Stewart accepts Mark Twain Prize
Jon Stewart, accepting the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, warned Sunday that speculation about the future of comedy amid increased audience cultural sensitivity was ignoring a true and enduring threat: authoritarian governments around the world.
“Comedy doesn’t change the world, but it’s a bellwether,” Stewart said. “When a society feels under threat, comedians are who get sent away first.”
Stewart pointed to Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef, whose Stewartinspired political comedy show earned him both fame and self-imposed exile. Youssef ’s story is “an example of the true threat to comedy,” Stewart said.
The intersection of comedy and politics was the main theme as celebrities and comedy royalty gathered to honor Stewart, who set the modern template for mixing the topics during his 16-year run hosting TV’s “The Daily Show.”
Stewart, the 23rd recipient of the prize, was honored in testimonials from fellow comedians and previous Mark Twain Prize recipients. Several of the speakers were former “Daily Show” correspondents, including Samantha Bee, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and John Oliver.
Simon’s papers go to Library of Congress: Dozens of notebooks, scripts, speeches, drafts of letters and artwork owned by the late playwright Neil Simon have been donated to the Library of Congress. The collection offers historians and researchers access to the creative process of American theater’s most successful and prolific playwright.
The collection includes about 7,700 items documenting the evolution of Simon’s plays and screenplays, including “Barefoot in the Park,” “The Sunshine Boys,” “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Lost in Yonkers.”
Simon was nominated for 14 Tony Awards and won three, in addition to a special prize for contribution to the theater. He also won the Pulitzer Prize, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and a Kennedy Center honor. He died in 2018.
Megan Thee Stallion recounts party incident: Megan Thee Stallion claims fellow rapper Tory Lanez offered her $1 million to keep quiet after he allegedly shot her foot, and says she told authorities she stepped on glass because she was afraid police would open fire.
Megan was moved to tears as she recounted the 2020 incident during an interview that aired Monday on “CBS Mornings,” claiming Lanez opened fire following an argument after leaving a party at reality star Kylie Jenner’s house in Los Angeles.
“I look down at my feet and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ I’m really bleeding,” Megan said during the emotional interview.
Megan, 27, says the argument occurred because she was ready to leave the party when others weren’t, and claims Lanez said “dance” and shot at her multiple times. She claims Lanez apologized moments after firing the weapon. “He said, ‘I’m so sorry. Please don’t tell nobody. I’ll give y’all $1 million if y’all don’t say nothing,’ ” Megan said.
Police were called to the scene, said Megan, who recalled “many” officers and helicopters arriving.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, we’re all about to die.’ The George Floyd incident had just happened,” Megan said. “… I didn’t want them to kill any of us or shoot any of us, so I just said, ‘I stepped on glass.’ ”
Lanez, 29, has denied Megan’s claim and pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the incident. April 26 birthdays: Actor Carol Burnett is 89. Singer Maurice Williams is 84. Actor Giancarlo Esposito is 64. Actor Joan Chen is 61. Actor Jet Li is 59. Actor Kevin James is 57. Actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste is 55. Singer T-Boz is 52. Actor Jordana Brewster is 42. Actor Channing Tatum is 42. Actor Emily Wickersham is 38.