A controversial joke made by comedian Whitney Cummings, referencing Donald Trump, was edited out of the Netflix broadcast of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony this week. The quip, which reportedly alluded to the US president’s former association with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was delivered by Cummings when she hosted the event at the John F. Kennedy Center earlier this year.
While the joke was reported by various outlets at the time of filming, it did not appear in the final edit of the special, which began streaming on Netflix on Tuesday, 21 July. Netflix has since clarified its position, stating that it was not responsible for the cut. A spokesperson for the streaming giant told The Hollywood Reporter that while they typically prefer not to remove jokes, the Kennedy Center retained the contractual right to make such edits.
Cummings herself addressed the situation on her 'Good for You' podcast on Monday, acknowledging the difficult position. She noted that the joke had already been widely reported after someone in the audience leaked it to the press. The comedian later took to X (formerly Twitter) to reiterate that Netflix had not cut anything from her set, stating, “Netflix always supports comedy and comics. Quit spreading rumors ya weirdos.”
The Kennedy Center, whose chairman is currently Donald Trump, also commented on the matter. A spokesperson informed The Hollywood Reporter that “edits to a show are always made in a collaborative way to produce the best product for broadcast.” The ceremony this year honoured political commentator and TV presenter Bill Maher, known for his long-standing critical commentary on Trump, with previous recipients including Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Whoopi Goldberg.
Despite the edited joke, Cummings did include other jabs at Trump during the broadcast. At one point, she quipped, “I’m just glad that we could all celebrate Bill even though Trump is now the board chair of this venue. He actually does have a lot of power here and he has a say in what productions go on here, so enjoy this fall’s three-month run of white Hamilton.” The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is not directly affiliated with British awards like the BAFTAs or Brit Awards, but it is a significant cultural recognition in the US, celebrating comedic talent.