Bill Maher to receive Mark Twain Prize at Kennedy Center after White House denied reports

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN

(CNN) — TV host Bill Maher will receive the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Kennedy Center announced on Thursday — just days after the White House denied that the comedian would be awarded the honor.

The annual award, which is given by the Kennedy Center, will be presented to Maher on June 28, right before the performing arts center closes for a two-year renovation. The center has faced slumping sales and cancellations from performers in response to President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the institution, which has included a controversial name change.

“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,” Maher quipped in a statement. “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.”

Following reports last week that Maher would receive the Mark Twain Prize, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN, “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award.”

Maher has been a vocal critic of Trump’s policies on his HBO program “Real Time with Bill Maher.” (The show is also presented on CNN on Saturdays. HBO and CNN are both part of Warner Bros. Discovery.) He has, at times, been a target of Trump’s ire but also drew criticism after having dinner with Trump and praising him.

In Thursday’s announcement, Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, acknowledged Maher’s “politically incorrect” jokes.

“For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy,” said Daravi. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse – one politically incorrect joke at a time.”

Trump and Maher’s dinner together was in 2025 at the White House. It was arranged by the entertainer Kid Rock to give them an opportunity to speak directly.

However, despite going on his show to tout Trump after the dinner, their relationship has remained tense, with Trump criticizing Maher on his Truth Social platform in recent weeks, including calling the comedian a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT” last month.

Past recipients of the Mark Twain Prize include Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Billy Crystal, Jon Stewart and Adam Sandler. A gala to present the award, typically held at the Kennedy Center, brings together comedians and entertainers.

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CNN’s Sunlen Serfaty and Donald Judd contributed to this report.