Jon Stewart will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a special gala performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Stewart is now the 23rd comedian to receive this prestigious award, which honors a lifetime achievement in comedy. The ceremony will take place on April 24, 2022.
Stewart rose to popularity through his work as a stand-up comedian and late-night talk show host. His main claim to fame is as the host of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which he hosted from 1999-2015. The Daily Show revolutionized news and political satire, and it helped launch the careers of several other talk show hosts including Jon Oliver, Stephen Colbert, and Samantha Bee. Currently, Jon Stewart hosts The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+ which analyzes a different national or global issue in every episode.
“For more than three decades, Jon Stewart has brightened our lives and challenged our minds as he delivers current events and social satire with his trademark wit and wisdom,” said Kennedy Center President, Deborah F. Rutter, in a statement. “For me, tuning into his television programs over the years has always been equal parts entertainment and truth.”
Stewart has never been shy when it comes to criticizing politicians or political talking heads through humor or just being direct. One of his most notorious appearances was in 2004 on the CNN show Crossfire, hosted by Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala. Stewart criticized the two for participating in partisan hackery and said that calling Crossfire a political debate show was like “saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.” The segment went viral and essentially led to CNN canceling the show three months later.
Stewart Has Been An Activist For Veterans Since Leaving The Daily Show
Now, Stewart has remained an activist especially for veterans and first responders. Stewart has actively been urging congress to take care of the many first responders who continue to have health defects since 9/11. He is currently urging Congress to take care of veterans who are impacted by negative toxins that emerge from burn pits, a topic he addressed on his Apple TV+ show.
The Kennedy Center Celebration of American Humor has been taking place every year since 1998 when Richard Pryor won the inaugural Mark Twain award, per THR. However, the 2022 performance will be the first since 2019 when Dave Chappelle won since the previous shows could not be held due to COVID-19. Previous winners of the award include Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, Bill Murray, Carl Reiner, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Carol Burnett, George Carlin, and SNL creator Lorne Michaels.
