The Kennedy Center said that it will remove Donald Trump‘s name from the facade of the arts complex — but that may not happen until early Saturday morning.

As a court-ordered deadline passed midnight, Justice Department attorneys asked a judge for a 12-hour extension of time, saying that thunderstorms earlier in the evening delayed the construction of scaffolding so crews could begin the process of removing the letters.

With the center’s appeals exhausted, crews are expected to take down the words “The Donald J. Trump And,” leaving the center with its original designation: “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

Throughout the day on Friday, news crews and hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the moment. C-SPAN and some independent content creators, such as Jim Acosta, streamed the scene.

“Take it down. Take it down,” many in the crowd shouted during the day and into the evening. They cheered at moments of progress during the construction of the scaffolding, and should out which letters they wanted to go first.

The center officially had until midnight to remove the president’s name and comply with a judge’s order. Last month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the center’s board, controlled by Trump, lacked authority to add the president’s name to the complex, and that only Congress could do so. While the center removed Trump’s name from its website and on social media earlier in the week, it had remained on the front of the complex.

Trump and the board sought a stay that would have allowed them to retain the name beyond the deadline, but Cooper rejected it. They then appealed to the D.C. Circuit, but a three-judge panel denied that motion as well.

In their appellate motion, parts of which seemed to be written by Trump himself, the center argued that “millions” raised via the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation would have to be returned. They argued that “people and companies, who have given, or will be giving, millions of dollars to the Center were only willing to do so with the name ‘Trump’ on the Building.”

Just weeks into his second term, Trump took control of the center’s board, ensuring that he would be elected its chairman. In December, the board voted to add Trump’s name to the complex, generating an outcry from Democrats and members of the Kennedy family.

After the new branding, the center saw another round of artists canceling bookings. Ticket sales already had declined following the Trump takeover, which was not a big surprise given the core audience for the arts complex: Residents of Washington, D.C., northern Virginia and Maryland, which noted heavily against Trump in the 2024 election.

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), an ex-officio member of the board, filed suit to remove Trump’s name and halt plans to close the center for two years for renovations. Cooper also ruled that the board was “derelict” in voting to close the center without fully considering its impact on things such as programming. Beatty was outside the center on Friday evening.

Per the DOJ, Beatty’s legal team responded to the request for a time extension by noting that the center “had two weeks to comply with the order, and only need an extension because of their inexcusable delay.”

“Plaintiff also has concerns that this fits a patten of non-compliance on Defendants’ part,” the DOJ told the judge. “But under the circumstances, Plaintiff takes no position on a 12 hour extension. Plaintiff would strongly oppose any further extensions.”

In their coverage of the pending removal of Trump’s name from the center, CNN and MS NOW coverage also noted the symbolic meaning of the scene, of a successful pushback on a president who has tried to remake D.C.

That said, Trump is continuing to shatter norms this weekend, after he invited Ultimate Fighting Championship to hold a weekend of events tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. Nearby the Kennedy Center earlier on Friday, UFC held a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial, a prelude to the cage match at the White House on Sunday, held in a giant makeshift arena.

Ariana Grande has launched the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation to support youth mental health, arts education and community causes.

On Friday, the 3x Grammy winner announced the nonprofit, which is designed to uplift and directly fund small organizations doing meaningful work through partnerships that will create longterm impact.

“I am beyond excited to finally announce the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation. Our mission is to support, protect and provide resources for our vulnerable friends in need,” said Grande in a statement. “Through four different funds, we will be supporting handfuls of incredible organizations that provide the safe space and care that is desperately needed by so many right now. 

Grande added, “It has been my privilege to be able to support these causes on my own over the years, and I’m grateful to now be able to expand that reach and amplify the life-saving work that these organizations do through the brighter days ahead foundation.”

The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation channels its support through four core funds: the Protect & Defend Fund, for grassroots groups advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, civil rights and reproductive justice; the Heal & Dream Fund, which expands access to mental health care and community support; the Seen & Celebrated Fund, helping ensure LGBTQ+ voices and stories are heard and shared; and the Emergency Support Fund, a responsive fund to help communities with rapid support and relief during urgent moments, through aid and resources.

