended concerts</a> overall were those of French composer Jean-Michel Jarre in Moscow 1997 and Rod Stewart&#8217;s concert in Copacabana in 1994, which are both believed to have attracted audiences of about 3.5 million people.
Lady Gaga’s latest show is also making headlines due to two suspected terror attacks, which were never carried out. Per <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/04/americas/brazil-lady-gaga-bomb-plot-rio-intl-latam">CNN</a>, two people were arrested for attempting to “recruit” people to deploy explosives and Molotov cocktails on the crowd. Per the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, these individuals were targeting LGBT revelers and wanted to “[gain] notoriety on social media.”
Another person planning to perform a “satanist ritual by killing a child or a baby” during the show was arrested and charged with terrorism offenses, the outlet noted.
In a post on Instagram, Lady Gaga thanked fans, saying, “nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show – the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil.”
The singer wrote that “the sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.”

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga Breaks Crowd Size Record With Massive Brazil Show

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

World

Few artists loathe the music industry quite like Tom MacDonald.
The rebel rapper takes glee in taunting labels on his social media platforms. He recently posted a troll video in front of Sony Music headquarters, name-checking industry pariahs like R. Kelly and P. Diddy with a broad grin on his face.
And despite repeatedly crashing the Billboard music charts he’s refused to go corporate for a bigger promotional wallop.
MacDonald is solo to the core, with an assist from his girlfriend/video director Nova Rockafeller. No managers. No publicists. Just the music and his sizable social media flock.
The mind behind “Fake Woke,” “Snowflakes” and “American Flags” still felt influenced by mainstream superstars, from their branding efforts to songs that purport to dig deeper into their personal lives.
<div id="attachment_891745" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-891745" class="size-large wp-image-891745" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-1024x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot: YouTube/Tom MacDonald &quot;Facts&quot; feat. Ben Shapiro" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/MixCollage-14-Mar-2025-10-16-AM-4499-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: YouTube/Tom MacDonald &#8220;Facts&#8221; feat. Ben Shapiro</div>
“As an independent artist, we’re all watching what the biggest artists in the world are doing and what they sound like,” he says. “Even if you’re somebody like me who detests the major label system, you’re taking information in. You’re being indoctrinated … they must know what’s best.”
It took a while to shake free from that thinking, something he accomplished on his latest album.
“Proud to Be a Problem” finds the Canadian native opening up about his life in ways he never did before.
“I’ve never really been good with processing my emotions and explaining the way I’m feeling to other people… it’s the reason why I make music,” the California-based musician says.
<div id="attachment_915575" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-915575" class="size-large wp-image-915575" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-1024x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-574-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald.</div>
Time and maturity have let him tap into something vital and deeply personal, witness tracks like “Hell &amp; Back.”
<blockquote>I&#8217;ve been called a loser since first day of 2nd grade 
I&#8217;ve been an alcoholic with one foot inside the grave 
And I&#8217;ve been brave enough to say that I&#8217;m afraid I&#8217;m not okay 
And I don&#8217;t know if I&#8217;ll survive another day</blockquote>
Other tracks, like “Man in the Sky,” merge MacDonald’s protest-singer DNA with heartfelt pleas for empathy. He’s an imperfect vessel in an imperfect world.
The musician’s flaws, like his signature tattoos, are visible to all. <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/goodbye-joe-god-bless-the-usa-top-digital-song-sales-chart-after-election-1235825769/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">So are his successes</a>.
His post-election song “Goodbye Joe” gave him his <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/goodbye-joe-god-bless-the-usa-top-digital-song-sales-chart-after-election-1235825769/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth number-one ranking</a> on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart, following “Fake Woke,” “Ghost” and “You Missed.”
His YouTube channel boasts 5 million subscribers and most videos eclipse the million-view mark in days, not weeks.
MacDonald, whose recent pairings include songs with Roseanne Barr (“Daddy’s Home”) and The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro (“Facts”), sounds a little different on the new album. He isn’t giving up on rap, but the newer material offers a rootsy feel, brimming with acoustic guitars.
