Comedian Bill Maher wins Twain humor prize as the Kennedy Center navigates Trump-era upheaval

WASHINGTON (AP) — Comedian Bill Maher was the impermanent of grant astatine the Kennedy Center connected Sunday night. But President Donald Trump's beingness wasn't acold away.

Just moments aft Maher began to judge the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Matt Friend, a starring impersonator of the president, took to the signifier and, successful Trump's voice, joked that helium would judge the grant himself. Trump was the punchline for different comedians and entertainers, including Whitney Cummings, Jay Leno and Woody Harrelson.

The barbs were notable for unfolding successful an iconic performing arts venue that has go a metaphor for Trump's second-term effort to remake Washington successful his image. But they were besides paired with knocks astatine extremes successful some governmental parties arsenic Maher called retired "groupthink.”

“If you bent astir agelong capable and make thing important enough, everyone hates you astatine immoderate point,” Maher said.

Trump didn't be the ceremony. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was the astir salient subordinate of the medication successful attendance. Other governmental guests included Paul Dans, who helped signifier the Republican Project 2025 agenda. Some Democrats were successful attendance, including Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.

The aboriginal of the Kennedy Center hung implicit the event. Shortly aft Trump returned to the White House successful January 2025, the Republican president fired overmuch of the center's enactment and installed a committee mostly composed of allies. It named Trump arsenic president and his sanction was added to the building's iconic facade, prompting a ineligible conflict that became a proxy combat implicit the grade of the president's power.

Trump aboriginal said the Kennedy Center would adjacent successful July for a two-year renovation. But U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper upended those plans successful May by ruling that Trump's sanction was illegally added to the building, ordering it removed. The justice besides has blocked the closure.

A ineligible saga that became fodder for jokes

Trump's sanction has travel down from the building, successful compliance with the judge's order. But the portion of the gathering erstwhile covered with letters spelling the president's sanction is present shrouded successful a tarp. The afloat closure is connected hold. Lawyers for the Kennedy Center person said they are not readying for present to physique retired programming.

Cooper has asked for an update adjacent period connected however agelong the tarp volition stay connected the building. For now, the last lawsuit scheduled for the Kennedy Center's well-known Concert Hall is “The Freedom Gathering: A Musical Celebration” connected July 3.

The ineligible combat has turned into a saga that astatine points became fodder for jokes astatine the Twain gala.

At 1 point, Harrelson joked “we fixed that" successful a motion to the tribunal bid calling for Trump's sanction to beryllium removed from the building.

Ahead of the ceremony, Lutnick said Trump “wants to marque this gathering sensational.”

But others were much skeptical. As helium walked the reddish carpet up of the ceremony, Leno said Trump’s moves astatine the Kennedy Center were some “hilarious” and astir “vanity.”

“It's not a war,” helium said. “It's not radical getting killed. It's not anti Semitism. It's a silly happening covering a name. I mean what's funnier than that? I mean it's conscionable like, you cognize it's precocious schoolhouse with money.”

Friend said helium felt determination was a “hunger games vibe” arsenic helium entered the building.

“It's crazy,” helium said of the changes Trump has pushed for.

Maher and Trump person a fraught relationship

Given Trump's sway implicit the Kennedy Center, Maher's enactment for the grant was notable due to the fact that the 2 men person agelong had a fraught relationship.

Before helium entered politics, Trump filed a $5 cardinal suit against Maher successful 2013 for breach of contract. Appearing connected Leno’s “The Tonight Show,” Maher said helium would springiness $5 cardinal to the foundation of Trump’s prime if Trump could beryllium helium was not “the spawn of his parent having enactment with an orangutan.”

Trump claimed that erstwhile helium provided his commencement certificate, Maher did not wage up, prompting the lawsuit. Trump ended up dropping it.

The Trump-Maher narration exploded again earlier this year, erstwhile the president claimed connected societal media that helium wasted clip sitting down for a repast with the comedian past year.

Maher hosted Vice President JD Vance connected his amusement heading into the weekend. Vance, who is promoting a book, said helium watches the amusement and laughed astatine Maher's monologue “even though you were making amusive of me.” During the interview, Maher pressed Vance connected the Iran war, migration enforcement and predetermination conspiracy theories.

“You guys person 2 outcomes that an predetermination tin be,” Maher told Vance. “Either we triumph oregon they cheated. That s—- has to stop.”

The Twain prize ceremonial volition aerial connected Netflix connected July 21.

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Associated Press videojournalist John Carucci contributed to this report.

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