Comedian Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize for American humor
Kevin Hart wiped away tears on stage as he looked up from the bronze bust on a pedestal to the trio of comedy legends who had come to witness his professional highlight.
In the VIP balcony of the Kennedy Center opera house, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle sat side by side, watching Hart accept the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night.
“I didn’t start doing what I was doing to get awards,” Hart said. “I just fell in love with the idea of comedy.”
Hart rose from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his country’s most recognizable performers — honing a signature style that combines his diminutive height, expressive face and motor-mouth delivery into an arena-packing stand-up act. He became the latest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a raucous ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Celebrities and prominent comedians joined in the tribute to Hart, with several specifically citing the comic’s work ethic, positivity and relentless dedication to his art.
“He’s just inspirational,” said comic Nikki Glazer on the red carpet. “He’s one of the most naturally talented people I’ve met. But he also loves himself, which is not something you can say about every successful comic.”