<div id="attachment_915573" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-915573" class="size-large wp-image-915573" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-1024x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-57-AM-7387-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald.</div>
That singing style hearkens back to his earliest days as a musician. He remembers riding in the car with his father as a boy when he came up with a jingle for Ford.
“[My Dad] was bewildered … where did that come from?” MacDonald recalls. 
He started writing music more often, but he felt he didn’t have the classic rock voice, a la Robert Plant or Joe Cocker, to execute the material. “I had to do something else. I was writing poetry, a primitive form of rap. That’s how the rap thing started,” he says.
“Problem” found him more confident in his singing, allowing him to expand his sound in the process.
“I know where my boundaries are and what I’m capable of singing on a song &#8230; if I don’t do it right now I won’t have a good enough excuse to give it a good shot [later],” he says.
Fans can pick up “Proud to Be a Problem” at MacDonald’s official web site, <a href="https://hangovergangofficial.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HangoverGangOfficial.com</a>. That’s part of his indie approach, lashing out at a streaming landscape that pays little to participating artists.
“I have such a big chip on my shoulder for the music industry,” he says, recalling a brush with a major label earlier in his career that ended in rejection. “I’ve done enough for these streaming platforms.”
“A big part of the reason I put the singles on streaming is we keep going to no. 1 on Billboard [charts] … it’s a giant f***ing middle finger to the music industry,” he says.
<div id="attachment_915581" style="width: 334px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-915581" class="wp-image-915581 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-324x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot: Instagram/@TomMacDonaldOfficial" width="324" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-324x576.jpg 324w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-169x300.jpg 169w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-768x1365.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-864x1536.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-12-10-PM-5842.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 324px) 100vw, 324px" />Screenshot: Instagram/@TomMacDonaldOfficial</div>
That solo spirit extends beyond the music on “Problem.” He designed the merchandise around the released, mailed signed LP copies of it to fans personally and oversaw every part of the production.
“It hasn’t been touched by Hollywood. That’s the way I want it,” he says.
He shared his feelings about sending out signed copies of “Proud to Be a Problem” to fans on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJIdKXgPXX0/?img_index=1">Instagram account</a>:
<blockquote>I gotta tell y’all &#8211; people didn’t care about me for most of my life. I was one of the forgotten people whose voice was drown out by the noise of the world. Every single day I’m shocked that you guys care about me enough to want my album and my signature. I’m shocked…but I’m thrilled. I felt like a “nobody” for so long that every day I wake up expecting to be forgotten again. Every day that y’all remember me, you prove me wrong. And you absolutely make my day. No one should ever feel like a nobody. But it happens.</blockquote>
That personal connection reflects being a music fan growing up in Canada. He fondly remembers lining up at the local record store and waiting for the newest albums to go on sale.
“When you got that album .. you felt like you might be one of the only people in the world who had it,” he says. “You could hold on to it, a physical product … That’s the way I want my music to be experienced.”
Record labels still reach out to MacDonald about potential deals, and he sometimes will listen to the conversation. Then, he’ll share his reactions on Instagram.
“I’ve been trolling these people for years and years,” he says. “I’d rather roll around on broken glass [than sign onto a label].”
<div id="attachment_915577" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-915577" class="size-large wp-image-915577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-1024x576.jpg" alt="Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-03-May-2025-11-58-AM-5929-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: YouTube.com/Tom MacDonald.</div>
MacDonald leveraged new media and a collective mistrust of the mainstream to power his music career. Somewhere a fledgling singer/songwriter might want to follow in his shoes, avoiding corporate overlords to make music on their terms.
MacDonald has some clichéd but honest advice for the next generation of indie musicians.
“Just be yourself … there’s always gonna be a better producer, a better rapper, a better singer. You’re the only person on earth who can do you better than anybody else,” he says. “The entire world is fake and bulls*** and disingenuous. The best way to cut through all that noise is to be honest and scream your truth at the top of your lungs … people gravitate towards the truth and what’s real.”
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Millions Of Views And Fiercely Independent. Inside The Mind Of Tom MacDonald.

