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Eddie Murphy receives top US humor prize at Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON (AP) - Eddie Murphy is trading places with Mark Twain.      The comedian, actor, director and producer is this year's recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Honoree Eddie Murphy speaks onstage at Spike TV's "Eddie Murphy: One Night Only" at the Saban Theatre on November 3, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Eddie Murphy is trading places with Mark Twain.

The comedian, actor, director and producer is this year's recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Dave Chappelle, George Lopez, Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, Trevor Noah and Whitney Cummings are among the stars who saluted Murphy at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on Sunday.

Also on hand were alumni from "Saturday Night Live." A 19-year-old Murphy drew national attention after joining the cast in 1980.

The humor prize honors those who influence society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, the writer and satirist known as Mark Twain.

Murphy's films have been among Hollywood's highest-grossing comedies, including "48 Hours," ''Trading Places," ''Dr. Dolittle" and "Coming to America."

PBS will broadcast the tribute on Nov. 23.

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