Tom Hanks named host of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ inauguration TV special

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It’s official! Tom Hanks will be hosting a January 20th TV special to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. 

According to reports, following the historic inaugural events, the special, entitled Celebrating America, will air in primetime on multiple networks and streaming services.

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Both Biden and Harris are set to make appearances during the 90-minute telecast, which will also include musical performances from heavyweights like Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Jon Bon Jovi, Ant Clemons as more as acts continue to be revealed in the days leading up to the event.

“This inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America United,” said Tony Allen, the President of Delaware State University and CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. “We have witnessed countless heroes this past year step up to the frontlines and serve their fellow Americans, so we are telling their stories, spreading their collective light, and celebrating the best of our country and its people with this primetime program.”

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ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, and CNN are among the networks that will air the special at 8:30 PM ET. It will also be available to several streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and DirecTV.

Per The New York Times, next week’s inauguration will be significantly scaled back compared to previous years and be primarily a virtual affair. There won’t be the usual action-packed galas for supporters, donors, and celebrities due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and the January 6th riot at the Capitol has raised additional safety concerns.

Biden is still expected to be sworn-in at the U.S. Capitol, although there will understandably be an uptick in security measures and it’s unlikely that the full motorcade parade to the White House will still take place.

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