Tina Fey is often considered the funniest woman in American and now she's got an award to prove it.
The former "Saturday Night Live" and current "30 Rock" star accepted the 13th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in front of an audience of her peers at the Kennedy Center on November 9, reports USA Today.
Fey is the third woman, and the youngest, at age 40, to win the award. Past recipients include Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Fey said she was "overwhelmed" by the honor and humbled to be in the company of comics she respects.
"All of the other people who have received this prize are heroes of mine," she said. "I keep thinking (I have) to tell them they've made a terrible mistake."
During her acceptance speech, she thanked Sarah Palin for her success, saying that the phenomenon that is the former governor may "be my fault."
She also thanked the Kennedy Center, which she quipped will soon be known as "the tea party bowling alley and rifle range."
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Among the stars on hand to celebrate Fey were "SNL" running mates Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler, "30 Rock" cast mates Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski, and two members of comedy's ruling class, Steve Martin and Betty White.
"Her intelligence along with her sense of comedy makes Fey special," White said, before jokingly adding, "too bad she's not good looking, too."
Fey's also doing a star turn on the big screen these days; her voice is featured in DreamWorks new animated feature "Megamind," which debuted at No. 1 at last week's box office.
Selected Reading: USA Today, Huffington Post, Washington Post
