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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Monday 19 October 2015

Eddie Murphy receives top U.S. humor prize at Kennedy Center

STACY A. ANDERSON those who influence soci-
Associated Press ety in the tradition of Sam-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Eddie uel Clemens, the writer and
Murphy is trading places satirist known as Mark Twain.
with Mark Twain. Past honorees include Jay
The Kennedy Center for the Leno, Carol Burnett, Tina
Performing Arts is honoring Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, El-
the comedian, film star, len DeGeneres, Will Ferrell,
producer and director Sun- Richard Pryor and Bill Cos-
day evening with the na- by.
tion’s top prize for humor. Murphy gained national
A lineup of funny men and attention when he joined
women including Dave the SNL cast in 1980 at the
Chappelle, George Lopez, age of 19. He went on to
Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, become the most com-
Trevor Noah and Whitney mercially successful Af-
Cummings will salute Mur- rican-American actor in
phy with the Mark Twain film history and one of the
Prize for American Humor. industry’s Top 5 box office
Other performers include performers overall, the Ken-
nedy Center said. Murphy’s
In this Feb. 22, 2015 file photo, Eddie Murphy presents the award for best original screenplay at films have been among
the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Hollywood’s highest-gross-
ing comedies, including
Associated Press “Beverly Hills Cop,” ‘’48
Hours,” ‘’Trading Places,”
stars from “Saturday Night SNL alumni paying tribute oah, Kevin Nealon and Joe ‘’Dr. Dolittle” and “Coming
Live,” where Murphy had to Murphy are Tracy Mor- Piscopo. to America.”
an early break. Among the gan, Chris Rock, Jay Phar- The humor prize honors The tribute will be broad-
cast Nov. 23 on PBS.q