"Mark Twain was the first stand-up comedian."A Conversation with Cappy McGarr on the Mark Twain Prize - a podcast by LBJ Foundation

Mark Twain once said “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” If so, as the greatest humorist of his day, Twain himself blessed our country throughout much of his life. How appropriate then, to name our nation’s highest award for comedy in his honor. 

 

Cappy McGarr co-created the John F. Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which launched in 1998. Appointed to the Kennedy Center board of trustees by Bill Clinton in 1996 and Barack Obama in 2011, McGarr continues to serve as Executive Producer of the Mark Twain Prize and also helped established the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. 

 

His new book, The Man Who Made Mark Twain Famous: Stories from the Kennedy Center, the White House and Other Comedy Venues, recounts his history with the Mark Twain Prize and what he has learned about comedy—and our most famous comedians—along the way.

Further episodes of With the Bark Off: Conversations on the American Presidency

Further podcasts by LBJ Foundation

Website of LBJ Foundation