Obama to Honor Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan, and More With Presidential Medal of Freedom

Obama is gifting 21 lucky citizens with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including Robert De Niro and Michael Jordan.

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Image via Complex Original
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President Barack Obama will honor 21 totally normal, regular AF, everyday citizens with the Presidential Medal of Freedom this month. As announced by the White House Wednesday, the nation's "highest civilian honor" will be awarded to citizens whose contributions to society have been dope enough to warrant such a thing.

The GOAT Robert De Niro, admirable opponent of the impending President-elect, will be honored alongside a ton of other American legends during a livestreamed ceremony Nov. 22. "The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor, it's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better," Obama said in a statement Wednesday. "From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."

De Niro will be joined by fellow recipients Michael Jordan, Tom Hanks, Bill and Melinda Gates, Ellen DeGeneres, Lorne Michaels, Diana Ross, Robert Redford, Bruce Springsteen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and more. Notable recipients from previous years and administrations include Steven Spielberg, Harper Lee, Oprah Winfrey, and a presumably reluctant Bob Dylan.

Speaking of Robert De Niro, here's what he told the Hollywood Reporter about the person entering the White House upon Obama's departure next year:

"I feel like I did after 9/11. And we'll just see what happens. There will be many, many, many, many, many people watching."

 

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