Conan O'Brien Breaks His Silence on 'Controversial' Kennedy Center Appearance

Conan O'Brien isn't usually one to get himself caught up in controversy. Still, his recent appearance at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts to accept the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor bugged some of his fans. Now, the 61-year-old comedian is breaking his silence about the event.

On the April 4 episode of his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, O'Brien explained that it was a "momentous moment" in his comedy career. The notable award was bestowed upon him by the "old regime" at the Kennedy Center and he wanted to "honor their decision.”

He admitted that the dissension weighed upon him heavily. 

“Obviously for the last couple of months with the new administration, there’s been some controversial stuff going on with the Kennedy Center,” O'Brien continued. "There was a question of ‘Should I go? Should I not go?’ And I felt like it was important to show up.”

O'Brien pointed out that Kennedy Center employees were "delighted" that he made the decision to show up. “They don’t know what their future is," he added. 

The venue has been dealing with some artists canceling their performances in protest. President Donald Trump ousted the board members who had been nominated by former President Joe Biden. It is normally a bipartisan board, but Trump installed himself as the chairman of the Kennedy Center and added political friends, who align with his beliefs, as replacements.

O'Brien accepted the award on March 23 for bringing "his unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious into our homes," per the Kennedy Center website. Previous recipients include Steve Martin, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart, and Whoopi Goldberg.

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