Eddie Murphy Named This Year’s Recipient of Mark Twain Prize
Published at
Chris Haston/NBC(WASHINGTON) — Eddie Murphy has been named the 2015 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The honor is presented annually by the Kennedy Center to a person who has had an impact on American society in ways similar to its namesake.
Murphy says in a statement, “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the Kennedy Center and to join the distinguished list of past recipients of this award.”
Murphy will receive the 18th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a gala in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 18. The Kennedy Center has yet to announce the entertainers who will salute Murphy at the event, which will air on TV at a later date.
Murphy rose to fame as a young cast member of Saturday Night Live in the 1980s. He’s starred in such movies as 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Coming to America, Dreamgirls, the Beverly Hills Cop series and the Shrek franchise, as well as the stand-up films Delirious and Eddie Murphy: Raw.
Jay Leno was presented the Mark Twain Prize in 2014. Other past recipients include Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Bill Cosby, George Carlin and Billy Crystal.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.