Bill Murray Awarded The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was awarded to Comedian Bill Murray on Sunday in a star-studded Kennedy Center ceremony. During the event, fellow actors and friends praised him for the joy he has brought to audiences worldwide.

Murray said his success was established in love from his family. He also credited the talented people he had worked with for more than four decades. The 65-year-old actor has starred in such movies as “Groundhog Day,” “Ghostbusters” and “Rushmore”.

Murray, after accepting the award named after the 19th century American author and humorist, said, “There’s love, that’s what we came with, that’s what we go with. I love you, let’s try to repeat that to each other,”.

The funnyman, known for his irreverence and spontaneity, handed the award down into the audience to be passed around.

Murray was granted the 19th Mark Twain Prize for making an impression on U.S. society comparable to Twain’s. Previous winners include Lily Tomlin, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy and Neil Simon.

Murray is one of the best-known stars to come out from NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” He performed and honed his skills portraying lovably smarmy characters on the innovative television comedy show from 1977 to 1980.

Murray has won two Emmy Award and was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award. This was for his depiction of a jet-lagged movie star in “Lost in Translation.”

Steve Martin, appearing in a video footage, said, “I’d like to say to you, welcome to the club. And to the Kennedy Center, I’d like to say – really?” Martin is a Mark Twain Prize awardee himself.

Genius and extrovert

Jimmy Kimmel, ABC’s late night TV host, called Murray both a genius and fearless extrovert. He said that the comedian can get away with lifting French fries off diners’ dishes and crashing a White House press briefing.

“Bill Murray could shove you off the side of the Hoover Dam and you’d be like, ‘Hey, Bill Murray,’ all the way down,” Kimmel added.

Others at the ceremony include former NBC “Late Night” host David Letterman, singer Miley Cyrus, and “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman.

PBS television recorded the ceremony for broadcast on Friday.

 

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