BRING BACK THE DANCING ITOS: Remember how last year I stopped griping about the annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, since the Kennedy Center finally bestowed the lifetime award upon Carol Burnett?
This year's honoree is Jay Leno.
Among those who have not yet received this award are Mike Nichols and Elaine May, David Letterman, Norman Lear, Eddie Murphy, Woody Allen, Don Rickles, and Mel Brooks.
Little known fact: the Kennedy Center awarded Conan O'Brien this year's prize several months ago, but rescinded it for no good reason.
ReplyDeleteThey better not give it to Woody Allen . . .
I did take his name off the list. I said my part back in February, and nothing has changed since.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is the first year I have zero interest in watching it. They've given before to people I considered too earlier in their careers (especially considering who hasn't won it), but people I would still enjoy watching clips of and tributes to.
ReplyDeleteHere, I might enjoy some early Jay Leno clips, as I quite liked him when he was doing stand-up in the mid-80s and appearing on Carson as a guest. Once he starting hosting, he moved to the blandest and lowest common denominator.
Is this a Andy Kaufman-esque piece of performance art? I don't see how else you give Jay Leno the Mark Twain Prize for Humor, mainly because all of Tawin's humor was in service of a core point of view and philosophy. Putting aside the question of whether Leno has ever been funny, when has Leno ever used humor for any greater purpose?
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