View source for Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

{{short description|American award for the Performing Arts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox award
| name        = Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
| image       = Mark Twain House - HABS photo 023190pu (cropped).jpg
| image_upright = 0.7
| alt         = A bronze bust of Mark Twain on a pedestal
| caption     = The Kennedy Center award is modeled after Karl Gerhardt's bronze bust of Twain.
| awarded_for = having "had an impact on American society in ways similar to" [[Mark Twain]]
| presenter   = [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]]
| location    = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| country     = [[United States]]
| year        = 1998
| holder_label      = Most recent recipient
| holder      = [[Conan O'Brien]] (2025)
| coverage         = Television 
| network          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Comedy Central]] (1998–1999)
* [[PBS]] (2000–2022)
* [[CNN]] (2023)
* [[Netflix]] (2024–present)<ref>{{cite web|title=Netflix To Air Mark Twain Prize For American Humor; Kevin Hart To Be Feted|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Peter|last=White|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=March 14, 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/netflix-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor-kevin-hart-1235858676/}}</ref>
}}
| website     = {{Official website}}
}}
The '''Mark Twain Prize for American Humor''' is an American [[award]] presented by the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century [[humorist]] [[Mark Twain]], it is presented to individuals who have "had an impact on American society in ways similar to" Twain.<ref name="kennedy-center1">{{Cite web |title=The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |url=https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/marktwain/ |access-date=March 24, 2025 |website=[[The Kennedy Center]] |language=en}}</ref> The Kennedy Center chose Twain in recognition of his role as a controversial [[Social commentary|social commentator]] and his "uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly."<ref name="kennedy-center1" /> A copy of [[Karl Gerhardt]]'s 1884 bust of Twain is presented in a ceremony usually in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, during which the recipient is celebrated by his or her peers. The event is a significant fundraiser to benefit the Kennedy Center, which sells tickets as well as access to dinners and after-parties featuring the celebrities.

{{As of|2025}}, 26 individuals have been awarded the award: 19 men and 6 women ([[Bill Cosby]]'s award was rescinded by the Kennedy Center in 2018). Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], there were no awards in 2020 or 2021.<ref name="Bahr">{{Cite news |last=Bahr |first=Sarah |date=January 19, 2022 |title=Jon Stewart to Receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/arts/television/19jon-stewart-mark-twain-prize.html |url-access=limited |access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Kennedy Center - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|Venue, the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|Kennedy Center]] ]]
In 1997, [[Murray Horwitz]] brought the idea of a dedicated comedy award, on par with the [[Oscars]], [[Grammy Awards]] or [[Tony Awards]], to John Schreiber and Mark Krantz, partners in an entertainment firm. The original conceptualization was an award which would celebrate one comedian, unlike the [[Kennedy Center Honors]], which were more all-encompassing, and the venue would be the [[White House]]. They took the idea to [[Ann Stock]], then the [[White House Social Secretary|White House social secretary]]. The White House was considered an inappropriate venue at the time, so the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|Kennedy Center]] was suggested. Bob Kaminsky, Peter Kaminsky and [[Cappy McGarr]] were brought onboard and [[Comedy Central]] would coproduce and broadcast the show. At this stage it was decided to name the prize after Mark Twain.<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=84–86}}</ref>
[[File:Barack Obama meets with Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin, 2011.jpg|thumb|right|President [[Barack Obama]] with [[Will Ferrell]] and [[Viveca Paulin]] in 2011]]
The inaugural recipient of the award was [[Richard Pryor]].<ref name="cc-to-pbs">{{Cite journal |last=de Morales |first=Lisa |date=December 1, 2015 |title=TV One to repeat PBS's Mark Twain Prize ceremony honoring Eddie Murphy |url=https://deadline.com/2015/12/tv-one-eddie-murphy-mark-twain-prize-pbs-repeat-1201648291/ |journal=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref> The first two years of the prize honoring Pryor and [[Jonathan Winters]] were taped and broadcast on [[Comedy Central]].<ref name="cc-to-pbs" /> From 2000 to 2022, the award presentations were taped for broadcast on [[PBS]].{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=173|loc=Chapter 27}} In 2023, the broadcaster for the award was [[CNN]], and in 2024, a multi-year partnership with [[Netflix]] was announced.