Kevin Hart rose from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his country’s most recognizable performers. Now Hart has received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, accepting the award Sunday night at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Hart has honed a signature style that combines his diminutive height, expressive face and motor-mouth delivery into a successful stand-up act. His films have grossed more than $4.23 billion globally. The Mark Twain Prize annually honors performers who have made a lasting impact on humor and culture.

In the VIP balcony of the Kennedy Center opera house, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle sat side by side, watching Hart accept the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy Sunday night.

“I didn’t start doing what I was doing to get awards,” Hart said. “I just fell in love with the idea of comedy.”

Celebrities and prominent comedians joined in the tribute to Hart, with several specifically citing the comic’s work ethic, positivity and relentless dedication to his art.

“He’s just inspirational,” said comic Nikki Glazer on the red carpet. “He’s one of the most naturally talented people I’ve met. But he also loves himself, which is not something you can say about every successful comic.”

In addition to his stand-up career, Hart made his movie debut in the 2002 film “Paper Soldiers” and came to mainstream fame through a string of scene-stealing cameos in hits such as 2005’s “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin.” His films have grossed more than $4.23 billion globally.

Now in its 25th year, the Mark Twain Prize annually honors performers who have made a lasting impact on humor and culture. Honorees receive a bronze bust of Twain, the iconic American writer and satirist whose real name was Samuel Clemens.

Sunday’s ceremony will be broadcast on Netflix beginning May 11.

Source: stardem.com