Letterman wins Mark Twain Prize

LIKE Mark Twain, David Letterman distinguished himself as a cockeyed, deadpan observer of American behaviour and, later in life, for his prodigious and distinctive facial hair. Now the two satirists share a further connection: On Tuesday, Letterman was named the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the award granted annually by the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Letterman, the former host of NBC’s LateNight and CBS’s Late Show, stepped aside from his innovative after-hours comedy programmes in 2015 to pursue other passions and cultivate a topiary-like beard. He will officially receive the prize in a ceremony that will be held October 22.

Deborah F Rutter, the president of the Kennedy Center, said in a statement: “For decades, David Letterman delivered comedy to America that was smart, authentic and, frankly, what many of us came to rely upon to elevate our spirits after a long day. Raise your hand if, like me, you shifted your bedtime because you didn’t want to miss a moment of Dave on television lest you not be part of the conversation with friends and co-workers the next day.”

Letterman said in a statement: “This is an exciting honour. For 33 years, there was no better guest, no greater friend of the show, than Mark Twain. The guy could really tell a story.”

Previous winners of the Mark Twain Prize include Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett and Ellen DeGeneres.