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Michael |title=Netflix to Telecast the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Under New Multi-Year Deal |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/kevin-hart-netflix-mark-twain-prize-american-humor-1235941611/ |website=Variety |access-date=September 24, 2024}}</ref> [[Carol Burnett]] received the award at age 80 in 2013, while the youngest recipient has been actress and comedian [[Tina Fey]], at age 40 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Cindy |date=October 20, 2013 |title=Carol Burnett honored with Mark Twain Prize |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/10/20/carol-burnett-honored-with-mark-twain-prize/3104235/ |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=USA TODAY}}</ref><ref name="thecomicscomic">{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Sean L. |date=November 15, 2010 |title=Watch the entire telecast from PBS of Tina Fey's ceremony honoring her with the Mark Twain Prize |url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2010/11/15/watch-the-entire-telecast-from-pbs-of-tina-feys-ceremony-honoring-her-with-the-mark-twain-prize/ |website=The Comic's Comic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=May 15, 2012 |title=Mark Twain prize skews young |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/mark-twain-prize-skews-young/2012/05/15/gIQAobteRU_blog.html |access-date=August 12, 2022}}</ref> The Kennedy Center's intent is to give the award to living persons, but one recipient, [[George Carlin]], died in 2008 before receiving his award. Carlin died five days after the official press release that he would be awarded the prize.<ref name="Carlin Award">{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=120–121|loc=Chapter 20}}</ref> [[Bill Cosby]] accepted his award at the Kennedy Center in 2009. He had twice refused the award, stating that he was disappointed with the profanity used in the inaugural ceremony honoring Richard Pryor.<ref name="cosbynyt">{{Cite news |last=Itzkoff |first=Dave |date=October 27, 2009 |title=Bill Cosby receives Mark Twain Prize |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/arts/television/28arts-BILLCOSBYREC_BRF.html |access-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref> After Cosby was convicted of sexual assault in 2018, the Center stripped Cosby of his award and his 1998 Kennedy Center Honors.<ref name="cosbyrescind1">{{Cite news |last=Holloway |first=Daniel |date=May 7, 2018 |title=Bill Cosby's Kennedy Center Honors, Mark Twain Prize Revoked |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/bill-cosbys-kennedy-center-1202801777/ |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref> [[Mel Brooks]] has refused the award three times.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fraley |first=Jason |date=September 28, 2021 |title=Mark Twain Prize creator recalls bringing Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray to White House |url=https://wtop.com/entertainment/2021/09/mark-twain-prize-creator-pens-behind-the-scenes-book-on-eddie-murphy-bill-murray/ |access-date=July 27, 2022 |website=WTOP News}}</ref> [[Robin Williams]] had also refused the award.<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=135|loc=Chapter 22}}</ref>

Since [[Carl Reiner]], honorees are given the opportunity to meet the president, although some refuse. Twain had interactions with [[Ulysses S. Grant]] and [[Theodore Roosevelt]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Malloy |first1=Allie |last2=Kosinski |first2=Michelle |date=October 22, 2016 |title=Bill Murray holds court with White House reporters |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/politics/bill-murray-white-house-mark-twain-prize/index.html |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 22, 2013 |title=Carol Burnett visits with Obama in White House after winning top US humour prize |url=https://news.yahoo.com/carol-burnett-visits-obama-white-house-winning-top-232812413.html |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=Yahoo News |agency=The Associated Press}}</ref>

[[File:Barack Obama talks with Carol Burnett and her husband Brian Miller, 2013.jpg|left|thumb|President [[Barack Obama|Obama]] with awardee Carol Burnett in 2013]]
McGarr, a former Kennedy Center board member who is a co-founder and co-executive producer of the Twain Prize, writes in his book that the mission of the prize is "to honor the greatest contributors to American comedy of our time".<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=198|loc=Chapter 30}}</ref> Each awardee has a background in humor which has been a source of joy for many, showcased extensively on more than one occasion in more than one form, and as a part of the American comedic tradition having influenced industry and culture, is a legacy for American humorists to take inspiration from.<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=9 (Foreword by Ken Burns), 18, 90–91, 198|loc=}}</ref> Awardees have included a writer, an actor, a producer, a stand-up comedian and a [[media proprietor]], among others.<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=169|loc=}}</ref> In awarding the prize to [[Lorne Michaels]] in 2004, a Canadian-American, McGarr explained that "the Mark Twain Prize honors American humor, not necessarily American humorists".<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|pp=107–108|loc=Chapter 17}}</ref>

According to a 2013 article in ''[[The Washington Post]]'', little is known about the selection process to receive the award. A Kennedy Center spokeswoman stated, "A short list is compiled by the executive producers [of the ceremony] and presented to a group {{sic|comprised|hide=y| of}} representatives from the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|Kennedy Center board of trustees]], as well as the Kennedy Center senior management and programming staff". But McGarr stated in 2013 that "there's really no committee... It's really a consensus decision. There's not any single person who decides." He also added the award's executive producers — McGarr, Mark Krantz and Peter and Bob Kaminsky — have always decided in consultation with the Kennedy Center's chairman and president, [[David Rubenstein]] and [[Michael Kaiser]]. He also stated that the primary criteria is "to choose people who've had a full lifetime of making us laugh and who've had a great influence on the people who've followed them."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=May 21, 2013 |title=How Kennedy Center chooses Twain Prize winners |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-kennedy-center-chooses-twain-prize-winners/2013/05/21/f374c7fc-c0b5-11e2-ab60-67bba7be7813_story.html |access-date=June 23, 2022}}</ref>

