1||December 5, 2010: Celebrities and politicians gathered over the weekend to celebrate this year’s Kennedy Center honorees. Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, country singer Merle Haggard, Broadway composer Jerry Herman and dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones received the cultural accolade. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama joined the recipients during the gala held at the Kennedy Center in Washington. A recording of the event is scheduled to air December 28 on CBS.
Here are more photos from the weekend’s events.||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
2||Former Beatles bassist Paul McCartney at a reception in the White House’s East Room.||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
3||Bill T. Jones (left), Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey during a reception in the East Room.||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
4||Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
5||Legendary television host Oprah Winfrey||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
6||Country singer/songwriter Merle Haggard||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
7||Actress Julia Roberts opened the ceremony, describing Oprah’s show as a “universal conversation starter.”||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
8||Actor Alec Baldwin introduced Paul McCartney’s tribute.||Gary Fabiano/SIPA/Newscom&&
9||First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama at the Kennedy Center in Washington.||Gary Fabiano/CNP/Newscom&&
10||President Obama delivers remarks during a reception in the White House’s East Room. From left, Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey.||Gary Fabiano/UPI/Newscom&&
11||December 4: Politicians and family alike arrived on the red carpet for the Artists Dinner at the State Department.
Former U.S. ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith (center) with William Kennedy Smith and Victoria Reggie Kennedy.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
12||Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) with his wife, Abigail.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
13||Bob Schieffer, host of CBS’ Face the Nation with his wife, Patricia.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
14||Iconic singer Smokey Robinson, a 2006 Kennedy Center honoree.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
15||Kenneth Duberstein, who served as former President Ronald Reagan’s chief of staff, arrives with his wife, Jacqueline.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
16||Actor John Lithgow||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
17||CBS President and CEO Les Moonves with his wife, Julie Chen.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
18||Gwen Stefani, singer for the Grammy-award winning band No Doubt.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
19||Actor Laurence Fishburne and his wife, Gina.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
20||Actress and singer Christine Ebersole and her husband, William Moloney.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
21||Musician Norah Jones and Michael Martin.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
22||Actor John Travolta on Sunday decided to skip dinner and visit the Peking Gourmet Inn, a restaurant made famous by former President George W. Bush.||MeetTheFamous/Mark Wilkins/Newscom&&
23||Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) with his wife, Lucy Calautti, back at the Artists Dinner at the State Department.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
24||Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) and an unidentified guest.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
25||Tennis legend John McEnroe arriving Sunday for the Kennedy Center Honors.||MeetTheFamous/Mark Wilkins/Newscom&&
26||Legendary singer Diana Ross, a 2007 Kennedy Center honoree, arrives at the Artists Dinner with her son.||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
27||Actor Kelsey Grammer and his fiance, Kayte Walsh.||PAPFIRST/Splash News/Newscom&&
28||Former House Speaker and potential 2012 presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, arrive at the festivities Sunday.||MIKE THEILER/UPI/Newscom&&
29||Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) and his wife, Alma, on Sunday.||TRIPPLAAR KRISTOFFER/SIPA/Newscom&&
30||U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and her husband, Gary, arrive at the Artist’s Dinner.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
31||Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and his wife, Marjorie Anne.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom
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32||Former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen and his wife, Janet.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
33||Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
34||Michael M. Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.||WASHINGTON POOL/SIPA/Newscom&&
35||Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey||Ron Sachs/CNP/Newscom&&
