The comedians arrived in Washington, D.C. as Kevin Hart was honored Sunday night at the Kennedy Center. for a lifetime achievement award in comedy.
Despite hosting the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the night largely stayed away from politics, save for a few jokes.
Hart told DailyMail.com on the red carpet that he avoids addressing political issues in his comedy because “I don’t associate the idea of politics with humor.”
Meanwhile, Chris Rock said there are some “dark days” ahead if Donald Trump wins in 2024.
Comedian Kevin Hart received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Sunday night at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Hart appeared on the red carpet Sunday night with his four children and wife Eniko.
Chelsea Handler joked that Hart formed his own “border crisis” by traveling across the Canada-U.S. border when he was filming a movie during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiffany Haddish said on stage that she found her new ‘baby daddy’ after a man who ‘looks like he works in Congress’ laughed heartily at all her jokes.
There was an absolutely packed stage of comedians performing for Hart in the nation’s capital on Sunday, including D.C. native Dave Chappelle, who said he skipped a trip to Jamaica to be there.
Elite appearances include Jerry Seinfeld; Lil Dicky, a rapper whose real name is Dave Burd; Jimmy Fallon, who performed an original comedy song about Hart; Nick Cannon; JB Smoove; Keith Robinson, who suffered two strokes but still showed up; Hart’s longtime co-star Regina Hall; and brief musical performances by Robin Thicke and Nelly.
The recording of the award, along with the musical and comedy acts, will air as a special on Netflix on May 11 after airing years earlier on Comedy Central and then PBS. CNN broadcast the awards in 2023.
Dave Rubenstein, president of the Mark Twain Prize, hosted his final event Sunday night and delivered one of the best political remarks of the evening.
He said author and humorist Twain would be 214 years old if he were alive to see the award presented to Hart. Rubenstein said that would be “pretty much the age you can run for president” amid a race for the White House between President Joe Biden, 81, and former President Trump, 77.
Comedian Chris Rock (right) was among the list of guest appearances at the event honoring Hart. During his onstage presentation, Rock said ‘dark days are ahead’ if Donald Trump wins in 2024
Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish (left) and rapper Lil Dicky (right) also came to honor Hart when he received the Mark Twain Award on Sunday.
Hart was emotional as he accepted his award, with tears streaming down his face as he greeted everyone who performed and honored him, as well as his family.
“How do you bridge the gap and navigate comedy with so much political division?” DailyMail.com asked Hart on the Kennedy Center red carpet.
‘That’s a great question. I mean, honestly, I don’t really participate in it,” she said. ‘I am a product of bringing people together. You know, my comedy is global, and when you’re global, you’re in an environment where laughter is the priority.’
“It doesn’t mean that I’m against political humor, it’s more that I understand my lane and I do what I do very well,” he added.
Hart concluded: “For me, I don’t associate the idea of politics with humor.”
Overall, the comedians who spoke to DailyMail.com on Sunday night didn’t seem concerned about staying politically correct in the country’s most divisive era, but they acknowledged that “cancel culture is real.”
Awards show writer Nefetari Spencer says she hopes she doesn’t divide anyone with the jokes made for the special.
“I think now, with the political things going on in our country, I think for me, as a writer, my goal is to bring happiness to people,” she told DailyMail.com on the pre-show red carpet. So my jokes should not be divisive in any way. “It’s not to offend anyone on any side, no matter what side you’re on.”
“My goal is to bring happiness and spread love, because I think that’s important and what we all need right now,” Spencer added.