== Recipients ==
{{Clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Mark Twain Prize for American Humor awardees
|-
! scope="col"|Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable"|Image
! scope="col"|Recipient
! scope="col" class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
| 1998 <br/> <small> (1st) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Allan |date=January 20, 1999 |title=Kennedy Center Honors Pryor with Initial Mark Twain Award |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-01-20-9901200283-story.html |url-access=limited |access-date=March 29, 2020 |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>
|[[File:Richard Pryor 1973 (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Richard Pryor in 1986]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Pryor|[[Richard Pryor]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Pryor included [[Chris Rock]], [[Robin Williams]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Chevy Chase]], [[Tim Allen]], [[Danny Glover]], [[Damon Wayans]], [[Kris Kristofferson]], [[Richard Belzer]], [[Morgan Freeman]], [[Ruth Brown]] and [[Dick Gregory]];<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=November 9, 1998 |title=Richard Pryor Honored With First Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PzsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16 |magazine=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]] |pages=16–18 |via=Google Books}}</ref> [[Gene Wilder]] appeared in a pre-taped video.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaltenbach |first=Chris |date=October 22, 1998 |title=Polite society embraces Pryor Tribute: The comedian is lauded for the barrier-breaking humor that the mainstream didn't always find so funny. |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-10-22-1998295127-story.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=Baltimore Sun}}</ref>
|-
| 1999 <br/> <small> (2nd) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 30, 1999 |title=Jonathan Winters Wins Twain Prize |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/30/movies/jonathan-winters-wins-twain-prize.html |url-access=limited |access-date=November 26, 2018 |page=E29 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>
|[[File:Jonathan Winters - publicity.jpg|100px|alt=Jonathan Winters in 1963]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Winters|[[Jonathan Winters]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Winters included [[Steve Allen]], [[Sid Caesar]], [[Robin Williams]], [[Bonnie Hunt]], [[Robert Wuhl]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Molotsky |first=Irvin |date=October 21, 1999 |title=Winters Gets Praise and Humor Prize |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/21/us/winters-gets-praise-and-humor-prize.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Eugene Levy]] and [[Michael McKean]].
|-
| 2000 <br/> <small> (3rd) </small> <br/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=October 26, 2000 |title=Carl Reiner Honored With Mark Twain Prize for Humor |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Carl-Reiner-Honored-With-Mark-Twain-Prize-for-2700187.php |access-date=November 24, 2018 |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]], [[SFGATE]]}}</ref>
|[[File:Carl Reiner 1960 still.jpg|100px|alt=Carl Reiner in 1960]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Reiner|[[Carl Reiner]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Reiner included [[Steve Martin]], [[Mary Tyler Moore]], [[Dick Van Dyke]], [[Jerry Seinfeld]],<ref name=":0" /> [[Rob Reiner]], [[Joy Behar]], [[Richard Belzer]], and [[George Wallace (American comedian)|George Wallace]]; [[Mel Brooks]] and [[Ray Romano]] appeared in pre-taped videos.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ahrens |first=Frank |date=October 25, 2000 |title=A Grand Night for Rolling in the Aisles |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/10/25/a-grand-night-for-rolling-in-the-aisles/bca042b1-bc6a-4404-9016-00c327a18ea5/ |access-date=August 5, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
|-
| 2001 <br/> <small> (4th) </small> <br/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=Patricia |date=November 18, 2001 |title=The Mark Twain Prize: Whoopi! |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/2001/11/18/the-mark-twain-prize-whoopi/2083b212-a127-49b3-8e88-545325d84f42/ |access-date=November 24, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
|[[File:Whoopi Goldberg (53741902465) (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Whoopi Goldberg in 2008]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Goldberg|[[Whoopi Goldberg]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Goldberg included [[Robin Williams]], [[Billy Crystal]], [[Wanda Sykes]], [[Cedric the Entertainer]], [[Chris Tucker]], [[Alan King]], [[Bruce Vilanch|Bruce Valanche]], [[Caroline Rhea]], [[Tommy Davidson]] and [[Harry Belafonte]].<ref name=":1" />
|-
| [[Bob Newhart: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2002]] <br/> <small> (5th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oldenburg |first=Don |date=April 4, 2002 |title=Bob Newhart Gets the Call For Twain Prize |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/04/04/bob-newhart-gets-the-call-for-twain-prize/44a8ddd1-be4a-446e-9e1f-cf8591403823/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
