Conan O’Brien To Receive Mark Twain Prize For American Humor; Netflix To Air Ceremony

Conan O’Brien is the latest comedian to be feted at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The former host of Conan and The Tonight Show will receive the award on March 23 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

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The ceremony will air on Netflix, although the streamer, which took on the event last year, didn’t air it live.

Kevin Hart was last year’s recipient and previous honorees include Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Tina Fey, Carol Burnett and Richard Pryor.

Last year, Netflix struck a multi-year deal with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to air the event. The event previously aired on CNN and before that PBS aired it for over 20 years. Comedy Central hosted it before PBS.

The 26th Mark Twain Prize will be produced by David Jammy and the team at Done+Dusted.

“I am honored to be the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize recognized not for humor, but for my work as a riverboat pilot,” said Conan O’Brien.

“For four decades, Conan O’Brien, has brought his unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious into our homes,” said Deborah F. Rutter, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. “From Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons—including the unbelievably funny monorail episode—to late night, podcasts, and all things Team Coco, Conan is a master of invention and reinvention, consistently pushing the envelope in search of new comedic heights. I look forward to honoring his immense legacy and enduring impact with an uproarious evening in the Concert Hall on March 23.”

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