Bill Maher to Receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Bill Maher has officially been confirmed as the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

There had been some uncertainty surrounding whether the renowned comedian and long-time host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher would indeed receive the prestigious humor award. Initial reports from The Atlantic, citing anonymous sources, suggested he was a recipient, which led White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to label it as "fake news." Nevertheless, the Kennedy Center has now verified the announcement.

“For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy,” stated Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's Vice President of Public Relations. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse – one politically incorrect joke at a time.”

Is President Trump, who chairs the Kennedy Center's board, aware of the humorous context? Maher previously dined with Trump at the White House; despite being more conservative than many of his fellow comedians, their interaction seemed to sour Trump's opinion of Maher, as he subsequently referred to him on social media as a "highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT."

Maher's sharp humor has targeted both political parties, with a notable increase in his critiques of Trump lately, specifically addressing his decisions regarding a potential war with Iran and his staffing choices.

"Trump said, 'when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.' Um, who's 'we?'" Maher remarked in a recent monologue.