Kevin Hart to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, a prestigious award in comedy
"Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life — I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture,” Hart, who grew up in North Philly, said.
North Philadelphia-raised comic Kevin Hart will receive the 2024 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Kennedy Center announced Wednesday. Hart is the 25th recipient of the lifetime achievement award, which has previously recognized Richard Pryor, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Hart, 44, got his start bombing stand-up sets at the Laff House in Kensington in the late 1990s — his stage name was Lil Kev — while working by day as a shoe salesman. His career now spans decades of acting in film and television, including Ride Along, Think Like a Man, Scary Movie 3 and 4, and Real Husbands of Hollywood. He earned an Emmy nod for acting in the show Die Hart and sequel, Die Hart 2: Die Harter. His films have grossed more than $4.23 billion internationally. Hart’s recent popular stand-up specials include this year’s Reality Check and the Grammy-nominated Zero F**ks Given.
“Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life — I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture,” Hart said in a statement about the award, one of the highest recognitions for comedians.
Hart graduated from George Washington High School in 1997 and took a few courses at the Community College of Philadelphia. He was raised by Nancy Hart, a single mom in North Philly who worked at Penn as a systems analyst. Though he now lives in a Calabasas mansion, he returns to his hometown often.
“I feel like I have a different responsibility. I come from nothing and I’m not supposed to have something,” Hart told The Inquirer in 2021. “I can go back to North Philadelphia, to quote unquote ‘the hood’ and look these kids in the eye and give them another narrative: that dreams are real and worth having. While understanding that it’s hard out there and it may not get easier, but I’m proof that if you stay true to the grind, things can happen. Philly? I gotta go back.”
» READ MORE: Q&A: Kevin Hart on loving the Eagles
He’s also a diehard Eagles fan who’s passed the fandom down to his four kids. You might even catch him at a home game.
Hart will receive the prestigious award at the Kennedy Center gala performance on March 24, 2024, featuring celebrity comedians and friends of Hart’s.