Philip Kennicott writes:

To borrow a Greek term from classical theater, the Kennedy Center fiasco has brought us to what might be called a Trumpian moment of anagnorisis, the unmasking and full discovery of the motivations and inner workings of a character. Even Trump himself seems to have realized how childish he looks because in comments Wednesday that again threatened demolition, he seemed to suggest renaming the center for his administration, not himself personally: “I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don’t do that, it’s going to close. It’ll end up being ripped down.”

No episode in Trump’s second term better encapsulates the triviality of his agenda and the pettiness of the man. We knew he was a bully, we knew he was a narcissist; the plot had been building all along to those inescapable conclusions. Now, with tragicomic clarity, we see those truths revealed in a way that should be, must be, shocking. If you’re not shocked, listen to [Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, by Krzysztof] Penderecki, reread [Howl, by Allen] Ginsberg. When the ambition to destroy culture is bottomless, the anger must be even deeper. When there is new governance in Washington, the Kennedy Center must be among the things investigated, because it was always the bellwether.

After the board voted to rename the center for him in December, Trump claimed with farcical dishonesty that “I was surprised by it. I was honored by it.” He had teased the name for weeks, he wasn’t surprised and no one can plausibly argue that this wasn’t done at his bidding. “Nothing will come of nothing,” said old Lear, demanding a little more demonstrative love from his daughter. Only slightly more demented is the president’s capacity for feeling honored by honors he has extorted. [Continue reading…]