One look at the talent within the pool of Trump supporters and you can understand why Donald Trump’s team would be desperate to lure in top talent for Inauguration Day. What is a little shocking is just how desperate and they seem to be and how far they’d go to gain A-list stars for the day according to The Wrap.
It is reportedly so difficult for the president-elect’s inaugural committee to wrangle the performers for the event — with even marching bands opting to sit this one out — they are offering ambassadorships to top bookers in order to sweeten the offer:
The bookers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were approached by members of Trump’s Presidential Inaugural Committee in recent weeks with offers of cash or even plush diplomatic posts in exchange for locking in singers.
The first insider said he was “shocked” at the proposal: “Never in a million years have I heard something so crazy,” he said. “That was the moment I almost dropped the phone.”
An earlier report by The Wrap said that the Trump team was “willing to pay anything” to secure the services of top talent, tossing around names like Beyonce, Bruno Mars, and Katy Perry. A slew of names have been connected to performances at this point, with rumored names like Garth Brooks and Elton John swiftly denying any involvement. With these reports almost coming daily, it would seem that the event might be doomed. But no so according to the committee’s denial to The Wrap:
“There is no truth to this insinuation,” said committee spokesman Boris Epshteyn. “First-class entertainers are eager to participate in the inaugural events. The inauguration as a whole will be an exciting and uniting celebration of freedom and democracy. We will be releasing further details at the appropriate time.”
But according to the insider, there was no ambiguity about the ambassadorship offer. “My first thought was, ‘Are you joking?’” he said. “But no, it was serious.”
Just how serious of a job is it to be an ambassador? Well, it isn’t something you just give out lightly according to The Wrap and a glance at the requirements highlight past government experience and a detailed knowledge of your nation’s policies. It isn’t just a showcase position where you smile and wave at the pretty cameras:
“It’s bad policy to offer ambassadorships to unqualified, inexperienced individuals, no matter who is president,” spokeswoman Jenn Topper said. “The public deserves an opportunity to vet the people who will be at the forefront of our diplomatic relations, and this alleged backroom dealing is alarming.”
An ambassador is also in need of approval by the U.S. Senate, so it would be unlikely that any truly unqualified people would slip past. But the fact that the Trump inauguration committee is even debating the option paints the dire nature of their talent search. Typically the inauguration is a prestigious event that historically doesn’t have compensation for the artists that perform.
The only official name announced for Trump’s swearing in at this point is 16-year-old opera singer and former America’s Got Talent contestant Jackie Evancho, performing the national anthem at the event. Other names you could likely see would be Kid Rock and Ted Nugent, but some are still curious about Kanye West possibly shocking everybody with a performance. Ambassador Kanye West would be the cherry on top of this election.
(Via The Wrap)