Dave Chappelle to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Dave Chappelle.
(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Kennedy Center announced on Tuesday that Dave Chappelle is the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

"Dave is the embodiment of Mark Twain's observation that 'against the assault of humor, nothing can stand,'" Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter said in a statement. "For three decades, Dave has challenged us to see hot-button issues from his entirely original yet relatable perspective." The prize is given to those who have helped shape society through their comedy. Chappelle, 45, is the 22nd person to receive the award, which in recent years has been given to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, and Eddie Murphy.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.