Bill Maher will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Kennedy Center announced Thursday. The award recognizes merit in humor and has celebrated great minds in comedy for nearly three decades.
The announcement comes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt recently dismissed reports of Maher receiving the honor as “fake news.” Maher, a satirist and talk show host, has been critical of President Trump and political correctness.
The comedian has had a complex relationship with Donald Trump, and has been influencing American discourse for years.
A ceremony honoring Maher will be aired on Netflix in June.