Comedian rebukes bullies as he accepts Mark Twain prize for humour

Conan O’Brien condemned “bullies” as he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.

The TV funnyman was presented with the honour at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on Sunday with stars, including Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell, Tracy Morgan, and Adam Sandler all taking to the stage to salute Conan’s career in the entertainment industry.

After being presented with the award by fellow TV star David Letterman, O’Brien used his acceptance speech to delve into the values held by Twain, declaring that the writer “hated bullies” and “loathed racism”.

He told the audience: “Accepting an award named after Mark Twain is a responsibility. One cannot invoke Twain without understanding who he was and what he stood for. Yes, he is America’s greatest humorist, but his enduring power springs from his core principles. First and foremost, Twain hated bullies and he populated his works with abusers, such as Huck Finn’s abusive father, and he made his readers hate those characters. He punched up, not down, and he deeply, deeply empathised with the weak.”

O’Brien went on to add: “Twain was allergic to hypocrisy and he loathed racism. Twain wrote: ‘There are many humorous things in the world, among them the white man’s notion that he is less savage than the other savages.’

“Twain empathised with the powerless in America ... former slaves struggling in Reconstruction, immigrant Chinese labourers in California,and European Jews fleeing anti-semitism. Twain was suspicious of populism, jingoism, imperialism, the money-obsessed mania of the Gilded Age and any expression of mindless American might or self-importance. Above all, Twain was a patriot in the best sense of the word. He loved America but knew it was deeply flawed.”

He went on to say: “[The words I’m quoting] has everything to do with comedy. Everything. The comedy I have loved all my life is comedy that’s self-critical, deflating and dedicated to the proposition that we are all flawed, absurd and wallowing in the mud together.”

O’Brien thanked former Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein, who was replaced by US President Donald Trump in February, and former Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, who was removed from her role at the institution.

He added: “Honestly, I don’t know why they aren’t here tonight. I lost Wi-Fi in January ... guessing they’re in traffic. And a special thanks to all the beautiful people who have worked here at the Kennedy Center for years and who are worried about what the future might bring. My eternal thanks for their selfless devotion to the arts.”