With the conclusion of the farewell speech by President Barack Obama, all eyes are on the President-Elect Donald Trump Inaugural function. While it has been reported that many celebrities opted out of the historic event, the inaugural organising team has fired the regular, Charlie Brotman, inauguration parade emcee.
Many will not be familiar with the name, but 89-year-old Brotman has been associated with the inaugural parade since January 20, 1957. Talking to TMZ, Brotman shared that he was pissed with Trump for firing him from the ceremony despite dedicating 60 years to it. The news about his dismissal was sent to him via an email.
Before being elected as the emcee, QCOnline.com reports that Brotman was working in the public relations department for the Washington Senators baseball club. When he was donning the role of the announcer for a game, Dwight D Eisenhower met Brotman at the game and became good friends. After Eisenhower was elected the following November, he offered Brotman parade emcee duties come January of 1957 and he graciously accepted.
Amidst the reports of firing and celebs opting out of the function, Trump inaugural function organizer Tom Barrack announced that the inaugural function will see at least one celebrity at the venue. Talking to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower, Barrack shared, "(the event planners are) fortunate in that we have the greatest celebrity in the world, which is the president-elect."
Delving into details about the event, Barrack added that President-elect Donald Trump wants the event to focus on the people and less on Trump. "It's a much more poetic cadence than having a circus-like celebration that's a coronation. His instruction to me was 'the campaign is over. I am now president for all the people. I want you to build a bridge and tie them back in. I want to heal the wounds, and I want to get back to work on Saturday morning,'" Barrack shares.
More than making it an event about people, the organiser's statement looks like a move for damage control after celebrities like Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, Amy Schumer, Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson, Cher, America Ferrera and many other refused to participate in the iconic event that is scheduled to take place on January 20. The organisers have confirmed that "good friend" Kanye West will also not attend the function.
