Overview
- The Mark Twain Prize ceremony for Bill Maher took place Sunday, June 28, with Maher formally accepting the lifetime humor award in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
- Performers repeatedly referenced President Trump during the event and impersonator Matt Friend interrupted Maher's acceptance in a Trump voice, while many jokes reflected the institution's political tensions.
- In May U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the addition of Trump's name to the Kennedy Center facade was illegal, ordered its removal, and blocked the planned multi-year closure and renovation.
- Although the letters were taken down, the spot remains covered by a tarp, the center has paused rebuilding its schedule and the court has asked the Kennedy Center for updates on how long the restrictions will continue.
- The filmed ceremony will stream on Netflix on July 21 and the dispute has produced practical effects for artists, ticket sales, staffing and the center's near-term calendar while raising questions about presidential influence over cultural institutions.