David Bianculli

Other comics both toasting and roasting the evening's guest of honor included Sarah Silverman, Stephen Colbert, Will Forte, Nikki Glaser, Bill Burr, and Kamal Nanjani, whose appearance was staged like a version of a TED Talk, complete with projected graphics and lots of statistics. He pointed out how Conan was widely recognized for launching his career as a staff writer on The Simpsons.

Other comics both toasting and roasting the evening's guest of honor included Sarah Silverman, Stephen Colbert, Will Forte, Nikki Glaser, Bill Burr, and Kamal Nanjani, whose appearance was staged like a version of a TED Talk, complete with projected graphics and lots of statistics. He pointed out how Conan was widely recognized for launching his career as a staff writer on The Simpsons.

Then, Nanjani took a deep dive into the numbers to hilarious effect. Even Conan, in the Guest of Honor box but mic'd up, could be heard laughing at the mathematically accurate comedy bit and its pie charts.

Then, Nanjani took a deep dive into the numbers to hilarious effect. Even Conan, in the Guest of Honor box but mic'd up, could be heard laughing at the mathematically accurate comedy bit and its pie charts.

Then, Nanjani took a deep dive into the numbers to hilarious effect. Even Conan, in the Guest of Honor box but mic'd up, could be heard laughing at the mathematically accurate comedy bit and its pie charts.

Just about everyone on stage scored big and provided an original approach. Stephen Colbert brought along Hot Ones host Sean Evans to replicate Conan's viral hot wing eating interview from that show. Sarah Silverman, well, you have to see what she did to believe it.

Just about everyone on stage scored big and provided an original approach. Stephen Colbert brought along Hot Ones host Sean Evans to replicate Conan's viral hot wing eating interview from that show. Sarah Silverman, well, you have to see what she did to believe it.

Just about everyone on stage scored big and provided an original approach. Stephen Colbert brought along Hot Ones host Sean Evans to replicate Conan's viral hot wing eating interview from that show. Sarah Silverman, well, you have to see what she did to believe it.

And by the time David Letterman showed up at the end to hand the prize to Conan O'Brien, comics preceding him had combined to present the funniest Mark Twain prize show in its 26-year history, and one with lots of messages.

And by the time David Letterman showed up at the end to hand the prize to Conan O'Brien, comics preceding him had combined to present the funniest Mark Twain prize show in its 26-year history, and one with lots of messages.

And by the time David Letterman showed up at the end to hand the prize to Conan O'Brien, comics preceding him had combined to present the funniest Mark Twain prize show in its 26-year history, and one with lots of messages.

The strongest points were saved for last when Conan took the stage to accept the award. More than any previous recipient, he articulated an understanding and appreciation of what the author Mark Twain wrote and represented. Conan, after all, had graduated from Harvard, majoring in history and literature.

The strongest points were saved for last when Conan took the stage to accept the award. More than any previous recipient, he articulated an understanding and appreciation of what the author Mark Twain wrote and represented. Conan, after all, had graduated from Harvard, majoring in history and literature.

The strongest points were saved for last when Conan took the stage to accept the award. More than any previous recipient, he articulated an understanding and appreciation of what the author Mark Twain wrote and represented. Conan, after all, had graduated from Harvard, majoring in history and literature.

And without once evoking the name of Donald Trump, Conan cited Twain's works and put them into a context that reflected our times as much as Twain's.

And without once evoking the name of Donald Trump, Conan cited Twain's works and put them into a context that reflected our times as much as Twain's.

And without once evoking the name of Donald Trump, Conan cited Twain's works and put them into a context that reflected our times as much as Twain's.

Conan then brought it full circle by bringing things back to his perspective and his profession.

Conan then brought it full circle by bringing things back to his perspective and his profession.

Conan then brought it full circle by bringing things back to his perspective and his profession.