White House Says Bill Maher Isn’t Getting the Mark Twain Prize … But Was He Offered It?

Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Breaking news: HBO ‘s Real Time host Bill Maher will not be receiving this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the prestigious comedy award handed out each year by The Kennedy Center. However, The Atlantic reports that Maher was offered the award from the institution now called the Trump Kennedy Center … before the White House intervened to stop it. “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Hollywood Reporter . Related Stories TV John Lithgow Says He Almost Backed Out of Playing Dumbledore in HBO's 'Harry Potter' Over J.K. Rowling Backlash Lifestyle 'Big Little Lies' Author Liane Moriarty to Release Sequel 'Big Little Truths' The Mark Twain Prize has been awarded since 1998 (last year’s honoree was Conan O’Brien, shortly after President Trump installed his own board of directors and a new director in Ric Grenell). Grenell has since left the institution, which will also close for two years to undergo extensive renovations. Maher would not be out of place as an honoree (past recipients included Jon Stewart, David Letterman, Tina Fey, and Kevin Hart, among many others), except for his on again, off again feud with President Trump, who has taken an interest in the recipients of the Center’s honorees. Maher had dinner with Trump last year, at the invitation of their mutual friend Kid Rock, but in February Trump called it a “waste of time.” “Fortunately, his Television Ratings are so low that nobody will learn about his various Fake News statements about me,” he added. “He is no different than Kimmel, Fallon, or Colbert but, I must admit, slightly more talented!” Maher responded on his HBO show, explaining the dinner and their interactions afterward. “It’s a shame...