The White House has pushed back forcefully against initial reports that Bill Maher is slated to receive the Mark Twain Prize. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the report is fake news and Maher will not get the award. ' The Trump administration strongly opposed the report, and the White House also contacted the Kennedy Center to make clear that the comedian would not receive the prize, according to multiple reports.
Despite these denials, insider sources and media outlets suggest Maher will indeed be honored. An insider told Politico Washington reporter Daniel Lippman that Maher will be named the award's winner in an announcement slated for Thursday. The Atlantic reported that two people familiar with the selection said Maher had been chosen for this year's Mark Twain Prize, with an announcement expected soon.
Anonymous sources with half-baked information leaked to The Atlantic before conversations were finalized.
A third source said that while Maher had not yet been officially announced, he had already been offered the award, adding that Trump was reportedly supportive of the decision. The Kennedy Center is expected to officially announce late Thursday morning that Maher will be the recipient of the award this summer in a show to be broadcast by Netflix. The ceremony will mark the final marquee honor before a planned two-year renovation ordered by the president.
Reactions from those involved in the process have criticized premature leaks. According to Daily Mail - News, a source familiar with award discussions described anonymous sources with half-baked information leaked to The Atlantic before conversations were finalized. According to Daily Mail - News, the same source described that there was nothing to confirm at the time and it is not appropriate to get ahead of any settled agreement between multiple parties involved.
There was nothing to confirm at the time and it is not appropriate to get ahead of any settled agreement between multiple parties involved.
The situation raises questions about why the White House initially denied the report and contacted the Kennedy Center to oppose the award, given that Maher is now set to receive it. Specific reasons or factors leading to the decision to award Maher the prize are not detailed in available reports, and the exact nature of President Trump's reported support and its influence on the process remains unknown.
literally FAKE NEWS.