*The Kennedy Center is set to honor Dave Chappelle with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor during a ceremony in New York later this year.
The prize recognizes influencers who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to novelist and essayist Mark Twain.
Last year’s honoree was Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Past winners have included Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, Eddie Murphy, Lily Tomlin and the late-great George Carlin.
“Dave is one of the truly original voices in comedy — the definition of a creative artist,” Matthew Winer, director of comedy and special programming at the Kennedy Center, said to NPR. “He’s a modern-day sociologist, skewering stereotypes, defying boundaries and showing us that laughter can be a way to contextualize issues that we struggle to understand.”
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Breaking news: #DaveChappelle is the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor!
Thanks to our presenting sponsor, @CapitalOne, for bringing laughter to the community & helping us celebrate the unparalleled career of a comedy legend. #TwainPrize pic.twitter.com/9LbAbbeECF
— The Kennedy Center (@kencen) May 7, 2019
“Dave is the embodiment of Mark Twain’s observation that ‘against the assault of humor, nothing can stand,’ ” Deborah F. Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, said in a prepared statement. “For three decades, Dave has challenged us to see hot-button issues from his entirely original yet relatable perspective.”
The comedian is best known for his sketch series, “Chappelle’s Show,” which earned three Emmy nominations. He famously walked away from a reported $50 million deal for Seasons 3 and 4, and then disappeared from the spotlight and fled to South Africa for two weeks.
Last year, two of his Netflix comedy specials — “Equanimity” and “The Bird Revelation” — won Grammy awards for best comedy album. “Equanimity” also won an Emmy for outstanding variety special.
Chappelle will receive the Mark Twain prize in a ceremony and gala performance October 27.
The program will also air on PBS on January 6.
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