With more celebrity guests than a new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration slate is thoroughly pissing off Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Biden will be sworn-in as the 46th president of the United States to the tune of performances from A-list musicians like Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, and Demi Lovato. Lady Gaga, who campaigned for Biden at a drive-in rally in Pennsylvania during the last days of the presidential race, is slated to perform the national anthem. Last week, Gaga tweeted that she is “deeply honored” to be part of the “historic” ceremony.
The star-studded festivities only continue from there. According to the New York Times, “Celebrating America,” a prime-time event following Wednesday’s inauguration, will feature stars like Bruce Springsteen and Kerry Washington in a 90-minute televised special. The broadcast will be hosted by Tom Hanks.
Meanwhile, America’s first youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, will read a poem called “The Hill We Climb,” and Andrea Hall, the first Black woman to head up the Fire Rescue Department in South Fulton, Georgia, will recite the pledge of allegiance.
With the festivities primed to snatch more than a few wigs, the Washington Post reports that Trump — who aired his grievances publicly following his indefinite ban from virtually all forms of social media — is “furious” that the ceremony will outshine his own White House induction. It’s not hard to see why: Although Trump’s team put out calls to several A-listers — including gay icons like Elton John and Celine Dion — every last one of them declined the invitation to perform at his inauguration in January 2017.
Others to return a “thanks, but no thanks” reportedly include Garth Brooks, KISS, Motley Crue, Ice T, and John Legend, the latter of whom will appear at Biden’s inauguration.
The biggest name talent who would actually agree to appear at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony was America’s Got Talent runner-up Jackie Evancho. She was bolstered by performances by the Radio City Rockettes and Mormon Tabernacle Choir (minus one performer who dropped out in protest).
Although Trump claimed that he didn’t want any big names at his inauguration, tweeting that he only wanted “the PEOPLE!” present, he certainly had no problem with having celebrity talent perform at his events during civilian life. Both Elton John and Billy Joel performed at Trump’s 2005 wedding to First Lady Melania Trump, but John has notably distanced himself from Trump during his presidency, requesting that the POTUS stop playing “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” at his rallies.
