A joke targeting President Donald Trump was removed from the Netflix broadcast of the 27th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which honored late-night host Bill Maher. The ceremony, which took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on June 28, began streaming on Netflix on July 21.
The Removed Material
Comedian Whitney Cummings performed a set during the gala that included a quip regarding the President’s absence from the event. On stage, Cummings said, I actually heard Trump may come tonight, but he couldn’t make it. He got caught in sex traffic.
The joke, which referenced the President’s former association with Jeffrey Epstein, was recorded during the taping but was excluded from the final version of the program released on Netflix.
In that instance, she opted to remove a bit regarding the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe after staff members expressed concern that they would lose their jobs if the joke were delivered.
Responsibility for the Edit
Following public speculation regarding the censorship of her set, Cummings took to social media to clarify that Netflix was not responsible for the decision. I was super clear that Netflix did not cut anything from my Mark Twain prize set,
Cummings posted on X on July 21. Netflix always supports comedy and comics. Quit spreading rumors ya weirdos.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed this position, stating: While it’s our preference not to cut jokes from anyone’s set, The Kennedy Center has the contractual right to do so.
Representatives for the Kennedy Center suggested that the editing process was collaborative, with a spokesperson noting that edits to a show are always made in a collaborative way to produce the best product for broadcast.
This practice of trimming the ceremony for time constraints is standard; the previous year’s broadcast honoring Conan O’Brien also underwent similar edits.
Conflict over Censorship
Cummings characterized the situation as a tricky conundrum,
noting that she felt compelled to advocate for the joke because the Mark Twain Prize is intended to celebrate comedians who use humor to criticize elected officials. She stated that when she questioned the request to cut the “sex traffic” joke, she was told, He will sue you.
Regarding the venue staff, Cummings expressed sympathy for their position, noting that because the Kennedy Center is led by the President and a board of his allies, the staff had to fulfill their professional duties. The people at the venue have been amazing,
Cummings said on her podcast. It’s true that their boss is Donald Trump. They did their job.
The Kennedy Center and the Prize
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate “fearless” observations and an “uncompromising” perspective on society. Previous recipients include George Carlin, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, and Jon Stewart.
The political environment surrounding the venue has shifted significantly in recent months.
Despite the removal of the “sex traffic” joke, Cummings’ set did include other remarks about the President that remained in the broadcast, including a quip about the Kennedy Center’s programming. Enjoy this fall’s three-month run of white ‘Hamilton,’
she joked, which she noted on her podcast was left in the final cut.
Summary of Key Events
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Mark Twain Prize Ceremony | June 28, 2026 |
| Netflix Broadcast Release | July 21, 2026 |
| Cummings Podcast Episode | July 18, 2026 |
While the “sex traffic” joke was excised from the official stream, the content had already circulated publicly after being reported by journalists in attendance at the live taping.
Sources: Hollywoodreporter, Deadline.
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