The US Comedian Carol Burnett Honoured With the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

The US comedian Carol Burnett was on 20 October 2013 honoured with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Three artists- Dame Julie Andrews, Tony Bennett and Tina Fey performed specifically in the honour of Carol Burnett at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

The variety shows of Carol Burnett started in 1960s. These shows ran continuously for 11 years and fetched around 30 million viewers in a week. Carol Burnett received her first break for the Ed Sullivan Show. Thereafter, she also acted on Broadway and appeared on The Garry Moore Show.

She also sung for 10 years with CBS. In the year 1967, she launched the Carol Burnett Show along with the guest stars such as Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart and Lucille Ball. The show won 22 Emmy Awards. Carol Burnett was most prominently known for the Tarzan yell. 

About the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

• The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is the foremost award for humour in America.
• It was first awarded in the year 1988 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 
• The award is named after the essayist and humorist Mark Twain, who belonged to the 19th century and was a renowned novelist as well. Mark Twain made significant contribution to American humour. 
• Every year, the prize is presented in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington DC. 
• The recipients of the Twain Prize receive an 1884 bronze portrait bust of Mark Twain sculpted by Karl Gerhardt.