Bill Maher on the Mark Twain Prize, Trump and the progressive left
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Key Points:
- Bill Maher received the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, recognizing his decades-long career as a politically incisive comedian known for critiquing both sides of the aisle.
- The award ceremony took place at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center, where controversy arose due to former President Donald Trump's role as chairman of the Kennedy Center's board and his attempt to rename the memorial.
- Maher recounted a contentious relationship with Trump, including a 2025 White House dinner and subsequent public attacks by Trump after Maher described the dinner as not terrible.
- Despite identifying as an "old-school liberal," Maher criticized both Republicans for refusing to acknowledge Biden's 2020 victory and Democrats for being "cowardly" and increasingly radical, expressing openness to voting for Republican JD Vance in 2028.
- The 2026 Mark Twain Prize ceremony is available to stream on Netflix starting Tuesday.
