Bill Maher Draws Louis C.K., Jay Leno for June 28 Mark Twain Prize
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 8
Bill Maher Draws Louis C.K., Jay Leno for June 28 Mark Twain Prize
3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 8
Summary
Louis C.K., Jay Leno and Stephen A. Smith are set to join Bill Maher’s Mark Twain Prize ceremony at the Kennedy Center on June 28, with Netflix filming the event for later streaming.
Whitney Cummings, Woody Harrelson, Arianna Huffington and John Mellencamp are also slated to appear, reflecting Maher’s long-running circle from HBO’s Real Time, which he has hosted since 2003.
The 1998-founded prize honors major American humorists; recent recipients include Kevin Hart in 2024 and Conan O’Brien in 2025, while Leno won in 2014.
Maher’s selection lands amid political friction: Trump, who sued him for $5 million in 2013 and dined with him in April 2025, later blasted him again and objected to the Kennedy Center’s choice in March 2026.