The 26th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was awarded to Conan O’Brien at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., where he made a pointed comment about President Donald Trump’s leadership of the institution.
O’Brien accepted the award with a speech that praised his fellow comedians and criticized the Trump administration’s approach to the arts. He described author Mark Twain as someone who “punched up, not down” and spoke out against bullying. The comments were seen as a veiled reference to Trump’s policies and behavior.
Trump took over the Kennedy Center earlier this year, pushing out former president David Rubenstein and appointing his allies to the board of directors. O’Brien praised Rubenstein and thanked him in his remarks, drawing applause from the audience.
The event also featured other comedians, including Stephen Colbert, John Mulaney, and Will Ferrell, who poked fun at Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center and joked about the institution being renamed after a former political fixer. The Mark Twain Prize is one of the most prestigious events at the Kennedy Center, which honors outstanding achievements in American humor.
O’Brien also expressed his commitment to supporting Kennedy Center workers and honoring Mark Twain’s legacy.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/conan-obrien-receives-mark-twain-humor-prize-revamped-kennedy-center-2025-03-23