BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty ImagesIndeed, Led Zeppelin felt a whole lotta love in Washington, D.C.
The surviving members of the iconic rock band were fêted at the Kennedy Center Honors Sunday night along with a bevy of artists and luminaries who graced a glittering White House ceremony presided by President Barack Obama.
The evening's other big awardees included David Letterman, Dustin Hoffman, blues guitarist Buddy Guy and ballerina Natalia Makarova.
Natch, the evening had its fair share of humorous moments, led by none other than the commander in chief himself, who managed to give Led Zeppelin a cheeky ribbing.
"Of course, these guys also redefined the rock-and-roll lifestyle," Obama said, per Reuters "So it's fitting that we're doing this in a room with windows that are about 3 inches thick—and Secret Service all around. So, guys, just settle down."
Hoffman himself brought on the funny on the red carpet, telling the Los Angeles Times that, when he first met Obama, the president told him, "'I didn't know you were so short,'" and to which the thesp replied, "'I didn't know you were so tall.'"
Later, at the ceremony itself—which was held in the East Room—Robert DeNiro jokingly introduced his pal Hoffman as "a pain in the ass" before adding, "He inspired me to be a bit of a pain in the ass, too."
The evening included a slew of performances, including a dance number honoring Makarova as well as a star-studded blues tribute to Guy featuring Tracy Chapman and Bonnie Raitt.
But it was Letterman who best summed up the awardees' emotional mix of nervousness and excitement.
"I was full of trepidation, but now I am full of nothing but gratitude," he reportedly said on the red carpet.
Yep, a real winner, that Dave.