Comedians came to Washington, DC as Kevin Hart was honored at the Kennedy Center on Sunday night. for a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy.
Despite the venue for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the evening largely stayed away from politics, save for a few jokes.
Hart told DailyMail.com on the red carpet that he avoids addressing political topics in his comedy because “the idea of politics is not something I associate with humor.”
Meanwhile, Chris Rock said there are some “dark days ahead” if Donald Trump wins in 2024.
Comedian Kevin Hart received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday evening at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC
Hart appeared on the red carpet on Sunday evening with all four of his children and his wife Eniko
Chelsea Handler joked that Hart posed his own “border crisis” by traveling across the Canada-US border while filming a movie during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiffany Haddish said on stage that she found her new “baby daddy” after a man “who looks like he works in Congress” laughed enthusiastically at all her jokes.
There was an absolutely stacked stage of comedians who came to Hart on Sunday in the nation’s capital — including D.C. native Dave Chappelle, who said he skipped a trip to Jamaica to attend.
Elite performances included Jerry Seinfeld; Lil Dicky, a rapper whose real name is Dave Burd; Jimmy Fallon, who sang an original comedy song about Hart; Nick Cannon; J.B. Smoove; Keith Robinson, who suffered two strokes but still showed up; Regina Hall, Hart’s longtime co-star; and short musical performances by Robin Thicke and Nelly.
The award recording, along with the musical and comedy acts, will air as a special on Netflix on May 11, after being released years earlier on Comedy Central and then on PBS. CNN will broadcast the awards in 2023.
Dave Rubenstein, chairman of the Mark Twain Prize, hosted his closing event on Sunday night and delivered one of the best political zingers of the evening.
He said author and humorist Twain would be 214 years old if he were alive to see the award presented to Hart. Rubenstein said this would be “just about the age at which you can run for president” amid a race for the White House between President Joe Biden, 81, and former President Trump, 77.
Comedian Chris Rock (right) was among the stacked list of guest appearances at the event honoring Hart. During his onstage appearance, Rock said there will be “dark days ahead” if Donald Trump wins in 2024
Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish (left) and rapper Lil Dicky (right) also came to honor Hart as he accepted the Mark Twain Prize on Sunday
Hart became emotional as he accepted his award, tears streaming down his face as he gave a shout out to everyone who performed and honored him, as well as his family.
“How do you bridge the gap and navigate comedy with so much political division,” DailyMail.com asked Hart on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center.
‘That’s a great question. “I mean, to be honest, I don’t really participate in it,” he said. ‘I am a product of bringing people together. You know, my comedy is one that’s global – and when you’re global, you’re in an environment where laughter is the priority.”
“It doesn’t mean I’m against political humor, it’s just more that I understand my field and I do very well at what I do,” he added.
Hart concluded, “The idea of politics for me is not something that I associate with humor.”
Overall, comedians who spoke to DailyMail.com on Sunday evening did not seem concerned about remaining politically correct in the country’s more divisive era – but acknowledged that “cancel culture is real.”
Awards writer Nefetari Spencer says she hopes no one is divided by the jokes made for the special.
“I think given the political things that are happening in our country, I think for me, as a writer, my focus is to bring happiness to people,” she told DailyMail.com on the red carpet before the show. So my jokes are not intended to be divisive. “There’s no intention to offend anyone on any side, no matter which side you’re on.”
“My focus is on bringing happiness and spreading love because I think that’s important and what we all need right now,” Spencer added.