Whitney Cummings revealed why one of her sharpest Donald Trump jokes never appeared in Netflix’s broadcast of Bill Maher’s Mark Twain Prize ceremony. The comedian later clarified that Netflix wasn’t responsible for removing the punchline.
The joke quickly made headlines after audience members shared details from the live event. Cummings later explained why it disappeared from the televised version.
Whitney explained why her Trump joke did not appear in Netflix’s Kennedy Center show
During Bill Maher’s Mark Twain Prize ceremony, Cummings joked, “I actually heard Trump may come tonight, but he couldn’t make it. He got caught in sex traffic.” Deadline reported that the line drew laughs and audible reactions before editors removed it from the Netflix broadcast.
After speculation spread online, Cummings had initially addressed the situation on X. “I was super clear that Netflix did not cut anything from my Mark Twain prize set. Netflix always supports comedy and comics. Quit spreading rumors ya weirdos,” she wrote.
A Netflix spokesperson also told Deadline, “While it’s our preference not to cut jokes from anyone’s set, The Kennedy Center has the contractual right to do so.”
On a recent episode of her Good for You podcast, Cummings said the joke had already circulated after the live ceremony. “But then they said, ‘We need to cut it from the broadcast.’ I’m like, well, it’s already out there. Who cares?” she recalled. She was told that he would “sue her.”
Cummings said she didn’t want anyone working on the show to face consequences. Still, she believed the Mark Twain Prize should celebrate fearless comedy. “This is the Mark Twain Prize. This is the only time that you shouldn’t get censored, because it’s about comedians using humor to criticize our elected officials,” she said.
Variety reported that Cummings also defended Kennedy Center employees. She described them as “amazing” and said they “don’t want to silence anyone.” However, she added, “It is true that their boss is Donald Trump, so they did their job.”
Another Trump joke remained in the broadcast. Cummings quipped, “Enjoy this fall’s three-month run of white Hamilton.” She later joked on her podcast, “The joke implying he’s racist — no problems.”
The Kennedy Center has operated under Trump’s leadership since he became chairman earlier this year after replacing board members appointed by previous administrations.
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