I agree--the format was different and much improved. It contributed to enhancing the awardee and to making the show more informative and memorable, not, as Hal says, just a "roast." On Wed, Jan 8, 2020 at 9:12 AM Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thanks, Matt, Terry and all; yes I did know it was Chappelle; I was just > asking others on here if they knew who it was. The format was quite > different in this version: it focused a lot more on the actual career, and > routines, of the awardee. There were not so many lengthy speeches by > people who know Chappelle. In the past it seemed more like a long string > of other stand-ups/ entertainers, giving funny "roast" type speeches. The > show last night was more like a documentary look back at the winner's > career and influence. There was still some good humor by some very funny > presenters; but I liked this format more, it was more informative; and > would recommend the program if you missed it. > > (Given the historical nature of what was happening on the world stage last > night, one can be forgiven if you were instead observing all that mess...) > > > Dr. Hal Bush > > Professor of English & > > Director of the Undergraduate Program > > Saint Louis University > > [log in to unmask] > > 314-977-3616 > > http://halbush.com > > author website: *halbush.com <http://halbush.com>* > ------------------------------ > *From:* Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of L Oggel < > [log in to unmask]> > *Sent:* Wednesday, January 8, 2020 7:41 AM > *To:* [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > *Subject:* [External] Re: tonight: Mark Twain Prize on PBS > > I agree, Matt (and Dwyane). I watched the show. It was late and I didn't > have time, yet I watched the whole show. I thought it was the best in a > long time. And the Twain connections kept coming up, time and again, in > informed ways, both seriously and humorously. I didn't know much about > Chappelle. I knew he is very edgy and doesn't appeal to everyone. Sometimes > he's too much. Yet that's part of the connection. I learned more about him > from the show, hearing praise about features of his humor I hadn't > seen--about the seriousness underlying his humor and the depth of his > character as revealed in his humor. Toni Morrison was quoted, related to > what she said about *HF*. Chappelle was there, on camera as he responded to > comments about his humor (he had to hold his hands to his young daughter's > ears sometimes!). It was an instructive ceremony, at least for me, and > Chappelle an extremely appropriate recipient. > > Terry Oggel > > > On Wed, Jan 8, 2020 at 7:28 AM Matthew Seybold <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > Hey, Hal - > > > > Dave Chappelle was announced as the recipient last Fall. Dwayne Eutsey > > wrote a nice piece about Chappelle, Twain, Holbrook, and Richard Pryor > for > > us in October: > > > > > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://marktwainstudies.com/no-humor-in-heaven-dave-chappelle-richard-pryor-the-mark-twain-prize/__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG51eC66CzA$ > > < > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://marktwainstudies.com/no-humor-in-heaven-dave-chappelle-richard-pryor-the-mark-twain-prize/__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG51eC66CzA$ > > > > > > > I haven’t watched the PBS special yet, but I agree with Dwayne that > > Chappelle is one of the recipients who best resembles the prize’s > namesake. > > > > - MS > > > > > On Jan 7, 2020, at 3:50 PM, Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > > > Time for the annual debate: on PBS tonight, the newest version of the > > Mark Twain Prize. > > > > > > Did you miss the announcement of the newest winner? (Program was taped > > in the fall, and only now going on air.) > > > > > > ps: among the most overlooked and worthy potential recipients (this is > > NOT a posthumous award, by the way): Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Jerry > > Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, and the great political satirist Jon Stewart. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dr. Hal Bush > > > > > > Professor of English & > > > > > > Director of the Undergraduate Program > > > > > > Saint Louis University > > > > > > [log in to unmask] > > > > > > 314-977-3616 > > > > > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://halbush.com__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG5184t0dmw$ > > > > > > author website: > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://halbush.com__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG5184t0dmw$ > > > > *************** > > Matt Seybold > > Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain Studies > > Elmira College > > Editor, > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MarkTwainStudies.org__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG50v8K68JA$ > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://MattSeybold.com__;!!K543PA!e5l5PUvO8_pOAdqf97eqO7rppJy8ZbPYrAxy5yuRZ793zTJDYo4CG501AFxA2Q$ > > >