Paul Pelosi made a dramatic return to Washington's social scene at the Kennedy Center honors Sunday, more than a month after suffering a brutal hammer attack at his San Francisco home.
Pelosi joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a box seat to view the annual televised ceremony, where artists including George Clooney, Gladys Knight, and Irish Rockers U2 were honored.
Pelosi wore a black hat over his head and a glove on his left hand, days after his wife spoke about his recovery.
At one point, he could be seen smiling and pointing toward the president, who smiled and gestured back while Vice President Kamala Harris grinned.
This year's honorees are actor George Clooney; singer-songwriter Amy Grant; singer Gladys Knight; Cuban-born American composer Tania León; and iconic Irish rock band U2, comprised of band members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.
Pelosi joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a box seat to view the annual televised ceremony, sporting a black hat and a glove on his left hand
He was seen inside the Kennedy Center shortly after President Biden entered the Kennedy Center Opera House.
Pelosi, whose wife will relinquish her leadership post in the new Congress, suffered injuries to his head, arm, and hands during the brutal attack inside his home, 'waking up in a pool of his own blood,' according to charging documents.
His appearance came at the top of a feel-good event event that celebrated talents of the screen and concert stage, and drew big name guests and presenters including Julia Roberts and Matt Damon.
Damon, who worked with Clooney on 'Ocean's Eleven,' ribbed his former co-star, as someone beyond a reputation as one of the last movie stars – someone 'who once stole Bill Clinton’s stationary and wrote fake notes to actors saying how much the president loves their movies.'
'We see Amal Clooney's husband,' President Biden joked at the White House before the event
The Speaker is appearing to hand over her gavel, although she won her reelection to a San Francisco district
At one point, he could be seen smiling and pointing toward the president, who smiled and gestured back while Vice President Kamala Harris grinned
Clooney, 61, became a household name in the 1990s with his role of Doug Ross on the television show ER.
He's starred in a slew of fils including 'Batman & Robin,' 'Good Night & Good Luck,' and 'Ocean's Eleven.' He is married to humanitarian rights lawyer Amal Clooney.
Together the two have created the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
'We see Amal Clooney's husband,' President Biden joked at the White House before the event at a reception for the honorees. he lauded Clooney for his 'deep empathy,' and said he 'never forgot' his roots in Kentucky and Ohio.
Roberts, who appears with Clooney in 'Ticket to Paradise,' wore a full-length dress emblazoned with photographs of Clooney.
Knight, 78, began singing gospel music at the age of 4 and went on to a career that has spanned decades.
She and her family members started 'Gladys Knight & The Pips' and produced their first album in 1960 when Knight was just 16.
Her classic hits include 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and 'Midnight Train to Georgia,' with the former getting a new interpretation inside the Kennedy Center by singer and actress Ariana DeBose.
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. met as teenagers at Dublin's Mount Temple School, and in 1978, U2 was formed. From the beginning, U2 were marked out by their drive and ambition, forming as a band—as they've said—'before they could play.'
U2's connection to America goes back decades. They performed in Washington during their first trip to America in 1980.
Forty years after they formed, U2 is acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world. The band has toured the globe countless times, released 14 studio albums, sold 170 million albums, and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys and Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience award.
Their songs include 'I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For,' 'With or Without You,' 'Pride (In the Name of Love)' and 'Sunday Bloody Sunday.'
Lead singer Bono has also become known for his philanthropic work to eradicate poverty and to raise awareness about AIDS.
The Honorees attended a reception at the State Department on Saturday night, where they received their medals: In the back row: U2 members Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono. In the bottom row: Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, and Tania Leon
Bono speaks to Amy Grant at the State Department reception
Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Amy Grant and George Clooney chat at Saturday night's reception
Amy Grant's career spans more than 40 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into becoming an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, and philanthropist.
Grant, 62, is well known for crossover pop hits like 'Baby, Baby,' 'Every Heartbeat' and 'That's What Love is For.'
She's sold more than 30 million albums and is married to country musician Vince Gill. She told the Associated Press she had never been to the Kennedy Center and attending the Honors would be her first time visiting the cultural center.
Composer and conductor Tania Leon, 79, left Cuba as a refugee in 1967 and eventually settled in New York City. She's a founding member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem and instituted the Brooklyn Philharmonic Community Concert Series.
She won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music for Stride.
The 45th Kennedy Center Honors will air on Wednesday, December 28 from 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. EST/PST on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
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