Bill Maher to Receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor After White House Dispute
The Kennedy Center is moving forward with plans to honor Bill Maher with the 27th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, despite a week of public denials from the White House. The reversal, reported by People, follows initial reporting from The Atlantic that was swiftly dismissed as “fake news” by White House officials.
The initial denial came swiftly and publicly. Steven Cheung, White House director of communications, labeled the Atlantic’s report “Literally FAKE NEWS” on X. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, issued a statement to the publication stating definitively, “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award.” The situation, according to People, “evolved” in the six days following those statements.
The award itself recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to American humor. Past recipients include Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, George Carlin, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, and Dave Chappelle. Maher joins a distinguished group of comedic luminaries.
Maher, known for his politically charged HBO reveal “Real Time with Bill Maher” and the “Club Random” podcast, responded to the news with characteristic dry wit. In a statement released by the Kennedy Center, he quipped, “Thank you to the Mark Twain people: I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win.”
The comedian’s history with Emmy nominations is, to put it mildly, a running joke. He has received 22 nominations since 2004, spanning variety series and personal performance categories, but has yet to secure a win. As the Kennedy Center pointed out, even Susan Lucci endured 18 nominations before finally winning a Daytime Emmy – and then lost two more after that initial victory.
Maher continued his statement, adding, “I’d just like to say that it is indeed humbling to get anything named for a man who’s been thrown out of as many school libraries as Mark Twain.”
Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, highlighted Maher’s impact on American discourse. “For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy,” Daravi said. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse — one politically incorrect joke at a time.”
The awarding of the prize to Maher is particularly noteworthy given his recent, and somewhat surprising, interactions with former President Donald Trump. Maher, who identifies as a liberal and has frequently criticized the Republican Party, accepted an invitation to dinner with Trump last spring, a move that sparked considerable reaction.
Speaking on his show, Maher described the dinner as a conversation, not a summit. “OK, as you know, 12 days ago, I had dinner with President Trump, a dinner that was set up by my friend Kid Rock because we share a belief that there’s got to be something better than hurling insults from 3,000 miles away,” he explained on the April 11, 2025, episode of “Real Time.” “And let me first say that to all the people who treated this like it was some kind of summit meeting, you’re ridiculous. Like I was going to sign a treaty or something. I have — I have no power. I’m a f— comedian, and he’s the most powerful leader in the world. I’m not the leader of anything except maybe a contingent of centrist-minded people who think there’s got to be a better way of running this country than hating each other every minute.”
Maher revealed he brought a list of 58 epithets Trump had used to describe him over the years, hoping to have the former president sign it. Trump obliged. Maher subsequently told his audience that Trump was “much more self-aware than he lets on in public.”
“I never felt I had to walk on eggshells around him. And honestly, I voted for Clinton and Obama, but I would never feel comfortable talking to them the way I was able to talk with Donald Trump. That’s just how it went down. Create of it what you will.”
The Mark Twain Prize gala will be held on , and will be streamed on Netflix at a later date.
The award comes at a time when the Kennedy Center itself is facing significant changes. The institution is slated to close for two years of renovations starting on , a decision previously described by President Trump as addressing a “tired, broken, and dilapidated” building.