Bill Maher addresses Mark Twain Prize drama on ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’ after Trump team’s “fake news” denial

After a week of mixed signals — including emphatic “fake news” denials from the White House — Bill Maher is setting the record straight about his upcoming honor.

During Friday night’s Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO Max, the longtime host wasted no time addressing the confusion surrounding his selection as the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Acknowledging the “back and forth,” Maher cut through the noise with a joke: “We have reached a compromise. The compromise is that I am going to get it and then I’m going to give it to [President Donald Trump]. Everybody’s happy. I just want things to work out.”

As it turns out, things have worked out — at least officially. The Kennedy Center confirmed Thursday that Maher will indeed receive the 27th Mark Twain Prize at a June 28 ceremony, with a Netflix release to follow. The prestigious honor celebrates performers who’ve shaped American society in the spirit of Mark Twain, and VP of public relations Roma Daravi praised Maher for “influencing American discourse — one politically incorrect joke at a time.”

The confirmation comes on the heels of a puzzling media cycle. A report from The Atlantic previously indicated Maher had been selected, but noted potential complications due to his history with Trump, who maintains oversight of the Kennedy Center. Trump himself publicly slammed Maher earlier this year as a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT” following a White House dinner he described as “a complete waste of time.”

Then came the denials. “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time, with communications director Steven Cheung doubling down: “Literally FAKE NEWS.”

So what changed? That part remains murky. But Maher, for his part, doesn’t seem too interested in litigating it.

Addressing the situation on-air, he struck a surprisingly diplomatic tone, insisting he’s “not looking for a fight” and isn’t upset with Trump over the apparent back-and-forth. “Me and the president, we have a complicated relationship that goes back to the orangutan lawsuit,” Maher quipped, referencing the 2013 legal spat stemming from a Tonight Show joke.

“This has been going on a long time, so him trying to block me from getting it — I respect the move. I respect the move. Keep the game going, baby, OK, I’m all about engagement. Disengagement gets you nothing. You got to engage.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be Maher without a little bite. Turning to Trump’s recent Truth Social posts, he brushed off the insults with a grin. “We’re back to him calling me a ‘jerk’ and I’m a ‘lightweight ratings loser.’ Get it off your chest, big man, OK, I’m totally fine with that.”

In fact, Maher said he was “proud” of the latest barrage — so much so that he compiled them into a list he brought along to the White House. A split-screen graphic showed the growing collection as Maher read off the hits.

“So I would just like to say as a low ratings lightweight and a rather dumb guy and a pathetic, bloated sleaze bag, a dummy, a terrible student, a nervous, failing comedian and someone who was sick, insane, very sad, totally shot in, a crazy maniac, I am honored to accept the Mark Twain Prize. Thank you very much,” he said.

“I will be there, Don, and I hope you will be too. I mean, the place is named after you now, you really should show up. You could show up. You could thank me in person for being one of the few people on the lunatic left who’s glad you hit Iran and is hoping we win that one.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Maher sat down for a one-on-one interview with U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, while CNN’s Laura Coates and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith joined the panel discussion.