Conservatives

Music Industry

Rapper

Tom MacDonald

A musical show about Dolly Parton will be coming to The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The venue has been making headlines in recent weeks due to the shakeup there following the re-election of President Trump. While some artists are refusing to perform in protest of Trump’s leadership, other major names like Parton are signing on, which is part of the plan to usher in the “Golden Age of the Arts.”
The <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/nsop-dolly-parton/">concert</a>, which premiered in Nashville last year, is called &#8220;Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony.&#8221;
&#8220;The threads of my life are woven together through my songs. That’s why the project, Threads: My Songs In Symphony, is so special to me,&#8221; Parton said in the Kennedy Center&#8217;s announcement of the show. &#8220;It’s about sharing my music and my musical journey with audiences in a new way.&#8221;
The National Symphony Orchestra will be performing classic hits such as &#8220;Jolene,&#8221; &#8220;Coat of Many Colors,&#8221; and &#8220;I Will Always Love You.&#8221;
&#8220;Bringing Dolly Parton’s music to life through the power of a full symphony orchestra has long been a dream of mine,&#8221; National Symphony Orchestra Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke said, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/scoop-dolly-parton-symphony-concert-heads-dcs-kennedy-center-event-no-one-want-miss">Fox News</a>. &#8220;Dolly is one of the great storytellers of American music, and I am excited to bring her expansive catalog to the Kennedy Center. Through these unique symphonic charts, her music will be showcased like never before and will surely be an evening no one will want to miss!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Did you hear the National Symphony Orchestra is performing Dolly Parton’s 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 at The Kennedy Center?! It’s a one-of-a-kind multimedia concert experience. Sing along to her greatest hits with live guest vocalists and stunning new orchestrations celebrating her… <a href="https://t.co/rSppzdz2gH">pic.twitter.com/rSppzdz2gH</a>
&mdash; The Kennedy Center (@kencen) <a href="https://twitter.com/kencen/status/1916890028229231017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This new show is coming to The Kennedy Center on June 26 and 27, with member tickets now <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/nsop-dolly-parton/">available</a>. The venue is also promoting $75 membership, which includes early access to all upcoming shows. General access tickets to the show will be available beginning May 1.
The Kennedy Center has been in the news ever since President Trump took office and promised major reforms, including firing the entire board, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dumps-kennedy-center-board-puts-immediate-end-to-drag-shows-for-kids">reported</a>.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote on social media in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
The changes the new board made led to full-scale meltdowns on the Left, including protests expressed through interpretive dancing. But their protests haven’t made much of a difference. The Kennedy Center just broke its all-time attendance record for a public event it hosted on March 29, welcoming 11,000 attendees, of whom 76% were there for the first time.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton Show Heads To Kennedy Center As They Usher In ‘Golden Age Of The Arts’

Dolly Parton Show Heads To Kennedy Center As They Usher In 'Golden Age Of The Arts'

Celebrities

Kennedy Center

Drummer Zak Starkey, who is the son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, just publicly commented on his removal from the band The Who earlier this year after playing with them for almost three decades.
While rumors have circulated that Starkey was let go due to disagreements among the band members, Starkey said the issue was actually a “medical emergency.”
“I’m very proud of my near 30 years with The Who,” the 59-year-old musician told <a href="https://people.com/zak-starkey-ringo-starr-son-breaks-silence-exiting-the-who-exclusive-11716449?">People</a>, before referencing Keith Moon, the legendary drummer with The Who from 1964 until his death in 1978.  “Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me.”
“In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf,” Starkey continued. “This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”
Starkey also seemed to reference an incident that occurred during a show at Royal Albert Hall last month, when Metro reported that singer Robert Daltrey was struggling to hear over the sound of the drums.
Starkey said, &#8220;After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?&#8221;
“I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of ‘Domino Bones’ by Mantra Of The Cosmos with Noel Gallagher in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me,” added Starkey. “29 years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best,” he concluded.
A rep for The Who confirmed Starkey’s departure last month, describing it as a “mutual decision.” 
“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,&#8221; the rep <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-who-zak-starkey-fired-reason-roger-daltrey-oasis-lineup-b2734169.html">told</a> The Independent. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”
The Who formed in London in 1964. The band rose to fame with their popular live performances, which made them icons of the British Invasion alongside The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. They’re known for hits like “My Generation” and the rock opera “Tommy.”

