Mark Twain Prize!
It’s gala season! We went to more over the weekend than we can squeeze in this issue, so stay tuned over the next few days. We’ll start with last night at the Kennedy Center for the sold-out 17th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
We snapped this year’s Mark Twain Prize recipient Jay Leno surrounded by his wife Mavis and comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Robert Klein. A dozen comedians roasted Jay while also paying tribute to his career, including Seth Myers, Wanda Sykes, Chelsea Handler, and his Tonight Show replacement Jimmy Fallon.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Yahoo News’ Katie Couric, CNN host Wolf Blitzer, and Chris’s wife, Marriott’s Kathleen Matthews.
Miami Worldcenter’s Nitin Motwani, DC attorney Patrick Downes, Yvonne Vinton and her husband, Commonwealth Group owner Brock Vinton, and Kathleen McKenna and her husband, evening host Andrew McKenna. After the roast, guests enjoyed a dessert reception with multiple open bars.
In Jay’s honor, there was a classic car-themed VIP reception. Here, Presidential Advisory Committee members Patti and Rusty Rueff surround Jay’s childhood friend, Lewis Trumbore.