President Joe Biden has appointed Lady Gaga as the co-chair of a revived White House Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Announced Thursday afternoon, the committee — disbanded during Donald Trump’s presidency — advises the president on cultural policy.
“Over the past 40 years, PCAH has catalyzed federal programs and played a vital role in the advancement of arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy, and the creative economy,” the White House said in a statement.
Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen will serve as the other co-chairman on the council, which counts George Clooney, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Garner, Shonda Rhimes, Troy Kotsur and Jon Batiste among its membership.
The two chairs have previous ties to Biden, who issued an executive order last year to reinstate the committee.
During the Obama administration, Cohen — producer of acclaimed films such as “American Beauty,” “Milk” and “Silver Linings Playbook” — previously served on Joining Forces, the initiative from then first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden to support military service members, veterans and their families.
Meanwhile, Gaga — whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta — performed at Biden’s inauguration, and traveled with him to support an initiative to address campus sexual assault.
Past members of the White House Committee on the Arts and the Humanities include actor Kal Penn, director George Wolfe, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and “Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker.
Throughout the years, first ladies Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama have served as honorary chairwomen of the council.
The group, first created by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, disbanded in protest over Trump’s support of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“Ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions,” an open letter to Trump read in part. “Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values. Your values are not American values. We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office, too.”
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