Plan B Forum

The head of the Kennedy Center in Washington DC has demanded $1m (£740,000) in damages from a musician who cancelled a concert after US President Donald Trump's name was added to the venue. The centre's president Richard Grenell wrote in a letter that the cancellation was a "political stunt", "has cost us considerably" and was "classic intolerance".

He added: "Your dismal ticket sales and lack of donor support, combined with your last-minute cancellation has cost us considerably."

(1) dismal ticket sales are now endemic at this once revered venue
(2) lack of donor support is a sign of donors agreeing with the musician
(3) "political stunt" is what the name "Trump" exemplifies
(4) demanding money with menaces is itself "classic intolerance"




"Political stunt? Sounds just like . . ."

Threatening a lawsuit for [Dr. Evil voice] one million dollars[/Dr. Evil voice] is laughably idiotic since the contract almost certainly does not include a million-dollar liquidated damages clause for a canceled performance. Recoverable damages (if any) are limited to whatever the contract provides. And since this was a free event there's not even any consequential loss of ticket sales. "I'll sue you for a million dollars!" is the height of the Everyone Is 12 Now theory of current American politics.

Drama queen Ric Grenell is certainly putting on quite a performance for his audience of one, though.