Comedian Bill Maher has been confirmed as the recipient of the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center, prompting a humorous jab at President Donald Trump during his latest Real Time episode.
Maher’s On-Air Compromise Joke
Maher quipped that he reached a deal with the White House: he accepts the award only to immediately pass it to Trump. “The compromise is I am going to get it and then I’m going to give it to him,” Maher told his audience, adding that he seeks harmony. “I also want to say thank you. Okay. I’m not looking for a fight and I’m not mad that he did this.”
He mocked the Republican Party’s new America First award for Trump, noting, “Maybe you never heard of it because they just made it up, but it is a real thing and he’s getting it. Mike Johnson says it will be given annually, to Donald Trump.”
Chaotic Announcement Timeline
Initial reports suggested Maher would receive the honor, but Trump administration officials swiftly denied it. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung labeled the story “literally FAKE NEWS” on social media. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the denial, stating Maher “will NOT be getting this award.”
The Kennedy Center officially announced Maher as the winner on Thursday, following further discussions. Sources close to the award process indicate an early leak occurred before final agreements. “Anonymous sources with half-baked information leaked before conversations were finalized,” one insider familiar with the discussions noted. “There was nothing to confirm at the time.”
Long-Standing Trump-Maher Feud
Maher reflected on his “complicated” history with Trump, displaying a page of signed insults from the president during a past White House visit. Reading them aloud, Maher said, “As a low ratings lightweight and a rather dumb guy and a pathetic, bloated sleazebag, a dummy, a terrible student, a nervous failing comedian and someone who was sick, insane, very sad, totally shot and a crazy maniac. I am honored to accept the Mark Twain. Thank you very much.”
Their tensions date back to 2013, when Trump sued Maher for $5 million over a joke calling him the “spawn” of an orangutan and his mother. Trump dropped the suit after demanding charity payment. Earlier this year, Trump criticized a White House dinner with Maher, claiming the comedian appeared “extremely nervous” and “scared.” Maher countered that the evening was enjoyable, praising Trump as “gracious and measured.”
Kennedy Center Honor Details
Roma Daravi, Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations, stated, “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 remarked, “I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win.” Past recipients include Conan O’Brien, Dave Chappelle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, Carol Burnett, and Tina Fey.
The ceremony occurs June 28, ahead of the center’s closure for two-year renovations. Trump chairs the board, which renamed the venue “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Legal challenges to these changes continue.
