Eddie Murphy is set to receive the highest award given to someone in comedy – the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and I don’t think it could’ve gone to a better man.
The prize, which has been awarded since 1998, has gone to some of comedy’s best and brightest – the likes of George Carlin, Carol Burnett, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner, and Bill Cosby have all received the prestigious award in the past.
The prize is awarded to someone who has significantly contributed to comedy and humor, and Murphy fits the bill perfectly. If you ignore the poor film choices he has made in the last decade, and look to his earlier career, no one made quite as big of a comedic impact as he did. He revitalized Saturday Night Live and gave the show a much-needed boost in energy and in ratings, saving the show from cancellation. His stand-up comedy was raw, edgy, and made scathing and no-holds-barred comedy mainstream, taking it from the underground comedy clubs and into the arenas. Even his films in the 1980s and 1990s were iconic comedic classics.
The award will be presented to Murphy in an elaborate and surely hilarious gala event later this year at the Kennedy Center.
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