I ALWAYS DREAMT OF THE DAY COLONEL ANGUS WOULD REST HIS HEAD AT SHADY THICKET: For years, I have complained that the Mark Twain Prize -- sort of a lifetime achievement award for comedic talent presented by the Kennedy Center -- had a serious backlist of worthy recipients to honor before naming folks like Whoopi Goldberg (2001) and Billy Crystal (2007). The last two years have helped rectify things with the long-overdue recognition of George Carlin (2008) and Bill Cosby (2009) with well-deserved national praise for these humorists who changed American culture .
Your 2010 Mark Twain Prize honoree is Tina Fey.
Look: I think Tina Fey is phenomenal -- as a writer, actress, creator, risk-taker, ground-breaker ... she is a remarkable talent.
She's also just forty years old.
Back in 2007, I noted that the following people had yet to be recognized with this honor: David Letterman, Norman Lear, Eddie Murphy, Woody Allen, and Carol Burnett. (Mel Brooks, too, but he did receive a Kennedy Center Honor last year.) Indeed, the only justification I can think of for this is that they realized that a woman hadn't won since 2003 (Lily Tomlin) and Carol Burnett, Diane Keaton, Elaine May and Nora Ephron weren't interested. Too soon, too soon.
I'll offer up two other women--Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller--who would have made good sense. (As would Betty White, but I can understand there being issues there.) Agreed that Fey, while great, is being seriously prematurely honored here, though I expect politics and gender has something to do with it.
ReplyDeleteWoody Allen hasn't been recognized? Carol Burnett hasn't been recognized?! ELAINE MAY hasn't been recognized?!??!?
ReplyDeleteToo soon indeed.
What issues?
ReplyDeleteSeeming like they're being a bandwagon-jumper, mostly. Also an accusation that their selection is driven less by actual merit than by a desire to spur TV ratings and discussion (though thtat could certainly be said about this selection as well).
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing it's her long time support for the imprisonment and forced mutiliation of animals ¡
ReplyDeleteRivers, absolutely. Female comics weren't supposed to be aggressive ball-busters; they were more cute/daffy before she came around. Also, her original stage name was "Pepper January."
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Joan Rivers, there's a very good article about her in NY Magazine this week.
ReplyDeleteI know from personal experience that Phyllis Diller's stationery contains the phrase "Phyllis Diller is a Funny Lady."
ReplyDeleteBetty White is certainly not in the same category as George Carlin and Lucille Ball and Woody Allen and Mel Brooks, though neither is Billy Crystal.
ReplyDeleteThe Mark Twain folks categorically deny that the award is a lifetime-achievement award, though it's certainly hard to see it as otherwise given the list of recipients. The award does seem to smack of politics. I'm willing to wager that Woody Allen never gets it.
ReplyDeleteThe WaPo says Tina Fey said, "I assume Betty White was disqualified for steroid use."
ReplyDeleteI believe that the criteria for the award are instructive:
ReplyDelete----The Mark Twain Prize recognizes people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain. As a social commentator, satirist and creator of characters, Samuel Clemens was a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly. He revealed the great truth of humor when he said "against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." ----
It's not just an award for being funny; it's an award for doing comedy that involves political/social satire. For that reason, I get why they gave it to Tina Fey--I have a hard time thinking of anyone who's more high profile political/social satirist right now than she is. I agree: Norman Lear and Eddie Murphy are also very deserving, certainly before Ms. Fey. It will be difficult for Woody Allen to win any awards like this, from now on, due to his personal history, so I get why the committee might refrain from honoring him. I love Letterman, but I'm not sure his brand of comedy is what they are looking for here.
All of that is a long-winded way of saying that I understand why they chose her, and I applaud the decision.