President Barack Obama took an evening away from politicking Sunday to honor top artists -- and crack some jokes . Obama received the five Kennedy Center honorees at the White House before the annual gala that honored this year Tom Hanks , Sting , Al Green , Lily Tomlin and ballerina Patricia McBride . Sting got a presidential mention not just for his chart-topping music career , but also for his stage name . `` Now , not everybody can pull off a name like Sting , but this guy can . His wife , Trudie , calls him Sting . Apparently his kids call him Sting , '' Obama said to laughs at the White House reception . `` 'POTUS ' is a pretty good nickname -- but let 's face it , it 's not as cool as Sting . I kind of wish I was called Sting . '' But , Obama conceded , `` I 'm stuck with 'POTUS , ' '' which stands for President of the United States . Sting , however , later said on the red carpet he was `` not so sure '' his name is cooler than the President 's moniker . Comedy Central show host Stephen Colbert , who emceed the Kennedy Center event , made sure he spotlighted the high profile guests at last night 's events , especially whom he called the `` most powerful and influential person in the world '' : First lady Michelle Obama . `` Madam First Lady , lovely to see you , good evening . There she is , looking radiant , next to the President , which I assume means she has no future plans to run for office , '' Colbert quipped . `` There are a lot of Democrats who do n't have that courage . '' Democratic candidates locked in tight races in the 2014 midterms largely distanced themselves from Obama , and he stayed away from the campaign trail in the tightest Senate races . Colbert also noted the nonpartisan nature of the soirée , which he credited to Tom Hanks . `` Tonight , Washington puts the arts above politics , because no matter what party you belong to , everyone wants a selfie with Tom Hanks , '' Colbert joked . Earlier in the evening Obama also honored Hanks and his cult roles in movies like `` Big '' -- which Obama said he watched Saturday night -- `` Apollo 13 '' and `` Forrest Gump , '' in which Hanks ' character gives another U.S. President , Lyndon B. Johnson , a look at his wounded behind in the movie . `` I 'm glad he got that last one out of his system before this evening , '' Obama said . The entire Kennedy Center reception will air on CBS on Dec. 30 . But before then , Colbert 's interview with Obama will air Monday night on `` The Colbert Report . ''
Obama 's nickname-of-choice ? Apparently , it 's `` Sting '' President Obama may have dished out jokes Sunday , but Michelle Obama is apparently `` the most powerful and influential '' `` There she is ... next to the President , which I assume means she has no future plans to run for office '' Stephen Colbert joked .