“President Obama Sunday night honored this year’s five Kennedy Center Honorees — comedian Mel Brooks, singer Bruce Springstein, actor Robert De Niro, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, and opera singer Grace Bumbrynd — with a star-studded White House reception and some good natured kidding.
Brooks was saluted by Carl Reiner, Frank Langella, Martin Short, Jack Black, Harry Connick, Jr., Richard Kind, Matthew Morrison, Gary Beach and Matthew Broderick.
In comments, the President said the honorees ‘have transformed the arts in America’ — but with Brooks among the honorees, there was also some trading of quips. At one point when Vice President Joe Biden was introduced, Brooks delivered a loud, ‘Wow.’”