NPR's Newsmakers
Comedian Bill Maher received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor while discussing his long-running career and his controversial interactions with President Trump. Maher defended his approach to political discourse, emphasizing the value of engaging with those across the political spectrum.
Why it matters
The article touches on the intersection of entertainment, political polarization, and the role of public figures in national discourse.
Bill Maher received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor this summer. He accepted it onstage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which President Trump attempted to rebrand as the Trump-Kennedy Center before a judge forced his administration to remove his name from the building's facade by June 12.
The honor was received by a comedian who has endured on nighttime television for 33 years, most recently on the HBO program Real Time with Bill Maher.
"Thirty-three years," Maher said on NPR's video podcast Newsmakers. "You know, if it ended tomorrow, I think we can say it did not come out to be a failure." He joked that he has lasted so long thanks to "the best pot" and the "best tequila."
He later clarified that he limits his drinking and tries to eat well. But the part about pot was true.
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