Kennedy Center Employee’s Naked Protest Video Sparks Controversy
- Funny
- Offensive
March 20th, 2025 – A striking and unconventional protest emerged from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as contract employee Tavish Forsyth posted a video online that has since ignited widespread discussion. In the 35-minute video, Forsyth, a theater practitioner known for their work in social change, strips naked while delivering a protest poem titled “Should I Quit the Kennedy Center?” The piece is a response to President Donald Trump’s recent takeover of the prestigious arts institution, reflecting Forsyth’s deep unease with the administration’s influence over its direction.
The video begins with Forsyth, fully clothed, sitting on a bed and addressing the camera directly. “Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center and that’s a place where I work,” they state, setting the stage for their grievances. Forsyth references Trump’s reported vow to ban drag performers from the center’s stages, tying it to a broader commentary on identity and expression with the line, “We’re all born naked, and the rest is drag.” As the poem progresses, Forsyth snaps their fingers, and their clothes vanish—replaced momentarily by a digitally added rainbow heart over their groin—before continuing the performance nude.
The poem itself is a meditative and provocative exploration of Forsyth’s internal conflict. It questions whether staying at the Kennedy Center under its new leadership aligns with their values or if quitting might be a more principled stand. “If this is your fight, fight,” Forsyth recites. “If you believe you can douse the fire from inside the house in which it burns, then I bow to you. You are an angel. But I would ask you to consider that this fire is bigger than this house.” The refrain, “Should I quit the Kennedy Center?” punctuates verses that weigh the personal and professional ramifications of their decision.
Forsyth’s protest comes amid significant upheaval at the Kennedy Center, a cultural landmark that has faced unprecedented changes since Trump assumed control earlier this year. In February 2025, Trump dissolved the center’s board of trustees, replacing them with loyalists including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Fox News host Laura Ingraham, while appointing himself as chairman. He also ousted longtime president Deborah Rutter, installing former ambassador Richard Grenell as interim president. These moves prompted high-profile cancellations, including a touring production of Hamilton, as artists and producers expressed discomfort with the center’s new direction.
Trump’s vision for the Kennedy Center, which he has articulated as a shift away from “woke culture” and drag performances, has drawn both support and criticism. During a visit on March 17, he described the venue as being in “tremendous disrepair” and floated the idea of hosting its annual Honors ceremony himself, citing his self-proclaimed status as “the king of ratings.” The administration’s influence has already led to programming changes, such as the cancellation of a World Pride concert, further fueling the backlash.