美国国家公共电台 NPR--U2, Gladys Knight, George Clooney among 2022 Kennedy Center honorees

U2, Gladys Knight¹, George Clooney among 2022 Kennedy Center honorees

Transcript²

The stars turned out in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night for the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors. Gladys Knight, Amy Grant, George Clooney, Tania León and U2 were celebrated³ for their contributions to American culture.

Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile and a host of others offered praise for the artists at the event. President Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice⁴ President Harris and second gentleman Douglass Emhoff were among those attending the gala.

Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul, who was attacked at their home a month ago, received a standing⁵ ovation⁶.

The honorees received medallions at a State Department dinner Saturday night, with Garth Brooks⁷ hosting and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken serving as honorary chair.

"Ultimately, these artists remind us of our common humanity, that no matter who we are or where we're from, we can and we are all moved by the arts," Blinken said.

On the red carpet, actor George Clooney — a big Gladys Knight fan — recalled to NPR a moment from the dinner where the honorees received their medallions. "Gladys got up and sang and, you know, just a cappella started to sing. ... The only thing that was terrible was that I had to follow. So there's 300 people in the room going, this is transcendent — and I'm like 'God, this is horrible! I have follow Gladys Knight!"

Seven-time Grammy winner Gladys Knight grew up in Georgia and started singing gospel as a little girl. She and her brother Bubba, sister Brenda and two cousins formed the original Pips. The classic Gladys Knight & The Pips was her brother Bubba and two cousins.

Clooney might not have Gladys Knight's musical chops but there was plenty of love for him as an actor, activist⁸ and friend on Sunday. Don Cheadle praised his philanthropy. Julia Roberts called him a "renaissance⁹ man," and Matt Damon ribbed him.

"I know a lot of people think you have movie star looks, but let's be honest: It takes a village to style a star into being People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. I've been there. Those experts can transform anyone," Damon joked.

Honoree Tania León, a conductor and composer, was one of some 300,000 refugees who left Cuba on the so-called Freedom Flights in 1967. She co-founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem two years later. Dancers from the company and pianist Chloe Flower performed one of Tania León's compositions. In 2021, León won the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her work on Stride, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic.

At the State Department dinner, León talked about calling up her ancestors when she creates.

"If I'm going to conduct a concert I say, 'Hey, you better come with me because this is difficult.' If I'm going to write a piece, I call on my ancestors and say, 'You better help me because the deadline is in two weeks," she said.

Six-time Grammy winner Amy Grant is the first Christian¹⁰ pop singer to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. CeCe and BeBe Winans, along with the Howard Gospel Choir¹¹, performed a medley¹² of Grant's songs.

And singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile told NPR that one of the things she admires about Grant is how inclusive she is: "The way that she's come out in support of LGBTQIA people, specifically me, has — it can't be easy for her. You know, she has had to have taken a bit of heat from her evangelical fans and followers¹³. And I have so much respect for her constantly pushing the boundaries of other people's capacity to love."

Many of the Kennedy Center honorees use their art and their platform to advocate for social justice. And that is very much the case with the Irish band U2, including members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. The band has won 22 Grammys and Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience award.

"Bono has often said that being famous is nonsense, celebrity¹⁴ is nonsense," said actor Sean Penn. "But it is currency. And the band has spent its currency to show the usefulness of art in the world."

The Kennedy Center Honors airs on CBS, and streams on Paramount+, on Dec. 28.

1 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 ovation   

n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌

参考例句：

• The hero received a great ovation from the crowd. 那位英雄受到人群的热烈欢迎。
• The show won a standing ovation. 这场演出赢得全场起立鼓掌。

7 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

9 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

10 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

11 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

12 medley   

n.混合

参考例句：

• Today's sports meeting doesn't seem to include medley relay swimming.现在的运动会好象还没有混合接力泳这个比赛项目。
• China won the Men's 200 metres Individual Medley.中国赢得了男子200米个人混合泳比赛。

13 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

14 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。