|[[File:Comedian Bob Newhart.jpg|100px|alt=Bob Newhart in 2002]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Newhart|[[Bob Newhart]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Newhart included [[Kelsey Grammer]], [[David Hyde Pierce]], [[The Smothers Brothers]], [[Don Rickles]], [[Tim Conway]], [[Bernie Mac]], [[Jane Curtin]], [[Fred Willard]], [[Julia Sweeney]] and [[Steven Wright]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Stage at the Kennedy Center: The Mark Twain Prize 2002 (Bob Newhart) |url=https://www.pbs.org/weta/onstage/twain2002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181124231736/https://www.pbs.org/weta/onstage/twain2002/ |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |publisher=[[PBS]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[Lily Tomlin: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2003]] <br/> <small> (6th) </small> <br/><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=On Stage at the Kennedy Center: The Mark Twain Prize salutes Lily Tomlin |url=http://www.pbs.org/weta/onstage/twain2003/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181124231625/http://www.pbs.org/weta/onstage/twain2003/ |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |access-date=November 24, 2018 |publisher=PBS}}</ref>
|[[File:Lily Tomlin 2014.jpg|100px|alt=Lily Tomlin in 2014]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Tomlin|[[Lily Tomlin]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Tomlin included [[Jane Fonda]], [[Robin Williams]], [[Dave Chappelle]], [[Elaine Stritch]], [[Doris Roberts]], [[George Lopez]], [[Darrell Hammond]], [[Catherine O'Hara]], [[Miss Piggy]] and [[Dolly Parton]]; Whoopi Goldberg and [[Steve Martin]] appeared in pre-taped videos.<ref name=":2" />
|-
| 2004 <br/> <small> (7th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 26, 2004 |title='SNL' creator Michaels honored |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/snl-creator-michaels-honored-wbna6332188 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181124231150/https://www.today.com/popculture/snl-creator-michaels-honored-wbna6332188 |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |access-date=November 24, 2018 |website=[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today]] |agency=[[The Associated Press]]}}</ref>
|[[File:Lorne Michaels at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.JPG|100px|alt=Lorne Michaels in 2008]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Michaels|[[Lorne Michaels]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Michaels, a [[Canadian-American]], is the only recipient {{as of|2025|lc=y}} born and raised outside of the United States.<ref>{{harv|McGarr|2021|loc=Chapter 17|pp=107–108}}</ref> Those who honored Michaels included [[Steve Martin]], [[Dan Aykroyd]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Maya Rudolph]], [[Tim Meadows]], [[David Spade]], [[Paul Simon]], [[Conan O'Brien]], [[Christopher Walken]], Senator [[John McCain]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=On Stage at the Kennedy Center. The Mark Twain Prize 2004 - Lorne Michaels |url=https://www.pbs.org/weta/onstage/twain2004/ |access-date=August 8, 2022 |publisher=PBS}}</ref> and [[Amy Poehler]]. 
|-
| 2005 <br/> <small> (8th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gans |first=Andrew |date=May 10, 2005 |title=Steve Martin to Receive Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize |work=[[Playbill]] |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/steve-martin-to-receive-kennedy-centers-mark-twain-prize-com-125831 |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
|[[File:Steve Martin, 120th Anniversary Of Carnegie Hall (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Steve Martin in 2011]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Martin|[[Steve Martin]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Martin included [[Tom Hanks]], [[Martin Short]], [[Larry David]], [[Dave Barry]], [[Eric Idle]], [[Diane Keaton]], [[Claire Danes]], [[Queen Latifah]], [[Randy Newman]], [[Paul Simon]], [[Mike Nichols]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2005 |title=Steve Martin Celebrated in PBS' "The Kennedy Center Presents: The 2005 Mark Twain Prize" |url=https://weta.org/press/steve-martin-celebrated-pbs-kennedy-center-presents-2005-mark-twain-prize |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181124230832/https://www.pbs.org/weta/twainprize2005/ |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |publisher=WETA}}</ref>
|-
| 2006 <br/> <small> (9th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gans |first=Andrew |date=October 15, 2006 |title=Neil Simon Receives Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Oct. 15 |work=Playbill |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/neil-simon-receives-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor-oct-15-com-135566 |access-date=November 24, 2018}}</ref>
|[[File:Neil Simon - 1974.jpg|100px|alt=Neil Simon in 1974]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Simon|[[Neil Simon]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Simon included [[Nathan Lane]], [[Matthew Broderick]], [[Jason Alexander]], [[Robert Klein]], [[Paul Reiser]], [[Christina Applegate]], [[Richard Dreyfus]], and [[Robert Redford]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=The Kennedy Center Presents: The 2006 Mark Twain Prize celebrating Neil Simon |url=https://www.pbs.org/weta/twainprize2006/ |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=PBS}}</ref>
|-
| [[Billy Crystal: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2007]] <br/> <small> (10th) </small> <br/><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Paul |date=October 14, 2007 |title=Crystal nabs Twain prize for humor |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/crystal-nabs-twain-prize-for-humor-1117974034/ |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
|[[File:Billy Crystal by Gage Skidmore.jpg|100px|alt=Billy Crystal in 2018]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Crystal|[[Billy Crystal]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Crystal included [[Robin Williams]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Robert De Niro]], [[Danny DeVito]], [[Jimmy Fallon]], [[Jon Lovitz]], [[Martin Short]], [[Rob Reiner]], [[Bob Costas]], [[Barbara Walters]],<ref name=":3" /> and [[John Goodman]].
