<p>The 2010 Kennedy Center Honors list has been announced. I’ve been hoping Meryl Streep would be honored this year, but once again, no. Most of the major male actors of her age have been honored. I just don’t understand why she has not been chosen for this.</p>
<p>from Kennedy Center website:
“The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the selection of the individuals who will receive the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Recipients to be honored at the 33rd annual national celebration of the arts are: singer and songwriter Merle Haggard; composer and lyricist Jerry Herman; dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones; songwriter and musician Paul McCartney; and producer, television host and actress Oprah Winfrey.”</p>
<p>It’s for “exemplary achievement in the performing arts.” So, yes, Oprah does deserve the award, but I can’t think why Meryl has been passed over so many years. ALL the major male actors over 60, except perhaps Michael Douglas, have received it. Meryl is perhaps the best actress ever in U.S. history. </p>
<p>There have been six actress winners in the last ten years:</p>
<p>Julie Harris 2005
Ruby Dee (jointly with her husband Ossie Davis) 2004
Carol Burnett 2003
Elizabeth Taylor 2002
Chita Rivera 2002
Julie Andrews 2001
Angela Lansbury 2000</p>
<p>I don’t see it as Oprah vs. Meryl. The awards are for the arts and Oprah and Meryl generally represent different areas of the arts when it comes to their achievements. Yes, Oprah has worked as an actress but that is not her main area of achievement and so I don’t believe it was like Oprah, the actress, over Meryl, the actress. Both are accomplished women in their respective fields. </p>
<p>My assumption is that Meryl will be honored at some point with this award. She is not that old (61) and so it is likely she will receive this honor in the near future. As a point of comparison with other female actresses who have won the award…Julie Andrews was 66, Chita Rivera was 69, Carol Burnett was 70, Angela Lansbury was 75, Julie Harris was 80, and Ruby Dee was 80 when they received this award.</p>
<p>Actually, most male actors who have won this award were also older than Meryl Streep is currently (61). </p>
<p>Ages when these actors were honored:
Robert DeNiro 66
Steve Martin 62
Warren Beatty 67
Robert Redford 69
Jack Nicholson 64
Clint Eastwood 70
Sean Connery 69
Jason Robards 77
Kirk Douglas 78
Charleton Heston 74
Paul Newman 67</p>
<p>Meryl Streep would not be considered as competing with Oprah. Meryl is still young for the Kennedy Honors, and I have no doubt that she will receive one sometime in the next decade. For whatever reason, the actors, both male and female, who are chosen for these awards are almost always older than those in other categories.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn’t mean that Oprah and Meryl were competing with each other. Now that I see the breakdown of ages for the actors (you’re so thorough, soozie!), I feel better about Meryl.</p>
<p>bookiemom, it was NYMomof2, not you, who remarked “Oprah, and not Meryl?” and so that part of my post was in response to her, sorry. About the ages, I got curious and looked them up and so I think it is reasonable looking at both the female and male actors who have received these honors that Meryl hasn’t yet as all were older than her when they were so honored. I’m sure Meryl will be one day. She is exceptional.</p>
<p>I bet she isn’t ready. I’m sure she doesn’t want to “cap” her career. On the other hand, when Spielburg and Itzhak Perlman got theirs, there weren’t 60.</p>