
Conan O’Brien is set to join the list of late-night hosts fêted by the Kennedy Center. The comedian has been named this year’s recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
O’Brien is the fourth late-night host to earn the honor, following Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Jon Stewart. (Past recipients also include a number of former SNL cast members, as well as creator Lorne Michaels.)
The former late-night host will be celebrated this coming March in the annual ceremony, which traditionally features about a dozen big-name colleagues of the honoree each paying tribute in their own words, before an (often comedic) acceptance speech by the winner.
Awarded annually since 1998, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is one of comedy’s top awards, recognizing individuals whose contributions and impact echo 19th-century writer and satirist Mark Twain.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts President Deborah F. Rutter cited O’Brien’s “unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious” in its decision to hand him the honor this year.
O’Brien displayed some of that wit in the official statement that coincided with his nomination. “I am honored to be the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize recognized not for humor, but for my work as a riverboat pilot,” he said, referencing a job that the real Twain once held.
“From Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons… to late night, podcasts, and all things Team Coco, Conan is a master of invention and reinvention, consistently pushing the envelope in search of new comedic heights,” Rutter added.
Indeed, O’Brien has stretched his career in new directions since departing late-night television in 2021. Within a year, he sold his podcast company to SiriusXM for approximately $150 million. In addition to his continuing Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, he now hosts the Max travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go, and will make his debut as Oscars host on March 2nd.
It won’t be O’Brien’s first time attending the Mark Twain Prize ceremony. Michaels has taken the stage three times in previous years’ ceremonies to honor comedy colleagues: Lorne Michaels in 2004, Will Ferrell in 2011, and Adam Sandler in 2023.
“I’m bitter. I wish some of this for myself,” O’Brien joked on the red carpet at Ferrell’s ceremony.
O’Brien will get that wish on March 23rd. The event will stream on Netflix at a later date, to be announced.