Tom Hanks, JLo, Gaga to light up Joe Biden's inauguration
What's the story
"Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." This iconic dialogue from Forrest Gump rings true as we stand witness to the resounding victory of Joe Biden, who'll soon be sworn in as the 46th US President. To celebrate his inauguration, Tom Hanks will be hosting a 90-minute primetime TV special on January 20. And, he's not alone.
Performances
Lady Gaga to sing US national anthem, JLo to join
Poker Face hitmaker Lady Gaga will usher in the future of the US as she will sing The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the country, when Biden gets sworn in. The evening will get bigger when Jennifer Lopez takes to the stage to deliver some great performances. Artists such as Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Ant Clemons, and Demi Lovato will perform, too.
Details
Both Gaga and Lopez are ardent Biden supporters
Gaga has been an ardent supporter of Biden and had posted several videos campaigning for the Democrat across social media. Unsurprisingly, outgoing President Donald Trump had criticized her political affiliation during a November 2020 rally. The Waiting for Tonight crooner also had endorsed Biden in November, commenting how she wouldn't want her children to have the notion that it's "OK to be racist."
About
Hanks's program is replacing festivities of swearing-in ceremony
Hanks's special program, titled Celebrating America, will feature musical performances of Timberlake, Lovato, Clemons, and Bon Jovi. The special will air on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC at 8:30 pm EST and will be organized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. This program is basically replacing all the usual festivities related to the swearing-in ceremony, which stands canceled owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Backdrop
Aretha Franklin, Beyonce for Obama's terms; Trump had country singer
"I'm SO honored to announce that I will be joining @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris for their special event," Lovato wrote on Twitter. Biden's predecessor, Trump had country singer Toby Keith headline his inauguration ceremony in 2017. Before Trump, former US President Barrack Obama had Aretha Franklin and Beyonce perform at his first and second term inaugurations, respectively.