The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has honored comedic legends for 25 years. Over the years, Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, and Mr. Huxtable (later retracted) have won the distinction.

The first two Mark Twain Prize ceremonies in 1998 and 1999 were taped for Comedy Central before Netflix took over. From 2000 to 2019, it moved to PBS, a more prominent network. After CоVID-19 hiatuses in 2020 and 2021, PBS hosted the Prize again in 2022 before CNN took it in 2023. Netflix awarded Kevin Hart the 2024 ceremony prize after acquiring it. According to Reddit, some viewers didn’t like Hart’s material as much as Pryor, Murphy, or Dave Chappelle’s. His ceremony seemed awkward and self-congratulatory. How did Netflix squander a top comedy prize on their first try? Let’s look.

The Kennedy Center established the Mark Twain Prize as a comedy-focused alternative to their Honors Ceremony. That comedy-themed prize went to Comedy Central. In 1998, Richard Pryor was the inaugural laureate. Jonathan Winters was next in 1999. Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Carol Burnett, Eddie Murphy, David Letterman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jon Stewart, and Dave Chappelle were among the winners after PBS took over in 2000. CNN’s lone 2023 broadcast awarded Adam Sandler the prized award.

Though some have denied it, winning the prize has benefits. Due to Pryor’s ceremony’s obscenity, Bill Cosby declined the award on his first two offers. That Bill Cosby consistently defends his morality is wonderful. Robin Williams and Mel Brooks declined the honor for various reasons. Winners can meet with the US President, although some have declined, depending on who is in the White House. Before choosing the Kennedy Center, the White House was proposed for the honor.

After Netflix took over in 2024, some viewers expected PBS and CNN to lose status, and Kevin Hart’s May 11 honorary special divided viewers. Some liked the guests, including Chappelle, Nick Cannоn, and Jerry Seinfeld, who joked about Hart. Others believed Hart’s self-congratulatory performance after hosting the Tom Brady roast was cringeworthy. Hart’s comedy is subjective, therefore people may have different ideas. This is not a criticism of his comedy. In the first year Netflix is hosting the show, lumping him in with some of the greatest comics ever seems hilarious given its attachment to Hart.

The award often honored long-running stars in its early years. Younger actors like Will Ferrell and Tina Fey were honored in the early 2010s. Recognizing a young comic like Hart was possible, but many online weren’t confident he had earned enough in his short career.

Netflix was accused of pressuring Hart for the prize due to their lucrative deal with him. According to The Daily Beast, Hart was an unusual choice for Netflix’s debut season. The choice was criticized because many comic greats have never been honored. The honor was denied to Ԁick Van Ԁyke, Betty White, Norman Lear, Don Rickles, and Joan Rivers, among other greats. It’s true that the prize is only 25 years old, but Hart’s participation is even more surprising given there are so many icons with longer and more distinguished careers. The constantly online crowd didn’t think Hart’s comedy matched his predecessors. Various audiences may disagree, but Netflix handed Hart a self-congratulatory prize in its inaugural year.

Netflix will definitely make the Mark Twain Prize more accessible than PBS. Thus, Hart’s choice makes logical. Since he’s famous, more people may watch the ceremony. Ultimately, this prize honors comedic legends. Kevin Hart may get there, but online reaction is “not yet.” Netflix streams the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.