Topline
The Kennedy Center, whose facade remains draped in tarps since the removal of President Donald Trump’s name following a court order, hosted the annual Mark Twain Prize ceremony, where the award’s recipient, Bill Maher, and other comics took several jibes at the president.
Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher, center left, applauds for John Mellencamp during the 27th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Celebrating Bill Maher.
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Key Facts
Maher—who has both praised and attacked the president several times in the past year—was asked about the tarp on the red carpet and said, “I think it’s hysterical,” and only Trump could think of something like this, Deadline reported.
When asked about his mixed relationship with the president, Maher told CNN the last few times Trump has talked about him in public, it’s “all back to yelling and screaming…we’re back to that.”
Maher, however, insisted that he prefers the “fighting and yelling” if that keeps channels of communication between him and Trump open, rather than thinking the president was “too deplorable to even acknowledge.”
According to Deadline, former Late Night talk show host Jay Leno also chimed in on the tarp, calling it “hilarious” and saying it was a “silly thing covering a name…it’s high school with money.”
The tarp has remained in place for more than two weeks now, and it was first put in place while workers removed Trump’s name from the building’s facade after a federal court ruled that the effort to rename the center was unlawful.
What Did Comedians Say About Trump During The Ceremony?
While speaking on stage, actor Woody Harrelson joked about the center’s attempted name change, saying: “Finally, an award for my dear friend — ironically at the Trump Kennedy Center…Oh right, we fixed that…Not so as you’d be able to notice.” Comedian Whitney Cummings later said, “I actually heard Trump may come tonight but he couldn’t make it…He got caught in sex traffic.” When Maher came on stage to accept the award, he was interrupted by comedian and impressionist Matt Friend, who mimicked the president’s voice and said: “Hold on, Bill — I’m going to let you finish…Why are we giving this low-ratings, lightweight jerk the Mark Twain award?” Insisting that he gets “so many more laughs than this guy,” Friend insisted he should be given the award while still impersonating Trump. Maher then quipped, “Just take it. I am used to losing awards.”
crucial quote
In his acceptance speech, the comedian—who has criticized both the left and the right—said: “when either side gets mad at me because I put them in jokes, jokes that work, my message to them is simple: You want to not get mocked? Stop being funny. Then the jokes will work. When they are ridiculous, they do work, and when people laugh, you’re caught.”
key background
Late last month, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s name cannot be added to the Kennedy Center without an act of Congress. The judge also ruled that Trump’s name had to be removed from the center’s signage, which at the time read “The Donald J. Trump And The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts.” After a failed attempt by Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board to fight the ruling, the president’s name was eventually removed. However, the name removal drew interest from locals and the media, resulting in crowds gathering in front of the center and livestreams of the facade. This led to workers placing tarps in front of the facade as they removed Trump’s name. The tarp has remained in place for more than two weeks now and has been blasted by the president’s critics as a “literal cover-up.”
further reading
One Week After Kennedy Center Removed Trump’s Name—Tarps Still Block Sign (Forbes)
