Biden honours Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mindy Kaling

White House ceremony was held in the East Room for National Medal of Arts and Humanities awards

2021 National Medal of Arts recipient actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus hugs US President Joe Biden as he presents her with the medal during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Reuters

The ceremony for the recipients of the 2021 medals was previously delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Medal of the Arts to musician Bruce Springsteen. AP

Springsteen is flanked by Medal of Arts recipients Vera Wang and Joan Shigekawa. Reuters

Actress Mindy Kaling receives the 2021 National Medal of Arts from US President Joe Biden during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. President Biden is bestowing 12 honorees with the 2021 National Medal of Arts and another 11 with the 2021 National Humanities Medal. Photographer: Al Drago / Bloomberg

Mr Biden recognised US actress Mindy Kaling as the first Indian American woman to create and star in her own TV series. AFP

Mr Biden awards fashion designer Ms Wang with the 2021 National Medal of Arts. AFP

Mr Biden awards singer Gladys Knight with the 2021 National Medal of Arts. AFP

Mr Biden awards scholar Johnnetta Betsch Cole with the 2021 National Humanities Medal. AFP

Mr Biden awards historian Earl Lewis with the 2021 National Humanities Medal. AFP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Humanities Medal to Walter Isaacson. AP

Mr Biden awards artist Antonio Martorell-Cardona with the 2021 National Medal of Arts. AFP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Humanities Medal to Native American activist Henrietta Mann. AP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Humanities Medal to bestselling author Ann Patchett. AP

Mr Biden presents bestselling author Amy Tan with a National Humanities Medal. EPA

Mr Biden presents author Colson Whitehead with a National Humanities Medal. EPA

Mr Biden presents author Tara Westover with the National Humanities Medal. EPA

Louis-Dreyfus departs a ceremony at the White House after being presented with her medal. EPA

Mr Biden presents lawyer, activist and author Bryan Stevenson with the National Humanities Medal. EPA

Ms Wang departs after being awarded with the 2021 National Medal of Arts during a ceremony at the White House. AFP

Mr Biden awards Jaclyn Sallee on behalf of Native America Calling. AFP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Medal of the Arts to Blondel Pinnock on behalf of the Billie Holiday Theatre. AP

Mr Biden presents the 2021 National Medal of the Arts to Denise Saunders Thompson on behalf of the International Association of Blacks in Dance. AP

Springsteen departs with his National Medal of Arts. Reuters

US President Joe Biden made puns and jokes while handing out the 2021 National Medal of Arts and Humanities awards in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday.

"Bruce, some people are just born to run, man," Mr Biden quipped to Born in the USA rocker Bruce Springsteen.

The ceremony for the recipients of the 2021 medals was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Biden and his wife Jill hosted the event that included actors, bestselling authors, singers, activists and other artists, including Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

"She embraces life's absurdity with absolute wit, and handles real life turns with absolute grace," he said of Louis-Dreyfus.

"A mom, a cancer survivor, a pioneer for women in comedy, she is an American original."

Mr Biden said he would ask her later if she preferred being president or vice president.

To designer Vera Wang, who was seated next to Springsteen, the President, said, "I see you in my wife's closet all the time."

Actress Mindy Kaling, a star of the long-running television show, The Office, set in Mr Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, also received a medal.

When Mr Biden introduced author Colson Whitehead to the crowd, he said the writer had won back-to-back Pulitzers for his books.

"I'm trying to go back to back myself," said Mr Biden, who intends to run for re-election in 2024.

Singer Gladys Knight, the "empress of soul", was an honouree, along with historian Walter Isaacson, bestselling authors Amy Tan (The Red Tent), Ann Patchett (Bel Canto) and Tara Westover (Educated), and activist, lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson (Just Mercy), along with others.

They and their guests were hosted at a reception immediately after the ceremony.

Reuters contributed to this report