Ben Folds thought about his decision to resign as an artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra of Kennedy Center earlier this year, telling Meidastouch on Sunday that it is a choice that he knows well, but he still has trouble explaining why.
The folds were the first artistic advisor for the NSO from 2019 to 2025, but he resigned following the takeover by the Trump administration of Kennedy Center in February.
“I know I did the right thing,” said Folds.
The musician explained that although he was not used to doing me with this kind of thing, “he spent several years defending the financing of the arts in the United States, but he could no longer stay in the role at the Kennedy Center because” what I saw was an abuse of power, very extreme “.
“There was why I resigned, then there is a kind of the other question to which I think people want to answer, which is” why not stay? ” “, He said.
Look at the musician’s interview below:
“People might not realize how the arts work in government, but it is very separated from art itself. The government, artists and politics are separated with a firewall of what we say, how we say it, who says it-it is to the person, “he continued.
“And the firewall was raped in the most important way. I mean, [Trump] Let go of the board of directors, which was bipartite. Once the Board of Directors, Loyalists have been installed, the Loyalists have entered and voted – Guess who – Trump is the president, the head of the Kennedy Center. »»
The situation was “alarming”, said Folds, “because now he can put, or they can put their fists on the scale of what is programmed, which can speak and who does not speak in our greatest artistic institution, the Kennedy Center.”
“What I have trouble explaining to people is why not stay and somehow the fight,” admitted Folds, turning to the co-founder and interviewer of Meidastouch for the Ben Meiselas video. “And I think I can really use coaching about it because I know I did the right thing.”
Meiselas accepted. “I think you don’t want to be used as a puppet for the diet, and they will use someone like you with your distinguished career,” he said. “And they will say, look, Ben Fold support me, you know, take a look at what Trump does.”
“What he likes most is fame,” said Meiselas. “And when he just has Kid rock over and over again, he wants Ben Folds to say, look, here is an artist with a kind of deep intellectual roots that support me, and if Ben Folds support you, you should too.
Trump was elected Chairman of the Kennedy Center board of directors in February. “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announces executive changes, with an immediately effect. At a meeting of the Kennedy Center Board this afternoon, the board of directors elected President of the United States Donald J. Trump as president of Kennedy Center Board, replacing former President David Mr. Rubenstein. The Board of Directors also end from Kennedy “.
“Fourteen members of the New Kennedy Center Center Center, administrators, have also been announced today, notably President Donald J. Trump, Susie Wiles, Dan Scavino, Allison Litnick, Lynda Lomangino, Mindy Levine, Usha Vance, Pamela Gros 31.”
