Julia Louis-Dreyfus honored with Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was celebrated on Sunday as she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, becoming the 21st person the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has recognized with the award.

The acclaimed Emmy-award winning comedic actress, best known for starring in Seinfeld and Veep, was praised by 2010 Mark Twain recipient Tina Fey, who lauded Louis-Dreyfus for her "secret precision" and commitment to making her Seinfeld character Elaine Benes flawed. "Julia let Elaine be selfish and petty and sarcastic and a terrible, terrible dancer," she said.

Before the event, Louis-Dreyfus told The Associated Press she remembers when she realized she could crack people up. "The first time I really knew was when I stuffed raisins in my nose and my mother laughed," she said. "I ended up in the emergency room because they wouldn't come out." PBS will air the ceremony on Nov. 19.

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