The Kennedy Center announced on Thursday that comedian Bill Maher will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, just days after the White House denied reports that he would win the award. The prize, which recognises significant contributions to humour and commentary in the United States, will be presented on 28 June.
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice-president of public relations, said in a statement: 'For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy. For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse – one politically incorrect joke at a time.' Maher said in a statement: 'I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win.'
The announcement comes after The Atlantic reported last week that Maher would win, prompting White House communications director Steven Cheung to label the story 'literally FAKE NEWS' on social media. The White House did not immediately comment on the award on Thursday.
The Mark Twain Prize has been awarded since 1998, with past recipients including Conan O'Brien, Dave Chappelle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, Carol Burnett and Tina Fey. The ceremony will take place shortly before President Donald Trump plans to close the Kennedy Center for renovations expected to last about two years.
Since returning to office, Trump has exerted significant influence over the venue, ousting its previous leadership and appointing a board of trustees that named him chair. The board added Trump's name to the Kennedy Center and approved the closure, actions that are subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
Maher and Trump have a long history of conflict. In 2013, Trump filed a $5m lawsuit against Maher for breach of contract after the comedian joked about Trump's parentage, but later dropped the case. Earlier this year, Trump claimed on social media that Maher was 'extremely nervous' during a dinner at the White House, while Maher described the meeting as a 'good time' and praised Trump as 'gracious and measured' on his show Real Time.
