Kevin Hart received comedy’s ultimate honor — a deluge of insults mixed with genuine reverence — as he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Sunday night, March 24.
Hart himself took a supremely earnest approach to the night as he addressed the audience at the end of the evening. Per The Washington Post, he teared up while thanking his kids (“I breathe for you. I live for you”); credited his mother with shaping him into the person and comedian he became (“Take my mom away, and I don’t have an idea of what I want or who I want to be”); and spoke passionately about his choice to pursue a career in comedy.
“I fell in love with something I could do for the rest of my life,” he said (via People). “I committed to comedy. I fell in love with something I can grab onto. All my eggs are in this basket and oh my God I’m happy with my choice.”
Hart also shared some heartfelt words for everyone who showed up to honor him — “You can’t buy support, you can’t fake that” — even though those tributes obviously included plenty of jokes at his expense. Chris Rock, for instance, recalled giving Hart some important advice early on his career, telling the up-and-comer to stop competing with his peers and build his own voice and style.
“I swear to God, within 800 days, Kevin was a bigger star than me,” Rock cracked (via Deadline). “Within 800 days. He was taking parts from me. He was in a movie with The Rock. My last name’s Rock!”
Jimmy Fallon performed a parody country tune about a classic topic, Hart’s height, with lines like, “We all love this famous Kevin/Even though he’s 2-11/He’s the boss in any room/But from behind, he looks like he’s 7.”
Regina Hall, Hart’s co-star in in eight movies, landed probably the best joke about another frequent topic — Hart’s insane wealth and economic aspirations (via Associated Press). “Kevin really cares about the quality of the check,” she quipped. “Not the project. Honestly, some of that stuff is pretty bad — but the man knows how to get paid!”
And Dave Chappelle balanced his admiration with some cheeky barbs. “You made me dream bigger, and you’re younger than me — it’s humiliating,” he said at one point (per New York Times). Elsewhere he joked, “If surviving had a mascot, it would be him. He looks like ‘Stayin’ Alive.’ A little guy growing up in North Philadelphia. Strong, but he probably can’t fight.”
Other folks who showed up to honor Hart included Jerry Seinfeld, Chelsea Handler, J.B. Smoove, Tiffany Haddish, and veteran stand-up Keith Robinson, who also mentored Hart. Robin Thicke and Nelly also opened the show with a performance of “Hot in Herre.”
The full Mark Twain prize ceremony honoring Hart is set to air on Netflix May 11.
