Confusion is swirling around whether Bill Maher is about to receive one of comedy's top honors. The White House on Friday rejected reports that Maher is this year's choice for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, after two people familiar with the Kennedy Center's plans told CNN the comedian had been offered the award. The Atlantic has similar reporting. "This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Nobody had announced such a selection; a source close to the Kennedy Center said Maher had been informed but had not yet agreed to accept the honor, scheduled to be the last event at the Kennedy Center before Trump shuts it for two years. Trump and Maher have history. The host of HBO's Real Time has long been critical of President Trump, who has long attacked him in social media posts. Trump did have him over for dinner last year, for which Maher took heat. Reporter Michael Scherer posted that shortly after the Atlantic story was published, the White House called the Kennedy Center to make it clear it's not happening for Maher, per the Daily Beast.
- On Friday night's show, Maher did defend Trump for cracking wise about the attack on Pearl Harbor in front of Japan's prime minister, per the Hill.