Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Jon Stewart to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Entertainer and activist Jon Stewart at the Capitol in Washington, on May 26, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP) Entertainer and activist Jon Stewart at the Capitol in Washington, on May 26, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)
Share

Comedian Jon Stewart, whose irreverent brand of political and media satire made him a beloved figure on television, will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington in April, becoming the 23rd recipient of the prize.

The national prize is named after novelist and essayist Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by his pen name Mark Twain. Richard Pryor was the first recipient of the prize; its last recipient was Dave Chappelle.

"For more than three decades, Jon Stewart has brightened our lives and challenged our minds as he delivers current events and social satire with his trademark wit and wisdom," the Kennedy Center said in a statement on Wednesday.

Stewart will be honoured on April 24 in Washington, in a televised ceremony, the first for the award since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am truly honoured to receive this award," Stewart said, according to the statement.

In 2021, six years after he quit his satirical "The Daily Show," Stewart returned to television with a new venture looking at current affairs in depth. "The Problem With Jon Stewart" was launched on the Apple TV+ streaming platform on Sept. 30.

Stewart's satire made him a beloved figure with influence far beyond the 2 million to 3 million nightly audience of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central. "The Daily Show" won 20 Emmy Awards during his 16-year stint as host, and boosted the careers of other comedians, including Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Samantha Bee. Its current host is Trevor Noah.

After stepping aside in 2015, Stewart made only infrequent public appearances, including advocating for wounded veterans and for healthcare benefits for first responders who became ill after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, before making a comeback on the Apple TV+ streaming platform.

In 2020, he wrote and directed "Irresistible," a political comedy film starring Steve Carell, that drew mixed reviews.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.

Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.