After the lights went down in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on March 23 to signal the beginning of the Mark Twain Prize ceremony, an announcer on the PA system explained that the Kennedy Center — recently taken over by President Donald J.

It was a night of comedy following a heavy dose of drama at the Kennedy Center, as performers honoring Conan O’Brien at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor lined up to rebuke President Trump’s overhaul of the performing arts institution.

The ceremony honoring Conan O’Brien with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was the first high-profile event at the Kennedy Center since President Trump ousted its top leaders and installed himself as chairman.