For Release: 2007-10-29 00:00:00
Billy Crystal, who has created one of the most versatile and prolific careers in the entertainment industry — finding success in front of the camera, as a performer in film and television, and behind the scenes as a writer, director and producer — has been honored with the 10th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The 90-minute special Billy Crystal: The Mark Twain Prize, featuring tributes and comic testimonials from a star-studded cast of Crystal’s friends and colleagues, airs Monday, Nov. 12 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET1 and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 3/2 p.m. CT on KET2.
The program, which features Bob Costas, Robert DeNiro, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, John Goodman, Jon Lovitz, Madeleine Peyroux, Rob Reiner, Martin Short, Barbara Walters and Robin Williams, also includes an assortment of film clips from Crystal’s career.
“To be given the same award as Richard Pryor, Steve Martin and Neil Simon is a great honor,” said Crystal. “As my grandfather said, if you hang around the store long enough, once in a while they’ll give you something!”
After touring with such stars as Billy Joel and Barry Manilow, Crystal became a regular on the popular series Soap, playing the first openly gay character on a network television series, and found phenomenal national success on Saturday Night Live. His film career includes such highlights as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and the City Slickers films. A dedicated human rights advocate, he has co-hosted with Williams and Goldberg on all eight Comic Relief telethons on HBO, which have raised more than $40 million for housing and medical care for homeless people.
Billy Crystal: The Mark Twain Prize is produced by WETA/Washington. More information about KET programming and education services, as well as how to support KET, can be found at www.ket.org.
Contact: Ellen Soileau
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Billy Crystal accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
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