After news broke this past spring that Donald Trump had finagled his way into a chairman job at the Kennedy Center, a fleet of artists including Rhiannon Giddons, Issa Rae, and a touring Hamilton production all canceled their previously-scheduled performances there in protest of his crackdown on "wokeness."
Guitarist Yasmin Williams also had a show scheduled at the Kennedy Center, but before deciding whether or not to cancel it, she emailed interim executive director Richard Grenell inquiring about any planned changes under Trump. She subsequently put Grenell on blast for his delusional and belittling reply.
Williams decided to go through with her Kennedy Center show, writing that she was performing in recognition of the union members "fighting to maintain the institution’s integrity," for "the folks who were unjustifiably fired," and for "the elderly ushers who were told to not wear masks publicly while working." After the performance, she posted on Instagram saying that she'd been heckled by a group of MAGA Republicans, and security had to escort her out. She also shared a screenshot of an email sent out by a local conservative group asking "patriots" to fill out the audience in response to her denouncement of Trump and assassinated right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk. The Kennedy Center United Arts Workers union was appalled, and they're now asking for the Board Of Trustees and Human Resources to investigate.
Here's the statement the union issued today:
Ric Grenell’s appointed Executive Vice President Rick Loughery supplied 50 front row seats and free drink tickets (funded by the Center’s Office of the President) to a private group of political associates, with instructions to harass the guest artist and disrupt the performance—all in full view of audience members, Kennedy Center staff, and members of the public. The environment (aided and abetted by Grenell’s most senior appointee) was so hostile that the Kennedy Center production team found it necessary to call security on behalf of the performers, @guitar.yaz and @itsamadou.
SHAME ON YOU, RICK LOUGHERY.
SHAME ON YOU, RIC GRENELL.If this is what our appointed leaders are willing to do in full view of the public, what are they up to behind the scenes?
Harassment and intimidation of artists has no place in OUR national cultural center.
THIS MUST STOP.
We call upon the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees and Human Resources to investigate and respond to this abuse of power by Executive Vice President Rick Loughery and his boss, Ambassador Ric Grenell.
And here's the screenshot of the alleged email asking Republicans to heckle Williams:
