Bill Maher accepts Twain humor prize as the Kennedy Center navigates Trump-era upheaval

U.S. newsBill Maher accepts Twain humor prize as the Kennedy Center navigates Trump-era upheaval“If you hang around long enough and create something important enough, everyone hates you at some point,” Maher said Sunday night.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Bill Maher attends the 27th Mark Twain Prize For American Humor Gala at The Kennedy Center on Sunday. Paul Morigi / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 29, 2026, 4:20 AM EDTBy The Associated PressComedian Bill Maher was the guest of honor at the Kennedy Center on Sunday night. But President Donald Trump’s presence wasn’t far away.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.Just moments after Maher began to accept the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Matt Friend, a leading impersonator of the president, took to the stage and, in Trump’s voice, joked that he would accept the award himself. Trump was a punchline for other comedians and entertainers, including Whitney Cummings, Jay Leno and Woody Harrelson.For the most part, the barbs weren’t particularly biting. Cummings, for instance, said that under Trump’s influence, the Kennedy Center would host “white ‘Hamilton.’” And once Friend left the stage, Maher largely steered clear of hitting the president. The commentary was nonetheless notable for unfolding in an iconic performing arts venue that Trump has gone to extraordinary lengths to bend to his favor, leaving its future in the coming years uncertain.Accepting the award, Maher derided extremes in both political parties, rejecting what he called “groupthink.”“If you hang around long enough and create something important enough, everyone hates you at some point,” Maher said.The ceremony in the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall wasn’t purely political. There were plenty of jokes about Maher’s fondness for marijuana, his rejection of organized religion and his penchant for controversy, including comments he made shor...