Comedian and actor Billy Crystal, one of the few entertainers to receive both the Mark Twain Prize and the Kennedy Center Honors, has sharply criticized the ongoing overhaul of the Kennedy Center under President Trump, saying the moves feel personal and destructive.
In an interview Saturday on MS NOW's "Connect with Jacob Soboroff," Crystal expressed deep affection for the institution, recalling his own experiences there. "I'm one of the few who has been awarded the Mark Twain Prize and the Kennedy Honor with an elite group of people that I don't feel I belong with, but it's astounding," he said. "And so my affection for it and my respect for it is enormous."
Crystal, who received the Mark Twain Prize in 2007 and was honored at the Kennedy Center in 2023, described sitting alongside Queen Latifah and the president and first lady during the ceremony. "I remember sitting next to Queen Latifah — next to the president and the first lady — and looking at the names of the prior winners that we were now a part of, and it was astounding," he recalled.
Without naming Trump directly, Crystal said seeing the institution "defiled" and treated like a personal possession was painful. "So to see it being defiled, and being just thrown around like a commodity, as, 'It's mine, it's mine,' I just don't get that. And it really hurts to see that happen," he said.
When asked about Trump's desire to put his name on the building, Crystal shook his head and replied, "I just went, 'No.'" He added, "It's just so selfish and just so petty." Crystal is currently performing his one-man show "860" on Broadway.
The comments come amid an ongoing legal battle over the Kennedy Center's leadership and renovation. Last year, Trump appointed himself chair of the board, replacing several members with loyalists. The board later voted to add Trump's name to the building's facade, a decision a federal judge reversed. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ex officio board member, has since filed a legal challenge to the changes.
The Kennedy Center is currently closed for renovations, with officials citing safety concerns. This year's 49th annual Kennedy Center Honors, traditionally held in December, will take place at Washington's Capital One Arena instead.
Crystal's remarks echo broader concerns among arts advocates about political interference in cultural institutions. The controversy has also drawn attention to the erosion of institutional independence under the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Trump and his allies continue to rally supporters as legal challenges mount.
