Lin-Manuel Miranda Joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, José Andrés and More for Biden Inaugural Special
A host of celebrities have been added to the lineup to celebrate President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and José Andrés.
The actor/composer, basketball player and celebrity chef will be among the stars to appear during a primetime TV special, hosted by Tom Hanks, airing Wednesday night after Biden's swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol.
Miranda, 41, is set to recite a "classic work" during the program, according to a release from the Biden-Harris transition.
Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will introduce various segments throughout the program, which will include celebrity guests such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, John Legend, Demi Lovato, and Justin Timberlake.
Others on hand at the event include labor leader Dolores Huerta, and Kim Ng, the first female Major League Baseball general manager.
Both Biden, 78, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, 56, will also give speeches during the event.
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The celebrity-driven television special will air on Jan. 20 evening after Biden and Harris participate in a military ceremony and swearing-in, and Biden attends a wreath-laying with other former presidents.
Organizers say the special, which will air across most of the major broadcast and cable news networks, "will showcase the American people's resilience, heroism, and unified commitment to coming together as a nation to heal and rebuild."
Each performance in the unprecedented inaugural ceremonies — which are taking place amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — will be filmed in a different location across the country, and will be streamed online and on television.
While many of the inaugural ceremonies will be remote, in light of the pandemic, the swearing-ceremony is still expected to be an in-person event be held on the Capitol steps, with a much-downsized crowd largely consisting of lawmakers and officials.
The in-person event is being held with added security measures, put in place after the attempted coup on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of violent Trump supporters on Jan. 6.
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As federal buildings including the Capitol have stepped up their security over the past week, Biden has said he is unafraid to take his oath in public.
"The transition of power from one administration to another is a touchstone of American democracy. President-elect Biden's team will be receiving daily briefings on the security and operational preparations to ensure the transition unfolds smoothly," Biden officials said in a statement. "The President-elect and Vice President-elect are focused on safeguarding the security of the American people, our institutions, and our democratic values. This will be a paramount priority in the days leading up to their inauguration, and throughout the Biden-Harris administration."
Biden and Harris are participating in a day of service on Monday, to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and will be organizing a memorial for the victims of the coronavirus on Tuesday.
"Celebrating America" will air Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET) on ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC and NBC as well as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and other streaming platforms.
