Comedian George Carlin posthumously received the award he considered to be the only legitimate comedy prize this evening. Carlin received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, the Associated Press reports. Carlin knew he was to receive the award before his death in June, as it had been announced just days before. “He was thrilled,” daughter Kelly Carlin McCall told the AP. “I think he represented a lot of what Mark Twain did for our country, not only being smart and funny but also being a sharp commentator.” The ceremony, featuring comedians Jon Stewart, Lily Tomlin and Joan Rivers, will aired at a later date on PBS.
—Christopher Perez