At a prestigious event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Sunday night, Kevin Hart received one of the biggest honors: the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Hart got to the stage with his usual spirited behavior during his signature pyrotechnics.

Prompted by a tribute by comedian Dave Chappelle, Hart had to quip, "Can I pee?" before briefly stepping away. He soon returned to accept a bust of Mark Twain from David M. Rubenstein, the outgoing chairman of the Kennedy Center.

At 44, he joined the ranks of those who had received the prestigious honor as the 25th honored recipient, alongside his wife and four children. While every sly roast and touching tribute from colleagues and industry insiders came flying his way, Hart sported an open, toothy grin at every turn, becoming choked up only at infrequent intervals.

Chappelle praises Kevin Hart with many ovations, depicting Kevin forging into comedy stand-up territory. His nearly 25 years have seen him make enormous changes to the comedy landscape with blockbuster comedy tours and movies, inspiring new artists and comedians to follow the same path.

In his speech, he professes to be in love with comedy from time immemorial and will always be in love with its way. The acceptance speech was graced by the attendance of comedy greats Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, and Tiffany Haddish. There were also musical performances by Robin Thicke and Nelly.

In accepting the award, he gave thanks to many in support of this but also re-quoted the importance of genuine relationships in his success. Tears welled in his eyes as he accepted the award.

The ceremony will be available for streaming on Netflix starting May 11.