Martk Twain Prize
Awarded for	American humor
Presented by	The Kennedy Center
Country	United States
First awarded	1998
Official website

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is awarded by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts annually since 1998. It is named after the 19th century novelist, essayist and humorist Mark Twain. The Mark Twain Prize is America’s foremost award for humor, presented annually by The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to an individual who has made a significant contribution to American humor. The Prize is presented at a live taping at The Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington DC, during which the honoree is celebrated by his peers. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Kennedy Center as seen from the Potomac River. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Look up Humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist,[2] humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ...

The first annual Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was held on October, 20, 1998 and was presented to legendary comedian, Richard Pryor. The first two years of The Mark Twain Prize (Richard Pryor and Jonathan Winters) were taped and broadcast on Comedy Central. Since then, the award presentations have been taped for broadcast on PBS. Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... PBS redirects here. ...

In 2007, the Mark Twain Prize celebrated its 10th anniversary and presented The Prize to Billy Crystal. For the first time in 10 years, the show was held in the Opera House of The Kennedy Center on October 11, 2007 and was broadcast on November 12, 2007 on PBS. The evening's presenters included Bob Costas, Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, John Goodman, David Letterman, Jon Lovitz, Rob Reiner, Paul Shaffer, Martin Short, Joe Torre, Barbara Walters and Robin Williams. For the American political commentator, see William Kristol. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Robert Quinlan Bob Costas (born March 22, 1952) is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s. ... Robert Mario De Niro, Jr. ... Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. ... James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American comedian, actor, musician, and Grammy nominee best known for his work on Saturday Night Live. ... Whoopi Goldberg (born November 13, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, radio presenter, host, and author. ... For other persons of the same name, see John Goodman (disambiguation). ... David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.) is an Emmy Award-winning American television host and comedian. ... Jonathan Lovitz (born July 21, 1957 in Tarzana, California) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live and for his show The Critic. ... Robert Rob Reiner (born March 6, 1945) is an American actor, director, producer, writer, childrens advocate and political activist. ... Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949 in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, Canada) is a Jewish-Canadian-American musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian and composer currently seen as the bandleader on the Late Show with David Letterman. ... Martin Hayter Short, CM (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian/American comedian, actor, writer, and producer. ... Joseph Paul Torre (born July 18, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) is a former Major League Baseball player and the current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... Barbara Jill Walters[2] (born September 25, 1929) is an American journalist, writer, and media personality who has been a regular fixture on morning television shows (Today and The View), an evening news magazine (20/20), and on The ABC Evening News as the first female evening news anchor. ... This article is about the American actor and comedian; for other people named Robin Williams, see Robin Williams (disambiguation). ...

It is not known what kind of ceremony will occur for 2008 honoree George Carlin, who died on June 22, 2008, days after the Kennedy Center announced he would be that year's recipient of the honor ^[1]. George Denis Patrick Carlin[15] (born May 12, 1937) is a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the 10 year history of the Mark Twain Prize, numerous artists have participated in celebrating its past honorees including: Morgan Freeman, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Steve Martin, Mary Tyler Moore, Rob Reiner, Jerry Seinfeld, Dick Van Dyke, Cedric The Entertainer, David Hyde Pierce, Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Dave Chappelle, George Lopez, Dan Aykroyd, Candice Bergen, Tina Fey, Darrell Hammond, Tracy Morgan, Conan O'Brien, Paul Simon, David Spade, Christopher Walken, Claire Danes, Larry David, Tom Hanks, Eric Idle, Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Lorne Michaels, Randy Newman, Mike Nichols, Carl Reiner, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin, Jason Alexander, Christina Applegate, Matthew Broderick, Richard Dreyfuss, Nathan Lane and Robert Redford.

Recipients of The Mark Twain Prize

• 1998 - Richard Pryor
• 1999 - Jonathan Winters
• 2000 - Carl Reiner
• 2001 - Whoopi Goldberg
• 2002 - Bob Newhart
• 2003 - Lily Tomlin
• 2004 - Lorne Michaels
• 2005 - Steve Martin
• 2006 - Neil Simon
• 2007 - Billy Crystal
• 2008 - George Carlin (to be presented posthumously)

Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Jonathan Harshman Winters III (born November 11, 1925 in Bellbrook, Ohio) is an American film and television actor. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Carl Reiner (born March 20, 1922) is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. ... This article is about the year. ... Whoopi Goldberg (born November 13, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, radio presenter, host, and author. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... George Robert Bob Newhart (born September 5, 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lily Tomlin (born Mary Jean Tomlin on September 1, 1939), is an Academy Award-nominated American actress and comedian. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lorne Michaels (born November 17, 1944) is a Canadian Emmy-winning television producer, writer and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Steve Martin (disambiguation). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Information Period 1960s-present Spouse Elaine Joyce (1999-present) Diane Lander (1990-1998) Marsha Mason (1973-1981) Joan Baim (1953-1973) Marvin Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, New York City), is an American playwright and screenwriter. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For the American political commentator, see William Kristol. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... George Denis Patrick Carlin[15] (born May 12, 1937) is a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ...

References

External links

• Mark Twain Prize from the Kennedy Center website