2 hours ago
When nan Kennedy Center honored Bill Maher pinch its Mark Twain Prize astatine a ceremonial past month, location were a number of jokes astatine nan disbursal of nan center’s chairman, Donald Trump, who was not present.
One quip, though, did not make it into nan watercourse of nan ceremonial that debuted connected Tuesday: A joke that seemingly referenced Trump’s narration pinch Jeffrey Epstein.
Honoring Maher, Whitney Cummings said astatine nan ceremony, “I really heard Trump whitethorn travel tonight, but he couldn’t make it. He sewage caught successful activity traffic.”
In an assemblage that included immoderate Trump management figures, nan biting joke sewage immoderate oohs, and laughs.
So what happened?
Cummings posted connected X connected Tuesday that Netflix did not trim thing from her set. A Netflix spokesperson said, “While it’s our penchant not to trim jokes from anyone’s set, The Kennedy Center has nan contractual correct to do so.”
A Kennedy Center spokesperson did not instantly return a petition for comment.
Netflix has had nan authorities to nan ceremonial nether a authorities woody pinch nan center, which is controlled by Trump and a committee dominated by his allies.
On her podcast earlier this month, Cummings talked astir nan situation, noting that nan joke was “already retired there” fixed property reporting connected nan ceremony. “But past they said, ‘We request to trim it from nan broadcast.’ I’m like, well, it’s already retired there. Who cares?’ They’re like, he will writer you.”
Cummings said that while she wasn’t trying to beryllium nan “bratty” comedian saying, “I’m connected nan beforehand lines.”
“I don’t care. It’s like, ‘Great. Cut it.’ But this is nan Mark Twain Prize. This is nan only clip that you shouldn’t get censored, because it’s astir comedians utilizing joke to knock our elected officials. So I was successful this jam wherever I was for illustration … ‘I request for conflict for this joke because it’s nan Mark Twain Prize, and this is nan clip I consciousness for illustration I person to. But also, I don’t want anyone losing their job. But if it’s conscionable astir him suing me, I was like, ‘Okay.’ I mean, I person to alert to DC, which is benignant of annoying. But I would win.”
Cummings posted connected X, “I was ace clear that Netflix did not trim thing from my Mark Twain prize set. Netflix ever supports drama and comics. Quit spreading rumors ya weirdos.”
Throughout nan ceremony, Maher was honored arsenic a champion for free expression, pinch joke that skewered nan correct and nan left. During her tribute, Cummings called Maher a “warrior for free speech.” Then she quipped, “He believes you should beryllium capable to opportunity thing astatine anytime, particularly erstwhile personification other is mid sentence.”
Shortly aft he returned to office, Trump ousted nan center’s committee members who were appointed by Joe Biden and Barack Obama, ensuring that he would beryllium elected its chairman, a first for a sitting president.
