By Darlene Superville
WASHINGTON (AP) --Actress Sally Field and author Stephen King are among luminaries set to receive a National Medal of Arts or a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama.
Obama will bestow the honors on 18 people and three institutions during a White House ceremony on Thursday.
Field, of Los Angeles, is receiving an arts medal for showing dignity, empathy and fearlessness in performances that have touched audiences worldwide, as well as for showing those same qualities in her off-screen advocacy for women, LGBT rights and public health.
King, of Bangor, Maine, is also receiving an arts medal for combining storytelling with analysis of human nature, and for thrilling readers through decades of work.
Alice Waters, chef-owner of the organic restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is receiving a National Humanities Medal for her work as a champion of a holistic approach to eating and health.
The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities were created by Congress in 1965 to provide grants to support artistic excellence and creativity, and to advance the understanding and appreciation of history, literature, philosophy and language. Both independent agencies are celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year.
The remaining recipients are:
National Medal of Arts:
-John Baldessari, visual artist, Venice, California
-Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer and video and installation artist, New York City
-Miriam Colón, actress, theater founder and director, New York City
-The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, New York City
-Ann Hamilton, visual artist, Columbus, Ohio
-Meredith Monk, composer, singer and performer, New York City
-George Shirley, tenor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
-University Musical Society, Performing Arts Presenter, Ann Arbor, Michigan
-Tobias Wolff, author and educator, Stanford, California
National Humanities Medal:
-Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, historian, Auburndale, Massachusetts
-Annie Dillard, author, Key West, Florida
-Clemente Course in the Humanities, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York
-Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, novelist and philosopher, Boston
-Larry McMurtry, novelist, essayist and screenwriter, Archer City, Texas
-Everett L. Fly, architect, San Antonio
-Jhumpa Lahiri, author, New York City
-Fedwa Malti-Douglas, professor and scholar, Rhinebeck, New York
-Vicki Lynn Ruiz, historian, Irvine, California
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More