Recent grantees across all funds include Defending Our Neighbors Fund, Elevated Access, G.L.I.T.S, Lambda Legal, Transgender Law Center, Trans Youth Emergency Project, Trans Lifeline, Backline, National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network, Jack.org, Gender Liberation Movement, Glisten Rainbow Library, SAGE USA, TransLash, Transanta, Humanity Crew, New York Cares, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Save the Children UK, This Is About Humanity and Troop 6000.

The nonprofit’s name comes from the Brighter Days Ahead short film, accompanying her Eternal Sunshine expanded edition, which deals with themes of healing, resilience, hope, and moving forward.

A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.

It is finally time to stop watching and start voting, people. Emmy ballots are in hand (or laptop) and if you think this has been a long season, it has actually been longer than that.

I cannot remember a year in the four decades or so that I have been a voting member of the Television Academy where the campaign cycle has been this exhaustive. By my count I have received at least (I lost track) 450 official invites sent through the TV Academy on behalf of every FYC and event or viewing lineup networks, streamers, and studios could dream up. The first one came way back on January 5, for an FYC event for Palm Royale. The most recent one came last Sunday for Wonder Man, both held at the Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood which is raking in the dough for these FYC events, usually consisting of an episode screening and a panel following with stars and creatives and finally a reception with free drinks and food. Or if they aren’t doing an FYC they are sending out their entire portfolio for digital viewing. There have been hundreds of them. Since May 1 alone I have received 210 emails from the Academy, either informing me of another FYC event, or viewing program for our digital viewing platform from the various companies with Emmy hopefuls this year. Who can possibly watch all this content???

The list is endless and of course it includes starry evenings with the likes of Hacks, The Pitt, The Bear, Beef 2, and on and on with the usual suspects. No show with any Emmy hopes at all will pass up the chance to do one of these events because the audience (and there are usually turnaway crowds) is likely made up from the 24,000 -strong membership of the Academy. It is a must do, even for those without such high profiles and big bucks behind their campaigns. I got invites to see such shows as Subway Takes With Kareem Rahman, Michael Cruz Conway: Sorry For Your Loss, League Of Legends: World Championship Opening Ceremony, Grandma Stand, Amy’s Dead End Dreamhouse, and Balance: A Perimenopause Journey to name a few with Emmy dreams popping inside their head.

Of course this isn’t free. All these entities pay a fee to get their wares in front of the members. Still , considering the volume of missives from the Academy I was a little surprised to see that actual submissions, when all was said and shot, were 555 entries in the top 14 program categories. That is down from last year’s 600 or so entries. A look at the ballot in just the program categories (and we all get to vote in those, plus individual branches if you are a member of one of them like I am in the Writers Branch) sees 110 entries for Drama and 71, about even with last year, for Comedy. The sorriest category I see after perusing the ballot is Outstanding TV Movie, once again a mere shell of the prestige category it used to be. The streamers which make the most movies these days generally seem to prefer trying to go for Oscar rather than Emmy, and you can see that from the lack of hot titles. Netflix has one of the best, Remarkably Bright Creatures with Sally Field, and there was some talk about holding that back for Oscars, but instead the decision was made to jump into the Emmy race. Beyond that it is slim pickings there again, a handful of good films including People We Meet On Vacation and Swiped, but to fill out five choices it might be tough unless I go for The Wrecking Crew, A Grand ‘Ol Opry Christmas , Balls Up, and Pizza Movie.

Some of the campaigning has been getting a little more inventive this year. The Traitors staged a big fashion show at L.A.’s Trophy Room. Jury Duty: Corporate Retreat brought food trucks (with hot sauce) to the Mall. Just this week Jimmy Kimmel Live ! invited Academy voters to see a taping of the show, not in the actual audience, but next door at the El Capitan Theatre on a live feed, followed by a barbecue with Jimmy and Guillermo (they were in person). Recently I got an invite to have dinner with the cast of The Madison at a curated “Farm To Table” meal in Los Angeles. I didn’t make either one but the turnout I understand was strong, and how many chances are you ever going to get to have trout with Michelle Pfeiffer.

By the way the campaign for Taylor Sheridan’s shows on Paramount+ is especially heavy this year. With genuinely great television programs like The Madison and Landman, could this finally be the year Sheridan breaks through? For some reason the Academy has never warmed to his enormously popular and exceptionally well-crafted lineup of shows the ways audiences do. There is a reason he is able to attract actors of the highest caliber over and over. Sheridan himself stays out of the limelight, but it seems to me the Academy might take a look before casting that ballot.

Voting is now live with final ballots due June 22 at 10pm.