|-
| [[George Carlin: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2008]] <br/> <small> (11th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Trescott |first=Jacqueline |date=June 12, 2008 |title=Bleep! Bleep! George Carlin To Receive Mark Twain Humor Prize |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061702519.html |access-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref>
|[[File:Jesus is coming.. Look Busy (George Carlin).jpg|100px|alt=George Carlin in 2008]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Carlin|[[George Carlin]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|The award is not intended to be given posthumously, but Carlin's death occurred between the announcement and the ceremony.<ref name="Carlin Award" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 23, 2008 |title=George Carlin becomes first posthumous Mark Twain honoree |work=[[Yahoo! News]] |agency=Reuters, Nielsen |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080623/en_nm/carlin_twain_dc_1 |access-date=June 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628070018/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080623/en_nm/carlin_twain_dc_1 |archive-date=June 28, 2008}}</ref> Those there to honor Carlin included [[Joan Rivers]], [[Jon Stewart]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Lewis Black]], [[Denis Leary]], [[Margaret Cho]], [[Garry Shandling]], and [[Lily Tomlin]].
|-
| 2009 <br/> <small> (12th) </small> <br/><ref name="cosbynyt" />
| [[File:2011 Bill Cosby.jpg|100px|alt=Bill Cosby in 2011]]
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{sort|Cosby|[[Bill Cosby]]}}
| style="text-align:left; |Those who honored Cosby included [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Sinbad (comedian)|Sinbad]], [[Malcolm-Jamal Warner]], [[Steven Wright]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Carl Reiner]], [[Dick Gregory]], [[Rita Moreno]], and [[Phylicia Rashad]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=October 27, 2009 |title=Bill Cosby is awarded the Twain Prize for humor at the Kennedy Center |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/26/AR2009102603704.html |access-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref><br/><br/>'''(Cosby's award was rescinded in 2018 due to [[Bill Cosby sexual assault cases|a sexual assault conviction.]])'''<ref name="cosbyrescind1" /><ref name="cosbyrescind2">{{Cite news |date=May 7, 2018 |title=Kennedy Center rescinds Bill Cosby's Honors and Twain awards |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/05/07/kennedy-center-rescinds-honors-twain-awards-given-to-bill-cosby/}}</ref>
|-
| [[Tina Fey: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2010]] <br/> <small> (13th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Fallon |first=Kevin |date=November 15, 2010 |title=Watch Tina Fey Receive Mark Twain Prize (and Thank Sarah Palin) |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/11/watch-tina-fey-receive-mark-twain-prize-and-thank-sarah-palin/66593/ |magazine=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
|[[File:Tina Fey Muppets Most Wanted Premiere (cropped 2).jpg|100px|alt=Tina Fey in 2014]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Fey|[[Tina Fey]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Those who honored Fey included [[Alec Baldwin]], [[Amy Poehler]], [[Steve Martin]], [[Steve Carell]], [[Jimmy Fallon]], [[Jon Hamm]], [[Fred Armisen]], [[Seth Meyers]], [[Jennifer Hudson]], [[Betty White]], [[Jane Krakowski]], and [[Lorne Michaels]].<ref name=thecomicscomic/>
|-
| [[Will Ferrell: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2011]] <br/> <small> (14th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Powers |first=Lindsay |date=May 12, 2011 |title=Will Ferrell to Receive Mark Twain Comedy Prize |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-ferrell-wins-top-mark-187927 |access-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref>
|[[File:Will Ferrell at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival 5 (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Will Ferrell in 2013]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Ferrell|[[Will Ferrell]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Ferrell included [[Conan O'Brien]], [[John C. Reilly]], [[Ben Stiller]], [[Jack Black]], [[Paul Rudd]], [[Adam McKay]], [[Tim Meadows]], [[Matthew Broderick]], and [[Ed Asner]].
