Tom Hanks will host a national television special on inauguration evening featuring President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris with performances from Justin Timberlake and Jon Bon Jovi and others.
Details of the show were first reported by Politico and confirmed by a Presidential Inaugural Committee official to CNN.
The show, called Celebrating America, will honor frontline workers, teachers, and health care workers. It will air on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST.
“Our first priority is safety — so while many of us will be watching safely from our homes, we are creating real moments of connection that highlight a new inclusive American era of leadership that works for and represents all Americans,” said PIC CEO Tony Allen.
Washington, D.C. officials have urged people not to travel into the city to view the inauguration which is set to take place on January 20.
The Pentagon has authorized up to 15,000 National Guard troops to meet current and future requests for Biden’s inauguration next week in the wake of bloodshed at the U.S. Capitol building last Wednesday.
The special will be streamed live on PIC social media channels: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch. Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNow from Fox, and AT&T DIRECTV and U-verse will also be carrying the program live.
After Biden and Harris are sworn in to office next Wednesday at a significantly scaled-down ceremony, there will be a virtual parade that features performances in communities across the country.
