Kennedy Center Honors to Salute Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah, Dionne Warwick

Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah and Dionne Warwick are among the star set to be honored at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

Bee Gees legend Barry Gibb and opera star Renée Fleming will also be recognized at the 46th annual event, set for December at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The annual gala, to be hosted by Gloria Estefan, honors recipients by recognizing their lifetime artistic achievements. The ceremony will be held Dec. 3 and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ as artists to be celebrated typically sit in the President’s Box, alongside the current commander-in-chief.

“I’m humbled to be included in this incredible list of artists honored by the Kennedy Center,” Latifah said in a statement. “When we started on this journey decades ago, we were often told, ‘No’. No, you won’t be able to leave New Jersey. No, if you rap you can’t sing. No, singers can’t become actresses. No, actors can’t also produce. To now be recognized amongst so many multi-hyphenates feels unbelievable, not for just me and my team, but for our community.

This year’s gala will also include a 50th anniversary salute to hip hop music.

Crystal, whose film credits include When Harry Met Sally and has hosted the Academy Awards nine times, added in his own statement: “I started performing when I was five years old, making my parents and family laugh. Those laughs have carried me my entire life and career. I so wish they could be at the Kennedy Center for this glorious occasion.” 

Done + Dusted, the production company behind the Emmy Awards and programs like Disney’s Little Mermaid Live! and Disney Family Sing-Along will return to produce this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

“This year’s slate represents an extraordinary mix of individuals who have redefined their art forms and demonstrated remarkable tenacity and authenticity in becoming an original. Each of them has explored new terrain, stretched artistic boundaries, and most importantly, committed to sharing their gifts with the world,” Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter added about this year’s class of honorees.