|-
| 2012 <br/> <small> (15th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Trescott |first=Jacqueline |date=May 16, 2012 |title=Ellen DeGeneres selected to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/ellen-degeneres-named-mark-twain-prize-recipient/2012/05/15/gIQAGXnIRU_story.html |url-access=limited |access-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref>
|[[File:Ellen DeGeneres 2011.jpg|100px|alt=Ellen DeGeneres in 2011]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|DeGeneres|[[Ellen DeGeneres]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor DeGeneres included [[Jane Lynch]], [[Sean Hayes (actor)|Sean Hayes]], [[Jimmy Kimmel]], [[John Leguizamo]], [[John Krasinski]], [[Steve Harvey]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and [[Lily Tomlin]]. 
|-
| 2013 <br/> <small> (16th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Daily |first=Mary |date=October 22, 2013 |title=Carol Burnett: UCLA's class clown takes national honors |work=UCLA Today |url=http://today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/alumna-carol-burnett-class-clown-249059.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131024002348/http://today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/alumna-carol-burnett-class-clown-249059.aspx |archive-date=October 24, 2013}}</ref>
|[[File:Carol Burnett 2014.jpg|100px|alt=Carol Burnett in 2014]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Burnett|[[Carol Burnett]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Burnett included [[Julie Andrews]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Amy Poehler]], [[Maya Rudolph]], [[Rashida Jones]], [[Martin Short]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Vicki Lawrence]], and [[Tim Conway]];<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garrett |first=Rena |date=October 30, 2013 |title=Carol Burnett: The Mark Twain Prize can be seen on Sunday, November 24th at 8 pm |url=https://www.kenw.org/post/carol-burnett-mark-twain-prize-can-be-seen-sunday-november-24th-8-pm |publisher=[[KENW (TV)|KENW-TV]]}}</ref> [[Carl Reiner]] and [[Ellen DeGeneres]] appeared in pre-taped videos.
|-
| 2014 <br/> <small> (17th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Cindy |date=October 20, 2014 |title=Jay Leno honored with Mark Twain Prize |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/10/20/jay-leno-honored-with-mark-twain-prize/17271927/ |access-date=November 24, 2018}}</ref>
|[[File:JayLenoJul08.jpg|100px|alt=Jay Leno in 2008]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Leno|[[Jay Leno]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Leno included [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Jimmy Fallon]], [[Seth Meyers]], [[Robert Klein]], [[J.B. Smoove]], [[Jamie Foxx]], [[Wanda Sykes]], [[Chelsea Handler]], [[Kristin Chenoweth]], and [[Garth Brooks]].
|-
| 2015 <br/> <small> (18th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Falcone |first=Dana Rose |date=April 10, 2015 |title=Eddie Murphy to receive the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/10/eddie-murphy-receive-kennedy-centers-mark-twain-prize-american-humor |access-date=November 5, 2015}}</ref>
|[[File:Eddie Murphy by David Shankbone.jpg|100px|alt=Eddie Murphy in 2010]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Murphy|[[Eddie Murphy]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Murphy included [[Dave Chappelle]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Arsenio Hall]], [[Jay Pharoah]], [[Tracy Morgan]], [[Trevor Noah]], [[George Lopez]], [[Kevin Nealon]], and [[Kathy Griffin]].<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Eddie Murphy: The Mark Twain Prize |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/mark-twain-prize-eddie-murphy-kennedy-center-mark-twain-prize/ |series=Mark Twain Prize |network=PBS |number=1 |quote=a lineup of the biggest names in comedy salutes the 18th recipient ... Dave Chappelle, Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, Sam Moore, Kevin Nealon, Trevor Noah, Jay Pharoah, Joe Piscopo, Chris Rock, and others |air-date=November 23, 2015}}</ref><!-- This is a dead link; the quoted text is visible via Wayback Machine. The video seems to be permanently inaccessible on the site.  -->
|-
| 2016 <br/> <small> (19th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |last=McGlone |first=Peggy |date=October 23, 2016 |title=Bill Murray accepts Mark Twain Prize: 'As much as I dreaded this ... there's love' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/bill-murray-accepts-his-mark-twain-prize-i-dreaded-this/2016/10/23/1458ce0e-9962-11e6-9980-50913d68eacb_story.html |access-date=November 24, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
|[[File:Bill Murray 2018.jpg|100px|alt=Bill Murray in 2018]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Murray|[[Bill Murray]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Murray included [[David Letterman]], [[Emma Stone]], [[Bill Hader]], [[Aziz Ansari]], [[Miley Cyrus]], [[Jane Curtin]], [[Jimmy Kimmel]], [[Brian Doyle Murray]], and [[Sigourney Weaver]].
