US President George W. Bush joined Washington’s political elite in rolling out the red carpet for Hollywood celebrities, musicians and Broadway stars on Sunday as the nation’s capital paid tribute to five artistic icons.Actress Elizabeth Taylor, actor James Earl Jones, singer-songwriter Paul Simon, Broadway musical star Chita Rivera and conductor James Levine were feted at this year’s 25th anniversary Kennedy Center Honors.‘‘Each one of you is known to the American people in a way that runs deeper than fame,’’ Bush told them at a White House dinner before the evening’s gala performance and supper dance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performance Arts.Recipients of the prestigious national arts awards are selected because of their life-long contributions to US culture.Those honoured left even Secretary of State Colin Powell a bit starry-eyed when he admitted he was looking forward to meeting ‘‘the magnificent’’ Elizabeth Taylor. Powell hosted a Saturday evening State Department dinner where the honorees were given their awards. Powell told the recipients that diplomacy and art were similar in that they extended ‘‘the realm of the possible.’’ (Reuters)