Zak Starkey

‘The Who’ Drummer Breaks Silence After Being Kicked Out Of Band

'The Who' Drummer Breaks Silence After Being Kicked Out Of Band 

United Kingdom

Composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, the man behind the theme song for the first three seasons of &#8220;The White Lotus,&#8221; says he quit ahead of season four amid drama with the show’s creator and director, Mike White.
The 51-year-old composer did a tell-all <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/style/white-lotus-composer-season-4-leaving.html">interview</a> with The New York Times ahead of the season three’s highly anticipated finale, which airs on Sunday. It was just announced that the popular HBO comedy-drama has been renewed for another season.
Tapia de Veer told the outlet that he had &#8220;hysterical&#8221; discussions with producers about the theme music, which changes for each season to match the new location. The composer compared the drama to &#8220;a rock ’n’ roll band story&#8221; where &#8220;the guitar player doesn’t understand the singer at all.&#8221;
He said that he &#8220;announced to the team a few months ago” that he was “not coming back,&#8221; and that he purposely &#8220;didn&#8217;t tell Mike for various reasons&#8221; and &#8220;wanted to tell him just at the end for the shock.”
Tapia de Veer also described some disputes over the music he’s been having with White over the years.
&#8220;I thought we could do some kind of &#8216;Hawaiian Hitchcock,&#8217; and [White] really grabbed on that and he started laughing,&#8221; the composer said of season one’s music. &#8220;I was on the phone with her [Heather Persons, one of the show’s producers] all the time, and she was trying to convince Mike about this theme, because he didn’t want the theme.&#8221;
Tapia de Veer said his original idea for season three’s music was altered. There has been a lot of discussion and feedback on social media about how the theme music was much different than the first two seasons, which he also blamed on White.
&#8220;I had TMZ calling me, even people from England and from France, because they wanted some kind of statement about the theme,&#8221; he told NYT. &#8220;People are furious about the change of the theme, and I thought that was interesting.&#8221;
That made Tapia de Veer want to share the &#8220;uncut ending&#8221; of the song publicly.
&#8220;I texted the producer and I told him that it would be great to, at some point, give them the longer version with the ooh-loo-loo-loos, because people will explode if they realize that it was going there anyway. He thought it was a good idea. But then Mike cut that — he wasn’t happy about that,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;I mean, at that point, [Mike and I] already had our last fight forever, I think. So he was just saying no to anything. So I just uploaded that to my YouTube,&#8221; Tapia de Veer said.
The composer said he’s &#8220;pretty proud&#8221; that he &#8220;never gave up&#8221; fighting for the music he envisioned.
&#8220;Maybe I was being unprofessional, and for sure Mike feels that I was always unprofessional to him because I didn’t give him what he wanted. But what I gave him did this, you know — did those Emmys, people going crazy,&#8221; the musician said. Tapia de Veer added, &#8220;it was worth all the tension and almost forcing the music into the show.&#8221;
When asked how White reacted to him leaving, Tapia de Veer said, &#8220;He says a lot of things, but I can’t really talk about that.&#8221;
He continued, &#8220;There was a French movie, &#8216;La Cage Aux Folles.&#8217; You know how there’s Albin, which is like the star, and there’s Renato, who is the producer who is always taking care that Albin doesn’t lose his mind about something, because Albin is the diva and Renato is the guy who is trying to make everything work. To me, the show felt very much like that.&#8221;
A representative for HBO told Entertainment Weekly in a <a href="https://ew.com/white-lotus-composer-leaving-show-mike-white-feud-11708331">statement</a> via email, &#8220;We’ve got nothing to add at this time (but can confirm only that Cristobal isn’t returning to the show).&#8221;
Tapia de Veer won three Emmys for his work on the show&#8217;s music, including one for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and two for Original Dramatic Score.

