Underneath the opulent chandeliers in the VIP balcony of the Kennedy Center opera house, comedy legends sat shoulder to shoulder on Sunday evening. As all eyes, including those of Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and the previous year’s award recipient, Dave Chappelle, turned to the stage, Kevin Hart steeped in the spotlight. His eyes welled with tears as he humbly faced the bronze bust on its pedestal and accepted the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for his lifetime achievement in the realm of comedy.
“I didn’t start doing what I was doing to get awards,” Hart confessed to the hum of the hushed crowd, as raw emotion crept into his voice. “I just fell in love with the idea of comedy.”
It was a rise rooted in perseverance and raw talent that brought Hart from the open-mic nights and echoing laughter of his native Philadelphia’s comedy clubs to become one of the nation’s most cherished comics. His signature style, weaving together his unmissable expressive face, the lion-hearted delivery of his lines, and his dynamo rapier wit, had evolved into an act that filled arenas to the brim. It was this blend that earned him his place as the latest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor during the heartily enjoyed celebration at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
A star-studded cast of celebrities and revered comedians lent their voices to Hart’s homage, pin-pointing his optimism, tireless work ethic, and unwavering dedication to the craft of comedy.
Comic Nikki Glazer gushed about Hart’s exceptional talent as she stepped onto the red carpet. “He’s just inspirational,” she said warmly, “He’s one of the most naturally talented people I’ve ever met.”
But it wasn’t all glitz and glamour. J.B. Smoove, another comedy titan and familiar face in the business, remembered a young, relentless Hart who was almost too eager to learn. “Honestly, when he was first starting out, he was a pest,” Smoove chuckled, “but he was always picking up pieces from here or there, always learning from people and never afraid to learn.”
The lively evening swung into full gear with a spirited duet from Robin Thicke and Nelly, and quickly morphed into a celebrity roast. Tongue-in-cheek jabs at Hart’s height were interspersed with teasing critiques of his wildly successful but sometimes irregular quality work. According to IMDB, Hart has credits in 93 films and TV shows, with nine currently in the pipeline.
Regina Hall, a co-star familiar with Hart’s career, made one such roast, emphasizing Hart’s ability to bring home the bacon, “Kevin really cares about the quality … of the check,” she quipped.
Dave Chappelle, known for his characteristic humor, struck a more serious note, calling Hart “a very powerful dreamer” — a sentiment that echoed throughout the opera house. Chappelle spoke candidly about Hart’s level of ambition, reminding the audience of the time Hart sold out Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, a 53,000-seat football stadium, in 2015. An achievement Chappelle admired. “You made me dream bigger, and you’re younger than me,” he declared to Hart.
Hart’s rollercoaster career began with his first film “Paper Soldiers” in 2002 and solidified with a string of scene-stealing roles in popular movies, including 2005’s “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin.” His astounding success in cinema has now racked up a global gross of more than $4.23 billion in revenue.
For a quarter of a century, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated performers who have left an indelible impression on humor and culture. The bronze bust of Twain that each honoree receives symbolizes the impact of the iconic American writer and satirist on the field of comedy, a true token of a lifetime of laughs. Over the years, the award has lauded the comedic prowess of Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, and Dave Chappelle, among others.
