‘Kennedy Center Honors’ airs Tuesday

They’ve saved Barbra Streisand for last, but another woman may gain more scrutiny when the “Kennedy Center Honors” are broadcast.

Caroline Kennedy hosted the event, which was taped Dec. 7 – before she made headlines by announcing her political ambitions.

CBS presents TV’s classiest awards show at 9 p.m. Tuesday. The six honorees this year are Streisand, actor Morgan Freeman, singer George Jones, choreographer Twyla Tharp and rockers Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.

Here’s a preview:

•Denzel Washington and Clint Eastwood salute Freeman with words; Koko Taylor and B.B. King honor him in song.

•Lily Tomlin calls Tharp “America’s most influential choreographer.” Dancers Marcelo Gomes and Luciana Paris perform Tharp’s “Sinatra Suite.”

•Jack Black speaks of his love for The Who: “They were legends in a time of legends.” Singing the band’s music are Joss Stone (“My Generation”), Chris Cornell (“Won’t Get Fooled Again”), Bettye LaVette (“Love Reign O’er Me”), Dave Grohl (“Who Are You”) and Rob Thomas (“Baba O’Riley”).

•Laura Bush praises Jones: “There’s no getting tired of a singer like him.” A Jones medley features Brad Paisley on “Bartender’s Blues,” Randy Travis on “I’m a One Woman Man,” Alan Jackson on “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” Garth Brooks on three songs and Shelby Lynne on “Amazing Grace.”

•Queen Latifah pays tribute to Streisand for revolutionizing the standard idea of beauty and breaking barriers for women. Glenn Close says Streisand is like the characters she plays: “headstrong and provocative.”

•With Streisand, you get more music: Idina Menzel on “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” Beyonce on “The Way We Were” and Ne-Yo on “Lover, Come Back to Me.” The grand finale is “Somewhere,” performed by Kelli O’Hara and Nathan Gunn.

When it comes to awards, nobody does it better than the Kennedy Center. This year sounds no different from the past.