The White Lotus Mike White

‘The White Lotus’ Theme Song Composer Details Drama With Creator Mike White, Says He Quit The Show

'The White Lotus' Theme Song Composer Details Drama With Creator Mike White, Says He Quit The Show

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that targeted ticket resellers and scalpers who profit from jacking up the prices.
Recording artist Kid Rock joined the president for the signing. The order directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to team up with state attorneys general to enforce laws that prevent entertainers and fans from being overcharged and price gouged by resellers, per <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5224370-trump-executive-order-ticket-scalping-reselling/amp/">The Hill</a>.
The EO also highlights the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promotes it being enforced by consumer protection authorities.
It also ensures price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchasing process, including the secondary ticket market, as a better protection for concertgoers. The EO says it will take action to prevent &#8220;unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct&#8221; in the secondary ticketing market.
&#8220;Anyone who&#8217;s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years, no matter what your politics are, knows it is a conundrum,&#8221; Kid Rock, who was decked out in red, white, and blue, told reporters. 
&#8220;If you buy a ticket for 100 bucks by the time you check it out, it&#8217;s 170. You don&#8217;t know what you can charge for it, but more importantly, these bots you know, they come in to get all the good tickets to your favorite shows you want to go to, and then they&#8217;re relisted immediately for sometimes a 4 or 500% markup.&#8221; 
Kid Rock explained that the artists &#8220;don&#8217;t see any of that money.&#8221;  
“It bothers him, it bothers a lot of other artists too,” Trump said of Kid Rock. 
Trump mentioned tackling high concert ticket prices while on the campaign trail last year.
“Scalpers and bots prevent fans from getting tickets at the prices artists set, and we thank President Trump for taking them head-on. We support any meaningful resale reforms — including more enforcement of the BOTS act, caps on resale prices, and more,” Live Nation Entertainment told The Daily Wire in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino echoed that sentiment in an X <a href="https://x.com/Michael_Rapino/status/1906842969078120667">post</a> thanking President Trump and Kid Rock for &#8220;taking ticket-scalping head on.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Kid Rock and Trump

Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

President Trump Signs EO Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

Executive Orders

Kid Rock

Pop singer Chappell Roan is getting all kinds of backlash following an interview she did on the popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast with Alex Cooper.
The 27-year-old singer, who quickly rose to fame and is popular for her unique, drag queen aesthetic and prickly personality, is facing criticism for comments she made about parenting, and politics in particular.
First the Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Kayleigh Amstutz, talked about going back to her hometown after getting famous and seeing everyone married with regular jobs and children.
“I don’t know when that’s gonna happen for me,” the singer said. “Like, I don’t know when that is realistic.”
“Do you want that?” Cooper asked.
“Like get married and … yeah, I don’t know,” she replied. “Part of me is like, is it even gonna be legal to marry, like, my wife one day, you know? I don’t know.”
“But kids? All my friends who have kids are in hell,” Amstutz continued. “I don’t know anyone – I actually don’t know anyone who’s like, happy and has children at this age,” she went on, rattling off ages of children five and under as examples. “I literally have not met anyone who’s happy, anyone who has like light in their eyes, anyone who has slept.”
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Many commenters pointed out that Amstutz’s friends may have very young children, and could have just been voicing normal complaints.
“Chappell Roan going on call her daddy saying none of her friends with kids are happy is a prime example of why you cannot just vent to anyone,” one popular reply on X <a href="https://x.com/tallowmom/status/1905721349156544714">says</a>. “Because I guarantee she has this perspective because a few of her mom friends are going through it…. may a friendship like that never ever ever ever find me. May the friendships of narcissistic childless women with no sense of loyalty ever find me.”
“This is why you only vent about parenting to other mom friends who get it,” another person <a href="https://x.com/smalltown_wife/status/1906058559991009305">agreed</a>.
“Her viewpoint was SO out of touch and disappointing. Imagine being those friends that probably had a bad day and confided in her and hearing her spin on their situation on an international podcast. So wrong and so sad. We need to celebrate motherhood,” another person chimed in.
Amstutz also talked about her feelings on discussing politics after fans came after her during the 2024 election for not explicitly endorsing Kamala Harris.
The singer discussed how she doesn’t have time to care about politics. “Tour. Write. Perform. Interview. Sleep. Eat. And eat! And f***ing work out. How can they do it all? And lead the team, and be a boss, and pay people … and be like, f***ing so politically educated.”
“It’s exhausting,” Cooper agreed.
“And it’s also impossible,” Amstutz replied. “Also, why the f*** are you looking to me for some political answer? You think I have the f***ing answer? I&#8217;m a pop star. I wish I had the answers, I wish the president was a pop star, but she&#8217;s not,” the singer said.
The “Pink Pony Club” singer also reflected on her childhood. “I don’t even know if my young self would be able to register that as a part of me. That’s how removed … I was so, so, so opposite of me now,” she told Cooper. “It just wasn’t [awakened].”
“Young Kayleigh just felt so restricted because I was a problem child and so angry and so depressed and I felt like no one understood me,” Amstutz continued. “Now, that part of me is so alive … I just wanted to be free, but I didn’t think it would actually happen. Now that it has, it’s like she wouldn’t believe it at all. I don’t think she’d believe that this is what I do.”

