Conan O’Brien Kennedy Center honor turns into unofficial Trump roast for Netflix – Gold Derby

Last May, Netflix grabbed significant headlines and millions of viewers with The Roast of Tom Brady, a three-hour comedy event in which some of the industry’s top comics — including Kevin Hart and Nikki Glaser — brutally mocked the legendary NFL quarterback to his face. The streamer will host a similar mockery this May with The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor: Celebrating Conan O’Brien. The event, which Netflix will premiere on May 4, honored O’Brien on Sunday night at the embattled Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and quickly turned into an unofficial roast of President Donald Trump.

“I just really miss the days when you were America’s only orange a–hole,” Sarah Silverman said during her tribute to O’Brien, one of several references to Trump.During his segment, John Mulaney goofed on Trump for his apparent enthusiasm for the camp musical Cats, suggesting the Kennedy Center would soon be called “The Roy Cohn Pavilion for Big Strong Men Who Love Cats.”Late-night host Stephen Colbert, who has made Trump a nightly target on The Late Show, suggested that the Kennedy Center’s new leadership team included former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and He-Man villain Skeletor.As David Letterman was quoted as saying toward the end of the event, “In history for all time, this will have been the most entertaining gathering of the resistance, ever.”O’Brien is notable for typically staying away from political humor – although he did crack at Trump during the Oscars by suggesting Anora was a sensation because it excited audiences by showing an American willing to stand up against a powerful Russian. However, Trump’s plans for the Kennedy Center made politics unavoidable. Since taking office in January, the president has made the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington one of his targets due to his allegations that the nonpartisan institution has a liberal bias. In February, Trump ousted the institution’s longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter, and removed 18 board members chosen by former President Joe Biden, including board chair David Rubenstein. The formerly bipartisan board is now made up entirely of Trump appointees, while Richard Grennell, appointed by Trump, is the new president.O’Brien, however, got his Mark Twain Prize for American Humor honor under the wire. In mid-January, before Trump’s inauguration, he was chosen as the 26th award recipient. During his speech on Sunday night, which was not televised but covered by various media outlets, O’Brien paid tribute to Rutter and Rubenstein.

“My thanks to the people who invited me here several months ago: David Rubenstein and Deborah Rutter,” O’Brien said. “I don’t know why they aren’t here tonight. I lost Wi-Fi in January. I’m guessing they’re in traffic.”During his speech, O’Brien also connected Twain to the current political climate. “First and foremost, Twain hated bullies,” O’Brien said as the crowd reportedly cheered. “He punched up, not down. And he deeply, deeply empathized with the weak. … Twain is funny and important today because his comedy is a hilarious celebration of our fears, our ineptitude, and the glorious mess of being human.”The AP reported that the event concluded with O’Brien, a group of Twain impersonators, and former Mark Twain prize winner Adam Sandler covering Neil Young’s protest song from the George H.W. Bush era, “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Starting on May 4, viewers around the globe will have the opportunity to see the special, which includes a vibrant and vocal critique of the president. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website

Δ
Does Hacks need to watch out for Only Murders in the Building? How many new comedy can break in? Can Awards Magnet hosts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng make their first Emmy predictions in the comedy categories. How about The Studio, Nobody Wants This, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and The Four Seasons? Click the photo above to watch the video.
Watch our chats with Jason Segel (Shrinking) and many more 2025 Emmy contenders…Take a trip back to the Academy Awards ceremonies of the recent past with Gold Derby’s Oscars Playback series. Hosts Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen recap every Oscar ceremony of the 1990s and 2000s. Joyce and Chris tackle the highs and lows of each show and see how the winners aged. It’s a wonderful night for Oscar, whenever you watch!
Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Gold Derby Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Deadline Media

Source: https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/conan-obrien-mark-twain-prize-netflix/