|-
| [[David Letterman: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2017]] <br/> <small> (20th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Itzkoff |first=Dave |date=May 16, 2017 |title=David Letterman Wins Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/arts/television/david-letterman-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor.html |url-access=limited |access-date=November 24, 2018}}</ref>
|[[File:David Letterman with his Individual Peabody at the 75th Annual Peabody Awards (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=David Letterman in 2016]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Letterman|[[David Letterman]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Letterman included [[Bill Murray]], [[Steve Martin]], [[Martin Short]], [[John Mulaney]], [[Norm Macdonald]], [[Jimmy Kimmel]], [[Jimmie Walker]], and [[Eddie Vedder]]; [[Michelle Obama]] appeared in a pre-taped video. [[Al Franken]] appeared but was cut from the broadcast due to sexual harassment allegations against him.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nordyke |first=Kimberly |date=November 19, 2017 |title=Al Franken Cut From PBS' David Letterman Tribute Amid Groping Claim |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/al-franken-cut-pbs-david-letterman-mark-twain-prize-sexual-harassment-claim-1059971 |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| [[Julia Louis-Dreyfus: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2018]] <br/> <small> (21st) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rao |first=Sonia |date=May 23, 2018 |title=Julia Louis-Dreyfus to receive the 2018 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/julia-louis-dreyfus-to-receive-the-2018-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor/2018/05/23/7e513232-5df7-11e8-b2b8-08a538d9dbd6_story.html |url-access=limited |access-date=November 24, 2018}}</ref>
|[[File:Julia Louis-Dreyfus 2019 (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Julia Louis-Dreyfus in 2017]]
! scope="row"|{{sort|Louis-Dreyfus|[[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those there to honor Louis-Dreyfus included [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Bryan Cranston]], [[Tony Hale]], [[Lisa Kudrow]], [[Keegan-Michael Key]], [[Kumail Nanjiani]], [[Abbi Jacobson]], [[Ilana Glazer]], and [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]]; [[Larry David]] appeared in a pre-taped video.
|-
|[[Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2019]] <br/> <small> (22nd) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Itzkoff |first=Dave |date=May 7, 2019 |title=Dave Chappelle to Receive Mark Twain Prize for Humor |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/arts/television/dave-chappelle-mark-twain-prize.html |url-access=limited |access-date=May 8, 2019}}</ref>
|[[File:Dave Chappelle (42791297960) (cropped).jpg|100px|alt=Dave Chappelle in September 2018]]
! scope ="row"|{{sort|Chappelle]]|[[Dave Chappelle]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Chappelle included [[Q-Tip (musician)|Q-Tip]], [[Jon Stewart]], [[Bradley Cooper]], [[Morgan Freeman]], [[Aziz Ansari]], [[Lorne Michaels]], [[Mos Def]], [[Talib Kweli]], [[Erykah Badu]], [[Sarah Silverman]], [[Neal Brennan]], [[Kenan Thompson]], [[Michael Che]], [[Colin Jost]], [[Chris Tucker]], [[Tiffany Haddish]], [[Common (rapper)|Common]], [[John Legend]], and [[Chrissy Teigen]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=August 1, 2019 |title=Dave Chappelle To Receive Mark Twain Prize; Bradley Cooper, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart & Jon Stewart Among Guests – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/dave-chappelle-mark-twain-prize-kennedy-center-honors-1202608908/ |journal=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> [[Eddie Murphy]] appeared in a pre-taped video. The PBS broadcast of the ceremony was unique, because footage of the ceremony was interspersed with footage of Chappelle performing standup in a comedy club.
|-
|[[Jon Stewart: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2022]] <br/> <small> (23rd) </small> <br/><ref name="Bahr"/>
|[[File:Jon Stewart MFF 2016.jpg|100px|alt=Jon Stewart in 2016]]
! scope ="row"|{{sort|Stewart]]|[[Jon Stewart]]}}
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Stewart included [[Samantha Bee]], [[Steve Carell]], [[Dave Chappelle]], [[Pete Davidson]], [[Ed Helms]], [[Jimmy Kimmel]], [[Jon Meacham]], [[Olivia Munn]], [[Bassem Youssef]], and [[Bruce Springsteen]]. [[Stephen Colbert]] appeared remotely via video chat and [[John Oliver]] appeared in a pre-taped video that satirized a eulogy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Jeff |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Comedian Jon Stewart feted for humor, advocacy with Mark Twain Prize |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/comedian-jon-stewart-feted-humor-advocacy-with-mark-twain-prize-2022-04-25/ |access-date=April 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ygzUnrg7Q |title=John Oliver on Jon Stewart {{!}} 2022 Mark Twain Prize |type=Video |publisher=The Kennedy Center |year=2022 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QzUu78IXU4 |title=Jon Stewart Acceptance Speech {{!}} 2022 Mark Twain Prize |type=Video |publisher=The Kennedy Center |year=2022 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
|-
