The star-studded Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony was the most notable event at the Washington arts center since the president installed himself as its chairman.

Conan O'Brien received the Mark Twain prize for humor in ceremony that drew Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert to the embattled Kennedy Center, setting the stage for Trump zingers.

Kumail Nanjiani on the Masturbating Bear, a recurring character on O’Brien’s talk show “Late Night”: “This is a fitting introduction to America. Nothing represents America better than an unbelievably powerful predator pleasuring himself on television.”