The US comedian and actor Adam Sandler (56) has been awarded this year's Mark Twain Prize for Humor. "It's just a part of my life that I never expected would happen and it's nice that my family and friends can say that that goofy guy Adam Sandler won a Mark Twain prize." , Sandler said at the gala event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Stars like Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien and Chris Rock celebrated Sandler in the audience on Sunday evening (local time).

Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter previously said in a tribute that Sandler created characters that made people laugh, cry and cry. Sandler, who became known in the 1990s with the comedy show "Saturday Night Live", had success with film comedies such as "50 First Dates", "Spanglish", "Children's Heads" or "The Chaos Dad".

After stars such as Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray and Jon Stewart, Sandler is the 24th recipient of the prestigious award. The award has been presented by the Kennedy Center since 1998 in memory of the great American humorist Mark Twain (1835-1910).