Tina Fey has recently been announced to be the 2010 recipient of the highly prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor; making her the youngest recipient ever for the award. She’s set to receive the prize Nov. 9 in Washington D.C., in a ceremony that in the past has seen appearances from some of the most prestigious faces in comedy, including David Letterman, Bob Newhart and Robin Williams.
In reference to Betty White’s recent appearance on Saturday Night Live, Fey commented, “I am truly thrilled to receive this honor. I assume Betty White was disqualified for steroid use.”
It’s quite the honor, though I doubt many of us are surprised; Fey is a recent and well-known master of comedy. Whether it’s her famed Sarah Palin impression, her brilliant brainchild 30 Rock, or that nerdy beauty of hers that sends fanboys and girls into fits of swooning and Internet babble, we’re very familiar with her, and the fact that she is hilarious.
She’ll be joining ranks with previous award winners George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin and Richard Pryor, among others. Given these names though, it does beg the question: is she ready for the prize?
Not denying the fact that she’s funny as hell, it’s rather a question of whether she has yet earned that level of comedic renown. She may certainly be on her way, but does she deserve this recognition now? Is giving this prize to Fey like Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize? Discuss!
