Someone who says his name is Reginald Periwinkle writes, in reference to this item…
I really don't get your disregard of modern comedians. Tina Fey's career is every bit as distinguished as Carol Burnett's. Who cares that Tina Fey is not past the retirement age? Less senior comedians such as Fey are just as deserving of the award.
It's also weird that you think Jon Stewart deserves the award, but Fey doesn't, even though he's only seven years her elder. Is it the grey hair that convinces you?
Well, Jon Stewart would be a choice of mine, though not high on my list. Mostly, I'm taking my cue from the stated criteria for the Twain. It "recognizes people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain. As a social commentator, satirist and creator of characters, Samuel Clemens was a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly. He revealed the great truth of humor when he said 'against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.'" I think that applies to Stewart a lot more than it does to Fey…or for that matter, a lot of other folks who've received the trophy.
I think Tina Fey is brilliant. I don't think her career, which has so far spanned about twenty years, is every bit as distinguished as Carol Burnett's, which has lasted sixty. Or at least it isn't yet. I'm not arguing her talent. I'm arguing that she hasn't been around long enough for us to say she's had the kind of enduring impact of a Mark Twain. There are plenty of modern comedians who I'd wager will prove themselves worthy of this award: Lewis Black, Stephen Colbert, Chris Rock, maybe Louis C.K., others. I could make the case that the current guy who best fits that line about "a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly" is Bill Maher.
But I think guys like Sid Caesar, Stan Freberg, Shelley Berman, Don Rickles, Mort Sahl, Robert Klein, Woody Allen, David Letterman, Tim Conway, Dan Aykroyd, Jerry Lewis and a lot of non-performers (Twain was, after all, a writer) oughta get it ahead of younger people. They could have given it to Tina Fey ten years from now. They won't be able to give it to some of the other folks I just mentioned ten years from now.
And finally, I don't think they gave it to Tina Fey because they thought she was more deserving than those other folks. I think they gave it to her because she was on a hit series and honoring her would bring in a lot of current Big Names and sell lots of tickets. Same with the awards to Will Ferrell and Ellen DeGeneres.