President Obama shrugs off his sore throat to celebrate Kennedy Center honorees

President Obama shrugs off his sore throat to celebrate Kennedy Center honorees with first lady Michelle who stuns in a glittering blush gown

The president battled through a sore throat to host a reception for this year's Kennedy Center honorees at the White House on Sunday, before attending the gala with the first lady who stood out among the stars of Hollywood in a sparkling blush gown.

Comedian Stephen Colbert hosted the gala celebrating British rocker Sting, who came to fame as the lead singer of The Police, for influencing American culture through the arts. Tom Hanks, comedienne Lily Tomlin, singer Al Green and ballerina Patricia McBride were also honored.

The gala comes just one day after the president was rushed to the hospital to be treated for a sore throat, caused by acid reflux.

On the red carpet before the gala, Sting said that he was 'very happy with the trophy,' pointing to the prize's rainbow-colored laurel.

'I'm not sure when I'll wear it again, but I think I look rather fetching in it,' he joked. 'It's still pretty overwhelming. I'm dealing with it quite well.'

The five honorees sat next to the president and first lady in the opera house as their contemporaries took the stage to salute their individual accomplishments.

Host Stephen Colbert started the night off on a light note, saying: 'Tonight, Washington puts the arts above politics, because no matter what party you belong to, everyone wants a selfie with Tom Hanks.'

Hanks certainly made for at least one entertaining image as he was seated next to Mrs Obama at the gala, and was pictured giving the first lady a kiss on the cheek while her husband looked less than thrilled.

Soul-singer Al Green was the first to be celebrated, with band Earth, Wind and Fire playing a medley of his hits Can't Get Next to You and Love & Happiness. Jennifer Hudson sang a cover of his sogn Simply Beautiful, Usher took on the iconic Lets Stay Together and Marvis Staples finished the set with a rendition of Take Me to the River.

'Al Green can caress a lyric like no one else,' actress Whoopi Goldberg said of Green.

For Patricia McBride's tribute, prominent ballerinas took the stage to perform a medley of dances choreographed for the legend during her heydey with the New York City Ballet.

Among those who showcased their graceful moves on the stage was Misty Copeland, who is only the third black dancer to be named soloist with the American Ballet Theatre.

David Letterman led the outpouring of love for his friend, A-list actor Tom Hanks. The late night TV host had the audience in stitches when he took to the stage and shooed away host Colbert, soon to be his replacement on the Late Show, saying: 'Not yet'.

'We are honoring a man who was once upstaged by a volleyball,' Letterman said.

'Whenever Tom is a guest on our show, I always say, again?' joked Letterman, adding that he once asked Hanks to come on his show when he didn't have a movie to promote. 'And Tom said, "Dave, when people want to promote their movies, this is not the show they go on."'

Director Steven Spielberg and actor Martin Short also spoke up, with Spielberg calling Hanks the 'hardest working actor I know'.

'And he's also a good man....Tom's art comes completely from his heart,' Spielberg said. Spielberg has directed Hanks in the critically-accalimed films Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, and The Terminal.

Actress Jane Fonda volunteered to tribute her friend and '9 to 5' costar Lily Tomlin, reminiscing about the making of the film.

'I approached Lily and excitedly shared my vision and she immediately said, "No,"' Fonda joked.

Actresses Jane Lynch, singer Reba McEntire and Saturday Night Live castmember Kate McKinnon also highlighted Tomlin's storied comedy career at the gala.

'From the first time I saw her on Laugh In, I said this is the person I want to be best friends with,' McEntire said.

The tributes to Sting finished out the night, as Meryl Streep took to the stage to describe the singer's passion for music.

'He's still unsatisfied...thinking "what's next? What's left to discover?"' Streep said. 'In his search for his own truth, he whispers directly into our hearts.'

Lady Gaga performed a cover of If I Ever Lose My Faith In You, before singer Esperanza Spalding gave her take on the song Fragile.

Bruce Springsteen, who Sting saluted at the same wards in 2009, paid tribute to his friend by singing I Hung my Head.

The crowd was brought to its feet as Bruno Mars finished out the set, with a medley of The Police hits So Lonely, Roxanne and Message in the Bottle.

CBS will broadcast the three-hour long gala on December 30.

Before the main event, the president and first lady welcomed Sting and the four other honorees to the White House for dinner, where Mr Obama praised the legends of music, acting and dance.

It seems the doctor prescribed the president some rest and relaxation for this sore throat yesterday since Mr Obama admitted spending Saturday evening watching Hanks' classic film Big - about a preteen boy who turns into a fully-grown man overnight.

'That's a great movie,' the president said. 'I got kind of choked up.'

Mr Obama also joked about how envious he is of Sting's stage name.

'POTUS is a pretty good nickname, but let’s face it, it’s not as cool as Sting,' he said. 'I kind of wish I was called Sting. But I’m stuck with POTUS.'

The president turned serious when he praised the five artists for their individual artistic contributions.

'Songs and dance and film express our triumphs and our faults, our strengths, our tenderness in ways that sometimes words simply cannot do.

'And so we honor those who have dedicated their lives to this endeavor. Those who have tapped into something previously unspoken, or unsung, or unexpressed.

'Those who have shown us not simply who they are, but who we all are. Those who are able to tap into those things we have in common, and not just those things that push us apart,' Mr Obama said.

The president went on to say that the honorees 'helped us better understand ourselves and each other.

'And, as President Kennedy expressed, they've helped us center our purpose as a nation, and together reflect the quality of our society. For that, we cannot thank them enough,' the president finished.

Top performers and power players from Hollywood, Broadway and Washington packed the East Room to honor the five artists Sunday night.

Among those pictured filling the seats were director Steven Spielberg, actors Sam Waterson, Whoopi Goldberg, Jane oOnda, Martin Short, and rock star Bruce Springsteen.

Secretary of State John Kerry also attended the event, along with former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California.

The night's top honoree, Sting, broke out in 1978 with his band The Police with such hits as 'Roxanne' and later 'Every Breath You Take' before starting his solo career. He has been performing for four decades and has won 16 Grammy Awards.

Sting, 63, said he was bewildered by the honor.

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