Chappell Roan

Singer Chappell Roan Called Out For Saying All Her Friends With Children ‘Are In Hell’

Singer Chappell Roan Called Out For Saying All Her Friends With Children 'Are In Hell'

Parenting

Actor Will Smith just dropped his first studio album in 20 years, and he referenced the infamous moment at the 2022 Academy Awards when he slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face.
The rap artist included many collaborations on his new album, “Based On a True Story,” and the first song, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” begins with the line, “Will Smith is canceled,” as Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/news/will-smith-new-album-chris-rock-oscars-slap-1236350689/">noted</a>.
The song&#8217;s credits say it’s a collaboration between DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone. It includes several voices repeating rumors about Smith in a freestyle rap, such as “Who the f** Will Smith think he is?” and “I ain’t never going to forgive him for that sh** he did.” 
One of the song lyrics says, “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back/ And you know they only made him do that sh** because he’s black.”
The outlet notes that Smith did not have to return his Oscar, but he was banned from attending any Academy events for at least ten years.
The “Men in Black” star shocked the entertainment world by responding physically to Rock telling a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Will strode onto the stage and slapped Rock, then said, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.”
Later in the telecast, Smith was awarded the Oscar for Best Actor for his film “King Richard.”
Another line in the song mentions the incident again: “Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talkin’ bout?/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”
The album’s second song, “You Lookin’ for Me?” also references the drama in his personal life. The lyrics say, “Took a lot, I’m back on top/ Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated/ Won’t stop, my sh** still hot/ Even though I won’t get nominated.” 
Previously, Smith <a href="https://thesource.com/2025/03/28/will-smith-shares-advice-from-jay-z-kendrick-lamar-on-new-album/">mentioned</a> that he had received guidance from Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar for the new album. He said Jay-Z told him to “be true to your story,” which helped inspire the title. Lamar told Smith to “say that sh** you always been scared to say.”

