David Letterman was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday in a star-studded Kennedy Center sendoff that included late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, U.S. Sen. Al Franken and actor Bill Murray.
Letterman, who retired from late-night television in 2015 after hosting successful shows on NBC and CBS, took a lot of good-natured ribbing from friends at the honors, CNN reported.
"When Dave left 17 long months ago, we had no idea how much trouble we were in," Kimmel joked, per CNN. "I look at what's going on now and I think this is your [Letterman's] fault. All of it. Everything was fine until you went off the air. You abandoned us. You went out for a pack of cigarettes and left us to live with an abusive orange stepfather."
Letterman was picked on for his long, gray bread he grew in retirement from television, a far cry from his clean shaven appearances while hosting the "Late Night with David Letterman."
"Dave has always had excellent instincts," comedian Steve Martin said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "What better time than now to choose to look like a Confederate war general."
Letterman's humor over the years ushered in unique segments like his Top 10 list, "Stupid Pet Tricks," and "Stupid Human Tricks," while turning characters like Larry "Bud" Melman and Biff Henderson into cult celebrities, THR noted.
He even employed his late mother, Dorothy Mengering — better known to his show's fans as "Dave's Mom" — to give reports from the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, The Washington Post noted.
Letterman, 70, spent 33 years on late-night TV, with his final show on CBS marking the 6,028th time he hosted a late-night show, beating the record of his mentor Johnny Carson, THR said.
Letterman ended the 20th Annual Mark Twain Prize event with a 10-minute speech in which he quoted Mark Twain, per the Post:
"Mark Twain's definition of patriotism is this, 'Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.'"
The Mark Twain Prize ceremony will air on PBS Nov. 20, the Post noted.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.