Does Will Ferrell Deserve the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Award?

[MilesColtrane]

Poll question: Does Will Ferrell Deserve the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Award?

I agree with the choice of most of the past winners, but I think Will Ferrell cheapens the award somewhat.

The consistency in his body of work just isn't there.

Past winners:

Tina Fey
2010
Bill Cosby
2009
George Carlin
2008
Billy Crystal
2007
Neil Simon
2006
Steve Martin
2005
Lorne Michaels
2004
Lily Tomlin
2003
Bob Newhart
2002
Whoopi Goldberg
2001
Carl Reiner
2000
Jonathan Winters
1999
Richard Pryor
1998

[UTUSN]

1. I'm the one with the MC-idiot vote. Fucking over Shrub, alone, is worth it all. n/t

[pokerfan]

2. You can't deny his talent

or his willingness to do absolutely anything for a laugh...



But I would have thought that a Mark Twain award would recognize achievement in comedic writing, whether it's humorous literature or even original stand-up. Ferrell is primarily a comic actor while it seems that every other winner had more involvement in the actual creation of comedy as opposed to just the performance of comedy. Frankly, I would put Seinfeld on that list before Ferrell. Hell, I'd even put Carrot top on the list before Ferrell. It's like the difference between a singer-songwriter and just a singer.

[MilesColtrane]

3. Not to mention Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, et al.

[TheMightyFavog]

4. Ummm, isn't the awards ceremony aired on PBS?

Kind of hard to sell commercial airtime on PBS.

[MilesColtrane]

7. It originally aired on Comedy Central before the switch to PBS.

And, PBS (at least my local version) is far from commercial free these days.

[Blue-Jay]

5. Ferrell's provided me with many laughs, but I'd have voted for Chris Rock.

[Bryan]

6. Sure, why not?

It seems to be a bland consensus honor for people who've had long careers starring in movies and television (particularly SNL). Only three of the honorees aren't on-camera talent, and only Neil Simon is known solely for writing (odd for an award named after Mark Twain).

By those narrow criteria, Will Ferrell is a perfectly reasonable choice, and even a positive development, as he's receiving it while in early middle age and not close to death.

[CBGLuthier]

8. No and neither did Tina Fey

She is funny. he is hit or miss. But neither one of them can even compare to the accomplishments of their predecessors.

Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg have had their share of crap too. I can't even stand Martin's new career of remaking better films. But that said, they do have a lifetime of achievement in stage and screen.

I am also sad that they gave the award to a lot of lesser comedians and let George Carlin DIE before he got his. He should have been the 3rd or 4th recipient.