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Conan O’Brien Will Receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

On March 23, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will present Conan O'Brien with the 26th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Back in 1993, Conan O’Brien’s career seemed like it might end before it really even began when NBC nearly canceled his fledging 12:30 am talk show, convinced they’d made a mistake by handing over David Letterman’s desk to an unknown comedy writer barely out of his twenties. “For four decades, Conan O’Brien, has brought his unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious into our homes,” Deborah F. Rutter, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, said in a statement. Over the years, it’s been handed out to everyone from Carl Reiner and Neil Simon to Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, and Dave Chapelle.

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