| [[Adam Sandler: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2023]] <br/> <small> (24th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adam Sandler to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adam-sandler-mark-twain-prize-for-american-humor/ |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=www.cbsnews.com |date=December 13, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|[[File:Adam Sandler Cannes 2017.jpg|100px|alt=Adam Sandler in 2017]]
! scope ="row"|[[Adam Sandler]]
| style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Sandler included [[Dana Carvey]], [[Luis Guzmán]], [[Tim Herlihy]], [[Idina Menzel]], [[Rob Schneider]], [[Ben Stiller]], [[Jennifer Aniston]], [[Judd Apatow]], [[Drew Barrymore]], [[Steve Buscemi]], [[Conan O'Brien]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Pete Davidson]], and [[David Spade]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=March 8, 2023 |title=Adam Sandler to Receive 2023 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/adam-sandler-2023-mark-twain-prize-american-humor-1235185951/ |access-date=March 18, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
|-
| [[Kevin Hart: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2024]] <br/> <small> (25th) </small> <br/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kevin Hart will receive the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy |url=https://apnews.com/article/kevin-hart-twain-prize-kennedy-center-comedy-b1ff4a1c18e8baac77435662ec9b634d |website=[[APNews.com]]|date=November 15, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[File:Kevin Hart 2014 (cropped 2).jpg|100px|alt=Kevin Hart]]
!scope ="row"|[[Kevin Hart]]
|style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored Hart include [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Dave Chappelle]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Jimmy Fallon]], [[J.B. Smoove]], [[Tiffany Haddish]], [[Regina Hall]], [[Chelsea Handler]], [[Nick Cannon]] and [[Keith Robinson (comedian)|Keith Robinson]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/25/arts/kevin-hart-mark-twain-prize.html|title= Kevin Hart Receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|work= The New York Times|date= March 25, 2024|accessdate= March 25, 2024|last1= Kavi|first1= Aishvarya}}</ref>
|-
| [[Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|2025]] <br/> <small> (26th) </small> <br/><ref name="kennedy-center1" />
|[[File:Conan O'Brien by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|alt=Conan O'Brian|132x132px]]
!scope ="row"|[[Conan O'Brien]]
|style="text-align:left;"|Those who honored O'Brien include [[David Letterman]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Adam Sandler]], [[John Mulaney]], [[Sarah Silverman]], [[Andy Richter]], [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Bill Burr]],  [[Nikki Glaser]], [[Sean Evans (interviewer)|Sean Evans]], [[Tracy Morgan]], [[Kumail Nanjiani]], and [[Reggie Watts]]. [[Martin Short]], [[Bill Hader]], [[Paul Rudd]] and [[Fred Armisen]] all appeared in pre-taped videos.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Ashraf |last=Khalil |title=Conan O'Brien will receive the Mark Twain Prize for humor as politics roils the Kennedy Center |url=https://apnews.com/article/conan-obrien-trump-kennedy-center-twain-award-77ee76e54f8075a2f6c872302df07294 |work=[[AP News]] |date=March 24, 2025 |access-date=March 24, 2025}}</ref><ref name="kennedy-center1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Cathy Applefeld |title=Conan O'Brien's Mark Twain Prize Ceremony Is A Spicy, Politically Charged Affair |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2025/03/24/conan-obriens-mark-twain-prize-ceremony-is-a-spicy-politically-charged-affair/ |access-date=March 24, 2025 |date=March 24, 2025 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> [[Brian Stack (comedian)|The Interrupter]], [[Triumph the Insult Comic Dog]], the [[FedEx]] [[Pope]], the [[List of Late Night with Conan O'Brien sketches|Masturbating Bear]], and [[Jordan Schlansky]] all briefly appear to hand off the Prize to Letterman who presents it to O'Brien. [[Will Forte]] portrayed [[Mark Twain]]. 
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[Kennedy Center Honors]], during which the following comedians, comic actors, and humorists have been honored: [[Bob Hope]], [[Lucille Ball]], [[George Burns]], [[Johnny Carson]], [[Neil Simon]], [[Bill Cosby]] (rescinded in 2018<ref name="cosbyrescind1" /><ref name="cosbyrescind2" />), [[Carol Burnett]], [[Steve Martin]], [[Mel Brooks]], [[David Letterman]], [[Lily Tomlin]], and [[Billy Crystal]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Works cited ===
* {{Cite book |last=McGarr |first=Cappy |title=The Man Who Made Mark Twain Famous |date=2021 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-63758-168-1}}

==External links==
* {{official}}
* [https://www.pbs.org/mark-twain-prize/ Mark Twain Prize] from the PBS website

{{Mark Twain}}
{{Mark Twain Prize for American Humor|state=expanded}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mark Twain Prize For American Humor}}
[[Category:American comedy and humor awards]]
[[Category:Mark Twain]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1998]]
[[Category:Mark Twain Prize recipients| ]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1990s in comedy]]
[[Category:2000s in comedy]]
[[Category:2010s in comedy]]
[[Category:2020s in comedy]]