“In historical past forever,” David Letterman stated onstage on the John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts, “it will have been probably the most entertaining gathering of the resistance, ever.” He was one among many starry openers in attendance as Conan O’Brien acquired the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. O’Brien’s ceremony, held Sunday evening, was probably the most high-profile occasion on the venue since Donald Trump’s anti-woke takeover of the Kennedy Middle started final month.
The president, who made himself chairman of the establishment regardless of never having seen a show on the Kennedy Middle, was a sizzling matter on the comedy honors. “My because of the individuals who invited me right here, a number of months in the past: David Rubenstein and Deborah Rutter,” O’Brien stated to rapturous applause, in response to The New York Times. “I don’t know why they aren’t right here tonight. I misplaced Wi-Fi in January. I’m guessing they’re in visitors.”
Rutter and Rubenstein, who introduced O’Brien’s choice for the award shortly earlier than Trump’s inauguration, have been ousted from the middle’s as soon as bipartisan board by Trump. They have been changed by the likes of second woman Usha Vance, who was booed alongside her husband, VP JD Vance, whereas attending a symphony on the venue earlier this month, in addition to Trump chief of employees Susie Wiles, Legal professional Common Pam Bondi, plus Fox Information hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo. Trump’s overhaul has led many in Hollywood, together with energy gamers like Issa Rae, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Shonda Rhimes, to distance themselves from the establishment.
However a slew of celebrities entered the constructing to reward O’Brien—and skewer its new overlord. John Mulaney joked that the Kennedy Middle would quickly be renamed “The Roy Cohn Pavilion for Massive Robust Males Who Love Cats.” Stephen Colbert declared that two new members have been becoming a member of the board: “Bashar al-Assad [the ousted president of Syria] and Skeletor.” Will Ferrell quipped that he had no time to be on the ceremony as a result of he was “alleged to be shutting down the Division of Training.”
As reported by CBS News, fellow presenter Sarah Silverman “made a number of Trump jokes that have been too vulgar to print.” The Hill went forward and revealed one among them, the place she stated to O’Brien, “I actually miss the times while you have been America’s solely orange a–hole.”
Talking through video, Martin Brief stated, “There is no such thing as a extra becoming recipient getting the last-ever Twain Prize right here on the Robert F. Kennedy Middle,” changing the thirty fifth president’s title with that of his nephew, Trump’s present Well being and Human Companies Secretary.
However for all of the humor about this being the final Twain Prize, O’Brien largely prevented the subject of politics, as he did whereas internet hosting the 2025 Oscars earlier this month. Earlier than the printed he told The New York Times that “nonetheless anybody voted shouldn’t be a prerequisite for whether or not you benefit from the present.” That didn’t cease O’Brien from making this joke about greatest image winner Anora—“I suppose Individuals are excited to see someone lastly stand as much as a robust Russian,” or being requested to return as Oscars 2026 host.
Throughout his acceptance of the Mark Twain Prize, O’Brien invoked the honour’s namesake. “At the start, Twain hated bullies,” he started, in response to The Hill. “He punched up, not down, and he deeply, deeply empathized with the weak. Twain was suspicious of populism, jingoism, imperialism, the money-obsessed mania of the Gilded Age, and any expression of senseless American would possibly or self-importance,” O’Brien continued, “Above all, Twain was a patriot in the most effective sense of the phrase. He liked America, however knew it was deeply flawed. Twain wrote, ‘Patriotism is supporting your nation the entire time, and your authorities when it deserves it.’”
After his remarks, O’Brien was joined by a band of dancing Twain impersonators, the place he picked up the guitar to play a tune alongside Adam Sandler: Neil Younger’s 1989 hit, “Rockin’ within the Free World.” The ceremony will premiere on Sunday, Could 4, completely on Netflix.
