Among those paying tribute to the comedian at Sunday night's event in Washington, D.C., were Adam Sandler, John Mulaney, Sarah Silverman and a dozen Mark Twain impersonators.

Conan O'Brien received the Mark Twain prize for humor in ceremony that drew Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert to the embattled Kennedy Center, setting the stage for Trump zingers.

The star-studded Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony was the most notable event at the Washington arts center since the president installed himself as its chairman.