Image by Getty Images

President Barack Obama awarded 24 American giants of the arts and humanities with medals on Thursday, lauding their accomplishments – and sharing some laughs.

Comedian Mel Brooks, who Obama has said he admires for his over-the-top Western satire “Blazing Saddles,” dropped to one knee as if receiving a knighthood after he was given his official citation for “a lifetime of making the world laugh.”

Obama warned Brooks that he would catch him if he tried to sell his National Medal of Arts on eBay.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

He also joked with Broadway star Audra McDonald, whose citation was misplaced, and admired the spiked sneakers of poet Louise Glück.

“I do think Mel Brooks kind of set the tone for this thing,” Obama said afterward. “Historically, this has been a much more staid affair.”

Also among the honorees: Motown producer Berry Gordy and composer Philip Glass as well as authors Sandra Cisneros, Ron Chernow, Rudolfo Anaya and James McBride.

“We believe that the arts and the humanities are in many ways reflective of our national soul. They’re central to who we are as Americans: dreamers and storytellers and innovators and visionaries,” Obama said.

“They’re what help us make sense of the past – the good and the bad – and how we chart a course for the future,” he said.

Obama gave a medal to Spanish celebrity chef Jose Andres, whose restaurants have been favorite haunts during his time in Washington, and who has worked with the White House on immigration reform issues.

Left unmentioned: Andres’ battle with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who sued Andres for backing out of a deal to open a restaurant in his new Washington hotel after Trump made disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants.

Actor Morgan Freeman was honored, but was a no-show. Obama deadpanned that Freeman, who has been involved with the foundation raising money for his presidential library in Chicago, “undoubtedly is off playing a black president again.”

“He never lets me have my moment!” Obama quipped.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount