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WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Hart wiped away tears on stage as he looked from a bronze bust on a pedestal at the trio of comedy legends who had come to witness his professional crowning moment.
On the VIP balcony of the Kennedy Center opera house, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle sat side by side, watching Hart accept the Mark Twain Award for lifetime achievement in comedy on Sunday night.
“I didn’t start doing what I did to get awards,” Hart said. “I fell in love with the idea of comedy.”
Hart emerged from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his country’s most recognizable performers, honing a signature style that combines his diminutive height, expressive face, and motor expression into a stand-up act. up that fills the sand. He became the latest recipient of the Mark Twain Award for American Humor in a raucous ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Celebrities and prominent comedians joined in the tribute to Hart, with several specifically citing the comedian’s work ethic, positivity and relentless dedication to his art.
“It’s just inspiring,” comedian Nikki Glazer said on the red carpet. “She is one of the most naturally talented people I have ever met. But he also loves himself, which is not something you can say about all successful comedians.”
Comedy actor JB Smoove (Leon in “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) remembered a promising young Hart as almost problematically anxious.
“Honestly, when it started, it was a pest,” Smoove said. “But he was always picking up pieces from here or there, always learning from people and never afraid to learn.”
The show began with a high-energy duet between Robin Thicke and Nelly. What followed was closer to a celebrity roast than an awards show, as a parade of comedians easily attacked Hart’s height while others criticized the sometimes uneven quality of his prolific output. According to IMDB, Hart has appeared in 93 movies and TV shows. with nine in development.
“Kevin really cares about the quality… of the check,” said his frequent co-star Regina Hall. “Not the product; honestly, some of that stuff is pretty bad, but the man knows how to get paid!”
Rock addressed the public breakup of Hart’s first marriage by praising his appearance and saying that Hart “has the happiness of that second wife!”
Chappelle, who received his own Mark Twain Award in 2019, kept his comments serious, calling Hart “a very powerful dreamer.”
spoke of hart selling out 53,000 seats American football stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field in 2015, his level of ambition and achievement was an inspiration to him and Rock.
“You made me dream big and you’re younger than me,” he told Hart.
In addition to his comedy career, Hart made his film debut in the 2002 film “Paper Soldiers” and rose to fame through a series of scene-stealing cameos in hits such as “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin” 2005. “His films have grossed more than $4.23 billion worldwide.
Now in its 25th year, the Mark Twain Prize annually honors artists who have had a lasting impact on humor and culture. Honorees receive a bronze bust of Twain, the iconic American writer and satirist whose real name was Samuel Clemens.
Mark Twain winners are honored with a night of testimonials and video tributes, often featuring previous award winners. Other comedians who have received the lifetime achievement award include Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett and Dave Chapelle. Bill Cosbythe 2009 winner, had his Mark Twain Prize revoked in 2019 after allegations of sexual assault.
Sunday’s ceremony will air on Netflix starting May 11.