Bill Maher receives Mark Twain Prize amid controversy
The ceremony featured Trump jokes and came amid a legal fight over his influence at the Kennedy Center.
- On Sunday, comedian Bill Maher accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington, though President Donald Trump became the primary punchline throughout the ceremony. Jay Leno and Woody Harrelson joined other entertainers in mocking the absent president.
- Legal turmoil has surrounded the Kennedy Center since Trump assumed control in January 2025. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the name change illegal in May, ordering its removal and leaving the facade shrouded in a tarp.
- Harrelson joked "we fixed that" regarding the tarp, while Leno called the changes "hilarious" and "about vanity." The barbs reflected the fraught history between Maher and Trump, who filed a $5 million lawsuit against the comedian in 2013.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Sen. John Fetterman attended the gala, with Lutnick stating Trump "wants to make this building sensational." Maher also criticized "groupthink," saying "everyone hates you at some point" when you create something important.
- Future operations remain uncertain at the Kennedy Center, with Judge Cooper requesting an update next month on the tarp's removal timeline. The final scheduled event is 'The Freedom Gathering: A Musical Celebration' on July 3, before the gala airs on Netflix on July 21.
15 Articles
15 Articles
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Under the tarp: Kennedy Center honors Bill Maher with Mark Twain Prize
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