America’s celebrity president-elect was a little too vocal during the campaign about his disdain for celebrities who endorse politicians, whining to a crowd just a few days before the election that he didn’t need Jay Z and Beyoncé to draw a crowd like his opponent did in Cleveland. “I’m here all by myself. Just me, no guitar, no piano, no nothing,” Trump said, defensively.
But now, Trump is reportedly so “unhappy” with his inauguration planning committee’s failure to attract top musical talent for his swearing-in that the team, led by The Celebrity Apprentice producer Mark Burnett, has brought on former American Idol and Dancing with the Stars booker Suzanne Bender to execute a “Hail Mary” with less than a month to go.
So far, Donald Trump has booked a 16-year-old former America’s Got Talent singer named Jackie Evancho.
Besides the little-known Evancho, the biggest names that Boris Epshteyn, communications director for the inaugural committee—a job title only slightly more glamorous than Trump TV host—was able to announce on CNN Thursday were the Radio City Rockettes and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, both of which have performed at previous inaugurations. An invite to the remaining members of the Beach Boys (sans Brian Wilson, who is the Beach Boys) is still under consideration by the band.
There is a much longer list of artists and groups to whom the Trump team has reached out, but have politely declined, opting to steer clear of an event that is shaping to draw less celebrity firepower than the Republican National Convention—which featured such luminaries as Scott Baio and Antonio Saboto Jr.
Below is a list of the major talent that has said no to Trump so far.
USTIN TIMBERLAKE, BRUNO MARS, and KATY PERRY
GARTH BROOKS
ANDREA BOCELLI
CELINE DION
DAVID FOSTER
WASHINGTON, D.C.-AREA HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS