David Letterman Will Receive This Year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

The 2017 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has been revealed. According to The New York Times, this year’s prize will be given out at the Kennedy Center on October 22nd to David Letterman, who joins previous Mark Twain winners Ellen DeGeneres, Carol Burnett, Eddie Murphy, and last year’s winner Bill Murray. “For decades, David Letterman delivered comedy to America that was smart, authentic and, frankly, what many of us came to rely upon to elevate our spirits after a long day,� said Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter in a statement. “Raise your hand if, like me, you shifted your bedtime because you didn’t want to miss a moment of Dave on television lest you not be part of the conversation with friends and co-workers the next day.� Letterman added: “This is an exciting honor. For 33 years, there was no better guest, no greater friend of the show, than Mark Twain. The guy could really tell a story.