Biden surprises Elton John with National Humanities Medal after White House concert

Elton John made a detour on his long farewell tour, playing an outdoor concert at the White House on Friday night as part of President Biden's "everyday history makers" event. "On his final tour in Washington, Jill and I invited Elton to the White House to thank him on behalf of the American people," Biden told the crowd of some 2,000 people on the South Lawn. "Like many Americans, our family loves his music."
The event also included tennis legend Billie Jean King, Malala Yousafzai, and Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of the late AIDS activist Ryan White. First lady Jill Biden noted that former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush were in the audience, and she "introduced her husband as an Elton John fan and the president of the United States, in that order," The New York Times reports.
Biden is a genuine fan, but "for anyone who was listening, Elton John's music was the unofficial soundtrack to Donald J. Trump's presidency," the Times notes, addressing one big elephant not in the room. "The songs 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Rocket Man' were pumped into the background of his political rallies at earsplitting decibels. A copy of Mr. John's 1972 album, Honky Château, became a diplomatic gift for North Korea's dictator." John, for his part, politely declined to play at his 2017 inauguration and was among the long list of celebrities not to play at the Trump White House.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After Elton John "finished playing a set that included 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Rocket Man,' the president announced that he would award the singer the National Humanities Medal, which is meant to honor people or groups whose work deepens American access to cultural experiences in fields including the performing arts," the Times adds. John, caught by surprise, teared up and announced himself "flabbergasted" by the honor.
"Given that the White House was trying to spotlight a variety of causes taken up by the Biden administration, several people involved with the planning insist that nothing about the event had anything to do with the fact that Mr. Biden's predecessor really, really likes Elton John," the Times reports. "They say that the singer was simply interested in performing at the White House. (And, they wonder, does everything have to be about Trump?)"
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Can bullfighting win over young Spaniards
Podcast Plus, is online fandom inherently unhealthy? And is Putin’s economy running out of gas?
-
Heirs and Graces: an ‘enthralling’ deep dive into the decline of nobility
The Week Recommends Eleanor Doughty explores the ‘bizarre fascination’ with the British aristocracy
-
The week’s best photos
In Pictures A monstrous pumpkin, a sumo showdown, and more
-
How Maga fell out of love with beer
In The Spotlight Right-wingers in the US have boycotted beverage brands that fell foul of culture war, and now some are going fully sober
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literature
Speed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91
Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl thrills and rankles
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The Puerto Rican superstar’s upcoming halftime performance has fans ecstatic, even as some conservatives gripe
-
One Battle After Another: a ‘terrifically entertaining’ watch
The Week Recommends Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest release is a ‘high-octane action thriller’ and a ‘surefire Oscar frontrunner’
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees