Lady Gaga singing “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”? Martin Short leading a seeming cast of thousands (OK, dozens) doing “Yankee Doodle Dandy”? Bruno Mars performing “Message in a Bottle”?
It can only be the Kennedy Center Honors.
This year’s broadcast, which aired Tuesday night, paid tribute to R&B great Al Green, the multitalented Sting, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, dancer Patricia McBride and comedian Lily Tomlin.
It’s hard to do wrong with a Green song, and Earth, Wind & Fire led off with a heartfelt version of “Love and Happiness.” The band was followed by such performers as Jennifer Hudson (“Simply Beautiful”), Usher (“Let’s Stay Together”) and Mavis Staples and Sam Moore (“Take Me to the River”).
Green was visibly moved by the tribute.
McBride was feted with performances by dancers including Tiler Peck and Misty Copeland, and Hanks enjoyed a speech from David Letterman and Short’s song-and-dance routine. (Oh, and Pentatonix did “That Thing You Do!” from the 1996 movie Hanks directed, wrote and appeared in.)
Tomlin received compliments from Garrison Keillor, Jane Fonda and Jane Lynch, among others.
And then there was Sting. Gaga sang to him, giving “Faith in You” a little Green-esque soul. Herbie Hancock played for him. Bruce Springsteen, Mars and members of Sting’s musical “The Last Ship” performed for him.
An appreciative Hanks had an amusing way of sizing up the show.
“It’s not unlike a very healthy way of watching your life flash before you eyes,” he said.
The show was recorded December 7.
