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VIDEO: Billy Porter, Kelli O'Hara & More Honor Bette Midler in Kennedy Center Honors Preview

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 22 on CBS, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

By: Dec. 17, 2021
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A new preview of the upcoming Kennedy Center Honors, featuring Chita Rivera, Kelli O'Hara, Billy Porter, and more, has been released!

The recipients to be honored at the annual national celebration of the arts in Washington, D.C. are: legendary stage and screen icon Bette Midler; operatic bass-baritone Justino Díaz; Motown founder, songwriter, producer and director Berry Gordy; "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Melissa Manchester will present Midler with the honor. The highlights video also features Kelli O'Hara singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" and Billy Porter discussing the importance of the honor. The tribute to Midler will also feature performances by Beanie Feldstein and Kate Baldwin.

Chita Rivera was also in attendeance to present the honor to famed opera singer Justina Díaz.

Also featured in the preview is Smokey Robinson singing to honor Berry Gordy, Norah Jones honoring Joni Mitchell, and Kenan Thompson, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, and more honoring Lorne Michaels.

Yesterday, BroadwayWorld shared an exclusive clip of the cast of Ain't Too Proud performing to honor Gordy.

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 22 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.




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