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David Letterman | Mark Twain Prize

David Letterman, broadcaster, speaking at an event
Courtesy of Scott Schuman
/
PBS
David Letterman

Mon., Nov. 20 at 8pm WKAR-HD 23.1 | Celebrate the work of beloved broadcaster David Letterman, the 20th recipient of The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.Featuring a star-studded cast of Letterman's friends and colleagues including Senator Al Franken, Jimmy Kimmel, Norm Macdonald, Steve Martin, John Mulaney, Bill Murray, Amy Schumer, Paul Shaffer, Martin Short and other top entertainers and comedians, the evening pays tribute to the humor and accomplishments of the broadcasting icon.

“This is an exciting honor,” said David Letterman upon learning he is to receive the nation’s top prize for comedy and humor. “For 33 years, there was no better guest, no greater friend of the show, than Mark Twain. The guy could really tell a story.”

David Letterman has been hailed as one of the most innovative and influential broadcasters in the history of television. In 33 years on late-night television, Letterman hosted 6,028 episodes of Late Night (NBC) and The Late Show (CBS), surpassing his mentor, Johnny Carson, for the longest-running late-night broadcaster in American history. As a writer, producer and performer, Letterman is one of the most-nominated people in Emmy Award history, with 52 nominations, resulting in 10 wins. Letterman is also a Peabody-Award winner and a Kennedy Center Honoree.

 

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