Conan O'Brien was awarded the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, where comedians, including John Mulaney and Bill Burr, used humor to critique politics, particularly Donald Trump. Mulaney alluded to Trump's programming changes, while Burr sarcastically remarked on the political climate's impact on creativity. O'Brien's acceptance speech emphasized Mark Twain's values, condemning bullying, hypocrisy, and racism, underlining Twain's skepticism of populism and excessive self-importance, reinforcing the prize's significance in today's societal context.
"It's an honor to be here at the Kennedy Center, or as it will be known next week, the 'Roy Cohn Pavilion for Big, Strong Men Who Love Cats,'" joked John Mulaney, referencing Trump's desire to stage "non-woke musicals" such as Cats at the Kennedy Center.
"Nothing says comedy like the free-flowing creative vibes of the District of Columbia. There's something about starting and prolonging wars while crushing the working man for your own self interest that really inspires all who gather on this crew," commented Bill Burr.
Conan O’Brien noted how the award's namesake was someone who hated bullies, punched up, deeply empathized with the weak, and was allergic to hypocrisy and loathed racism.
O’Brien added, "Twain was suspicious of populism, jingoism, imperialism, the money excess of the Gilded Age and any expression of mindless American might or self-importance."
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