Will Smith

Will Smith References Infamous Oscars Slap On His First Album Drop In 20 Years

Chris Rock

Jada Pinkett Smith

Rap Music

80s rock star Nancy Wilson of the band Heart is facing backlash after she recently compared being an American to how it was during the Vietnam War, saying it’s “more embarrassing now.”
During an interview earlier this month, the “Barracuda” rocker talked about the early days in the group while discussing the band’s huge hit “Crazy on You,” which came out in 1975, <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2025/03/18/hearts-nancy-wilson-on-hanging-with-chappell-roan-anns-health-more/82267300007/">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a> reported.
“We were kind of embarrassed at that time to call ourselves American because of the dirty politics of the Vietnam War,” Wilson said.
“To be as subtle as possible,” she added. &#8220;It’s more embarrassing now.”
Later in the interview, the rocker said the group’s 1977 hit “Barracuda&#8221; was even “more relevant in the salacious billionaire culture with the grab-them-by-the-p***y mentality.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Heart’s Nancy Wilson slammed for saying it’s ‘more embarrassing than ever’ to be an American: ‘Then leave’ <a href="https://t.co/qNZlz9pl2Z">https://t.co/qNZlz9pl2Z</a> <a href="https://t.co/qvnZMrEMW6">pic.twitter.com/qvnZMrEMW6</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1904344709688078720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
It was a clear reference to comments President Donald Trump made during an interview in 2005, more than a decade before he ran for office.
“I think for women in the culture the pendulum will come back again, and there’ll be another renaissance in the arts to push back against the oppression of the cranky old rich white guys,” Wilson said. “I hope I am alive to see that next revolution.&#8221;
Later, the comments from the interview surfaced on social media — and resulted in many people blasting Wilson for slamming America, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/24/entertainment/hearts-nancy-wilson-says-its-more-embarrassing-than-ever-to-be-american/">New York Post</a> noted.
“Says the millionaire who made TONS of dough playing music,” <a href="https://x.com/yea_karen53/status/1904241909834408324">one user on X </a>wrote. “I just can’t with these people right now.”
Another person wrote, “The b***h is welcome to find a more suitable country for her needs. I’m willing to wager on the makeup of the country should she be a woman of her convictions.”
While a third person wrote, “Stop playing 80’s Heart music and it’s not as embarrassing.”
Another person added, “It’s embarrassing to be a Heart fan now.”
Others suggested that if the singer from Heart doesn’t like it here, no one is asking her to stay.
“Then leave you won’t be missed,” one social media user wrote.
Another added, “Move I guess.”
While a third person <a href="https://x.com/MatthewNichol5/status/1904676378043183260">wrote</a>, “I hope Nancy Wilson leaves. What a disgusting pos. I used to love Heart, but I will never listen to them again. These fans did the right thing. They do not pay to see their political opinion.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-war-activist-country-group-the-chicks-to-sing-national-anthem-at-dnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anti-War Country Group The Chicks To Sing National Anthem At DNC</a>

Heart Nancy Wilson

80s Rock Star Called Out After Saying It’s ‘More Embarrassing Than Ever’ To Be American

America

Dixie Chicks

rock

Alternative 90s band Semisonic said President Donald Trump’s White House “missed the point entirely” about their song “Closing Time” and that they “did not authorize” the use of it for a viral deportation video.
“We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song in any way,” a statement from the band to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/semisonic-trump-cling-time-b9984c537f8aca5c68e80454aaa1cf22">Associated Press</a> read. “And no, they didn’t ask.”
“The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely,” the statement added about the song.
It came after a video posted by the White House on <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1901658649522503816">X</a> went viral, showing illegal immigrants in handcuffs being put on planes. The caption with the clip included a lyric from the song that read, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
During Monday’s press briefing, Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the viral video with Semisonic’s song.
“I think the White House and our entire government clearly is leaning into the message of this president,” Leavitt explained, “and we are unafraid to double down and to take responsibility and ownership of the serious decisions that are being made.”
“The president was elected with an overwhelming mandate to launch the largest mass deportation campaign in American history, and that’s exactly what he is doing and to this very day, we are now, I think 56 or seven days into the administration, by my count, the president still receives an overwhelming public support for the policies that he is enacting, so we are unafraid to message effectively what the president is doing on a daily basis to make our communities safer.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🎶You don&#8217;t have to go home but you can&#8217;t stay here🎶 <a href="https://twitter.com/CBP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBP</a> <a href="https://t.co/yWWhlvKQrb">pic.twitter.com/yWWhlvKQrb</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1901658649522503816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
“The specific video you referenced,” added Leavitt, “I think it sums up our immigration policy pretty well: ‘You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.’”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection also shared the White House post and captioned it, “It&#8217;s closing time. We are making America safe again.”
Semisonic’s “Closing Time” hit the charts in 1998 from their album “Feeling Strangely Fine.” It was a huge hit for the group, with it earning the band a Grammy nomination for best rock song after it hit No. 4 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart, the AP noted.
The band’s complaint against the White House joins a long list of other performers who have been upset about their songs being used by Trump in the past. That list includes the likes of Neil Young, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses, Celine Dion, Beyoncé, Adele, ABBA, and more.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/singer-defends-her-performance-at-one-of-the-trump-inauguration-balls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singer Defends Her Performance At One Of The Trump Inauguration Balls</a>

Semisonic

‘They Have Missed The Point’: Alt Band Upset White House Used Song In Viral Deportation Video

Illegal Immigration

White House

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