Overview
- Multiple outlets, including The Atlantic and CNN, reported that Bill Maher had been chosen for the 2026 Mark Twain Prize, with CNN saying he had been told but had not yet accepted.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declared the reports false, stating, “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award,” a message echoed by communications director Steven Cheung on X.
- The Atlantic reported that the White House contacted the Kennedy Center after its story ran to make clear that Maher would not receive the prize, an account not independently confirmed by the center.
- The Kennedy Center has issued no official announcement naming a 2026 honoree, leaving the status of the award unclear after the public pushback.
- The Mark Twain Prize gala streams on Netflix and this year’s event was set to precede a two‑year renovation, with the episode unfolding against Trump’s overhaul of the center and his recent public feud with Maher.