Obama said in remarks at an East Room ceremony at the White House before the 32nd annual Kennedy Center Honors, where five distinguished artists — comedian Mel Brooks, actor Robert DeNiro, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, opera singer Grace Bumbry and all-American rocker Bruce Springsteen — received lifetime achievement awards. Springsteen, who endorsed Obama for President in April 2008 prior to joining him on the campaign trail, acknowledged Obama’s words with a smile.

On Saturday night, inside the hulking stone walls of the State Department building, Sharon Stone and Lynda Carter became new best friends. Frank Langella and Barbara Walters turned heads by showing up together. One luminary after another stopped on the red carpet to pose for cameras and make bad gate-crasher jokes.