David Bianculli

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.

It was as much a lecture as an acceptance speech. And it also may have provided a clue to a hidden motivation behind Conan's travel series, Conan O'Brien Must Go, which started its second season May 8th on Maxx.

It was as much a lecture as an acceptance speech. And it also may have provided a clue to a hidden motivation behind Conan's travel series, Conan O'Brien Must Go, which started its second season May 8th on Maxx.

It was as much a lecture as an acceptance speech. And it also may have provided a clue to a hidden motivation behind Conan's travel series, Conan O'Brien Must Go, which started its second season May 8th on Maxx.

From triumph to letterman, every speaker on that Kennedy Center stage that night explained why Conan O'Brien was a worthy recipient of the Mark Twain Award. Yet no one explained it as well as Conan himself.

From triumph to letterman, every speaker on that Kennedy Center stage that night explained why Conan O'Brien was a worthy recipient of the Mark Twain Award. Yet no one explained it as well as Conan himself.

From triumph to letterman, every speaker on that Kennedy Center stage that night explained why Conan O'Brien was a worthy recipient of the Mark Twain Award. Yet no one explained it as well as Conan himself.