Bill Maher to Receive Mark Twain Prize Amid Kennedy Center Legal Turmoil

Bill Maher will be honored with the 27th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will be one of the venue’s last major on‑stage events before a two‑year renovation that has been stalled by a federal court ruling.

The Mark Twain Prize, created in 1998, rewards individuals who have shaped American humor and commentary. Past honorees include Conan O’Brien, Dave Chappelle, Julia Louis‑Dreyfus, David Letterman, Carol Burnett and Tina Fey. The Kennedy Center announced Maher’s selection in March, describing him as a comedian who has “long influenced American comedy one politically incorrect joke at a time.” The award will be presented in the Center’s Concert Hall, a venue that has hosted the ceremony for most years.

Maher’s career has been defined by political satire. He hosted Politically Incorrect from 1993 to 2002 and has hosted HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher since 2003. The comedian produced the documentary Religulous and served on the board of PETA. His work earned him a Hollywood Walk of Fame star and multiple Emmy nominations.

The Kennedy Center has been the focus of a high‑profile legal dispute. In February 2025, President Donald Trump removed the Center’s trustees, installed a board of allies, and renamed the institution the “Trump‑Kennedy Center.” He also announced plans to close the venue in July for a two‑year renovation. A U.S. District Judge, Christopher Cooper, ruled in May that Trump’s name could not be added to the building’s façade and that the planned closure was illegal. The judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name and the halt of the shutdown. The Center’s executive director confirmed that the name has been removed, but a tarp now covers the area where the letters once stood.

Maher and Trump have a long history of public spats. In 2013, Trump filed a $5 million lawsuit against Maher for breach of contract after the comedian challenged him on The Tonight Show. Trump later withdrew the suit. Earlier this year, Trump posted on social media that he had been “wasted” by a dinner with Maher in the Oval Office, calling the comedian nervous and lacking confidence. Maher responded on Real Time that Trump was “gracious and measured” and that he was not scared.

The White House reacted strongly to the announcement of Maher’s award. Communications director Steven Cheung posted on social media that the story was “literally FAKE NEWS,” and Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Maher would “NOT be getting this award.” The Kennedy Center later confirmed the selection after further discussions with event organizers.

The ceremony will feature several other celebrities, many of whom have had contentious relationships with Trump. Woody Harrelson, Arianna Huffington, Jay Leno, and sports analyst Stephen A. Smith are expected to attend. Smith recently criticized Trump for attending the NBA Finals in New York.

The event is scheduled to take place before the Center’s next major program, The Freedom Gathering: A Musical Celebration, set for July 3. The Center’s lawyers have stated that the court’s order does not require the rescheduling of previously canceled programming.

In summary, Bill Maher’s receipt of the Mark Twain Prize will occur against a backdrop of legal battles over the Kennedy Center’s name and future operations. The award ceremony will likely be one of the last large public events at the venue before the building’s renovation is resumed.